Journal: Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)

Article Title: Peptide Amphiphiles Hitchhike on Endogenous Biomolecules for Enhanced Cancer Imaging and Therapy

doi: 10.1002/adma.202509359

Figure Lengend Snippet: Spherical PA micelles disassemble in plasma and in situ reassemble with plasma biomolecules for prolonged blood circulation. a) Schematic showing the overall molecular structure of the PAs used in this study. b) TEM images of PA nanostructures. White arrows highlight the spherical micelles in SA‐K sample. Samples were negatively stained using uranyl acetate. c) Fluorescence intensity of ICG labeled PAs in 10% human plasma over 2 h. FPLC traces of PAs in PBS d) or 10% human plasma e). Absorbance at 280 nm was used to detect LPs and albumin, and 700 nm was used to detect SA‐E. f) Summary of protein classes identified in pulled‐down proteins in 10% human plasma samples with or without SA‐E by mass spectrometry (left panel). Percent enrichment of proteins in the presence of SA‐E (right panel). FPLC traces of plasma samples collected from wild type g) or ApoA1‐/‐ or LDL‐R‐/‐ h) mice injected with SA‐E (50 nmol) 1 hour before blood collection. i) Blood circulation of intravenously injected ICG labeled PAs or free ICG (50 nmol) in wild type mice. Data in (c, i) are presented as mean ± standard error of the mean (SEM). Bars in (f) are the mean of the data. Studies were run in triplicates in (c, i) and duplicates in (e).

Article Snippet: LDL‐R‐/‐ and wild type HeLa human cervical cancer cells were purchased from Ubigene (YKO‐H1027).

Techniques: Clinical Proteomics, In Situ, Staining, Fluorescence, Labeling, Mass Spectrometry, Injection

Journal: Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)

Article Title: Peptide Amphiphiles Hitchhike on Endogenous Biomolecules for Enhanced Cancer Imaging and Therapy

doi: 10.1002/adma.202509359

Figure Lengend Snippet: PAs internalize into cells through binding to lipid raft domains of cell membranes. a) Confocal microscope images of 4T1 cells incubated with SA‐E or SA‐K at different time points. b) Uptake of PAs by 4T1 cells. c) Confocal images of 4T1 cells incubated with endosomal stain (FITC‐dextran) and Cy5 labeled SA‐E. The panel on the right shows the intensity profile of FITC and Cy5 through the dashed line in the merged image. d) Uptake of SA‐E by 4T1 cells in the presence or absence of FBS. e) Uptake of SA‐E by wild type or SR‐B1 knock out TRAMP‐C2 mouse prostate cells. f) Uptake of SA‐E by wild type or LDL‐R knock out HeLa human cervical cancer cells. g) Uptake of SA‐E by 4T1 cells in the presence of different inhibitors. BFA is Brefeldin A, CPZ is Chlorpromazine, WT is Wortmannin, MBCD is Methyl‐β‐cyclodextrin, and BSP is Bromosulfalein. The whisker box plots in (b,d‐g) show the 25th and 75th percentiles with the median represented by the center line. Whiskers extend to 1.5x the inter‐quartile ranges (IQR). Statistical analysis was performed using one‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) in (g) and Student's t ‐test in (b,d‐f). n.s . is non‐significant, * p < 0.05 and *** p < 0.001.

Article Snippet: LDL‐R‐/‐ and wild type HeLa human cervical cancer cells were purchased from Ubigene (YKO‐H1027).

Techniques: Binding Assay, Microscopy, Incubation, Staining, Labeling, Knock-Out, Whisker Assay

Journal: Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)

Article Title: Peptide Amphiphiles Hitchhike on Endogenous Biomolecules for Enhanced Cancer Imaging and Therapy

doi: 10.1002/adma.202509359

Figure Lengend Snippet: SA‐E shows strong tumor accumulation and retention. a) Representative IVIS images of intravenously injected ICG labeled SA‐E or SA‐K (50 nmol) or free ICG in 4T1 tumor‐bearing mice at different time points. Black circles highlight the tumor location. b) Calculated mean intensities of ICG signal and c) tumor to background signal ratio of SA‐E, SA‐K, and free ICG at different time points after injection. d,e) Biodistribution of SA‐E, SA‐K, or free ICG in 4T1 tumor‐bearing mice. d) Representative IVIS images showing accumulation of SA‐E and SA‐K in tumors and major organs. Tissues were excised 2 days after injection. e) Mean ICG fluorescence intensity in the tumor and major organs of mice received SA‐E, SA‐K, or free ICG injection compared to control mice. f) IVIS imaging of mCherry expressing RG2 tumor sections showing a good overlap between the mCherry signal of RG2 cells and the ICG signal of SA‐E. g) Confocal microscope images of a brain tissue section with mCherry expressing RG2 tumors showing specific accumulation of SA‐E in RG2 tumors and internalization in cells in the tumor microenvironment. h) Flow cytometry analysis of mCherry expressing RG2 xenografts in mice that received SA‐E injection (50 nmol) 2 days before harvesting tumors. The top panel is an IVIS image of RG2 tumor‐bearing mice showing accumulation of SA‐E in the tumor. i) Mean tumor intensity of SA‐E 2 days after injection (50 nmol) into MC‐38 tumor‐bearing wild type, LDL‐R‐/‐, or ApoA1‐/‐ mice. Images on the top are representative IVIS images of the tumors. j) Mean tumor intensity of SA‐E 2 days after injection (50 nmol) into wild type or SR‐B1‐/‐ TRAMP‐C2 tumor‐bearing mice. Images on the top are representative IVIS images of the tumors. k) Mean tumor intensity of SA‐E 2 days after injection (50 nmol) into wild type or LDL‐R‐/‐ HeLa tumor‐bearing mice. Images on the top are representative IVIS images of the tumors. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. Studies were run in at least triplicates, except for ICG accumulation in the colon, mammary gland, heart, brain, and pancreas in (e) was obtained using a single mouse, and SA‐K accumulation in the colon in (e) was obtained using two mice. Statistical analysis was performed using one‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) in (e, h, and i) and Student's t test in (j and k). n.s . is non‐significant, * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, and *** p < 0.001.

Article Snippet: LDL‐R‐/‐ and wild type HeLa human cervical cancer cells were purchased from Ubigene (YKO‐H1027).

Techniques: Injection, Labeling, Fluorescence, Control, Imaging, Expressing, Microscopy, Flow Cytometry