Preclinical Development Of a Nanomedicne Approach For Multiple Myeloma Targeting The Myc Oncoprotein

This study investigated alpha 4 beta 1/ Very Late Antigen-4 (α4β1/ VLA-4)-integrin targeted nanotherapy approach to deliver a new lipase-labile prodrug.

A phospholipid-based MYC-MAX inhibitor prodrug (MI1-PD) was synthesized, and its inherent anti-proliferate potency was compared to the lipid-free compound (MI1) using mouse multiple myeloma (MM) cell line (5TGM1). VLA-4-targeted perfluorocarbon (PFC) nanoparticles binding to 5TGM1 cells was measured and compared to biomarker expression assessed with flow cytometry using antibodies. The efficacy of MI1-PD incorporated into non-targeted and VLA-4-targeted PFC NP exposed to 5TGM1 cells was assessed with MTT assays, Annexin V and cell cycle analysis.

MI1-PD was more potent by several orders of magnitude than its free drug counterpart in culture. Targeted NP binding correlated well with biomarker expression assessment by flow cytometry in 5TGM1 cells. Non-targeted NPs had no appreciable binding to 5TGM1 cells. High anti-MM potency of MI1-PD was noted in VLA-4-targeted NPs compared to the non-targeted NPs demonstrating that the efficacy was dependent on expression of the targeted biomarker to afford particle-to-cell drug delivery.

These results suggest the feasibility of an improved integrin VLA-4- targeted nanotherapy approach to deliver a lipase- labile prodrug construct, MI1-PD.

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.