Enhanced efficacy of combined VEGFR peptide-drug conjugate and anti-PD-1 antibody in treating hepatocellular carcinoma.

ABSTRACT: This study aimed to design a VEGFR-targeting peptide-drug conjugate with the ability to decrease tumor burden and suppress tumor angiogenesis, and to further evaluate the therapeutic effect of anti-PD-1 antibody in HCC therapy. A VEGFR-targeting peptide VEGF_{125 - 136} (QR) was conjugated with a lytic peptide (KLU) to form a peptide-drug conjugate QR-KLU. And the efficacy of QR-KLU in combination with anti-PD-1 antibody for HCC therapy in vivo and in vitro were evaluated. QR-KLU inhibited the proliferation and migration of mouse HCC cell line (Hepa1-6) cells under normoxic and hypoxic conditions in a dose-dependent manner. In the subcutaneous Hepa1-6 tumor model, QR-KLU combined with the anti-PD-1 antibody substantially inhibited tumor growth, promoted tumor necrosis, and prolonge

SUBMITTER: Liu J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11408695 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature