Arginine tagged liposomal carrier for the delivery of celastrol for ferroptosis-induced hepatocellular carcinoma therapy

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a predominant malignant liver tumor that cannot be efficiently treated because of poor response, toxicity, and drug resistance. Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent way of cell death associated with abnormal intracellular lipid metabolism. Celastrol (Cel) has the ability to inhibit the progression of HCC by regulating multiple signaling pathways and induce ferroptosis. However, Cel exists the limitations of low water solubility, low oral bioavailability, and high organ toxicity. Cel was encapsulated in polyethylene glycol–based liposomes modified with L-arginine (Cel@Lip-Arg). Cel@Lip-Arg has a uniform size distribution (∼100 nm), high drug loading (80 %), and excellent ability to target liver cancer cells. In vitro experiments demonstrated that Cel@Lip-Arg considerably suppressed the activity of HuH7 (hepatoma) cells but had a negligible effect on L02 (normal) cells. Cel@Lip-Arg induced ferroptosis in hepatoma cells by promoting transferrin receptor expression, inhibiting system xc− and glutathione peroxidase 4, and favoring intracellular peroxide accumulation. In vivo experiments revealed that Cel@Lip-Arg plays a therapeutic role by inducing ferroptosis. Compared to Cel, Cel@Lip-Arg had a higher anti-hepatoma activity and effectively reduced the toxicity of Cel in mice. Cel@Lip-Arg-induced ferroptosis was concluded to be an attractive strategy for the precise treatment of HCC. •Hepatocellular carcinoma is a highly invasive cancer that is still unable to be treated efficiently.•Celastrol can kill liver cancer cells by inducing ferroptosis.•Cel@Lip-Arg can amplify the celastrol-induced ferroptosis effect and reduce the toxic effect of celastrol.