Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40616815›Full record

ArticleNanomedicine (London, England)2025

Harnessing multifunctional HBc virus-like particles for safe and effective delivery of melittin in cancer therapy.

Chufan Wang, Fengrui Zhang, Haobo Tang, Zhengchan Su, Yufei Duan, Wei Feng, Xiaoning Lin, E Chen, Xiumin Wang, Lei Ren

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Nanomedicine (London, England), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Chufan WangKey Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Fujian Province University, Department of Biomaterials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen, P. R. China.
Fengrui ZhangKey Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Fujian Province University, Department of Biomaterials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen, P. R. China.
Haobo TangKey Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Fujian Province University, Department of Biomaterials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen, P. R. China.
Zhengchan SuSchool of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, P. R. China.
Yufei DuanKey Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Fujian Province University, Department of Biomaterials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen, P. R. China.
Wei FengZhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
Xiaoning LinZhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
E ChenZhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
Xiumin WangSchool of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, P. R. China.
Lei RenKey Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Fujian Province University, Department of Biomaterials, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen, P. R. China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimTo overcome the clinical limitations of melittin, a potent anticancer host defense peptide, by developing a multifunctional, virus-like particle (VLP)-based delivery system that enhances tumor targeting, immune activation, and therapeutic safety.

methodsA nanoplatform based on hepatitis B core virus-like particles (HBc VLPs) was engineered to encapsulate melittin. The design incorporated RGD peptides for improved tumor specificity, Tuftsin to promote phagocytosis, and M2pep to selectively target immunosuppressive M2 macrophages. An MMP-2-cleavable linker enabled tumor-specific activation, allowing controlled release of RGD-melittin and immune-stimulating peptides. Antitumor efficacy was evaluated in subcutaneous melanoma and lung metastasis mouse models.

resultsThe multifunctional HBc VLP platform effectively protected melittin from enzymatic degradation, reduced off-target cytotoxicity, and improved tumor selectivity. It demonstrated significant tumor suppression and immune modulation in both melanoma and lung metastasis models, outperforming free melittin treatment.

conclusionThis study presents a versatile, multifunctional VLP-based nanoplatform for the safe and effective delivery of melittin, offering enhanced tumor targeting and immune activation. The findings support its potential for clinical translation as a novel cancer immunotherapy strategy.

Indexed as

Antineoplastic AgentsMelittenAnimalsCell Line, TumorDrug Delivery SystemsFemaleHumansLung NeoplasmsMelanomaMelanoma, ExperimentalMiceNanoparticlesOligopeptidesAntineoplastic Agentsarginyl-glycyl-aspartic acidMelittenOligopeptidescancer therapydrug deliveryMelittintumor targetingvirus-like particle

Identifiers

PMID40616815
PMCPMC12239800

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.