Peptide-IR820 Conjugate: A Promising Strategy for Efficient Vascular Disruption and Hypoxia Induction in Melanoma

• DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c07503
• Publication Date: 2024-07-25T13:42:13Z
• Authors: Hongxia Zhang; Mengmeng Jiang; Weiyu Xing; Rui Zhao; Gongyu Li; Zhen Zheng
• Keywords: Tumor Hypoxia; Tirapazamine; Hypoxia; Nanocarriers

Photothermal therapy (PTT) has emerged as a noninvasive and precise cancer treatment modality known for its high selectivity lack of drug resistance. However, the clinical translation many PTT agents is hindered by limited biodegradability inorganic nanoparticles instability organic dyes. In this study, peptide conjugate, IR820-Cys-Trp-Glu-Trp-Thr-Trp-Tyr (IR820-C), was designed to self-assemble into both potent vascular disruption in melanoma treatment. When co-assembled with poorly soluble disrupting agent (VDA) combretastatin A4 (CA4), resulting (IR820-C@CA4 NPs) accumulate efficiently tumors, activate systemic antitumor immune responses, effectively ablate single near-infrared irradiation, confirmed our vivo experiments. Furthermore, exploiting tumor hypoxia, we subsequently administered hypoxia-activated prodrug tirapazamine (TPZ) capitalize on created microenvironment, thereby boosting therapeutic efficacy antimetastatic potential. This study showcases potential short-peptide-based nanocarriers design development stable efficient photothermal platforms. The multifaceted strategy, which merges ablation chemotherapy, holds great promise advancing scope modalities.