Normalizing Tumor Blood Vessels to Improve Chemotherapy and Inhibit Breast Cancer Metastasis by Multifunctional Nanoparticles

The abnormal tumor blood vessels with high leakage can promote tumor cells to infiltrate into the systemic circulation and increase the risk of tumor metastasis. In addition, chemotherapy may destroy tumor blood vessels and further aggravate metastasis. Normalizing tumor blood vessels can reduce vascular leakage and increase vascular integrity. The simultaneous administration of vascular normalization drugs and chemotherapy drugs may resist the blood vessels' destruction of chemotherapy. Here, multifunctional nanoparticles (CCM@LMSN/DOX & St), which combined chemotherapy with tumor blood vessel normalization, were prepared for the treatment of breast cancer. The results showed that CCM@LMSN/DOX & St-loaded sunitinib (St) promoted the expression of junction proteins Claudin-4 and VE-cadherin of endothelial cells, reversed the destruction of DOX to the endothelial cell layer, protected the integrity of the endothelial cell layer, and inhibited the migration of 4T1 tumor cells across the endothelial cell layer. In vivo experiments showed that CCM@LMSN/DOX & St effectively inhibited tumor growth in situ; what is exciting was that it also inhibited distal metastasis of breast cancer. CCM@LMSN/DOX & St encapsulated with St can normalize tumor blood vessels, reverse the damage of DOX to tumor blood vessels, increase the integrity of blood vessels, and prevent tumor cell invasion into blood vessels, which can inhibit breast cancer spontaneous metastasis and reduce chemotherapy-induced metastasis. This drug delivery platform effectively inhibited the progression of tumors and provided a promising solution for effective tumor treatment.

Automated summary

Abnormal tumor blood vessels with high leakage can enhance tumor metastasis. Normalizing tumor blood vessels can reduce leakage and increase integrity. This study developed multifunctional nanoparticles combining chemotherapy and tumor blood vessel normalization for breast cancer treatment. The nanoparticles promoted expression of junction proteins in endothelial cells, protected endothelial cell layer integrity, and inhibited tumor cell migration and metastasis.