@article{Wang2023, 
author = {Chong Wang and Huimin Wang and Hai Yang and Chen Xu and Qiang Wang and Zheng Li and Zhijie Zhang and Jiankun Guan and Ximiao Yu and Xiaoquan Yang and Xiangliang Yang and Zifu Li},
title = {Targeting cancer-associated fibroblasts with hydroxyethyl starch nanomedicine boosts cancer therapy},
year = {2023},
journal = {Nano Research},
volume = {16},
number = {5},
pages = {7323-7336},
keywords = {hydroxyethyl starch, cancer-associated fibroblasts, tumor mechanical microenvironment, cancer stem cells, combination therapy},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.1007/s12274-023-5394-7},
doi = {10.1007/s12274-023-5394-7},
abstract = {Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play an important role in facilitating the progression of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) by deteriorating the tumor mechanical microenvironment (TMME). Herein, we designed a CAFs-targeting nanomedicine by conjugating doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded hydroxyethyl starch-IR780 nanoparticles (NPs) with Cys-Arg-Glu-Lys-Ala (CREKA) peptide, which had a special affinity for fibronectin overexpressed on CAFs. After systemic administration, the NPs efficiently targeted CAFs and generated hyperthermia upon light irradiation, decreasing CAFs through the combination of chemo- and photothermal-therapies. Thus, a series of changes in TMME were achieved by reducing CAFs, which further disrupted the niche of cancer stem cells (CSCs) to affect their survival. As a result, the tumor growth was significantly inhibited in 4T1 tumors. The strategy of TMME modulation and CSCs elimination through targeting and depleting CAFs provides a novel therapeutic treatment for desmoplastic solid tumors.}
}