An exosome-based nanoplatform for siRNA delivery combined with starvation therapy promotes tumor cell death through autophagy, overcoming refractory KRAS-mutated tumors and restoring cetuximab chemosensitivity

Multi-drug combination therapy is one of the most effective strategies for the treatment of drug-resistant and advanced tumors. Modern nanodrug delivery systems are crucial for multi-drug combination therapy and gene therapy. However, research on direct injection of RNAi has not yielded significant...

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Main Authors: Yurong Xiang, Qiang Liu, Kang Liu, Liuxian Chen, Fengjiao Chen, Tao Li, Siqi Li, Qiang Yu, Quan Lv, Zheng Xiang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Materials Today Bio
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590006425002911
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_version_ 1850201964855427072
author Yurong Xiang
Qiang Liu
Kang Liu
Liuxian Chen
Fengjiao Chen
Tao Li
Siqi Li
Qiang Yu
Quan Lv
Zheng Xiang
author_facet Yurong Xiang
Qiang Liu
Kang Liu
Liuxian Chen
Fengjiao Chen
Tao Li
Siqi Li
Qiang Yu
Quan Lv
Zheng Xiang
author_sort Yurong Xiang
collection DOAJ
description Multi-drug combination therapy is one of the most effective strategies for the treatment of drug-resistant and advanced tumors. Modern nanodrug delivery systems are crucial for multi-drug combination therapy and gene therapy. However, research on direct injection of RNAi has not yielded significant results. Artificial vectors are emerging as promising delivery systemts for RNA for gene therapy. In this study, a multi-drug therapy system was built based on a biodegradable exosome nano-platform exploiting the protective and low immunogenic properties of exosomes for RNA. This work aimed to accomplish the co-delivery of siRNA and 3-Bromopyruvic acid (3BP) on an exosome nanoplatform, enhancing targeting by coupling cetuximab (CTX) to exosome membranes, resulting in a new nanomedicine Exo@siRNA/3BP-CTX (ERBC) engineered exosomes. The synthesis conditions were optimized to obtain stable, safe, and effective nanomedicines. Successful targeting of tumors with CTX inhibited KRAS oncogene expression and significantly reduced glucose uptake by cancer cells. This enhanced the starvation therapy effect of the energy deprivation agent 3BP, thus promoting excessive autophagy activation in cells and doubling apoptosis. However, ERBC combined with CTX therapy restored cellular chemosensitivity to CTX. These findings indicate that engineered exosomes with dual therapeutic activities is a promising approach for treating refractory KRAS-mutant cancers.
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spelling doaj-art-23b9cd7e23244922bdb1da04c0dcc82f2025-08-20T02:11:54ZengElsevierMaterials Today Bio2590-00642025-06-013210173210.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101732An exosome-based nanoplatform for siRNA delivery combined with starvation therapy promotes tumor cell death through autophagy, overcoming refractory KRAS-mutated tumors and restoring cetuximab chemosensitivityYurong Xiang0Qiang Liu1Kang Liu2Liuxian Chen3Fengjiao Chen4Tao Li5Siqi Li6Qiang Yu7Quan Lv8Zheng Xiang9Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, 400000, Chongqing, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Department of General Surgery, The First Afiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, 400000, Chongqing, ChinaDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Suining First People's Hospital, 22 Youfang Street, 629000, Suining, ChinaDepartment of Cardiovascular Surgery, Fuwai Yunnan Cardiovascular Hospital, 528 Shahe North Road, 400042, Kunming, ChinaDepartment of Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Medical College Road, 400016, Chongqing, ChinaCenter for Clinical Molecular Medical Detection and Biobank, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, 400000, Chongqing, ChinaDepartment of Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Medical College Road, 400016, Chongqing, ChinaDepartment of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, 400000, Chongqing, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Department of General Surgery, The First Afiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, 400000, Chongqing, ChinaDepartment of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, 400000, Chongqing, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Department of General Surgery, The First Afiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, 400000, Chongqing, ChinaDepartment of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, 400000, Chongqing, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Department of General Surgery, The First Afiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, 400000, Chongqing, ChinaDepartment of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, 400000, Chongqing, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Department of General Surgery, The First Afiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, 400000, Chongqing, China; Corresponding author. Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, No.1 Youyi Road, 400000, Chongqing, China.Multi-drug combination therapy is one of the most effective strategies for the treatment of drug-resistant and advanced tumors. Modern nanodrug delivery systems are crucial for multi-drug combination therapy and gene therapy. However, research on direct injection of RNAi has not yielded significant results. Artificial vectors are emerging as promising delivery systemts for RNA for gene therapy. In this study, a multi-drug therapy system was built based on a biodegradable exosome nano-platform exploiting the protective and low immunogenic properties of exosomes for RNA. This work aimed to accomplish the co-delivery of siRNA and 3-Bromopyruvic acid (3BP) on an exosome nanoplatform, enhancing targeting by coupling cetuximab (CTX) to exosome membranes, resulting in a new nanomedicine Exo@siRNA/3BP-CTX (ERBC) engineered exosomes. The synthesis conditions were optimized to obtain stable, safe, and effective nanomedicines. Successful targeting of tumors with CTX inhibited KRAS oncogene expression and significantly reduced glucose uptake by cancer cells. This enhanced the starvation therapy effect of the energy deprivation agent 3BP, thus promoting excessive autophagy activation in cells and doubling apoptosis. However, ERBC combined with CTX therapy restored cellular chemosensitivity to CTX. These findings indicate that engineered exosomes with dual therapeutic activities is a promising approach for treating refractory KRAS-mutant cancers.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590006425002911Colorectal cancerKRAS mutationStarvation therapyExosomeCetuximab chemosensitivity
spellingShingle Yurong Xiang
Qiang Liu
Kang Liu
Liuxian Chen
Fengjiao Chen
Tao Li
Siqi Li
Qiang Yu
Quan Lv
Zheng Xiang
An exosome-based nanoplatform for siRNA delivery combined with starvation therapy promotes tumor cell death through autophagy, overcoming refractory KRAS-mutated tumors and restoring cetuximab chemosensitivity
Materials Today Bio
Colorectal cancer
KRAS mutation
Starvation therapy
Exosome
Cetuximab chemosensitivity
title An exosome-based nanoplatform for siRNA delivery combined with starvation therapy promotes tumor cell death through autophagy, overcoming refractory KRAS-mutated tumors and restoring cetuximab chemosensitivity
title_full An exosome-based nanoplatform for siRNA delivery combined with starvation therapy promotes tumor cell death through autophagy, overcoming refractory KRAS-mutated tumors and restoring cetuximab chemosensitivity
title_fullStr An exosome-based nanoplatform for siRNA delivery combined with starvation therapy promotes tumor cell death through autophagy, overcoming refractory KRAS-mutated tumors and restoring cetuximab chemosensitivity
title_full_unstemmed An exosome-based nanoplatform for siRNA delivery combined with starvation therapy promotes tumor cell death through autophagy, overcoming refractory KRAS-mutated tumors and restoring cetuximab chemosensitivity
title_short An exosome-based nanoplatform for siRNA delivery combined with starvation therapy promotes tumor cell death through autophagy, overcoming refractory KRAS-mutated tumors and restoring cetuximab chemosensitivity
title_sort exosome based nanoplatform for sirna delivery combined with starvation therapy promotes tumor cell death through autophagy overcoming refractory kras mutated tumors and restoring cetuximab chemosensitivity
topic Colorectal cancer
KRAS mutation
Starvation therapy
Exosome
Cetuximab chemosensitivity
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590006425002911
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