Autophagy-Targeted Calcium Phosphate Nanoparticles Enable Transarterial Chemoembolization for Enhanced Cancer Therapy

Abstract

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is commonly used for treating advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the instability of lipiodol-drug emulsion and the altered tumor microenvironment (TME, such as hypoxia-induced autophagy) postembolization are responsible for the unsatisfactory therapeutic outcomes. Herein, pH-responsive poly(acrylic acid)/calcium phosphate nanoparticles (PAA/CaP NPs) were synthesized and used as the carrier of epirubicin (EPI) to enhance the efficacy of TACE therapy through autophagy inhibition. PAA/CaP NPs have a high loading capacity of EPI and a sensitive drug release behavior under acidic conditions. Moreover, PAA/CaP NPs block autophagy through the dramatic increase of intracellular Ca2+ content, which synergistically enhances the toxicity of EPI. TACE with EPI-loaded PAA/CaP NPs dispersed in lipiodol shows an obvious enhanced therapeutic outcome compared to the treatment with EPI-lipiodol emulsion in an orthotopic rabbit liver cancer model. This study not only develops a new delivery system for TACE but also provides a promising strategy targeting autophagy inhibition to improve the therapeutic effect of TACE for the HCC treatment.

Additive engineering for high-performance polythiophene gas sensors incorporating functional amine additive with strong binding energy for NO2

“…2e). The dynamic gas-sensing performance was examined by exposing the sensor to NO 2 gas at various concentrations (10,20,30,40, 50 ppm) (Fig. 3e), and the responsivity was calculated as a function of the NO 2 concentration (Fig.…”

A Multichannel Metabolic Pathway Interference Strategy for Complete Energy Depletion‐Mediated Cancer Therapy

“…Next, the pH-triggered release of H 2 S was quantitatively analyzed by using the methylene blue (MB) method. [41] The principle is shown in Figure 2g. In acidic conditions, H 2 S can react with ferric chloride and dimethyl pphenylenediamine to form a blue MB complex.…”

A hydrogen bonded azine as a building block for π-conjugated polymers and their semiconducting properties

“…The solution absorption spectra of the polymers showed pronounced shoulders, indicating strong intermolecular aggregations even in dilute solutions. 33 The P1 solution exhibited a λ max at 596 nm with a molar extinction coefficient of 1.31 × 10 5 M −1 cm −1 , P2 showed a λ max at 763 nm with a molar extinction coefficient of 1.17 × 10 5 M −1 cm −1 , and P3 showed a λ max at 559 nm with a molar extinction coefficient of 1.00 × 10 5 M −1 cm −1 (Fig. S4 †).…”