SMO-CRISPR-mediated apoptosis in CD133-targeted cancer stem cells and tumor growth inhibition

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) possess the ability to indefinitely proliferate and resist therapy, leading to cancer relapse and metastasis. To address this, we aimed to develop a CSC-inclusive therapy that targets both CSCs and non-CSC glioblastoma (GBM) cells. We accomplished this by using a smoothened (SMO) CRISPR/Cas9 plasmid to suppress the hedgehog pathway in CSCs, in combination with inhibiting the serine hydroxymethyl transferase 1 (SHMT1)-driven thymidylate biosynthesis pathway in non-CSC GBM cells using SHMT1 siRNA (siSHMT1). We targeted CSCs using a CD133 peptide attached to an osmotically active vitamin B₆-coupled polydixylitol vector (VPX-CD133) by a photoactivatable heterobifunctional linker. VPX-CD133 nanocomplexes in comparison to VPX complexes remarkably targeted and transfected CSCs both in vitro and in subcutaneous tumor. The VPX-CD133-mediated targeted delivery of SMO CRISPR in CSCs led to SMO suppression that negatively affected its growth. Next, we performed comprehensive therapy in xenograft mice using VPX-CD133, which delivered SMO-CRISPR to CSCs, and VPX, which delivered siSHMT1 to non-CSC GBM cells. The combined treatment induced apoptosis in a large number of cells, reduced tumor volume by up to 81%, and improved the health of treated mice significantly. By eliminating CSCs together with the non-CSC GBM cells, the combined study paves the way for developing CSC-inclusive therapies for GBM.