Iron and siRNA co-encapsulated ferritin nanocages induce ferroptosis synergistically for cancer therapy

Ferroptosis has received great attention as an iron-dependent programmed cell death for efficient cancer therapy. However, with the accumulation of iron in tumor cells, the antioxidant system is activated by reducing glutathione (GSH) with glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), which critically limits the...

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Main Authors: Danni Liu, Yaoqi Wang, Qi Sun, Dong Mei, Xiaoling Wang, Yan Su, Jie Zhang, Ran Huo, Yang Tian, Siyu Liu, Shuang Zhang, Chunying Cui
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-01-01
Series:Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211383524004064
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author Danni Liu
Yaoqi Wang
Qi Sun
Dong Mei
Xiaoling Wang
Yan Su
Jie Zhang
Ran Huo
Yang Tian
Siyu Liu
Shuang Zhang
Chunying Cui
author_facet Danni Liu
Yaoqi Wang
Qi Sun
Dong Mei
Xiaoling Wang
Yan Su
Jie Zhang
Ran Huo
Yang Tian
Siyu Liu
Shuang Zhang
Chunying Cui
author_sort Danni Liu
collection DOAJ
description Ferroptosis has received great attention as an iron-dependent programmed cell death for efficient cancer therapy. However, with the accumulation of iron in tumor cells, the antioxidant system is activated by reducing glutathione (GSH) with glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), which critically limits the ferroptosis therapeutic effect. Herein, an iron and GPX4 silencing siRNA (siGPX4) co-encapsulated ferritin nanocage (HFn@Fe/siGPX4) was developed to enhance ferroptosis by disruption of redox homeostasis and inhibition of antioxidant enzyme synergistically. The siGPX4 were loaded into the nanocages by pre-incubated with iron, which could significantly improve the loading efficiency of the gene drugs when compared with the reported gene drug loading strategy by ferritin nanocages. And more iron was overloaded into the ferritin through the diffusion method. When HFn@Fe/siGPX4 was taken up by human breast cancer cell MCF-7 in a TfR1-mediated pathway, the excess iron ions in the drug delivery system could for one thing induce ferroptosis by the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), for another promote siGPX4 escaping from the lysosome to exert gene silencing effect more effectively. Both the in vitro and in vivo results demonstrated that HFn@Fe/siGPX4 could significantly inhibit tumor growth by synergistical ferroptosis. Thus, the developed HFn@Fe/siGPX4 afforded a combined ferroptosis strategy for ferroptosis-based antitumor as well as a novel and efficient gene drug delivery system.
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spelling doaj-art-6a4cfb7ebed746e88bf5f21cab3f11432025-08-20T03:12:38ZengElsevierActa Pharmaceutica Sinica B2211-38352025-01-0115152654110.1016/j.apsb.2024.10.006Iron and siRNA co-encapsulated ferritin nanocages induce ferroptosis synergistically for cancer therapyDanni Liu0Yaoqi Wang1Qi Sun2Dong Mei3Xiaoling Wang4Yan Su5Jie Zhang6Ran Huo7Yang Tian8Siyu Liu9Shuang Zhang10Chunying Cui11School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China; Beijing Area Major Laboratory of Peptide and Small Molecular Drugs, Engineering Research Center of Endogenous Prophylactic of Ministry of Education of China, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing 100069, China; Laboratory for Clinical Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, ChinaSchool of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China; Beijing Area Major Laboratory of Peptide and Small Molecular Drugs, Engineering Research Center of Endogenous Prophylactic of Ministry of Education of China, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing 100069, China; Laboratory for Clinical Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, ChinaSchool of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China; Beijing Area Major Laboratory of Peptide and Small Molecular Drugs, Engineering Research Center of Endogenous Prophylactic of Ministry of Education of China, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing 100069, China; Laboratory for Clinical Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, ChinaLaboratory for Clinical Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China; Department of Pharmacy, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing 100045, ChinaLaboratory for Clinical Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China; Department of Pharmacy, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing 100045, ChinaLaboratory for Clinical Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China; Medical Oncology Department, Pediatric Oncology Center, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing 100045, ChinaSchool of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China; Beijing Area Major Laboratory of Peptide and Small Molecular Drugs, Engineering Research Center of Endogenous Prophylactic of Ministry of Education of China, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing 100069, China; Laboratory for Clinical Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, ChinaSchool of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China; Beijing Area Major Laboratory of Peptide and Small Molecular Drugs, Engineering Research Center of Endogenous Prophylactic of Ministry of Education of China, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing 100069, China; Laboratory for Clinical Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, ChinaSchool of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China; Beijing Area Major Laboratory of Peptide and Small Molecular Drugs, Engineering Research Center of Endogenous Prophylactic of Ministry of Education of China, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing 100069, China; Laboratory for Clinical Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, ChinaSchool of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China; Beijing Area Major Laboratory of Peptide and Small Molecular Drugs, Engineering Research Center of Endogenous Prophylactic of Ministry of Education of China, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing 100069, China; Laboratory for Clinical Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, ChinaSchool of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China; Beijing Area Major Laboratory of Peptide and Small Molecular Drugs, Engineering Research Center of Endogenous Prophylactic of Ministry of Education of China, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing 100069, China; Laboratory for Clinical Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China; Corresponding authors.School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China; Beijing Area Major Laboratory of Peptide and Small Molecular Drugs, Engineering Research Center of Endogenous Prophylactic of Ministry of Education of China, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Beijing 100069, China; Laboratory for Clinical Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China; Corresponding authors.Ferroptosis has received great attention as an iron-dependent programmed cell death for efficient cancer therapy. However, with the accumulation of iron in tumor cells, the antioxidant system is activated by reducing glutathione (GSH) with glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), which critically limits the ferroptosis therapeutic effect. Herein, an iron and GPX4 silencing siRNA (siGPX4) co-encapsulated ferritin nanocage (HFn@Fe/siGPX4) was developed to enhance ferroptosis by disruption of redox homeostasis and inhibition of antioxidant enzyme synergistically. The siGPX4 were loaded into the nanocages by pre-incubated with iron, which could significantly improve the loading efficiency of the gene drugs when compared with the reported gene drug loading strategy by ferritin nanocages. And more iron was overloaded into the ferritin through the diffusion method. When HFn@Fe/siGPX4 was taken up by human breast cancer cell MCF-7 in a TfR1-mediated pathway, the excess iron ions in the drug delivery system could for one thing induce ferroptosis by the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), for another promote siGPX4 escaping from the lysosome to exert gene silencing effect more effectively. Both the in vitro and in vivo results demonstrated that HFn@Fe/siGPX4 could significantly inhibit tumor growth by synergistical ferroptosis. Thus, the developed HFn@Fe/siGPX4 afforded a combined ferroptosis strategy for ferroptosis-based antitumor as well as a novel and efficient gene drug delivery system.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211383524004064FerroptosisFerritinIron homeostasissiRNAGene silencingGlutathione peroxidase 4
spellingShingle Danni Liu
Yaoqi Wang
Qi Sun
Dong Mei
Xiaoling Wang
Yan Su
Jie Zhang
Ran Huo
Yang Tian
Siyu Liu
Shuang Zhang
Chunying Cui
Iron and siRNA co-encapsulated ferritin nanocages induce ferroptosis synergistically for cancer therapy
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B
Ferroptosis
Ferritin
Iron homeostasis
siRNA
Gene silencing
Glutathione peroxidase 4
title Iron and siRNA co-encapsulated ferritin nanocages induce ferroptosis synergistically for cancer therapy
title_full Iron and siRNA co-encapsulated ferritin nanocages induce ferroptosis synergistically for cancer therapy
title_fullStr Iron and siRNA co-encapsulated ferritin nanocages induce ferroptosis synergistically for cancer therapy
title_full_unstemmed Iron and siRNA co-encapsulated ferritin nanocages induce ferroptosis synergistically for cancer therapy
title_short Iron and siRNA co-encapsulated ferritin nanocages induce ferroptosis synergistically for cancer therapy
title_sort iron and sirna co encapsulated ferritin nanocages induce ferroptosis synergistically for cancer therapy
topic Ferroptosis
Ferritin
Iron homeostasis
siRNA
Gene silencing
Glutathione peroxidase 4
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211383524004064
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