Modulation of anti-angiogenic activity using ultrasound-activated nutlin-loaded piezoelectric nanovectors

Angiogenesis plays a fundamental role in tumor development, as it is crucial for tumor progression, metastasis development, and invasion. In this view, anti-angiogenic therapy has received considerable attention in several cancer types in order to inhibit tumor vascularization, and the progress of nanotechnology offers opportunities to target and release anti-angiogenic agents in specific diseased areas. In this work, we showed that the angiogenic behavior of human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells can be inhibited by using nutlin-3a-loaded ApoE-functionalized polymeric piezoelectric nanoparticles, which can remotely respond to ultrasound stimulation. The anti-angiogenic effect, derived from the use of chemotherapy and chronic piezoelectric stimulation, leads to disruption of tubular vessel formation, decreased cell migration and invasion, and inhibition of angiogenic growth factors in the presence of migratory cues released by the tumor cells. Overall, the proposed use of remotely activated piezoelectric nanoparticles could provide a promising approach to hinder tumor-induced angiogenesis.