Numerous
prior studies on fighting cancer have been based on using
inhibitors of JAK-STAT pathway (signal transducer and activator of
transcription 3 (STAT3) inhibitor in particular), a signaling pathway
responsible for progression of many types of cancer cells. However,
recent studies have shown that STAT3 activation leads to upregulation
of program death receptor-ligand 1 (PD-L1, an immune checkpoint protein
that plays a major role behind evasion of immune systems by growing
tumors) expression levels in tumor cells, leading to enhanced immune
suppression. This is why global efforts are being witnessed in combating
cancer through use of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Herein, we report
on the design, synthesis, physicochemical characterizations, and bioactivity
evaluation of novel tumor- and tumor-vasculature-targeting noncytotoxic
Au-CGKRK nanoconjugates (17–80 nm) for combating tumor. Using
a syngeneic mouse tumor model, we show that intraperitoneal (i.p.)
administration of the Au-CGKRK nanoparticles (NPs) complexed with
both PD-L1siRNA (the immune checkpoint inhibitor) and STAT3siRNA (the
JAK-STAT pathway inhibitor) results in significant (>70%) enhancement
in overall survivability (OS) in melanoma-bearing mice (
n
= 5) when compared to the OS in the untreated mice group. The expression
levels of CD8 and CD4 proteins in the tumor lysates of differently
treated mice groups (by Western blotting) are consistent with the
observed OS enhancement being a T-cell-driven process. Biodistribution
study using near-infrared dye-loaded Au-CGKRK nanoconjugates revealed
selective accumulation of the dye in mouse tumor. Notably, the overall
survival benefits were significantly less (∼35%) when melanoma-bearing
mice were treated (i.p.) with Au-CGKRK NPs complexed with only PD-L1siRNA
or with STAT3siRNA alone. The presently described Au-CGKRK nanoconjugates
are expected to find future use in therapeutic RNA-interference-based
cancer immunotherapy.