Interaction of serum proteins and nanoparticles leads to a nanoparticle-protein complex formation that defines the rational strategy for a clinically relevant formulation for drug delivery, hyperthermia, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) applications in cancer nanomedicine. Given this perspective, we have examined the pattern of human serum protein corona formation with our recently engineered magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). The alteration in particle size, zeta potential, hemotoxicity, cellular uptake/cancer cells targeting potential, and MRI properties of the MNPs after formation of human serum (HS) protein corona were studied. Our results indicated no significant change in particle size of our MNPs upon incubation with 0.5-50 wt/v% human serum, while zeta potential of MNPs turned negative due to human serum adsorption. When incubated with an increased serum and particle concentration, apolipoprotein E was adsorbed on the surface of MNPs apart from serum albumin and transferrin. However, there was no significant primary or secondary structural alterations observed in serum proteins through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and circular dichroism. Hemolysis assay suggests almost no hemolysis at the tested concentrations (up to 1 mg/mL) for MNPs compared to the sodium dodecyl sulphate (positive control). Additionally, improved internalization and uptake of MNPs by C4-2B and Panc-1 cancer cells were observed upon incubation with human serum (HS). After serum protein adsorption to the surface of MNPs, the close vicinity within T1 (~1.33-1.73 s) and T2 (~ 12.35-13.43 ms) relaxation times suggest our MNPs retained inherent MRI potential even after biomolecular protein adsorption. All these superior clinical parameters potentially enable clinical translation and use of this formulation for next generation nanomedicine for drug delivery, cancer-targeting, imaging and theranostic applications.

Docetaxel (Dtxl) is currently the most common therapeutic option for prostate cancer (PC). However, adverse side effects and problems associated with chemo-resistance limit its therapeutic outcome in clinical settings. A targeted nanoparticle system to improve its delivery to and activity at the tumor site could be an attractive strategy for PC therapy. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop and determine the anti-cancer efficacy of a novel docetaxel loaded, prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) targeted superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle (SPION) (J591-SPION-Dtxl) formulation for PC therapy. Our results showed the SPION-Dtxl formulation exhibits an optimal particle size and zeta potential, which can efficiently be internalized in PC cells. SPION-Dtxl exhibited potent anti-cancer efficacy via induction of the expression of apoptosis associated proteins, downregulation of anti-apoptotic proteins, and inhibition of chemo-resistance associated protein in PC cell lines. J591-SPION-Dtxl exhibited a profound uptake in C4-2 (PSMA+) cells compared to PC-3 (PSMA−) cells. A similar targeting potential was observed in ex-vivo studies in C4-2 tumors but not in PC-3 tumors, suggesting its tumor specific targeting. Overall this study suggests that a PSMA antibody functionalized SPION-Dtxl formulation can be highly useful for targeted PC therapy.

Heart failure, a leading cause of death in humans, can emanate from myocarditis. Although most individuals with myocarditis recover spontaneously, some develop chronic dilated cardiomyopathy. Myocarditis may result from both infectious and noninfectious causes, including autoimmune responses to cardiac antigens. In support of this notion, intracellular cardiac antigens, like cardiac myosin heavy chain-a, cardiac troponin-I, and adenine nucleotide translocator 1 (ANT 1 ), have been identified as autoantigens in cardiac autoimmunity. Herein, we demonstrate that ANT 1 can induce autoimmune myocarditis in A/J mice by generating autoreactive T cells. We show that ANT 1 encompasses multiple immunodominant epitopes (namely, ANT 1 21-40, ANT 1 31-50, ANT 1 171-190, and ANT 1 181-200). Although all four peptides induce comparable T-cell responses, only ANT 1 21-40 was found to be a major myocarditogenic epitope in immunized animals. The myocarditis-inducing ability of ANT 1 21-40 was associated with the generation of T cells producing predominantly IL-17A, and the antigen-sensitized T cells could transfer the disease to naïve recipients. These data indicate that cardiac mitochondrial proteins can be target autoantigens in myocarditis, supporting the notion that the antigens released as a result of primary damage may contribute to the persistence of chronic inflammation through autoimmunity. Myocarditis can occur as a result of exposure to various infectious and noninfectious insults, but does not generally lead to a fatal outcome (ie, most affected individuals can recover spontaneously). However, a proportion of those affected can develop dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Estimates indicate that approximately half of DCM patients undergo heart transplantation because of a lack of alternative therapeutic options.1e3 Furthermore, several clinical studies suggest that DCM patients can have autoantibodies to several cardiac antigens, including adenine nucleotide translocator (ANT).4e6 Because DCM can arise as a sequel to myocarditis, it has been postulated that autoimmune response may be an underlying mechanism in its pathogenesis. 7ANT exists in multiple isoforms, all four of which are expressed in humans (ANT 1 , ANT 2 , ANT 3 , and ANT 4 ), but only three in mice (ANT 1 , ANT 2 , and ANT 4 ). ANT 1 is expressed in muscle tissues (heart and skeletal) and the brain, ANT 2 can be expressed in liver, kidney, and heart, and ANT 4 expression is restricted to the testes in mice.

Background Cardiac myosin heavy chain-α (Myhc), an intracellular protein expressed in the cardiomyocytes, has been identified as a major autoantigen in cardiac autoimmunity. In our studies with Myhc334-352-induced experimental autoimmune myocarditis in A/J mice (H-2a), we discovered that Myhc334-352, supposedly a CD4 T cell epitope, also induced antigen-specific CD8 T cells that transfer disease to naïve animals. Methods and Results In our efforts to identify the CD8 T cell determinants, we localized Myhc338-348 within the full length-Myhc334-352, leading to four key findings. (1) By acting as a dual epitope, Myhc338-348 induces both CD4 and CD8 T cell responses. (2) In a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-stabilization assay, Myhc338-348 was found to bind H-2Dd – but not H-2Kk or H-2Ld – alleles. (3) The CD8 T cell response induced by Myhc338-348 was antigen-specific, as evaluated by MHC class I/H-2Dd dextramer staining. The antigen-sensitized T cells predominantly produced interferon-γ, the critical cytokine of effector cytotoxic T lymphocytes. (4) Myhc338-348 was found to induce myocarditis in immunized animals as determined by histology and magnetic resonance microscopy imaging. Conclusions Our data provide new insights as to how different immune cells can recognize the same antigen and inflict damage through different mechanisms.

Myocarditis is an inflammation of the myocardium, but only ~10% of those affected show clinical manifestations of the disease. To study the immune events of myocardial injuries, various mouse models of myocarditis have been widely used. This study involved experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) induced with cardiac myosin heavy chain (Myhc)-α 334–352 in A/J mice; the affected animals develop lymphocytic myocarditis but with no apparent clinical signs. In this model, the utility of magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM) as a non-invasive modality to determine the cardiac structural and functional changes in animals immunized with Myhc-α 334–352 is shown. EAM and healthy mice were imaged using a 9.4 T (400 MHz) 89 mm vertical core bore scanner equipped with a 4 cm millipede radio-frequency imaging probe and 100 G/cm triple axis gradients. Cardiac images were acquired from anesthetized animals using a gradient-echo-based cine pulse sequence, and the animals were monitored by respiration and pulse oximetry. The analysis revealed an increase in the thickness of the ventricular wall in EAM mice, with a corresponding decrease in the interior diameter of ventricles, when compared with healthy mice. The data suggest that morphological and functional changes in the inflamed hearts can be non-invasively monitored by MRM in live animals. In conclusion, MRM offers an advantage of assessing the progression and regression of myocardial injuries in diseases caused by infectious agents, as well as response to therapies.