A lava-inspired proteolytic enzyme therapy on cancer with a PEG-based hydrogel enhances tumor distribution and penetration of liposomes.

ABSTRACT: The enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect has become the guiding principle for nanomedicine against cancer for a long time. However, several biological barriers severely resist therapeutic agents' penetration and retention into the deep tumor tissues, resulting in poor EPR effect and high tumor mortality. Inspired by lava, we proposed a proteolytic enzyme therapy to improve the tumor distribution and penetration of nanomedicine. A trypsin-crosslinked hydrogel (Trypsin@PSA Gel) was developed to maintain trypsin's activity. The hydrogel postponed trypsin's self-degradation and sustained the release. Trypsin promoted the cellular uptake of nanoformulations in breast cancer cells, enhanced the penetration through endothelial cells, and degraded total and membrane proteins. Proteomic

SUBMITTER: Li J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11067103 | biostudies-literature | 2024 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature