Macrophages are prominent immune cells in the tumor microenvironment that exert potent effects on cancer metastasis. However, the signals and receivers for the tumor-macrophage communication remain enigmatic. Here, we show that G protein-coupled receptor 132 (Gpr132) functions as a key macrophage sensor of the rising lactate in the acidic tumor milieu to mediate the reciprocal interaction between cancer cells and macrophages during breast cancer metastasis. Lactate activates macrophage Gpr132 to promote the alternatively activated macrophage (M2)-like phenotype, which, in turn, facilitates cancer cell adhesion, migration, and invasion. Consequently, Gpr132 deletion reduces M2 macrophages and impedes breast cancer lung metastasis in mice. Clinically, Gpr132 expression positively correlates with M2 macrophages, metastasis, and poor prognosis in patients with breast cancer. These findings uncover the lactate-Gpr132 axis as a driver of breast cancer metastasis by stimulating tumor-macrophage interplay, and reveal potential new therapeutic targets for breast cancer treatment.reast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed nonskin type of malignancy, and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in women. The 5-y survival rate is 89% in patients who have primary breast cancer, whereas the medium survival of patients with metastatic breast cancer is only 1-2 y (1, 2). Metastasis is the primary cause of breast cancer-related deaths; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying this process are still poorly understood. It has been well established that the tumor microenvironment plays an important role in breast cancer metastasis (3-6). Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) make up the largest population of stromal cells that suppress antitumor immunity and foster tumor progression in mouse models of breast cancer (3,(6)(7)(8). TAMs also promote metastasis and correlate with poor prognosis in patients with breast cancer (7, 9). Conversely, TAM functions are also tightly regulated by tumor cells (10, 11). However, the mechanisms underlying this reciprocal regulation between cancer cells and macrophages during metastasis remain elusive.Macrophages are heterogeneous immune cells that can exhibit distinct functions and phenotypes depending on different microenvironment signals (9, 12). They can be broadly divided into classically activated (M1) and alternatively activated (M2) macrophages, the latter of which generally display promalignancy activity (9, 12). In solid tumors, TAMs are usually biased toward M2 (9). Due to hypoxia and glycolytic cancer cell metabolism, the tumor environment is usually acidic, which affects tumor progression by acting on both cancer cells and stromal cells, including macrophages (10,13,14). A recent study shows that cancer cell-derived lactate can educate macrophages to functional TAMs, which, in turn, promotes tumor growth (14). Nonetheless, how lactate activation of TAMs affects cancer metastasis is poorly understood. Importantly, the molecular basis by which macrophages sense and respond t...

CRISPR/Cas is a revolutionary gene editing technology with wide-ranging utility.[1] The safe, non-viral delivery of CRISPR/Cas components would greatly improve future therapeutic utility.[1e] We report the synthesis and development of zwitterionic amino lipids (ZALs) that are uniquely able to (co)deliver long RNAs including Cas9 mRNA and sgRNAs. ZAL nanoparticle (ZNP) delivery of low sgRNA doses (15 nM) reduces protein expression by >90% in cells. In contrast to transient therapies (e.g. RNAi), we show that ZNP delivery of sgRNA enables permanent DNA editing with an indefinitely sustained 95% decrease in protein expression. ZNP delivery of mRNA results in high protein expression at low doses in vitro (<600 pM) and in vivo (1 mg/kg). Intravenous co-delivery of Cas9 mRNA and sgLoxP induced expression of floxed tdTomato in the liver, kidneys, and lungs of engineered mice. ZNPs provide a chemical guide for rational design of long RNA carriers, and represent a promising step towards improving the safety and utility of gene editing.

RNA-based cancer therapies are hindered by the lack of delivery vehicles that avoid cancer-induced organ dysfunction, which exacerbates carrier toxicity. We address this issue by reporting modular degradable dendrimers that achieve the required combination of high potency to tumors and low hepatotoxicity to provide a pronounced survival benefit in an aggressive genetic cancer model. More than 1,500 dendrimers were synthesized using sequential, orthogonal reactions where ester degradability was systematically integrated with chemically diversified cores, peripheries, and generations. A lead dendrimer, 5A2-SC8, provided a broad therapeutic window: identified as potent [EC 50 < 0.02 mg/kg siRNA against FVII (siFVII)] in doseresponse experiments, and well tolerated in separate toxicity studies in chronically ill mice bearing MYC-driven tumors (>75 mg/kg dendrimer repeated dosing). Delivery of let-7g microRNA (miRNA) mimic inhibited tumor growth and dramatically extended survival. Efficacy stemmed from a combination of a small RNA with the dendrimer's own negligible toxicity, therefore illuminating an underappreciated complication in treating cancer with RNA-based drugs.dendrimers | miRNA | cancer

CRISPR/Cas is a revolutionary gene editing technology with wide-ranging utility. [1] The safe, non-viral delivery of CRISPR/Cas components would greatly improve future therapeutic utility. [1e] We report the synthesis and development of zwitterionic amino lipids (ZALs) that are uniquely able to (co)deliver long RNAs including Cas9 mRNA and sgRNAs. ZAL nanoparticle (ZNP) delivery of low sgRNA doses (15 nM) reduces protein expression by >90% in cells. In contrast to transient therapies (e.g. RNAi), we show that ZNP delivery of sgRNA enables permanent DNA editing with an indefinitely sustained 95% decrease in protein expression. ZNP delivery of mRNA results in high protein expression at low doses in vitro (<600 pM) and in vivo (1 mg/kg).Correspondence to: Daniel J. Siegwart. + These authors contributed equally.Supporting information for this article can be found under: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/anie.20X. HHS Public Access Author Manuscript Author ManuscriptAuthor Manuscript Author ManuscriptIntravenous co-delivery of Cas9 mRNA and sgLoxP induced expression of floxed tdTomato in the liver, kidneys, and lungs of engineered mice. ZNPs provide a chemical guide for rational design of long RNA carriers, and represent a promising step towards improving the safety and utility of gene editing. Graphical abstractWe report the synthesis and development of zwitterionic amino lipids (ZALs) that are uniquely able to deliver long RNAs (Cas9 mRNA and targeted sgRNA) from a single ZAL nanoparticle (ZNP) to enable CRISPR/Cas gene editing.

BackgroundChemoresistance is one of the main obstacles to successful cancer therapy and is frequently associated with Multidrug resistance (MDR). Many different mechanisms have been suggested to explain the development of an MDR phenotype in cancer cells. One of the most studied mechanisms is the overexpression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), which is a product of the MDR1 gene. Tumor cells often acquire the drug-resistance phenotype due to upregulation of the MDR1 gene. Overexpression of MDR1 gene has often been reported in primary gastric adenocarcinoma.MethodsThis study investigated the role of p38-MAPK signal pathway in vincristine-resistant SGC7901/VCR cells. P-gp and MDR1 RNA were detected by Western blot analysis and RT-PCR amplification. Mitgen-activated protein kinases and function of P-gp were demonstrated by Western blot and FACS Aria cytometer analysis. Ap-1 activity and cell apoptosis were detected by Dual-Luciferase Reporter Assay and annexin V-PI dual staining.ResultsThe vincristine-resistant SGC7901/VCR cells with increased expression of the multidrug-resistance 1 (MDR1) gene were resistant to P-gp-related drug and P-gp-unrelated drugs. Constitutive increases of phosphorylated p38-MAPK and AP-1 activities were also found in the drug-resistant cells. Inhibition of p38-MAPK by SB202190 reduced activator protein-1 (AP-1) activity and MDR1 expression levels and increased the sensitivity of SGC7901/VCR cells to chemotherapy.ConclusionActivation of the p38-MAPK pathway might be responsible for the modulation of P-glycoprotein-mediated and P-glycoprotein-unmediated multidrug resistance in the SGC7901/VCR cell line.

The ability to control chemical functionality is an exciting feature of modern polymer science that enables precise design of drug delivery systems. Ring-opening polymerization of functional monomers has emerged as a versatile method to prepare clinically translatable degradable polyesters.1 A variety of functional groups have been introduced into lactones; however, the direct polymerization of tertiary amine functionalized cyclic esters has remained elusive. We report a strategy that enabled the rapid synthesis of >130 lipocationic polyesters directly from functional monomers without protecting groups. These polymers are highly effective for siRNA delivery at low doses in vitro and in vivo.

Messenger RNA (mRNA) has recently come into focus as an emerging therapeutic class with great potential for protein replacement therapy, cancer immunotherapy, regenerative medicine, vaccines, and gene editing. However, the lack of effective and safe delivery methods impedes the broad application of mRNA-based therapeutics. We report a robust approach to develop efficient polymeric delivery carriers for mRNA. Lead polyesters were identified by in vitro screening of a 480-member combinatorially modified poly(trimethylolpropane allyl ether-co-suberoyl chloride) library for the delivery of luciferase encoding mRNA (Luc mRNA) to IGROV1 cells. The formulation of mRNA polyplex nanoparticles (NPs) with Pluronic F127 decreased the surface charge. Although this improved the stability of mRNA nanoparticles, the delivery potency decreased with increased F127 content. Thus, we determined that NP stabilization with 5% F127 could balance the protective effects and delivery potency. 5% F127 formulated PE4K-A17-0.33C12 mRNA NPs enabled luciferase expression predominantly in the lungs after intravenous injection into mice. The efficient mRNA delivery specifically to lungs by degradable carriers suggests the potential for the treatment of pulmonary diseases.

Conventional chemotherapeutics nonselectively kill all rapidly dividing cells, which produces numerous side effects. To address this challenge, we report the discovery of functional polyesters that are capable of delivering siRNA drugs selectively to lung cancer cells and not to normal lung cells. Selective polyplex nanoparticles (NPs) were identified by high-throughput library screening on a unique pair of matched cancer/normal cell lines obtained from a single patient. Selective NPs promoted rapid endocytosis into HCC4017 cancer cells, but were arrested at the membrane of HBEC30-KT normal cells during the initial transfection period. When injected into tumor xenografts in mice, cancer-selective NPs were retained in tumors for over 1 wk, whereas nonselective NPs were cleared within hours. This translated to improved siRNA-mediated cancer cell apoptosis and significant suppression of tumor growth. Selective NPs were also able to mediate gene silencing in xenograft and orthotopic tumors via i.v. injection or aerosol inhalation, respectively. Importantly, this work highlights that different cells respond differentially to the same drug carrier, an important factor that should be considered in the design and evaluation of all NP carriers. Because no targeting ligands are required, these functional polyester NPs provide an exciting alternative approach for selective drug delivery to tumor cells that may improve efficacy and reduce adverse side effects of cancer therapies.