Design, controlled synthesis, physico-chemical and biological characteristics of novel well-defined biodegradable star-shaped copolymers intended for advanced drug delivery is described. These new biocompatible star copolymers were synthesised by grafting monodispersed semitelechelic linear (sL) N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide copolymers onto a 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)propionic acid (bisMPA)-based polyester dendritic core of various structures. The hydrodynamic diameter of the star copolymer biomaterials can be tuned from 13 to 31 nm and could be adjusted to a given purpose by proper selection of the bisMPA dendritic core type and generation and by considering the sL copolymer molecular weight and polymer-to-core molar ratio. The hydrolytic degradation was proved for both the star copolymers containing either dendron or dendrimer core, showing the spontaneous hydrolysis in duration of few weeks. Finally, it was shown that the therapy with the biodegradable star conjugate with attached doxorubicin strongly suppresses the tumour growth in mice and is fully curative in most of the treated animals at dose corresponding approximately to one fourth of maximum tolerated dose (MTD) value. Both new biodegradable systems show superior efficacy and tumour accumulation over the first generation of star copolymers containing non-degradable PAMAM core.

• Klíčová slova
• Cancer, Doxorubicin, Drug delivery, HPMA, Star-like polymers, bisMPA,
• MeSH
• akrylamidy MeSH
• biokompatibilní materiály * MeSH
• doxorubicin MeSH
• léčivé přípravky * MeSH
• lékové transportní systémy MeSH
• methakryláty MeSH
• myši MeSH
• nádorové buněčné linie MeSH
• nosiče léků MeSH
• polymery MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
• Názvy látek
• akrylamidy MeSH
• biokompatibilní materiály * MeSH
• doxorubicin MeSH
• hydroxypropyl methacrylate MeSH Prohlížeč
• léčivé přípravky * MeSH
• methakryláty MeSH
• N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide MeSH Prohlížeč
• nosiče léků MeSH
• polymery MeSH

Rationale: The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a major obstacle for drug delivery to the brain. Sonopermeation, which relies on the combination of ultrasound and microbubbles, has emerged as a powerful tool to permeate the BBB, enabling the extravasation of drugs and drug delivery systems (DDS) to and into the central nervous system (CNS). When aiming to improve the treatment of high medical need brain disorders, it is important to systematically study nanomedicine translocation across the sonopermeated BBB. To this end, we here employed multimodal and multiscale optical imaging to investigate the impact of DDS size on brain accumulation, extravasation and penetration upon sonopermeation. Methods: Two prototypic DDS, i.e. 10 nm-sized pHPMA polymers and 100 nm-sized PEGylated liposomes, were labeled with fluorophores and intravenously injected in healthy CD-1 nude mice. Upon sonopermeation, computed tomography-fluorescence molecular tomography, fluorescence reflectance imaging, fluorescence microscopy, confocal microscopy and stimulated emission depletion nanoscopy were used to study the effect of DDS size on their translocation across the BBB. Results: Sonopermeation treatment enabled safe and efficient opening of the BBB, which was confirmed by staining extravasated endogenous IgG. No micro-hemorrhages, edema and necrosis were detected in H&E stainings. Multimodal and multiscale optical imaging showed that sonopermeation promoted the accumulation of nanocarriers in mouse brains, and that 10 nm-sized polymeric DDS accumulated more strongly and penetrated deeper into the brain than 100 nm-sized liposomes. Conclusions: BBB opening via sonopermeation enables safe and efficient delivery of nanomedicine formulations to and into the brain. When looking at accumulation and penetration (and when neglecting issues such as drug loading capacity and therapeutic efficacy) smaller-sized DDS are found to be more suitable for drug delivery across the BBB than larger-sized DDS. These findings are valuable for better understanding and further developing nanomedicine-based strategies for the treatment of CNS disorders.

• Klíčová slova
• Blood-brain barrier, Drug delivery, Microbubbles, Nanomedicine, Ultrasound,
• MeSH
• fluorescenční barviva aplikace a dávkování   MeSH
• hematoencefalická bariéra diagnostické zobrazování   metabolismus   MeSH
• lékové transportní systémy metody   MeSH
• liposomy aplikace a dávkování   MeSH
• mikrobubliny MeSH
• mozek diagnostické zobrazování   MeSH
• myši nahé MeSH
• myši MeSH
• nanomedicína metody   MeSH
• nemoci mozku farmakoterapie   MeSH
• optické zobrazování metody   MeSH
• ultrasonografie metody   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• fluorescenční barviva MeSH
• liposomy MeSH

This report describes the design, synthesis and evaluation of tumor-targeted polymer probes to visualize epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-positive malignant tumors for successful resection via fluorescence guided endoscopic surgery. Fluorescent polymer probes of various molecular weights enabling passive accumulation in tumors via enhanced permeability and retention were prepared and evaluated, showing an optimal molecular weight of 200,000 g/mol for passive tumor targeting. Moreover, poly(N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide)-based copolymers labeled with fluorescent dyes were targeted with the EGFR-binding oligopeptide GE-11 (YHWYGYTPQNVI), human EGF or anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody cetuximab were all able to actively target the surface of EGFR-positive tumor cells. Nanoprobes targeted with GE-11 and cetuximab showed the best targeting profile but differed in their tumor accumulation kinetics. Cetuximab increased tumor accumulation after 15 min, whereas GE 11 needed at least 4 h. Interestingly, after 4 h, there were no significant differences in tumor targeting, indicating the potential of oligopeptide targeting for fluorescence-navigated surgery. In conclusion, fluorescent polymer probes targeted by oligopeptide GE-11 or whole antibody are excellent tools for surgical navigation during oncological surgery of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, due to their relatively simple design, synthesis and cost, as well as optimal pharmacokinetics and accumulation in tumors.

• Klíčová slova
• HPMA, Head and Neck carcinoma, fluorescence, guided surgery, polymeric conjugate, tumor,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Tumors are characterized by leaky blood vessels, and by an abnormal and heterogeneous vascular network. These pathophysiological characteristics contribute to the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, which is one of the key rationales for developing tumor-targeted drug delivery systems. Vessel abnormality and heterogeneity, however, which typically result from excessive pro-angiogenic signaling, can also hinder efficient drug delivery to and into tumors. Using histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG) knockout and wild type mice, and HRG-overexpressing and normal t241 fibrosarcoma cells, we evaluated the effect of genetically induced and macrophage-mediated vascular normalization on the tumor accumulation and penetration of 10-20 nm-sized polymeric drug carriers based on poly(N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide). Multimodal and multiscale optical imaging was employed to show that normalizing the tumor vasculature improves the accumulation of fluorophore-labeled polymers in tumors, and promotes their penetration out of tumor blood vessels deep into the interstitium.

• Klíčová slova
• Drug delivery, EPR, HRG, Nanomedicine, Tumor targeting, Vascular normalization, pHPMA,
• MeSH
• glykoprotein bohatý na histidin MeSH
• kyseliny polymethakrylové metabolismus   farmakokinetika   MeSH
• lékové transportní systémy metody   MeSH
• myši inbrední C57BL MeSH
• myši knockoutované MeSH
• myši MeSH
• nádorové buněčné linie MeSH
• nádory krevní zásobení   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• nosiče léků metabolismus   farmakokinetika   MeSH
• permeabilita MeSH
• proteiny genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• tkáňová distribuce MeSH
• upregulace MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• Duxon MeSH Prohlížeč
• glykoprotein bohatý na histidin MeSH
• kyseliny polymethakrylové MeSH
• nosiče léků MeSH
• proteiny MeSH

Here we describe the synthesis and biological properties of two types of star-shaped polymer-doxorubicin conjugates: non-targeted conjugate prepared as long-circulating high-molecular-weight (HMW) polymer prodrugs with a dendrimer core and a targeted conjugate with the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (mAb) rituximab (RTX). The copolymers were linked to the dendrimer core or to the reduced mAb via one-point attachment forming a star-shaped structure with a central antibody or dendrimer surrounded by hydrophilic polymer chains. The anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) was attached to the N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA)-based copolymer chain in star polymer systems via a pH-labile hydrazone linkage. Such polymer-DOX conjugates were fairly stable in aqueous solutions at pH 7.4, and the drug was readily released in mildly acidic environments at pH 5-5.5 by hydrolysis of the hydrazone bonds. The cytotoxicity of the polymer conjugates was tested on several CD20-positive or negative human cell lines. Similar levels of in vitro cytotoxicity were observed for all tested polymer conjugates regardless of type or structure. In vivo experiments using primary cell-based murine xenograft models of human diffuse large B-cell lymphoma confirmed the superior anti-lymphoma efficacy of the polymer-bound DOX conjugate when compared with the original drug. Targeting with RTX did not further enhance the anti-lymphoma efficacy relative to the non-targeted star polymer conjugate. Two mechanisms could play roles in these findings: changes in the binding ability to the CD-20 receptor and a significant loss of the immunological properties of RTX in the polymer conjugates.

• Klíčová slova
• HPMA copolymers, doxorubicin, drug delivery systems, drug targeting, monoclonal antibody,
• MeSH
• apoptóza účinky léků   MeSH
• doxorubicin chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• lékové transportní systémy MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lymfom farmakoterapie   mortalita   patologie   MeSH
• modely nemocí na zvířatech MeSH
• myši MeSH
• nádorové buněčné linie MeSH
• polymery * chemie   MeSH
• prekurzory léčiv * chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• protinádorové látky chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• rituximab chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• uvolňování léčiv MeSH
• viabilita buněk účinky léků   MeSH
• xenogenní modely - testy protinádorové aktivity MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• doxorubicin MeSH
• polymery * MeSH
• prekurzory léčiv * MeSH
• protinádorové látky MeSH
• rituximab MeSH