Enhanced Intracellular Transcytosis of Nanoparticles by Degrading Extracellular Matrix for Deep Tissue Radiotherapy of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

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Intracellular transcytosis can enhance the penetration of nanomedicines to deep avascular tumor tissues, but strategies that can improve transcytosis are limited. In this study, we discovered that pyknomorphic extracellular matrix (ECM) is a shield that impairs endocytosis of nanoparticles and their movement between adjacent cells and thus limits their active transcytosis in tumors. We further showed that degradation of pivotal constituent of ECM (i.e., collagen) effectively enhances intracellular transcytosis of nanoparticles. Specifically, a collagenase conjugating transcytosis nanoparticle (Col-TNP) can dissociate into collagenase and cationized gold nanoparticles in response to tumor acidity, which enables their ECM tampering ability and active transcytosis in tumors. The breakage of ECM further enhances the active transcytosis of cationized nanoparticles into deep tumor tissues as well as radiosensitization efficacy of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Our study opens up new paths to enhance the active transcytosis of nanomedicines for the treatment of cancers and other diseases.