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Updated: Sep 22, 2025

A Photodynamic Approach to Study Function of Intracellular Vesicle Rupture
Published on: March 17, 2023
Biosynthetic cell membrane vesicles to enhance TRAIL-mediated apoptosis driven by photo-triggered oxidative stress
Feida Li1,2, Xiaoyan Wang1,2, Ming Wu2,3
1School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, P.R. China.
Abstract:
Due to its tumor-specificity and limited side effects, tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) has shown great potential in cancer treatments. However, the short half-life of TRAIL protein and the poor death receptor (DR) expression of cancer cells severely compromise the therapeutic outcomes of TRAIL in clinical studies. Herein, a novel ROS-dependent TRAIL-sensitizing nanoplatform, CPT MV, with a Ce6-PLGA core and a TRAIL-modified cell membrane shell was explored to improve the in vivo circulation stability of TRAIL and to amplify TRAIL-induced apoptosis. CPT MV could produce ROS in the targeted cells upon laser irradiation to improve death receptor (DR)-5 expression and trigger Cyt c release from mitochondria. When engaged with TRAIL, the up-regulated DR5 could recruit more Fas-associated death domain (FADD) to transport the extrinsic apoptotic signal to the initiator caspase (caspase 8) and then the executioner caspase (caspase 3), while leaked Cyt c could trigger the intrinsic apoptotic pathway to further strengthen TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Therefore, the designed CPT MV could enhance TRAIL-mediated apoptosis driven by photo-triggered oxidative stress, which provides a very promising approach to clinically overcome tumor resistance to TRAIL therapy.
Insights
This study introduces CPT MV, a novel nanoplatform that enhances tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) cancer therapy. CPT MV overcomes TRAIL resistance by using light-triggered oxidative stress to boost cancer cell apoptosis.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
- Cancer Therapy
Background:
- Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) shows promise for cancer treatment due to tumor specificity and limited side effects.
- Clinical TRAIL therapy is hindered by short protein half-life and low cancer cell death receptor (DR) expression, leading to therapeutic resistance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent nanoplatform, CPT MV, to enhance TRAIL efficacy.
- To improve TRAIL's *in vivo* circulation stability and amplify TRAIL-induced apoptosis in cancer cells.
Main Methods:
- CPT MV nanoplatform featuring a Ce6-PLGA core and TRAIL-modified cell membrane shell.
- Laser irradiation to induce ROS production in targeted cells, upregulating death receptor (DR)5 expression.
- Investigating the combined intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways triggered by CPT MV and TRAIL.
Main Results:
- CPT MV enhanced DR5 expression and triggered cytochrome c (Cyt c) release upon laser irradiation.
- Upregulated DR5 facilitated the extrinsic apoptosis pathway via caspase 8 and caspase 3 activation.
- Leaked Cyt c initiated the intrinsic apoptotic pathway, synergistically enhancing TRAIL-induced apoptosis.
Conclusions:
- CPT MV effectively enhances TRAIL-mediated apoptosis through photo-triggered oxidative stress.
- The nanoplatform shows significant potential for overcoming tumor resistance to TRAIL therapy in clinical settings.
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