• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• 제25권3호
• /
• pp.229-239
• /
• 2002

Recent progress in understanding the molecular basis of cancer brought out new materials such as oligonucleotides, genes, peptides and proteins as a source of new anticancer agents. Due to their macromolecular properties, however, new strategies of delivery for them are required to achieve their full therapeutic efficacy in clinical setting. Development of improved dosage forms of currently marketed anticancer drugs can also enhance their therapeutic values. Currently developed delivery systems for anticancer agents include colloidal systems (liposomes, emulsions, nanoparticles and micelles), polymer implants and polymer conjugates. These delivery systems have been able to provide enhanced therapeutic activity and reduced toxicity of anticancer agents mainly by altering their pharmacokinetics and biodistribution. Furthermore, the identification of cell-specific receptor/antigens on cancer cells have brought the development of ligand- or antibody-bearing delivery systems which can be targeted to cancer cells by specific binding to receptors or antigens. They have exhibited specific and selective delivery of anticancer agents to cancer. As a consequence of extensive research, clinical development of anticancer agents utilizing various delivery systems is undergoing worldwide. New technologies and multidisciplinary expertise to develop advanced drug delivery systems, applicable to a wide range of anticancer agents, may eventually lead to an effective cancer therapy in the future.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• 제42권11호
• /
• pp.804-809
• /
• 2019

Oncogenic gain-of-function mutations are clinical biomarkers for most targeted therapies, as well as represent direct targets for drug treatment. Although loss-of-function mutations involving the tumor suppressor gene, STK11 (LKB1) are important in lung cancer progression, STK11 is not the direct target for anticancer agents. We attempted to identify cancer transcriptome signatures associated with STK11 loss-of-function mutations. Several new sensitive and specific gene expression markers (ENO3, TTC39C, LGALS3, and MAML2) were identified using two orthogonal measures, i.e., fold change and odds ratio analyses of transcriptome data from cell lines and tissue samples. Among the markers identified, the ENO3 gene over-expression was found to be the direct consequence of STK11 loss-of-function. Furthermore, the knockdown of ENO3 expression exhibited selective anticancer effect in STK11 mutant cells compared with STK11 wild type (or recovered) cells. These findings suggest that ENO3-based targeted therapy might be promising for patients with lung cancer harboring STK11 mutations.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제29권11호
• /
• pp.1799-1805
• /
• 2019

Doxorubicin (DOX) is one of the most effective anticancer agents used for the treatment of multiple cancers; however, its use is limited by its short half-life and adverse drug reactions, especially cardiotoxicity. In this study, we found that the conjugate of DOX with APTA12 (Gemcitabine incorporated G-quadruplex aptamer) was significantly more cancer selective and cytotoxic than DOX. The conjugate had an affinity for nucleolin, with higher uptake and retention into the cancer cells than those of DOX. Further, it was localized to the nucleus, which is the target site of DOX. Owing to its mechanism of action, DOX has the ability to intercalate into the nucleotides thus making it a suitable drug to form a conjugate with cancer selective aptamers such as APTA12. The conjugation can lead to selectively accumulate in the cancer cells thus decreasing its potential nonspecific as well as cardiotoxic side effects. The aim of this study was to prepare a conjugate of DOX with APTA12 and assess the chemotherapeutic properties of the conjugate specific to cancer cells. The DOX-APTA12 conjugate was prepared by incubation and its cytotoxicity in MCF-10A (non-cancerous mammary cells) and MDA-MB-231 (breast cancer cells) was assessed. The results indicate that DOX-APTA12 conjugate is a potential option for chemotherapy especially for nucleolin expressing breast cancer with reduced doxorubicin associated side effects.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• 제31권1호
• /
• pp.1-15
• /
• 2023

Autophagy is a process of eliminating damaged or unnecessary proteins and organelles, thereby maintaining intracellular homeostasis. Deregulation of autophagy is associated with several diseases including cancer. Contradictory dual roles of autophagy have been well established in cancer. Cytoprotective mechanism of autophagy has been extensively investigated for overcoming resistance to cancer therapies including radiotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy. Selective autophagy inhibitors that directly target autophagic process have been developed for cancer treatment. Efficacies of autophagy inhibitors have been tested in various pre-clinical cancer animal models. Combination therapies of autophagy inhibitors with chemotherapeutics are being evaluated in clinal trials. In this review, we will focus on genetical and pharmacological perturbations of autophagy-related proteins in different steps of autophagic process and their therapeutic benefits. We will also summarize combination therapies of autophagy inhibitors with chemotherapies and their outcomes in pre-clinical and clinical studies. Understanding of current knowledge of development, progress, and application of cytoprotective autophagy inhibitors in combination therapies will open new possibilities for overcoming drug resistance and improving clinical outcomes.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제19권9호
• /
• pp.1070-1076
• /
• 2009

Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), which prolongs the replicative life span of cells, is highly upregulated in 85-90% of human cancers, whereas most normal somatic tissues in humans express limited levels of the telomerase activity. Therefore, TERT has been a potential target for anticancer therapy. Recently, we described a new approach to human cancer gene therapy, which is based on the group I intron of Tetrahymena thermophila. This ribozyme can specifically mediate RNA replacement of human TERT (hTERT) transcript with a new transcript harboring anticancer activity through a trans-splicing reaction, resulting in selective regression of hTERT-positive cancer cells. However, to validate the therapeutic potential of the ribozyme in animal models, ribozymes targeting inherent transcripts of the animal should be developed. In this study, we developed a Tetrahymena-based trans-splicing ribozyme that can specifically target and replace the mouse TERT (mTERT) RNA. This ribozyme can trigger transgene activity not only also in mTERT-expressing cells but hTERT-positive cancer cells. Importantly, the ribozyme could selectively induce activity of the suicide gene, a herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene, in cancer cells expressing the TERT RNA and thereby specifically hamper the survival of these cells when treated with ganciclovir. The mTERT-targeting ribozyme will be useful for evaluation of the RNA replacement approach as a cancer gene therapeutic tool in the mouse model with syngeneic tumors.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• 제34권4호
• /
• pp.239-249
• /
• 2016

Tumor hypoxia, a common feature occurring in nearly all human solid tumors is a major contributing factor for failures of anticancer therapies. Because ionizing radiation depends heavily on the presence of molecular oxygen to produce cytotoxic effect, the negative impact of tumor hypoxia had long been recognized. In this review, we will highlight some of the past attempts to overcome tumor hypoxia including hypoxic radiosensitizers and hypoxia-selective cytotoxin. Although they were (still are) a very clever idea, they lacked clinical efficacy largely because of 'reoxygenation' phenomenon occurring in the conventional low dose hyperfractionation radiotherapy prevented proper activation of these compounds. Recent meta-analysis and imaging studies do however indicate that there may be a significant clinical benefit in lowering the locoregional failures by using these compounds. Latest technological advancement in radiotherapy has allowed to deliver high doses of radiation conformally to the tumor volume. Although this technology has brought superb clinical responses for many types of cancer, recent modeling studies have predicted that tumor hypoxia is even more serious because 'reoxygenation' is low thereby leaving a large portion of hypoxic tumor cells behind. Wouldn't it be then reasonable to combine hypoxic radiosensitizers and/or hypoxia-selective cytotoxin with the latest radiotherapy? We will provide some preclinical and clinical evidence to support this idea hoping to revamp an enthusiasm for hypoxic radiosensitizers or hypoxia-selective cytotoxins as an adjunct therapy for radiotherapy.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• 제26권1호
• /
• pp.15-24
• /
• 2022

The development of selective targeting of drug molecules towards the mitochondria is an important issue related to therapy efficacy. In this study, we report that gallic acid (GA)-mitochondria targeting sequence (MTS)-H₃R₉ exhibits a dual role as a mitochondria-targeting vehicle with antioxidant activity for disease therapy. In viability assays, GA-MTS-H₃R₉ showed a better rescue action compared to that of MTS-H₃R₉. GA-MTS-H₃R₉ dramatically exhibited cell penetration and intercellular uptake compared to MTS and fit escape from lysosome release to the cytosol. We demonstrated the useful targeting of GA-MTS-H₃R₉ towards mitochondria in AC16 cells. Also, we observed that the antioxidant properties of mitochondrial-accrued GA-MTS-H₃R₉ alleviated cell damage by reactive oxygen species production and disrupted mitochondrial membrane potential. GA-MTS-H₃R₉ showed a very increased cytoprotective effect against anticancer activity compared to that of MTS-H₃R₉. We showed that GA-MTS-H₃R₉ can act as a vehicle for mitochondria-targeting and as a reagent for therapeutic applications intended for cardiovascular disease treatment.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
• /
• 제11권1호
• /
• pp.7-12
• /
• 2006

Telomerase activation is detected in most cancerous cells; hence, telomerase is a highly selective target for cancer therapy, which plays an important role in the apoptotic process. We have previously reported that the ginseng saponin metabolite, Compound K (20-O-D-glucopyranosyl-20(S)-protopanaxadiol, IH901), inhibits cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at the $G_1$ phase. The present study investigated the regulation of telomerase activity in Compound K treated U937 cells. Compound K treatment caused a reduction in telomerase activity and down-regulated the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene, resulting in the decreased expressions of its protein, and of the c-Myc and Spl proteins (transcription factors of hTERT). These results indicate that the anticancer activity of Compound K could be mediated by inhibition of the telomerase activity.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• 제21권3호
• /
• pp.207-215
• /
• 2003

목적: Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)는 mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade의 일원으로 다양한 세포독성 자극에 의해 유도되는 apoptosis에 반대되는 역할을 한다. 따라서 ERK의 억제는 항암제로서 유용하게 사용될 것으로 생각되어진다. 대상 및 방법: 마우스 간암인 HCa-I는 TCD50가 80 Gy 이상으로 강한 방사선 내성종양으로 알려져 있으며, 방사선 민감성의 증진을 위해 다양한 항암제가 실험되었으나 뚜렷한 효과를 나타내지 못했다. 이 실험을 통해 in vivo,, 특히 방사선 내성종양에서 ERK의 억제가 방사선에 의한 항암 작용을 증진시키는지 알아보고자 하였다. C3H/HeJ 마우스에 종양의 크기가 $7.5\~8\;mm$가 되었을 때 PD98059 ($0.16\;\mug/50\;\mul$로 종양에 직접 주사)를 처리하였다. 결과: 처리 1시간째에 p-ERK가 0.5배로 억제되었다. 종양 성장 지연 분석에서 증강 지수가 전 처리군과 후 처리군에서 각각 1.6과 1.87로 PD98059가 종양의 방사선 감수성을 증가시키는 것으로 관찰되었다. 25 Gy 방사선과 PD98059 복합처리 시 apoptosis가 크게 증가되었다. 각 실험군의 apoptosis 최대치는 방사선 조사군에서 $1.4\%$, PD98059 처리군에서 $0.9\%$ 복합처리군의 전 처리군과 후 처리군에서 각각 $4.9\%\;5.3\%$를 나타냈다. Apoptosis 조절 물질의 변화는, p53의 발현이 복합 처리군에서 PD98059 전 처리군과 후 처리군 모두에서 24시간까지 대조군에 비해 2.7배, 3.2배의 높은 발현 수준을 유지하여 처리 1시간째부터 발현 증가를 하여 24시간까지 지속되는 것이 관찰되었다. $p21^{WAF1/CIP1}$의 발현은 p53 발현 변화와 유사한 양상으로 특히 PD98059 후 처리군에서 방사선 조사군이나 PD98059 전 처리군과 비교하여 높은 발현수준을 보였으며, 24시간까지 3.2배의 높은 발현 수준을 유지하는 것으로 나타났다. Bcl-Xs는 25 Gy 방사선 조사군이나 PD98059 처리군에서는 뚜렷한 변화를 보이지 않았으나 복합 처리군중 전 처리군에서 4시간 째 대조군에 비해 1.93배 증가를 보였으며, 후 처리군에서는 1시간 후에 1.83배의 증가를 보였다. 모든 실험군에서 Bcl-2, $Bcl-X_L$, BaX는 뚜렷한 발현 변화를 보이지 않았다. 결론: 방사선 내성 종양인 간암에 MEK 억제제를 방사선 조사와 복합 처리하여 방사선 감수성을 향상시켜 치료 효율의 상승을 유도 할 수 있을 것으로 생각된다.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• 제56권2호
• /
• pp.178-186
• /
• 2004

연구배경 : 광역학치료는 체내의 풍부한 산소, 외부에서 공급되는 레이저 그리고 레이저 빛에 예민한 반응을 보이는 광감작제를 이용한 새로운 항암치료 방법으로, 그 원리는 체내의 산소와 빛에 예민한 반응을 보이는 광감작제가 레이저에 의하여 화학적인반응을 일으켜 생성되는 단일항 산소와 이에 의하여 유발되는 자유라디칼이 암세포를 손상시키는 것이다. 광역학치료에 의한 세포사의 주요 형태로 아포프토시스가 관여한다고 알려져 있다. 이에 저자들은 A549 폐암세포주에서의 광역학치료에서 세포독성이 광감작제의 농도, 레이저 조사량, 그리고 시간의 경과에 따라서 어떠한 양상으로 나타나는지 그리고 세포사의 특징으로 아포프토시스 유무에 대해서 알아보고자 본 연구를 시행하였다. 방 법 : 폐암세포주로 A549 폐암세포주를 이용하였고, 광감작제로 ALA를, 그리고 레이저는 632nm diode 레이저를 사용하였다. ALA 의 용량은 $10{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, $100{\mu}g/m{\ell}$, 그리고 $1mg/m{\ell}$를 사용하였고 레이저의 조사량은 1.6, 3.2, $6.4J/cm^2$ 이었다. 세포독성검사는 crystal violet assay를 이용하였고 아포프토시스 유무는 Hoechst 33342 와 propium iodide 이중염색 방법을 이용하여 분석하였다. 결 과 : A549 폐암세포주에서 ALA를 이용한 광역학치료시 ALA의 농도증가에 따른 세포독성의 증가가 관찰되었고 또한 레이저의 조사량 증가에 따라서도 세포독성의 증가가 관찰되었다. 그리고 세포독성의 형태는 아포프토시스임을 확인할 수 있었다. 그러나 광역학치료 후 시간의 경과에 따른 세포독성의 변화는 관찰되지 않았다. 결 론 : ALA를 이용한 광역학치료는 A549 폐암세포주의 항암효과가 있음을 알 수 있었으며 이는 아포프토 시스의 유도에 의해 이루어짐을 확인할 수 있었다. 향후 광역학치료-유도성 아포프토시스의 기전에 대한 연구가 필요할 것으로 사료된다.