Indocyanine green-loaded exosomes for image-guided glioma nano-therapy

Abstract

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive and deadliest type of brain tumor with a > >th he most aggressive and deadliest type of brain tumor witnear-infrared fluorescent dye, but it is hard to directly target brain tumor. Therefore, our study aimed to develop a new carrier for ICG to accurately visualize cancer tissue during surgery. Exosomes were isolated from culture U-87 MG cells, then loaded with Indocyanine green (ICG) and conjugated with RGERPPR peptide (RGE) (R-exo-ICG). The parameters of R-exo-ICG were analyzed and injected into tumor-bearing nude mice to evaluate its anti-tumor effect. R-exo-ICGs were nano size, and completely released ICG within 24 h. RGE modification increased cell uptake of exosomes, and induced cell apoptosis through activating Caspase 3 signaling pathway after laser irradiation. Moreover, R-exo-ICG was largely accumulated in the brain tumor in vivo, and inhibited tumor growth in tumor-bearing mice. RGE-conjugated exosomes that loaded ICG could target brain tumor in mice and significantly inhibited tumor growth in mice, which suggested that R-exo-ICG might serve as a novel approach for GBM treatment.

Keywords:

• RGE
• exosomes
• GBM
• ICG
• mice

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr Guo-zhu Sun, Dr Bao-hua Jiao and Dr Zong-mao Zhao for their technical advice.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no known conflicts of interest.

Data availability statement

Data could be obtained upon reasonable request to the corresponding author.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Province Basic Research Cooperation Project (F2019206706); S&T Program of Hebei (21377751 D); Hebei high level Talents Project (A202103004); Provincial Clinical Medical Talents Project in 2021; and the Hebei Medical University-Hebei Provincial Science and Technology Department Innovation Fund (2020TXJC08).