Tumour eradication using synchronous thermal ablation and Hsp90 chemotherapy with protein engineered triblock biopolymer-geldanamycin conjugates.

Yizhe Chen, Pilju Youn, Theodore J Pysher, Courtney L Scaife, Darin Y Furgeson

Index: Int. J. Hyperthermia 30(8) , 550-64, (2014)

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Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) suffers high tumour recurrence rate after thermal ablation. Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) induced post-ablation is critical for tumour survival and progression. A combination therapy of thermal ablation and polymer conjugated Hsp90 chemotherapy was designed and evaluated for complete tumour eradication of HCC.A thermo-responsive, elastin-like polypeptide (ELP)-based tri-block biopolymer was developed and conjugated with a potent Hsp90 inhibitor, geldanamycin (GA). The anti-cancer efficacy of conjugates was evaluated in HCC cell cultures with and without hyperthermia (43 °C). The conjugates were also administered twice weekly in a murine HCC model as a single treatment or in combination with single electrocautery as the ablation method.ELP-GA conjugates displayed enhanced cytotoxicity in vitro and effective heat shock inhibition under hyperthermia. The conjugates alone significantly slowed the tumour growth without systemic toxicity. Four doses of thermo-responsive ELP-GA conjugates with concomitant simple electrocautery accomplished significant Hsp90 inhibition and sustained tumour suppression.Hsp90 inhibition plays a key role in preventing the recurrence of HCC, and the combination of ablation with targeted therapy holds great potential to improve prognosis and survival of HCC patients.