Yanling Song’s research while affiliated with Zhejiang University and other places

Poor renal distribution of antibody-based drugs is the key factor contributing to low treatment efficiency for renal diseases and side effects. Here, we prepare F(ab′)2 fragmented vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 antibody (anti-VEGFR2 (F(ab′)2) to block VEGFR2 overactivation in diabetic nephropathy (DN). We find that the anti-VEGFR2 F(ab′)2 has a higher accumulation in DN male mice kidneys than the intact VEGFR2 antibody, and simultaneously preserves the binding ability to VEGFR2. Furthermore, we develop an antibody fragment drug conjugate, anti-VEGFR2 F(ab′)2-SS31, comprising the anti-VEGFR2 F(ab′)2 fragment linked to the mitochondria-targeted antioxidant peptide SS31. We find that introduction of SS31 potentiates the efficacy of anti-VEGFR2 F(ab′)2. These findings provide proof of concept for the premise that antibody fragment drug conjugate improves renal distribution and merits drug validation in renal disease therapy.

The efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) in promoting an immune response against tumors still encounters challenges such as low response rates and off‐target effects. Pyroptosis, an immunogenic cell death (ICD) mechanism, holds the potential to overcome the limitations of ICB by activating and recruiting immune cells. However, the expression of the pyroptosis‐related protein Gasdermin‐E(GSDME) in some tumors is limited due to mRNA methylation. To overcome this obstacle, sialic acid‐functionalized liposomes coloaded with decitabine, a demethylation drug, and triclabendazole, a pyroptosis‐inducing drug are developed. This nanosystem primarily accumulates at tumor sites via sialic acid and the Siglec receptor, elevating liposome accumulation in tumors up to 3.84‐fold at 24 h and leading to the upregulation of pyroptosis‐related proteins and caspase‐3/GSDME‐dependent pyroptosis. Consequently, it facilitates the infiltration of CD8⁺ T cells into the tumor microenvironment and enhances the efficacy of ICB therapy. The tumor inhibition rate of the treatment group is 89.1% at 21 days. This study highlights the potential of sialic acid‐functionalized pyroptosis nanotuners as a promising approach for improving the efficacy of ICB therapy in tumors with low GSDME expression through epigenetic alteration and ICD.

Wound healing is an urgent clinical challenge, particularly in the case of chronic wounds. Traditional approaches to wound healing have limited therapeutic efficacy due to lengthy healing times, risk of immune rejection, and susceptibility to infection. Recently, adipose‐derived mesenchymal stem cell‐derived exosomes (ADSC‐exos) have emerged as a promising modality for tissue regeneration and wound repair. In this study, the development of a novel extracellular matrix hydrogel@exosomes (ECM@exo) is reported, which entails incorporation of ADSC‐exos into an extracellular matrix hydrogel (ECM hydrogel). This solution forms a hydrogel at physiological temperature (≈37 °C) upon local injection into the wound site. ECM@exo enables sustained release of ADSC‐exos from the ECM hydrogel, which maintains high local concentrations at the wound site. The ECM hydrogel displays good biocompatibility and biodegradability. The in vivo and in vitro results demonstrate that ECM@exo treatment effectively reduces inflammation and promotes angiogenesis, collagen deposition, cell proliferation, and migration, thereby accelerating the wound healing process. Overall, this innovative therapeutic approach offers a new avenue for wound healing via a biological hydrogel with controlled exosome release.

Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disease that is intricately linked to oxidative stress. Antioxidation and inhibition of abnormal proliferation of keratinocytes are pivotal strategies for psoriasis. Delivering drugs with these effects to the site of skin lesions is a challenge that needs to be solved. Herein, we reported a nanotransdermal delivery system composed of all-trans retinoic acid (TRA), triphenylphosphine (TPP)-modified cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles, flexible nanoliposomes and gels (TCeO2-TRA-FNL-Gel). The results revealed that TCeO2 synthesized by the anti-micelle method, with a size of approximately 5 nm, possessed excellent mitochondrial targeting ability and valence conversion capability related to scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS). TCeO2-TRA-FNL prepared by the film dispersion method, with a size of approximately 70 nm, showed high drug encapsulation efficiency (>96%). TCeO2-TRA-FNL-Gel further showed sustained drug release behaviors, great transdermal permeation ability, and greater skin retention than the free TRA. The results of in vitro EGF-induced and H2O2-induced models suggested that TCeO2-TRA-FNL effectively reduced the level of inflammation and alleviated oxidative stress in HaCat cells. The results of in vivo imiquimod (IMQ)-induced model indicated that TCeO2-TRA-FNL-Gel could greatly alleviate the psoriasis symptoms. In summary, the transdermal drug delivery system designed in this study has shown excellent therapeutic effects on psoriasis and is prospective for the safe and accurate therapy of psoriasis.

Tumor interstitial pressure represents the greatest barrier against drug diffusion into the depth of the tumor. Biometric nanomotors highlight the possibility of enhanced deep penetration and improve cellular uptake. However, control of their directionality remains difficult to achieve. Herein, we report cysteine-arginine-glutamic acid-lysine-alanine (CREKA)-modified ceria@polydopamine nanobowls as tumor microenvironment-fueled nanoscale motors for positive chemotaxis into the tumor depth or toward tumor cells. Upon laser irradiation, this nanoswimmer rapidly depletes the tumor microenvironment-specific hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the nanobowl, contributing to a self-generated gradient and subsequently propulsion (9.5 μm/s at 46 °C). Moreover, the asymmetrical modification of CREKA on nanobowls could automatically reconfigure the motion direction toward tumor depth or tumor cells in response to receptor-ligand interaction, leading to a deep penetration (70 μm in multicellular spheroids) and enhanced antitumor effects over conventional nanomedicine-induced chemo-photothermal therapy (tumor growth inhibition rate: 84.2% versus 56.9%). Thus, controlling the direction of nanomotors holds considerable potential for improved antitumor responses, especially in solid tumors with high tumor interstitial pressure.

Poor renal distribution of antibody-based drugs is the key factor contributing to low treatment efficiency for renal diseases and side effects. Here, we prepared F(ab′) 2 fragmented vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 antibody (anti-VEGFR2 (F(ab′) 2 ) to block VEGFR2 overactivation in diabetic nephropathy (DN). We found that the anti-VEGFR2 F(ab′) 2 had a higher accumulation in DN mice kidneys and a comparable VEGFR2 combination with the intact VEGFR2 antibody. Furthermore, we developed an antibody fragment drug conjugate, anti-VEGFR2 F(ab′) 2 -SS31, comprising anti-VEGFR2 F(ab′) 2 fragment linked to the mitochondria-targeted antioxidant peptide SS31. We found that introduce of SS31 potentiated the efficacy of anti-VEGFR2 F(ab′) 2 . These findings provide proof of concept for the premise that antibody fragment drug conjugate improves renal distribution and merits drug validation in renal disease therapy.