Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 31, 2025
Author Spotlight: Innovative Cancer Therapies with Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Glioblastoma Treatment
Published on: September 27, 2024
Albumin-Coated Framework Nucleic Acids as Bionic Delivery System for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Therapy
Yuxin Zhang1, Chenchen Mao1, Yuxi Zhan1
1State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Abstract:
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype of breast cancer, and it has aggressive and more frequent tissue metastases than other breast cancer subtypes. Because the proliferation of TNBC tumor cells does not depend on estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and Erb-B2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2 (HER2) and lacks accurate drug targets, conventional chemotherapy is challenging to be effective, and adverse reactions are severe. At present, the treatment strategy for TNBC generally depends on a combination of surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Conventional administration methods have minimal effects on TNBC and cause severe damage to normal tissues. Therefore, it is an urgent task to develop an efficient and practical way of drug delivery and open up a new horizon of targeted therapy for TNBC. In our work, bovine serum albumin (BSA) acted as the protective film to prolong the circulation time of the tetrahedral framework nucleic acid (tFNA) delivery system and resist immune clearance in vivo. tFNA was used as a carrier loaded with DOX and AS1411 aptamers for the targeted treatment of triple-negative breast cancer. Compared with existing approaches, this optimized system exhibits stronger tumor-targeting so that tFNAs can be more concentrated around the tumor tissue, reducing DOX toxicity to other organs. This bionic delivery system exhibited effective tumor growth inhibition in the TNBC mice model, offering the clinical potential to promote the treatment of TNBC with great potential for clinical translation.
Insights
A novel drug delivery system using bovine serum albumin and tetrahedral framework nucleic acids (tFNA) shows promise for treating triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). This targeted approach enhances drug concentration at the tumor site, reducing toxicity and improving treatment efficacy in preclinical models.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
- Oncology
Background:
- Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype lacking specific drug targets, making conventional chemotherapy challenging and associated with severe side effects.
- Current TNBC treatment strategies, including surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, often demonstrate limited efficacy and significant damage to healthy tissues.
- There is an urgent need for efficient drug delivery systems and targeted therapies to improve outcomes for TNBC patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an advanced drug delivery system for targeted triple-negative breast cancer therapy.
- To utilize bovine serum albumin (BSA) and tetrahedral framework nucleic acids (tFNA) for enhanced drug delivery and reduced systemic toxicity.
- To evaluate the efficacy of a DOX and AS1411 aptamer-loaded tFNA system in a TNBC mouse model.
Main Methods:
- A bionic drug delivery system was engineered using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a protective film for tetrahedral framework nucleic acids (tFNA).
- The tFNA carrier was loaded with doxorubicin (DOX) and AS1411 aptamers for targeted delivery to TNBC cells.
- The system's efficacy, tumor targeting, and toxicity were assessed in a triple-negative breast cancer mice model.
Main Results:
- The BSA-coated tFNA system demonstrated prolonged circulation time and resistance to immune clearance in vivo.
- The optimized delivery system exhibited enhanced tumor-targeting capabilities, concentrating the drug around the tumor tissue.
- Significant inhibition of tumor growth was observed in the TNBC mice model, with reduced toxicity to normal organs compared to conventional methods.
Conclusions:
- The developed bionic drug delivery system shows significant potential for the targeted treatment of triple-negative breast cancer.
- This approach offers improved therapeutic efficacy and reduced systemic side effects, addressing key challenges in TNBC treatment.
- The system holds promise for clinical translation and advancing the therapeutic landscape for TNBC.
