Background: Chemotherapy for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) still leads to unsatisfactory clinical prognosis because of poor active targeting and tumor metastasis. Purpose: The objective of this study was to construct a kind of PFV peptide modified targeted daunorubicin and dioscin codelivery liposomes, which could enhance tumor targeting and inhibit tumor cell metastasis. Methods and results: Targeted daunorubicin and dioscin codelivery liposomes were prepared by film dispersion and the ammonium sulfate gradient method. With the ideal physicochemical properties, targeted daunorubicin and dioscin codelivery liposomes exhibited enhanced cellular uptake and showed strong cytotoxicity to tumor cells. The encapsulation of dioscin increased the inhibitory effects of daunorubicin on A549 cells, vasculogenic mimicry (VM) channels and tumor metastasis. The enhanced antimetastatic mechanism of the targeted liposomes was attributed to the downregulation of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-Cad), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). Meanwhile, the targeted daunorubicin and dioscin codelivery liposomes exhibited significant antitumor effects in tumor-bearing mice. H&E staining, immunohistochemistry with Ki-67 and TUNEL assay also showed the promoted antitumor activity of the targeted liposomes. Conclusion: Targeted daunorubicin and dioscin codelivery liposomes may provide an effective strategy for the treatment of NSCLC.

Barrigenol-like triterpenoids containing angeloyl residues in their structures are unusual natural products. To discover the chemical constituents responsible for the antitumor activity of Xanthoceras sorbifolia Bunge, the present study was carried out using the husk of this crop. Ten angeloyl barrigenol triterpenoids, including seven new (1–7) and three known compounds (8–10), were isolated from the active fraction via the bioassay-guided method. The structures of the compounds were established on the basis of spectral analysis, especially according to the data afforded by two digital-NMR and high-resolution mass spectra experiments. Compounds 1–10 exhibited varying degrees of cytotoxicity toward the human hepatoma cell line (HepG2), the human colorectal cancer cell line (HCT116) and the human glioma cell line (U87-MG). New compounds 3, 6, and 7 and known compounds 8, and 10 showed inhibitory activities similar to those of the positive control (doxorubicin hydrochloride). Cell cycle and apoptosis analysis of compound 8 revealed that it could suppress U87-MG cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis in the early period of exposure and then promote arrest at the G0/G1 phase.