Activatable PROTAC nanoassembly for photodynamic PTP1B proteolysis enhances glioblastoma immunotherapy.
10.1016/j.apsb.2025.06.028
- Author:
Yeongji JANG
1
;
Jiwoong CHOI
1
;
Byeongmin PARK
1
;
Jung Yeon PARK
2
;
Jae-Hyeon LEE
3
;
Jagyeong GOO
4
;
Dongwon SHIN
1
;
Sun Hwa KIM
1
;
Yongju KIM
2
;
Hyun Kyu SONG
5
;
Jooho PARK
3
;
Kwangmeyung KIM
4
;
Yoosoo YANG
6
;
Man Kyu SHIM
1
Author Information
1. Medicinal Materials Research Center, Biomedical Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.
2. KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea.
3. Department of Applied Life Science, BK21 Program, Konkuk University, Chungju 27478, Republic of Korea.
4. College of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea.
5. Department of Life Sciences, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea.
6. Department of Integrative Biotechnology, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Cancer immunotherapy;
Nanomedicine;
Photodynamic therapy;
Prodrug;
Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B;
Proteolysis-targeting chimera;
Supramolecular assembly;
Targeted protein degradation
- From:
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B
2025;15(9):4886-4899
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
In light of the burgeoning successes of cancer immunotherapy, glioblastoma (GBM) remains refractory due to an immunosuppressive microenvironment originating from its molecular heterogeneity. Thus, identifying promising therapeutic targets for treating GBM and discovering methodologies to effectively regulate them is still a tremendous challenge. Here we describe photodynamic protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) proteolysis mediated by a proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) nanoassembly. The PTP1B-targeting PROTAC is conjugated with a photosensitizer via a cathepsin B (Cat B)-cleavable peptide, which spontaneously forms nanoassemblies due to intermolecular π-π stacking interactions. In GBM models, PROTAC nanoassemblies significantly accumulate in the tumor region across the disrupted blood-brain barrier (BBB), triggering a burst release of the photosensitizer and active PROTAC by Cat B-mediated enzymatic cleavage. Upon laser irradiation, photodynamic therapy (PDT) synergizes with PROTAC-mediated PTP1B proteolysis to induce potent immunogenic cell death (ICD) in tumor cells. Subsequently, persistent PTP1B degradation by nanoassemblies in Cat B-overexpressed intratumoral T cells downregulates exhaustion markers, reinvigorating their functionality. These sequential processes of photodynamic PTP1B proteolysis ultimately augment T cell-mediated antitumor immunity as well as protective immunity, completely eradicating the primary GBM and preventing its recurrence. Overall, our findings underscore the therapeutic potential of combining PDT with PROTAC activity for GBM immunotherapy.
