Potential urinary monitoring of the enhanced permeability and retention effect using MMP-2-responsive poly(ethylene glycol) derivatives

• Published in: Journal of controlled release Vol. 329; pp. 513 - 523
• Main Authors: Sun, Xiaohang, Nomoto, Takahiro, Takemoto, Hiroyasu, Matsui, Makoto, Guo, Haochen, Sun, Yudi, Miura, Yutaka, Nishiyama, Nobuhiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 10.01.2021
• Subjects: Companion diagnostics; EPR effect; MMP-2; Polymer; Polymer; MMP-2; EPR effect; Companion diagnostics
• ISSN: 0168-3659; 1873-4995
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2020.09.004

The enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect is fundamental to tumor-targeted drug delivery using nanoparticles. However, recent studies reported heterogeneity of the EPR effect, and companion diagnostics are considered to be key to predicting and optimizing the benefits of the EPR effect. Here, as a new material to simply endow the function of companion diagnostics to nanoparticles, we designed a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) derivative conjugated with low molecular fluorescent dye through synthetic substrate linker that can be cleaved in response to MMP-2, which is overexpressed in tumor extracellular matrix. Upon tumor accumulation, the low molecular fluorescent dye is released from the PEG and quickly excreted to urine, thereby reporting its tumor accumulation level as a fluorescent signal in the urine. In this study, this urinary reporter was conjugated with albumin, and the functionalized albumin exhibited efficient accumulation in various tumors. Importantly, the functionalized albumin exhibited significantly higher excretion of the fluorescent dye in the urine in mice with tumors compared with those without tumors. The PEG derivatives proposed in this study may be a promising tool to predict the EPR effect in individual cancer patients. [Display omitted] •PEG derivatives permitted potential urinary monitoring of the EPR effect.•Urinary monitoring suggested dynamics of the EPR effect.•Considerable intra-/extravasation could be observed in various tumor models.