Co-administration of H-ferritin-doxorubicin and Trastuzumab in neoadjuvant setting improves efficacy and prevents cardiotoxicity in HER2 + murine breast cancer model

Sci Rep. 2020 Jul 10;10(1):11425. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-68205-w.

Abstract

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy has been established as the standard of care for HER2-positive breast cancer since it allows cancer down-staging, up to pathological complete response. The standard of care in the neoadjuvant setting for HER2-positive breast cancer is a combination of highly cytotoxic drugs such as anthracyclines and the anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody. Despite this cocktail allows a pathological complete response in up to 50%, their co-administration is strongly limited by intrinsic cardiotoxicity. Therefore, only a sequential administration of anthracyclines and the anti-HER2 treatment is allowed. Here, we propose the anthracycline formulation in H-Ferritin nanocages as promising candidate to solve this unmet clinical need, thanks to its capability to increase anthracyclines efficacy while reducing their cardiotoxicity. Treating a murine model of HER2-positive breast cancer with co-administration of Trastuzumab and H-Ferritin anthracycline nanoformulation, we demonstrate an improved tumor penetration of drugs, leading to increased anticancer efficacy and reduced of cardiotoxicity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anthracyclines / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Apoferritins / administration & dosage*
  • Apoptosis
  • Cardiotoxicity
  • Cell Line
  • Doxorubicin / administration & dosage*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Animal / drug therapy*
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Animal / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mitochondria / metabolism
  • Neoadjuvant Therapy
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / metabolism
  • Trastuzumab / administration & dosage*

Substances

  • Anthracyclines
  • Doxorubicin
  • Apoferritins
  • ERBB2 protein, human
  • Receptor, ErbB-2
  • Trastuzumab