Gadolinium metallofullerenol nanoparticles inhibit cancer metastasis through matrix metalloproteinase inhibition: imprisoning instead of poisoning cancer cells.

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to study the antimetastasis activity of gadolinium metallofullerenol nanoparticles (f-NPs) in malignant and invasive human breast cancer models. We demonstrated that f-NPs inhibited the production of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) enzymes and further interfered with the invasiveness of cancer cells in tissue culture condition. In the tissue invasion animal model, the invasive primary tumor treated with f-NPs showed significantly less metastasis to the ectopic site along with the decreased MMP expression. In the same animal model, we observed the formation of a fibrous cage that may serve as a physical barrier capable of cancer tissue encapsulation that cuts the communication between cancer- and tumor-associated macrophages, which produce MMP enzymes. In another animal model, the blood transfer model, f-NPs potently suppressed the establishment of tumor foci in lung. Based on these data, we conclude that f-NPs have antimetastasis effects and speculate that utilization of f-NPs may provide a new strategy for the treatment of tumor metastasis.

FROM THE CLINICAL EDITOR:

In this study utilizing metallofullerenol nanoparticles, the authors demonstrate antimetastasis effects and speculate that utilization of these nanoparticles may provide a new strategy in metastatic tumor therapy.

• Authors: Huan Meng, Gengmei Xing, Elvin Blanco, Yan Song, Lina Zhao, Baoyun Sun, Xiaoda Li, Paul C Wang, Alexandru Korotcov, Wei Li, Xing-Jie Liang, Chunying Chen, Hui Yuan, Feng Zhao, Zhen Chen, Tong Sun, Zhifang Chai, Mauro Ferrari, Yuliang Zhao
• Journal: Nanomedicine : nanotechnology, biology, and medicine (Nanomedicine) Vol. 8 Issue 2 Pg. 136-46 (Feb 2012) ISSN: 1549-9642 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 21930111 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors
• Gadolinium
• Matrix Metalloproteinases

Topics

• Animals
• Breast Neoplasms (drug therapy, enzymology, pathology)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Female
• Gadolinium (chemistry, therapeutic use)
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic (drug effects)
• Humans
• Lung Neoplasms (drug therapy, enzymology, secondary)
• Macrophages (chemistry, drug effects)
• Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors
• Matrix Metalloproteinases (metabolism)
• Metal Nanoparticles (chemistry, therapeutic use)
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Neoplasm Invasiveness (prevention & control)
• Neoplasm Transplantation