Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 3, 2026
Synthesis and Characterization of Placental Chondroitin Sulfate A plCSA-Targeting Lipid-Polymer Nanoparticles
Published on: September 18, 2018
Targeting delivery of partial VAR2CSA peptide guided N-2-Hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride chitosan
Kai Zhao1, Guogang Cheng2, Baozhen Zhang3
1Engineering Research Center of Agricultural Microbiology Technology, Ministry of Education, Heilongjiang University, Harbin 150080, China; Key Laboratory of Microbiology, College of Heilongjiang Province, School of Life Science, Heilongjiang University, Harbin 150080, China.
Abstract:
To developing a multiple cancer types targeting drug delivery carrier system, a 28 amino acids from the VAR2CSA was synthesized as the placental CSA-binding peptide (plCSA-BP). Its specific binding ability to cancer cells was tested on cancer tissue array, and the results showed that plCSA-BP could bind to multiple cancer types. Then, the plCSA-BP was used as a guiding peptide to coat nanoparticles synthesized from N-2-HACC (CSA/HACC-NPs) which were loaded with prodigiosin (CSA/HACC-PNPs) or indocyanine green (CSA/HACC-INPs). The cancer cells specific targeting and efficacy of the CSA/HACC-PNPs were tested by different cancer cells in vitro and various cancer xenograft model in vivo. A scramble peptide (SCR) was used as control and synthesized SCR/HACC-PNPs and SCR/HACC-INPs. The results showed that the CSA/HACC-INPs could specifically uptake by JEG-3, PC3 and A594 cells, and the CSA/HACC-PNPs exhibited better anti-cancer activity and lower toxic effect in subcutaneous choriocarcinoma and prostatic tumor models compared with the free prodigiosin, HACC-PNPs and SCR/HACC-PNPs. So, the CSA/HACC-NPs could be used as a specific delivery carrier for multiple cancer types, and provided an alternate treatment option of various cancers with a single recipe.
Insights
A novel placental CSA-binding peptide (plCSA-BP) targets multiple cancer types. Nanoparticles coated with plCSA-BP show enhanced anti-cancer activity and reduced toxicity, offering a new treatment option.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
- Cancer Therapeutics
Background:
- Developing targeted drug delivery systems for multiple cancer types remains a challenge.
- The VAR2CSA protein fragment offers potential for cancer cell targeting.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and evaluate a placental CSA-binding peptide (plCSA-BP) for targeting multiple cancer types.
- To develop and test nanoparticles (NPs) functionalized with plCSA-BP for drug delivery and cancer therapy.
Main Methods:
- Synthesized a 28-amino acid plCSA-BP derived from VAR2CSA.
- Developed N-2-HACC nanoparticles (NPs) coated with plCSA-BP, loaded with prodigiosin (PNPs) or indocyanine green (INPs).
- Evaluated NP targeting and efficacy in vitro (cancer cell lines) and in vivo (cancer xenograft models).
Main Results:
- plCSA-BP demonstrated specific binding to multiple cancer types in tissue arrays.
- CSA/HACC-INPs showed specific uptake by JEG-3, PC3, and A594 cancer cells.
- CSA/HACC-PNPs exhibited superior anti-cancer activity and lower toxicity compared to free drug and control NPs in preclinical models.
Conclusions:
- CSA/HACC-NPs serve as effective, specific delivery carriers for multiple cancer types.
- This approach provides a versatile therapeutic strategy for various cancers using a single formulation.
Related Concept Videos
02:57Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
01:30Cancer Vaccines
Cancer vaccines come in two categories: preventive (prophylactic) and treatment (active). Preventive vaccines, such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, protect against viruses that cause certain...