Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) are contrast agents used for noninvasive tumor magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). SPION with active targeting by tumor-specific ligands can effectively enhance the MRI sensitivity and specificity of tumors. However, the challenge remains when the tumor specific markers are yet to be determined, especially in the case of early tumor detection. In this study, the effectiveness of pH-responsive SPION via a pH low insertion peptide (pHLIP) to target tumor acidic microenvironments was investigated. Polylysine polymers were first successfully modified with pHLIP to have the pH-responsive capability. SPION pHLIP nanoclusters of 64, 82, 103, and 121 nm size were then assembled by the pH-responsive polymers in a size-controlled manner. The pH-responsive SPION nanoclusters of the 64 nm size exhibited the most effective pH-responsive retention in cells and tumor selective imaging in MRI. More importantly, the unique contrast enhancement of tumor inner core by the pH-responsive SPION in three different tumor models demonstrated the clinical potential to target tumor acidic microenvironment through pHLIP for tumor early detection and diagnosis by MRI.Statement of SignificanceDetection and diagnosis of tumors at early stage are critical for the improvement of the survival rate of cancer patients. However, the challenge remains when the tumor specific markers are yet to be determined, especially in early tumor detection. pH low insertion peptide (pHLIP) has been used as a specific ligand to target the tumor acidic microenvironment for tumors at early and metastatic stages. Superparamagnetic iron nanoparticles (SPION) are contrast enhancing agents used in the noninvasive magnetic resonance imaging for tumors. This research has demonstrated that pH-responsive pHLIP nanoclusters of SPION were able to target different tumors and facilitate the noninvasive diagnosis of tumors by MRI.Download high-res image (151KB)Download full-size image

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) have recently been used as an effective magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent for the noninvasive diagnosis of chronic liver diseases including nonalcohol fatty liver diseases, nonalcohol steatohepatitis, and cirrhosis as well as liver tumors. However, the potential risk of the iron overload by SPIONs has been highly underestimated in chronic liver diseases. While most of SPIONs have been shown safe in the healthy group, significant toxicity potential by the iron overload has been revealed through immunotoxicity, lipid peroxidation, and fatty acid and cholesterol metabolism in cirrhosis as a high risk factor. As a result, the systems toxicology assessments of SPIONs are crucial in both healthy ones and chronic liver disease models to determine the margin of safety. In addition, the challenge of the iron overload by SPIONs requires better designed SPIONs as MRI contrast agents for chronic liver diseases such as the biodegradable nanocluster assembly with urine clearance.

•Significantly enhanced activity of dT-QX conjugates under UVA-1 activation.•Thymidine dichloroquinoxaline conjugate (2Cl) as a potent anticancer agent.•Low radiance of UVA-1 is sufficient enough to induce the full activity.•Rapid and steady production of ROS by the 2Cl conjugate under UVA-1.Thymidine quinoxaline conjugate (dT-QX) is a thymidine analog with selective cytotoxicity against different cancer cells. In this study, the structure activity relationship study of dT-QX analogs was carried out under the low radiance of black fluorescent (UVA-1) light. Significantly enhanced cytotoxicity was observed under UVA-1 activation among analogs containing both thymidine and quinoxaline moieties with different length of the linker, stereochemical configuration and halogenated substituents. Among these analogs, the thymidine dichloroquinoxaline conjugate exhibited potent activity under UVA-1 activation as the best candidate with EC50 at 0.67 μM and 1.3 μM against liver and pancreatic cancer cells, respectively. In contrast, the replacement of thymidine moiety with a galactosyl residue or the replacement of quinoxaline moiety with a fluorescent pyrenyl residue or a simplified diketone structure resulted in the full loss of activity. Furthermore, it was revealed that the low radiance of UVA-1 at 3 mW/cm2 for 20 min was sufficient enough to induce the full cytotoxicity of thymidine dichloroquinoxaline conjugate and that the cytotoxic mechanism was achieved through a rapid and steady production of reactive oxygen species.

Quinone methides (QMs) are involved in the metabolism of many drugs and carcinogens as reactive intermediates to form covalent nucleobase adducts in DNA that associate with high mutagenicity. Recently, a plethora of synthetic QM DNA alkylating agents have been developed to form various nucleobase adducts as potential antitumor agents. However, the mutagenic potential of these synthetic QM alkylating agents has not been fully investigated. In this report, N-methylquinolinium QM was developed as a synthetic model to study biological consequences of the formation of nucleobase adducts in a DNA target. N-Methylquinolinium QM was generated in situ via an elimination process from a bis-quaternary ammonium precursor that was synthesized from a quinoline derivative. Alkylation with N-methylquinolinium QM on a DNA target produced mostly a stable N2-dG adduct as revealed by gel electrophoresis and DNA digestion assays and confirmed by mass and NMR analyses. The formation of N2-dG adducts of a DNA target was found to cause extensive stops in the primer extension with high fidelity DNA polymerase T7 and even low fidelity error prone Dpo4. The direct biological impact of a prealkylated green fluorescence protein plasmid with N-methylquinolinium QM was demonstrated as significant suppression of protein expression in A549 cells. Overall, our results suggested that nucleobase-QM adducts could potentially block nucleobase mismatch/translesion in the error-prone process to reduce the mutagenic potential if designed carefully.