Nanovesicle-mediated systemic delivery of microRNA-34a for CD44 overexpressing gastric cancer stem cell therapy. (October 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jang, Eunji; Kim, Eunjung; Son, Hye-Young; Lim, Eun-Kyung; Lee, Hwunjae; Choi, Yuna; Park, Kwangyeol; Han, Seungmin; Suh, Jin-Suck; Huh, Yong-Min; Haam, Seungjoo
• Is Part Of: Biomaterials. Volume 105(2016)
• Page Start: 12
• Page End: 24
• Publication Date: 2016-10
• Subjects: miR-34a delivery -- CD44 suppression -- Cancer stem cells -- Nanovesicles -- pH-responsive; Biomedical materials -- Periodicals; Biocompatible Materials -- Periodicals; Biomatériaux -- Périodiques; 610.28
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2016.07.036
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0142-9612

Abstract

Abstract: The cancer stem cell (CSC) hypothesis postulates that cancer cells overexpressing CD44 are marked as CSCs that cause tumorigenesis and recurrence. This hypothesis suggests that CD44 is a potential therapeutic target that can interfere with CSCs qualities. MicroRNA-34a (miR-34a) is a promising candidate for CD44 repression-based cancer therapy as it has been reported to inhibit proliferation, metastasis, and survival of CD44-positive CSCs. Here, we used nanovesicles containing PLI/miR complexes (NVs/miR) to systemically deliver miR-34a and induce miR-34a-triggered CD44 suppression in orthotopically and subcutaneously implanted tumors in nude mice. Poly(l -lysine-graft-imidazole) (PLI) condenses miRs and is functionally modified to deliver miRs to the site of action by buffering effect of imidazole residues under endosomal pH. Indeed, NVs/miR consisting of PEGylated lipids enveloping PLI/miR complexes greatly reduced inevitable toxicity of polycations by compensating their surface charge and markedly improved their in vivo stability and accumulation to tumor tissue compared to PLI/miR polyplexes. Our NVs-mediated miR-34a delivery system specifically increased endogenous target miR levels, thereby attenuating proliferation and migration of gastric cancer cells by repressing the expression of CD44 with decreased levels of Bcl-2, Oct 3/4 and Nanog genes. Our strategy led to a greater therapeutic outcome than PLI-based delivery with highly selective tumor cell death and significantly delayed tumor growth in CD44-positive tumor-bearing mouse models, thus providing a fundamental therapeutic window for CSCs. Graphical abstract: