CRPC Membrane-Camouflaged, Biomimetic Nanosystem for Overcoming Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer by Cellular Vehicle-Aided Tumor Targeting

Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is the most common malignant tumor of the male urinary system. Nanodrug delivery systems (NDDS) have been widely applied in drug delivery for tumor therapy; however, nanotherapeutics encounter various biological barriers that prevent successful accumulation of drugs, specifically at diseased sites. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a CRPC-targeting nanocomposite with fine biocompatibility for penetrating various biological barriers, delivering sufficient drugs to the targeting site and improving therapeutic efficiency. In this work, CRPC cell membranes were firstly adapted as biomimetic vectors for the encapsulating PEG-PLGA polymer containing the chemotherapy drug docetaxel (DTX). The CRPC membrane-camouflaged nanoparticles can easily escape early recognition by the immune system, penetrate the extracellular barrier, and evade clearance by the circulatory system. In addition to the characteristics of traditional nanoparticles, the CRPC cell membrane contains an arsenal of highly specific homotypic moieties that can be used to recognize the same cancer cell types and increase the targeted drug delivery of DTX. In vivo fluorescence and radionuclide dual-model imaging were fulfilled by decorating the biomimetic nanosystem with near-infrared dye and isotope, which validated the homotypic targeting property offered by the CRPC cell membrane coating. Importantly, remarkably improved therapeutic efficacy was achieved in a mice model bearing CRPC tumors. This homologous cell membrane enabled an efficient drug delivery strategy and enlightened a new pathway for the clinical application of tumor chemotherapy drugs in the future.

Automated summary

In this work, a CRPC-targeting nanocomposite with fine biocompatibility was developed using CRPC cell membranes as biomimetic vectors. The encapsulated chemotherapy drug DTX was successfully delivered to the targeting site, improving therapeutic efficiency. The use of CRPC cell membrane coating enabled homotypic targeting and significantly improved therapeutic efficacy in a mice model bearing CRPC tumors.