Dual-enzyme activated theranostic nanoparticles for image-guided glioblastoma therapy.

ABSTRACT: Matrix metalloproteinase-14 (MMP-14) and Cathepsin-B (Cat-B) are overexpressed in glioblastoma (GBM) and not normal brain, making them promising targets for prodrug activation. We investigated a novel combination therapy using two tumor-enzyme activatable theranostic nanoprobes (TNP): TNP-MMP-14, which disrupts the blood tumor barrier via MMP-14 activation, and TNP-Cat-B, which selectively targets GBM cells through Cat-B activation. We hypothesized that combining TNP-MMP-14 and TNP-Cat-B would enhance TNP tumor accumulation and therapeutic efficacy compared to TNP-Cat-B monotherapy. Thirty NSG mice with luciferase-expressing GBM39 tumors received either TNP-MMP-14 plus TNP-Cat-B, TNP-Cat-B only, or saline. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was conducted pre- and post-treatment, with T2* rel

SUBMITTER: Shokri Varniab Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12009400 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature