National Taiwan University

Academia Sinica

Chin-Tarng Lin

Han-Chung Wu

Tong-Young Lee

De-Kuan Chang

Albert Lo

Szu-Yao Kuo

Dah-Yeou Huang

A method of peptide histochemical diagnosis to detect the peptide binding protein in the cancer tissue is described. This peptide binding specifically to tumor cells is linked to the dextran coated iron oxide nanoparticle. The peptide linked dextran coated iron oxide nanoparticle can be used to bind to the formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tumor surgical specimens, and the method of present disclosure can be used to evaluate the efficacy of peptide-targeted chemotherapy for treatment of cancer patients.

Peptides for diagnosis and treatment of cancer

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Novel treatment strategies derived from increased knowledge of molecular oncology are constantly being developed to cure this disease. Here, we used phage display to identify novel peptides, including (SP94), which binds specifically to HCC cells. In vitro, the phage clone PC94 binds to HCC cell lines. In vivo, PC94 homed specifically to tumor tissues but not to normal visceral organs in SCID mice bearing human HCC xenografts. The homing ability could be competitively inhibited by synthetic peptide, SP94. PC94 localized to tumor tissues but could not be detected in SP94-competed tumor tissues or in normal organs. In addition, PC94 recognized the tumor tissue but not non-tumor tissue in surgical specimens from HCC patients, with a positive rate of 61.3% (19/31). With the conjugation of SP94 and liposomal doxorubicin, a targeted drug delivery system enhanced the therapeutic efficacy against HCC xenografts through enhanced tumor apoptosis and decreased tumor angiogenesis. Our results indicate that SP94 can improve the systemic treatment of patients with advanced HCC.

Peptides specific for hepatocellular carcinoma cells and applications thereof

The invention provides nucleic acids, peptides, and antibodies for use in applications including diagnosis and therapy. The peptides target lung cancer and were identified by phage display. Targeting phage PC5-2 and synthetic peptide SP5-2 were both able to recognize human pulmonary tumor specimens from lung cancer patients. In SCID mice bearing NSCLC xenografts, the targeting phage was able to target tumor masses specifically. When the peptide was coupled to liposomes containing the anti-cancer drugs vinorelbine or doxorubicin, the efficacy of these drugs against human lung cancer xenografts was improved, the survival rate increased, and the drug toxicity was reduced.

Lung cancer-targeted peptides and applications thereof

The invention provides nucleic acids, peptides, and antibodies for use in applications including diagnosis and therapy. The peptides target neovasculature and were identified by in vivo phage display. One such peptide, SP5-52, recognized the neovasculature of multiple tumors in SCID mice, but did not target normal blood vessels. This peptide also binds to blood vessels of human lung cancer biopsy specimens. Liposomes comprising SP5-52 and doxorubicin enhanced the efficacy of the drug against multiple human cancer xenografts in SCID mice.

Peptide-conjugates that bind to VEGF-stimulated or tumor vasculature and methods of treatment

The present invention provides genetic markers, SOX5 and SPARC, for distant metastasis and poor prognosis of detection of the high risk potential for cancer patients. In addition, the present invention also provides a method to predict the risk potential for cancer patients with distant metastasis and poor prognosis. This method comprises obtaining a tissue sample from a patient; evaluating the expression levels of the SOX5 and/or SPARC genetic markers in the sample; and comparing the expression levels of genetic markers with those of non-cancerous tissues. The patient is determined to have the high risk of distant metastasis or poor prognosis when the expression level of SOX5 is higher, or when the expression level of SPARC is lower, than that of non-cancerous tissue. Furthermore, the identified genetic marker SOX5 and/or SPARC can also be used for cancer targeted therapy, because down regulation of SOX5 and/or up regulation of SPARC expression in NOD-SCID can retard tumor growth and inhibit cell proliferation, migration, invasion and metastasis.

Genetic markers and methods for detecting and treating cancers

The present invention provides a peptide marker targeting to nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells and application thereof. The peptide binds specifically to the cell surface of NPC cells. After conjugated with liposome containing chemotherapeutic drugs, such peptides deliver chemotherapeutic drugs to the tumor cells specifically and destruct tumor cells without damaging normal tissues and organs. Furthermore, such peptide is applied as a detector in the development of NPC diagnosis kit.

Growing community of inventors

Taipei, Taiwan

Chin-Tarng Lin