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Hao Wu,1,2 Yanhong Liu,2 Liqing Chen,2 Shuangqing Wang,1,2 Chao Liu,2 Heming Zhao,2 Mingji Jin,1,2 Shuangyan Chang,2 Xiuquan Quan,3 Minhu Cui,3 Hongshuang Wan,2,3 Zhonggao Gao,1,2 Wei Huang2 1Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines of the Changbai Mountain, Ministry of Education, College of Pharmacy, Yanbian University, Yanji, Jilin Province, 133002, People’s Republic of China; 2State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Department of Pharmaceutics, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Gastroenterology, Yanbian University Hospital, Yanji, Jilin Province, 133000, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Zhonggao Gao; Wei Huang, Tel +86 10 63028096 ; +86 10 63026505, Email zggao@imm.ac.cn; huangwei@imm.ac.cnIntroduction: The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is a key obstacle to the delivery of drugs into the brain. Therefore, it is essential to develop an advanced drug delivery nanoplatform to solve this problem. We previously screened a small rabies virus glycoprotein 15 (RVG15) peptide with 15 amino acids and observed that most of the RVG15-modified nanoparticles entered the brain within 1 h of administration. The high BBB penetrability gives RVG15 great potential for brain-targeted drug delivery systems. Moreover, a multifunctional integrated nanoplatform with a high drug-loading capacity, tunable functionality, and controlled drug release is crucial for tumor treatment. Zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8) is a promising nanodrug delivery system.Methods: Inspired by the biomimetic concept, we designed RVG15-coated biomimetic ZIF-8 nanoparticles (RVG15-PEG@DTX@ZIF-8) for docetaxel (DTX) delivery to achieve efficient glioblastoma elimination in mice. This bionic nanotherapeutic system was prepared by one-pot encapsulation, followed by coating with RVG15-PEG conjugates. The size, morphology, stability, drug-loading capacity, and release of RVG15-PEG@DTX@ZIF-8 were thoroughly investigated. Additionally, we performed in vitro evaluation, cell uptake capacity, BBB penetration, and anti-migratory ability. We also conducted an in vivo evaluation of the biodistribution and anti-glioma efficacy of this bionic nanotherapeutic system in a mouse mode.Results: In vitro studies showed that, this bionic nanotherapeutic system exhibited excellent targeting efficiency and safety in HBMECs and C6 cells and high efficiency in crossing the BBB. Furthermore, the nanoparticles cause rapid DTX accumulation in the brain, allowing deeper penetration into glioma tumors. In vivo antitumor assay results indicated that RVG15-PEG@DTX@ZIF-8 significantly inhibited glioma growth and metastasis, thereby improving the survival of tumor-bearing mice.Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that our bionic nanotherapeutic system using RVG15 peptides is a promising and powerful tool for crossing the BBB and treating glioblastoma.Keywords: glioblastoma, blood–brain barrier, RVG15, biomimetic nanoparticle, zeolitic imidazolate frameworks-8, ZIF-8

Xiao-Yang Chu,1–3,* Wei Huang,2,* Yu-Li Wang,1 Ling-Wei Meng,2 Li-Qing Chen,2 Ming-Ji Jin,2 Lu Chen,1 Chun-Hong Gao,1 Cheng Ge,3 Zhong-Gao Gao,2 Chun-Sheng Gao11State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, P.R. China; 2State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Department of Pharmaceutics, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, P.R. China; 3Department of Stomatology, The 5th Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100071, P.R. China *These authors contributed equally to this workBackground: Intratumoral injection is a palliative treatment that aims at further improvement in the survival and quality of life of patients with advanced or recurrent carcinomas, or cancer patients with severe comorbidities or those with a poor performance status.Methods: In this study, a solvent-injection method was used to prepare paclitaxel–cholesterol complex-loaded lecithin–chitosan nanoparticles (PTX-CH-loaded LCS_NPs) for intratumoral injection therapy, and the physicochemical properties of NPs were well characterized.Results: The particle size and zeta potential of PTX-CH-loaded LCS_NPs were 142.83±0.25 nm and 13.50±0.20 mV, respectively. Release behavior of PTX from PTX-CH-loaded LCS_NPs showed a pH-sensitive pattern. The result of cell uptake assay showed that PTX-CH-loaded LCS_NPs could effectively enter cells via the energy-dependent caveolae-mediated endocytosis and macropinocytosis in company with the Golgi apparatus. Meanwhile, PTX-CH-loaded LCS_NPs had a better ability to induce cell apoptosis than PTX solution. The in vivo antitumor results suggested that PTX-CH-loaded LCS_NPs effectively inhibited mouse mammary cancer growth and metastasis to distant organs and significantly improved the survival rate of tumor-bearing mice by intratumoral administration.Conclusion: In general, our study demonstrated that PTX-CH-loaded LCS_NPs used for palliative treatment by intratumoral injection showed improved safety and antitumor efficacy, which provided an alternative approach in the field of palliative chemotherapy. Keywords: lecithin, chitosan, paclitaxel, nanoparticles, pH responsive, palliative chemotherapy, intratumoral injection

Mei-e Tan,1–3,* Cheng-hui He,3,* Wen Jiang,4 Cheng Zeng,2–4 Ning Yu,3 Wei Huang,2 Zhong-gao Gao,2 Jian-guo Xing3 1Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic Phytomedicine Resources of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Shihezi University, Shihezi, 2State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Department of Pharmaceutics, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 3Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Uighur Medicines, Xinjiang Institute of Materia Medica, 4Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Total flavonoid extract from Dracocephalum moldavica L. (TFDM) contains effective components of D. moldavica L. that have myocardial protective function. However, the cardioprotection function of TFDM is undesirable due to its poor solubility. In order to improve the solubility and efficacy of TFDM, we developed TFDM-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (TFDM-SLNs) and optimized the formulation of TFDM-SLNs using central composite design and response surface methodology. The physicochemical properties of TFDM-SLNs were characterized, and the pharmacodynamics was investigated using the myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury model in rats. The nanoparticles of optimal formulation for TFDM-SLNs were spherical in shape with the average particle size of 104.83nm and had a uniform size distribution with the polydispersity index value of 0.201. TFDM-SLNs also had a negative zeta potential of -28.7 mV to ensure the stability of the TFDM-SLNs emulsion system. The results of pharmacodynamics demonstrated that both TFDM and TFDM-SLN groups afforded myocardial protection, and the protective effect of TFDM-SLNs was significantly superior to that of TFDM alone, based on the infarct area, histopathological examination, cardiac enzyme levels and inflammatory factors in serum. Due to the optimal quality and the better myocardial protective effect, TFDM-SLNs are expected to become a safe and effective nanocarrier for the oral delivery of TFDM. Keywords: solid lipid nanoparticles, Dracocephalum moldavica L., high-shear homogenization, myocardial ischemic–reperfusion injury, pharmacodynamics

Li-qing Chen, Wei Huang, Zhong-gao Gao, Wei-shuo Fang, Ming-ji Jin State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China Abstract: Lx2-32c is a novel taxane derivative with a strong antitumor activity. In this study, we developed Lx2-32c–loaded polymeric micelles (Lx2-32c-PMs) with small size and investigated their antitumor efficacy against tumor growth and metastasis on 4T1 murine breast cancer cell line with Cremophor EL–based Lx2-32c solution as the control. In this study, copolymer monomethoxy polyethylene glycol2000–polylactide1300 was used to prepare Lx2-32c-PMs by film hydration method, and their physicochemical properties were characterized as well, according to morphology, particle size, zeta potential, in vitro drug release, and reconstitution stability. Under confocal laser scanning microscopy, it was observed that Lx2-32c-PMs could be effectively taken up by 4T1 cells in a time-dependent manner. Cell Counting Kit-8 assay showed that the IC50 of Lx2-32c-PMs was 0.3827 nM. Meanwhile, Lx2-32c-PMs had better ability to promote apoptosis and induce G2/M cycle block and polyploidy formation, compared with Lx2-32c solution. More importantly, in vivo animal studies showed that compared to Lx2-32c solution, Lx2-32c-PMs possessed better ability not only to effectively inhibit the tumor growth, but also to significantly suppress spontaneous and postoperative metastasis to distant organs in 4T1 orthotopic tumor-bearing mice. Consequently, Lx2-32c-PMs have significantly prolonged the survival lifetime of tumor-bearing mice. Thus, our study reveals that Lx2-32c-PMs had favorable antitumor activity and exhibited a good prospect for application in the field of antitumor therapy. Keywords: Lx2-32c, micelles, small size, 4T1 mammary carcinoma, tumor therapy, metastasis