2. Nanotherapy for Obesity - Proof of Concept
• Independent studies have shown improved drug efficacy
• using prohibitin (PHB)-targeted therapy in obese rodents and non-
human primates
• providing a proof of concept that targeted nanotherapy can be a
feasible treatment for obesity
4. Molecular Liposuction
Prohibitin
• Protein Adapter Molecule
• Blood vessels supporting Fat accumulation
• Fat Atrophy
Kolonin, Saha, Chan, Pasqualini, Arap
Reversal of obesity by targeted ablation of adipose tissue
Nature Medicine 2004 10: 625-632
role in normal cell cycle regulation
replicative senescence
cellular immortalisation
tumour suppression
Mitochondrial Marker (Prohibitin) ab2996
5. Molecular Liposuction
Prohibitin Nature Medicine June 2004
Prohibitin – Protein Adapter Molecule
• Mice doubled size eating a high-fat "cafeteria" diet.
• Prohibitin antibody binding of receptor
• Only weeks of treatment restored the normal weight of mice
6. Vascular Zip Codes
• Pioneered by Arap and Pasqualini
• Blood vessels are not simply a uniform and ubiquitous "pipeline" that services all parts of the body….
• ….but are different depending on the kind of organ or tissue they are supporting,
• if unique molecules can be located that define each different kind of blood vessel, then drugs can be
targeted to those "addresses" to treat associated diseases.
7. Molecular Liposuction
Prohibitin Nature Medicine June 2004
Blood vessels that service white adipose tissue
• White fat can rapidly expand (like a tumour)
• Requires rapid production of blood vessels to deliver oxygen
• Every single fat cell is encased by capillaries
8. Molecular Liposuction
fat vascularity
Prohibitin Nature Medicine June 2004
Blood vessels that service white adipose tissue
• vast network of blood vessels is needed
• many more blood vessels than needed to support other tissues
• 1lb fat (2.2Kg) contains a mile 1500m of blood vessels,
9. Molecular Liposuction
phage display library
Prohibitin Nature Medicine June 2004
Blood vessels that service white adipose tissue
• In vivo phage display library" screening technique
(Genetically modified bacteriophages )
• billions of viral particles… each with different peptide on its outer coat.
• Genetically modified phages injected into obese mice,
• Look for binding onto protein receptors (adipose tissue blood vessels)
10. CKGGRAKDC-phage
homing to white fat
• CKGGRAKDC-phage homing to white fat.
• Recovery of phage from 1 g of subcutaneous white fat
• ob/ob mice intravenously injected (tail vein)
• with 1010 transforming (TU) of the phage 6 h prior to tissue extraction.
16. Molecular Liposuction
Prohibitin Binding Receptor
Prohibitin Nature Medicine June 2004
Blood vessels that service white adipose tissue
• Binding receptor identified as Prohibitin
• known to regulate cell survival and growth.
• Prohibitin expression inside the cells
• e.g. mitochondria, nucleus
• not normally found in blood vessels of several other tissues
• not normally found in tumours derived from fat tissue
17. Molecular Liposuction
phage display library
Prohibitin Nature Medicine June 2004
Blood vessels that service white adipose tissue
• Designer Drug
• Creation of a synthetic ligand
• A sequence of amino acids
• Fit neatly into the Prohibitin receptor - like a lock and key
• Ligand fused to it a corkscrew-shaped "drug"
• Corkscrew drug induces self-destruction
18. Molecular Liposuction
phage display library
Prohibitin Nature Medicine June 2004
Blood vessels that service white adipose tissue
• one month of treatment in severely obese mice
• Restoration of the animal's normal body weight.
• No mice were genetically altered / prone to obesity
(they gained weight because they ate a high-fat diet)
19. Molecular Liposuction
phage display library
Prohibitin Nature Medicine June 2004
Blood vessels that service white adipose tissue
• Creation of a synthetic ligand – Designer Drug (sequence of amino acids)
• Drug Binds prohibitin receptor
• Selectively destroy blood vessels
20. Vascular targeted nanotherapeutic approach for obesity treatment 2018
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6260142/?fbclid=IwAR0VEcoHP5KOfCL8BsezsU3SkEojNtaXKyydGchgEg-P8QVlFkRpOGYAQfc