Development of Nanoscale Oil Bodies for Targeted Treatment of Lung Cancer

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Nanomedicine
• Oncology

Background:

• Lung cancer is a leading cause of mortality worldwide.
• High levels of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) are common in lung cancer.
• Targeted therapies are crucial for improving lung cancer treatment outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop nanoscale oil bodies (NOBs) as a targeted drug delivery system for lung cancer.
• To functionalize NOBs with an anti-EGFR affibody for specific cancer cell targeting.
• To evaluate the efficacy of drug-loaded NOBs in vitro and in vivo.

Main Methods:

• Fusion of anti-EGFR affibody (Z_EGFR2) with oleosin (Ole) to create a fusion protein (Ole-Z_EGFR2).
• Spontaneous assembly of NOBs using plant oil, phospholipids, and the Ole-Z_EGFR2 fusion protein.
• Encapsulation of the hydrophobic anticancer drug camptothecin (CPT) into the NOBs.
• Assessment of NOB internalization by EGFR-positive lung cancer cells.
• Evaluation of antitumor activity of CPT-loaded NOBs in vitro and in vivo.

Main Results:

• Ole-Z_EGFR2 fusion protein was successfully produced.
• NOBs were spontaneously assembled and characterized.
• Ole-Z_EGFR2-based NOBs demonstrated selective internalization by EGFR-positive lung cancer cells (>90% efficiency).
• CPT-loaded NOBs exhibited significant antitumor activity in both in vitro and in vivo models.

Conclusions:

• Ole-Z_EGFR2-based NOBs represent a promising platform for targeted lung cancer therapy.
• This approach enables efficient delivery of hydrophobic anticancer drugs to cancer cells.
• The developed NOB formulation shows strong potential for clinical translation in lung cancer treatment.