Selective targeting of bioengineered platelets to prostate cancer vasculature: new paradigm for therapeutic modalities

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) provides palliation for most patients with advanced prostate cancer (CaP); however, greater than 80% subsequently fail ADT. ADT has been indicated to induce an acute but transient destabilization of the prostate vasculature in animal models and humans. Human re-hydrated lyophilized platelets (hRL-P) were investigated as a prototype for therapeutic agents designed to target selectively the tumour-associated vasculature in CaP. The ability of hRL-P to bind the perturbed endothelial cells was tested using thrombin- and ADP-activated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), as well as primary xenografts of human prostate tissue undergoing acute vascular involution in response to ADT. hRL-P adhered to activated HUVEC in a dose-responsive manner. Systemically administered hRL-P, and hRL-P loaded with super-paramagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles, selectively targeted the ADT-damaged human microvasculature in primary xenografts of human prostate tissue. This study demonstrated that hRL-P pre-loaded with chemo-therapeutics or nanoparticles could provide a new paradigm for therapeutic modalities to prevent the rebound/increase in prostate vasculature after ADT, inhibiting the transition to castration-recurrent growth.