CD73 specific siRNA loaded chitosan lactate nanoparticles potentiate the antitumor effect of a dendritic cell vaccine in 4T1 breast cancer bearing mice.

The efficacy of conventional anti-tumor immunotherapeutic approaches is markedly affected by the immunosuppressive microenvironment of tumor. Since adenosine is one of the main orchestra leaders in immunosuppression symphony of tumor, targeting its producing molecules such as CD73 can help to achieve a better clinical outcome following conventional cancer immunotherapeutic approaches. In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of CD73-specific siRNA-loaded chitosan-lactate nanoparticles (ChLa NPs) in combination with tumor lysate pulsed dendritic cells (DCs) vaccine in treatment of 4T1 (murine derived) breast cancer bearing mice. Our results showed that intravenous administration of CD73-specific siRNA-loaded NPs led to reduced expression of CD73 in tumor cells which was associated with decreased tumor growth and metastasis, and improved mice survival. Furthermore, we found that the mechanism by which combination therapy inhibits tumor growth is in part related to downregulation of regulatory T (Treg), myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and tumor associated macrophages, an augmented CTL effector function, improved proliferation status of T cells, increased production of inflammatory cytokines interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-17 and reduced levels of IL-10. Moreover, this treatment protocol attenuated the expression and activities of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) 2 and 9 which could be associated to the prevention of lung metastasis. In conclusion, our findings indicate that the use of CD73-specific siRNA-loaded NPs provides an immune potentiating function, thereby improves the efficacy of DC based cancer immunotherapy.

Jadidi-Niaragh F ，Atyabi F ，Rastegari A ，Kheshtchin N ，Arab S ，Hassannia H ，Ajami M ，Mirsanei Z ，Habibi S ，Masoumi F ，Noorbakhsh F ，Shokri F ，Hadjati J ... -  《-》

Downregulation of CD73 in 4T1 breast cancer cells through siRNA-loaded chitosan-lactate nanoparticles.

Jadidi-Niaragh F ，Atyabi F ，Rastegari A ，Mollarazi E ，Kiani M ，Razavi A ，Yousefi M ，Kheshtchin N ，Hassannia H ，Hadjati J ，Shokri F ... -  《-》

Anti-angiogenic effects of CD73-specific siRNA-loaded nanoparticles in breast cancer-bearing mice.

CD73 facilitates tumor growth by upregulation of the adenosine (immunosuppressive factor) in the tumor microenvironment, however, its precise molecular mechanisms is not precisely understood. Regarding the importance of angiogenesis in tumor development and spreading, we decided to assign the anti-angiogenic effects of CD73 suppression. We used chitosan lactate (ChLa) nanoparticles (NPs) to deliver CD73-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) into cancer cells. Our results showed that treatment of the 4T1 cells with CD73-specific siRNA-loaded NPs led to potent inhibition of cancer cell proliferation and cell cycle arrest, in vitro. This growth arrest was correlated with downregulation of angiogenesis-related molecules including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A, VEGF-R2, interleukin (IL)-6, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β. Moreover, administration of NPs loaded with CD73-siRNA into 4T1 breast cancer-bearing mice led to tumor regression and increased mice survival time accompanied with downregulation of angiogenesis (VEGF-A, VEGF-R2, VE-Cadherin, and CD31) and lymphangiogenesis (VEGF-C and LYVE-1)-related genes in the tumor site. Furthermore, the expression of angiogenesis promoting factors including IL-6, TGF-β, signal transducer, and activator of transcription (STAT)3, hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1α, and cyclooxygenase (COX)2 was decreased after the CD73 suppression in mice. Moreover, analysis of leukocytes derived from the tumor samples, spleen, and regional lymph nodes showed that they had lower capability for secretion of angiogenesis promoting factors after CD73-silencing. These results indicate that suppression of tumor development by downregulation of CD73 is in part related to angiogenesis arrest. These findings imply a promising strategy for inhibiting tumor growth accompanied with suppressing the angiogenesis process.

Ghalamfarsa G ，Rastegari A ，Atyabi F ，Hassannia H ，Hojjat-Farsangi M ，Ghanbari A ，Anvari E ，Mohammadi J ，Azizi G ，Masjedi A ，Yousefi M ，Yousefi B ，Hadjati J ，Jadidi-Niaragh F ... -  《-》

Blockade of CD73 using siRNA loaded chitosan lactate nanoparticles functionalized with TAT-hyaluronate enhances doxorubicin mediated cytotoxicity in cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo.

Chemotherapy drugs are still one of the first treatment options used in many cancers; however, problems such as cytotoxic side effects on normal cells after systemic administration and resistance to treatment have reduced the use of chemotherapeutics day by day. Targeted delivery of these drugs to the tumor site and sensitization of cancer cells to death induced by chemotherapy drugs are ways that can overcome the limitations of the use of these drugs. In this study, we designed and generated a novel nanocarrier composed of chitosan lactate nanoparticles (NPs) functionalized by HIV-1 derived TAT peptide (Transactivating transcriptional activator) and hyaluronate (HA) to deliver CD73 siRNA and doxorubicin to 4T1 and CT26 cancer cells, both in vivo and in vitro, as a novel combinatorial treatment strategy. The CD73 molecule plays a key role in many cancer cell behaviors such as proliferation, angiogenesis, metastasis, imunosuppression, and resistance to chemotherapy. Therefore, we decided to reduce the side effects of DOX by simultaneously transmitting CD73 siRNA and DOX by CL-TAT-HA NPs, increase the susceptibility of cancer cells to DOX-induced cell death, and stimulate anti-tumor immune responses, for the first time. These results indicated that simultaneous transfer of CD73 siRNA and DOX to cancer cells (4 T1 and CT26) increased cell death and inhibited the prolifration and spread of cancer cells. Also, the preferential aggregation of NPs in the tumor microenvironment reduced tumor growh, promoted the survival of tumor-bearing mice, and induced anti-tumor immune responses. These findings indicate that CL-TAT-HA NPs are a good candidate for targeted siRNA/drug delivery to cancer cells and the simultaneous transfer of CD73 siRNA and DOX to cancer cells using this nanocarrier can be used to treat cancer.

Salehi Khesht AM ，Karpisheh V ，Sahami Gilan P ，Melnikova LA ，Olegovna Zekiy A ，Mohammadi M ，Hojjat-Farsangi M ，Majidi Zolbanin N ，Mahmoodpoor A ，Hassannia H ，Aghebati-Maleki L ，Jafari R ，Jadidi-Niaragh F ... -  《-》

Silencing adenosine A2a receptor enhances dendritic cell-based cancer immunotherapy.

Overexpression of adenosine in the tumor region leads to suppression of various immune cells, particularly T cells through ligation with adenosine 2a receptor (A2aR). In this study, we intended to increase the efficacy of tumor lysate-loaded DC vaccine by silencing the expression of A2aR on T cells through the application of A2aR-specific siRNA-loaded PEG-chitosan-lactate (PCL) nanoparticles (NPs) in the 4T1 breast tumor-bearing mice. Combination therapy by DC vaccine and siRNA-loaded NPs markedly induced tumor regression and increased survival time of mice. These ameliorative effects were partly via downregulation of immunosuppressive cells, increased function of cytotoxic T lymphocytes, and induction of immune-stimulatory cytokines. Moreover, combination therapy could markedly suppress angiogenesis and metastasis processes. These results imply the efficacy of novel combination therapy for the treatment of breast cancer by using A2aR siRNA-loaded NPs and DC vaccine which can be translated into the initial phase of clinical trials in the near future.

Masjedi A ，Ahmadi A ，Ghani S ，Malakotikhah F ，Nabi Afjadi M ，Irandoust M ，Karoon Kiani F ，Heydarzadeh Asl S ，Atyabi F ，Hassannia H ，Hojjat-Farsangi M ，Namdar A ，Ghalamfarsa G ，Jadidi-Niaragh F ... -  《-》