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Liang XH, Nichols JG, Hsu CW, Crooke ST. Hsc70 Facilitates Mannose-6-Phosphate Receptor-Mediated Intracellular Trafficking and Enhances Endosomal Release of Phosphorothioate-Modified Antisense Oligonucleotides. Nucleic Acid Ther 2021; 31:284-297. [PMID: 33567234 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2020.0920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Phosphorothioate-modified antisense oligonucleotide (PS-ASO) drugs are commonly used to modulate gene expression through RNase H1-mediated cleavage of target RNAs. Upon internalization through endocytic pathways into cells, PS-ASOs must be released from membraned endosomal organelles to act on target RNAs, a limiting step of PS-ASO activity. Here we report that Hsc70 protein mediates productive release of PS-ASOs from endosomes. Hsc70 protein was enriched in endosome fractions shortly after PS-ASO incubation with cells. Reduction of Hsc70 significantly decreased the activities of PS-ASOs in reducing target RNAs. PS-ASO uptake and transport from early endosomes to late endosomes (LEs) were not affected upon Hsc70 reduction; however, endosomal release of PS-ASOs was impaired. Reduction of Hsc70 led to more scattered mannose-6-phosphate receptor (M6PR) localization at LEs in the cytoplasm, in contrast to the perinuclear localization at trans-Golgi network (TGN) in control cells, suggesting that retrograde transport of M6PR from LEs to TGN was affected. Consistently, reduction of Hsc70 increased colocalization of M6PR and PS-ASOs at LEs, and also delayed M6PR antibody transport from LE to TGN. Together, these results suggest that Hsc70 protein is involved in M6PR vesicle escape from LEs and may thus enhance PS-ASO release from LEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Hai Liang
- Department of Core Antisense Research, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Carlsbad, California, USA
| | - Joshua G Nichols
- Department of Core Antisense Research, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Carlsbad, California, USA
| | - Chih-Wei Hsu
- Department of Core Antisense Research, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Carlsbad, California, USA
| | - Stanley T Crooke
- Department of Core Antisense Research, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Carlsbad, California, USA
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Ghidini A, Cléry A, Halloy F, Allain FHT, Hall J. RNA‐PROTACs: Degraders of RNA‐Binding Proteins. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202012330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alice Ghidini
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences ETH Zurich Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4 8093 Zurich Switzerland
| | - Antoine Cléry
- Department of Biology ETH Zurich Hönggerbergring 64 8093 Zurich Switzerland
| | - François Halloy
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences ETH Zurich Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4 8093 Zurich Switzerland
| | | | - Jonathan Hall
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences ETH Zurich Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4 8093 Zurich Switzerland
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53
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Ghidini A, Cléry A, Halloy F, Allain FHT, Hall J. RNA-PROTACs: Degraders of RNA-Binding Proteins. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:3163-3169. [PMID: 33108679 PMCID: PMC7898822 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202012330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Defects in the functions of RNA binding proteins (RBPs) are at the origin of many diseases; however, targeting RBPs with conventional drugs has proven difficult. PROTACs are a new class of drugs that mediate selective degradation of a target protein through a cell's ubiquitination machinery. PROTACs comprise a moiety that binds the selected protein, conjugated to a ligand of an E3 ligase. Herein, we introduce RNA-PROTACs as a new concept in the targeting of RBPs. These chimeric structures employ small RNA mimics as targeting groups that dock the RNA-binding site of the RBP, whereupon a conjugated E3-recruiting peptide derived from the HIF-1α protein directs the RBP for proteasomal degradation. We performed a proof-of-concept demonstration with the degradation of two RBPs-a stem cell factor LIN28 and a splicing factor RBFOX1-and showed their use in cancer cell lines. The RNA-PROTAC approach opens the way to rapid, selective targeting of RBPs in a rational and general fashion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Ghidini
- Department of Chemistry and Applied BiosciencesETH ZurichVladimir-Prelog-Weg 48093ZurichSwitzerland
| | - Antoine Cléry
- Department of BiologyETH ZurichHönggerbergring 648093ZurichSwitzerland
| | - François Halloy
- Department of Chemistry and Applied BiosciencesETH ZurichVladimir-Prelog-Weg 48093ZurichSwitzerland
| | | | - Jonathan Hall
- Department of Chemistry and Applied BiosciencesETH ZurichVladimir-Prelog-Weg 48093ZurichSwitzerland
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54
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Shinji S, Umezawa K, Nihashi Y, Nakamura S, Shimosato T, Takaya T. Identification of the Myogenetic Oligodeoxynucleotides (myoDNs) That Promote Differentiation of Skeletal Muscle Myoblasts by Targeting Nucleolin. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 8:616706. [PMID: 33585451 PMCID: PMC7874222 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.616706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Herein we report that the 18-base telomeric oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) designed from the Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG genome promote differentiation of skeletal muscle myoblasts which are myogenic precursor cells. We termed these myogenetic ODNs (myoDNs). The activity of one of the myoDNs, iSN04, was independent of Toll-like receptors, but dependent on its conformational state. Molecular simulation and iSN04 mutants revealed stacking of the 13-15th guanines as a core structure for iSN04. The alkaloid berberine bound to the guanine stack and enhanced iSN04 activity, probably by stabilizing and optimizing iSN04 conformation. We further identified nucleolin as an iSN04-binding protein. Results showed that iSN04 antagonizes nucleolin, increases the levels of p53 protein translationally suppressed by nucleolin, and eventually induces myotube formation by modulating the expression of genes involved in myogenic differentiation and cell cycle arrest. This study shows that bacterial-derived myoDNs serve as aptamers and are potential nucleic acid drugs directly targeting myoblasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayaka Shinji
- Department of Agriculture, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Shinshu University, Nagano, Japan
| | - Koji Umezawa
- Department of Agricultural and Life Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Shinshu University, Nagano, Japan
- Department of Biomolecular Innovation, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Shinshu University, Nagano, Japan
| | - Yuma Nihashi
- Department of Science and Technology, Graduate School of Medicine, Science and Technology, Shinshu University, Nagano, Japan
| | - Shunichi Nakamura
- Department of Agriculture, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Shinshu University, Nagano, Japan
| | - Takeshi Shimosato
- Department of Agriculture, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Shinshu University, Nagano, Japan
- Department of Agricultural and Life Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Shinshu University, Nagano, Japan
- Department of Biomolecular Innovation, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Shinshu University, Nagano, Japan
- Department of Science and Technology, Graduate School of Medicine, Science and Technology, Shinshu University, Nagano, Japan
| | - Tomohide Takaya
- Department of Agriculture, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Shinshu University, Nagano, Japan
- Department of Agricultural and Life Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Shinshu University, Nagano, Japan
- Department of Biomolecular Innovation, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Shinshu University, Nagano, Japan
- Department of Science and Technology, Graduate School of Medicine, Science and Technology, Shinshu University, Nagano, Japan
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55
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Brown CR, Gupta S, Qin J, Racie T, He G, Lentini S, Malone R, Yu M, Matsuda S, Shulga-Morskaya S, Nair AV, Theile CS, Schmidt K, Shahraz A, Goel V, Parmar RG, Zlatev I, Schlegel MK, Nair JK, Jayaraman M, Manoharan M, Brown D, Maier MA, Jadhav V. Investigating the pharmacodynamic durability of GalNAc-siRNA conjugates. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:11827-11844. [PMID: 32808038 PMCID: PMC7708070 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
One hallmark of trivalent N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc)-conjugated siRNAs is the remarkable durability of silencing that can persist for months in preclinical species and humans. Here, we investigated the underlying biology supporting this extended duration of pharmacological activity. We found that siRNA accumulation and stability in acidic intracellular compartments is critical for long-term activity. We show that functional siRNA can be liberated from these compartments and loaded into newly generated Argonaute 2 protein complexes weeks after dosing, enabling continuous RNAi activity over time. Identical siRNAs delivered in lipid nanoparticles or as GalNAc conjugates were dose-adjusted to achieve similar knockdown, but only GalNAc–siRNAs supported an extended duration of activity, illustrating the importance of receptor-mediated siRNA trafficking in the process. Taken together, we provide several lines of evidence that acidic intracellular compartments serve as a long-term depot for GalNAc–siRNA conjugates and are the major contributor to the extended duration of activity observed in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Swati Gupta
- Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - June Qin
- Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Timothy Racie
- Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Guo He
- Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Scott Lentini
- Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Ryan Malone
- Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Mikyung Yu
- Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | | | | | - Anil V Nair
- MGH Program in Membrane Biology, Division of Nephrology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | | | - Karyn Schmidt
- Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Azar Shahraz
- Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Varun Goel
- Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | | | - Ivan Zlatev
- Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Dennis Brown
- MGH Program in Membrane Biology, Division of Nephrology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | | | - Vasant Jadhav
- Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
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56
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Hawner M, Ducho C. Cellular Targeting of Oligonucleotides by Conjugation with Small Molecules. Molecules 2020; 25:E5963. [PMID: 33339365 PMCID: PMC7766908 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25245963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug candidates derived from oligonucleotides (ON) are receiving increased attention that is supported by the clinical approval of several ON drugs. Such therapeutic ON are designed to alter the expression levels of specific disease-related proteins, e.g., by displaying antigene, antisense, and RNA interference mechanisms. However, the high polarity of the polyanionic ON and their relatively rapid nuclease-mediated cleavage represent two major pharmacokinetic hurdles for their application in vivo. This has led to a range of non-natural modifications of ON structures that are routinely applied in the design of therapeutic ON. The polyanionic architecture of ON often hampers their penetration of target cells or tissues, and ON usually show no inherent specificity for certain cell types. These limitations can be overcome by conjugation of ON with molecular entities mediating cellular 'targeting', i.e., enhanced accumulation at and/or penetration of a specific cell type. In this context, the use of small molecules as targeting units appears particularly attractive and promising. This review provides an overview of advances in the emerging field of cellular targeting of ON via their conjugation with small-molecule targeting structures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christian Ducho
- Department of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Saarland University, Campus C2 3, 66 123 Saarbrücken, Germany;
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57
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Gao Y, Raj JU. Extracellular Vesicles as Unique Signaling Messengers: Role in Lung Diseases. Compr Physiol 2020; 11:1351-1369. [PMID: 33294981 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c200006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid bilayer-enclosed extracellular particles carrying rich cargo such as proteins, lipids, and microRNAs with distinct characteristics of their parental cells. EVs are emerging as an important form of cellular communication with the ability to selectively deliver a kit of directional instructions to nearby or distant cells to modulate their functions and phenotypes. According to their biogenesis, EVs can be divided into two groups: those of endocytic origin are called exosomes and those derived from outward budding of the plasma membrane are called microvesicles (also known as ectosomes or microparticles). Under physiological conditions, EVs are actively involved in maintenance of pulmonary hemostasis. However, EVs can contribute to the pathogenesis of diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome, interstitial lung disease, and pulmonary arterial hypertension. EVs, especially those derived from mesenchymal/stromal stem cells, can also be beneficial and can curb the development of lung diseases. Novel technologies are continuously being developed to minimize the undesirable effects of EVs and also to engineer EVs so that they may have beneficial effects and can be used as therapeutic agents in lung diseases. © 2021 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 11:1351-1369, 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuansheng Gao
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - J Usha Raj
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine at Chicago, University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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58
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Ono D, Asada K, Yui D, Sakaue F, Yoshioka K, Nagata T, Yokota T. Separation-related rapid nuclear transport of DNA/RNA heteroduplex oligonucleotide: unveiling distinctive intracellular trafficking. MOLECULAR THERAPY-NUCLEIC ACIDS 2020; 23:1360-1370. [PMID: 33738132 PMCID: PMC7933600 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2020.11.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
DNA/RNA heteroduplex oligonucleotide (HDO), composed of DNA/locked nucleic acid (LNA) antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) and complementary RNA, is a next-generation antisense therapeutic agent. HDO is superior to the parental ASO in delivering to target tissues, and it exerts a more potent gene-silencing effect. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the intracellular trafficking mechanism of HDO-dependent gene silencing. HDO was more preferably transferred to the nucleus after transfection compared to the parental ASO. To determine when and where HDO is separated into the antisense strand (AS) and complementary strand (CS), we performed live-cell time-lapse imaging and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assays. These assays demonstrated that HDO had a different intracellular trafficking mechanism than ASO. After endocytosis, HDO was separated in the early endosomes, and both AS and CS were released into the cytosol. AS was more efficiently transported to the nucleus than CS. Separation, endosomal release, and initiation of nuclear transport were a series of time-locked events occurring at a median of 30 s. CS cleavage was associated with efficient nuclear distribution and gene silencing in the nucleus. Understanding the unique intracellular silencing mechanisms of HDO will help us design more efficient drugs and might also provide insight into innate DNA/RNA cellular biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Ono
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences and Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
| | - Ken Asada
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences and Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
| | - Daishi Yui
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences and Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
| | - Fumika Sakaue
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences and Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
| | - Kotaro Yoshioka
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences and Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Nagata
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences and Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
| | - Takanori Yokota
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences and Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
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59
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Jarak I, Varela CL, Tavares da Silva E, Roleira FFM, Veiga F, Figueiras A. Pluronic-based nanovehicles: Recent advances in anticancer therapeutic applications. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 206:112526. [PMID: 32971442 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.112526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Pluronics are a class of amphiphilic tri-block copolymers with wide pharmaceutical applicability. In the past decades, the ability to form biocompatible nanosized micelles was exploited to formulate stable drug nanovehicles with potential use in antitumor therapy. Due to the great potential for tuning physical and structural properties of Pluronic unimers, a panoply of drug or polynucleotide-loaded micelles was prepared and tested for their antitumoral activity. The attractive inherent antitumor properties of Pluronic polymers in combination with cell targeting and stimuli-responsive ligands greatly improved antitumoral therapeutic effects of tested drugs. In spite of that, the extraordinary complexity of biological challenges in the delivery of micellar drug payload makes their therapeutic potential still not exploited to the fullest. In this review paper we attempt to present the latest developments in the field of Pluronic based nanovehicles and their application in anticancer therapy with an overview of the chemistry involved in the preparation of these nanovehicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Jarak
- Univ. Coimbra, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Pólo III - Pólo das Ciências da Saúde, 3000-548, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Carla L Varela
- Univ. Coimbra, CIEPQPF, FFUC, Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Pólo III - Pólo das Ciências da Saúde, 3000-548, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Elisiário Tavares da Silva
- Univ. Coimbra, CIEPQPF, FFUC, Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Pólo III - Pólo das Ciências da Saúde, 3000-548, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Fernanda F M Roleira
- Univ. Coimbra, CIEPQPF, FFUC, Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Pólo III - Pólo das Ciências da Saúde, 3000-548, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Francisco Veiga
- Univ. Coimbra, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Pólo III - Pólo das Ciências da Saúde, 3000-548, Coimbra, Portugal; Univ. Coimbra, REQUIMTE/LAQV, Group of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Pólo III - Pólo das Ciências da Saúde, 3000-548, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana Figueiras
- Univ. Coimbra, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Pólo III - Pólo das Ciências da Saúde, 3000-548, Coimbra, Portugal; Univ. Coimbra, REQUIMTE/LAQV, Group of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Pólo III - Pólo das Ciências da Saúde, 3000-548, Coimbra, Portugal.
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60
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Gaillard B, Remy JS, Pons F, Lebeau L. Dual Gene Delivery Reagents From Antiproliferative Alkylphospholipids for Combined Antitumor Therapy. Front Chem 2020; 8:581260. [PMID: 33134279 PMCID: PMC7566913 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2020.581260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alkylphospholipids (APLs) have elicited great interest as antitumor agents due to their unique mode of action on cell membranes. However, their clinical applications have been limited so far by high hemolytic activity. Recently, cationic prodrugs of erufosine, a most promising APL, have been shown to mediate efficient intracellular gene delivery, while preserving the antiproliferative properties of the parent APL. Here, cationic prodrugs of the two APLs that are currently used in the clinic, miltefosine, and perifosine, are investigated and compared to the erufosine prodrugs. Their synthesis, stability, gene delivery and self-assembly properties, and hemolytic activity are discussed in detail. Finally, the potential of the pro-miltefosine and pro-perifosine compounds ME12 and PE12 in combined antitumor therapy is demonstrated using pUNO1-hTRAIL, a plasmid DNA encoding TRAIL, a member of the TNF superfamily. With these pro-APL compounds, we provide a proof of concept for a new promising strategy for cancer therapy combining gene therapy and APL-based chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris Gaillard
- Laboratoire de Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, UMR 7199 CNRS-Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Pharmacie, Illkirch, France
| | - Jean-Serge Remy
- Laboratoire de Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, UMR 7199 CNRS-Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Pharmacie, Illkirch, France
| | - Françoise Pons
- Laboratoire de Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, UMR 7199 CNRS-Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Pharmacie, Illkirch, France
| | - Luc Lebeau
- Laboratoire de Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, UMR 7199 CNRS-Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Pharmacie, Illkirch, France
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61
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Ochoa S, Milam VT. Modified Nucleic Acids: Expanding the Capabilities of Functional Oligonucleotides. Molecules 2020; 25:E4659. [PMID: 33066073 PMCID: PMC7587394 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25204659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last three decades, oligonucleotides have been extensively investigated as probes, molecular ligands and even catalysts within therapeutic and diagnostic applications. The narrow chemical repertoire of natural nucleic acids, however, imposes restrictions on the functional scope of oligonucleotides. Initial efforts to overcome this deficiency in chemical diversity included conservative modifications to the sugar-phosphate backbone or the pendant base groups and resulted in enhanced in vivo performance. More importantly, later work involving other modifications led to the realization of new functional characteristics beyond initial intended therapeutic and diagnostic prospects. These results have inspired the exploration of increasingly exotic chemistries highly divergent from the canonical nucleic acid chemical structure that possess unnatural physiochemical properties. In this review, the authors highlight recent developments in modified oligonucleotides and the thrust towards designing novel nucleic acid-based ligands and catalysts with specifically engineered functions inaccessible to natural oligonucleotides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Ochoa
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA;
| | - Valeria T. Milam
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA;
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
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62
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Juliano RL. Addressing cancer signal transduction pathways with antisense and siRNA oligonucleotides. NAR Cancer 2020; 2:zcaa025. [PMID: 33015625 PMCID: PMC7520847 DOI: 10.1093/narcan/zcaa025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Signal transduction pathways play key roles in the initiation, progression and dissemination of cancer. Thus, signaling molecules are attractive targets for cancer therapeutics and enormous efforts have gone into the development of small molecule inhibitors of these pathways. However, regrettably, there has been only moderate progress to date, primarily in connection with the RAS signaling pathway. Oligonucleotide-based drugs potentially offer several advantages for addressing signaling pathways, including their exquisite selectivity and their ability to exploit both enzymatic and nonenzymatic targets. Nonetheless, there are problems inherent in the oligonucleotide approach, not the least being the challenge of effectively delivering these complex molecules to intracellular sites within tumors. This survey article will provide a selective review of recent studies where oligonucleotides were used to address cancer signaling and will discuss both positive aspects and limitations of those studies. This will be set in the context of an overview of various cancer signaling pathways and small molecule approaches to regulate those pathways. The survey will also evaluate the challenges and opportunities implicit in the oligonucleotide-based approach to cancer signaling and will point out several possibilities for future research.
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63
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Deprey K, Batistatou N, Kritzer JA. A critical analysis of methods used to investigate the cellular uptake and subcellular localization of RNA therapeutics. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:7623-7639. [PMID: 32644123 PMCID: PMC7430645 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA therapeutics are a promising strategy to treat genetic diseases caused by the overexpression or aberrant splicing of a specific protein. The field has seen major strides in the clinical efficacy of this class of molecules, largely due to chemical modifications and delivery strategies that improve nuclease resistance and enhance cell penetration. However, a major obstacle in the development of RNA therapeutics continues to be the imprecise, difficult, and often problematic nature of most methods used to measure cell penetration. Here, we review these methods and clearly distinguish between those that measure total cellular uptake of RNA therapeutics, which includes both productive and non-productive uptake, and those that measure cytosolic/nuclear penetration, which represents only productive uptake. We critically analyze the benefits and drawbacks of each method. Finally, we use key examples to illustrate how, despite rigorous experimentation and proper controls, our understanding of the mechanism of gymnotic uptake of RNA therapeutics remains limited by the methods commonly used to analyze RNA delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten Deprey
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, 62 Talbot Ave, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Nefeli Batistatou
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, 62 Talbot Ave, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Joshua A Kritzer
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, 62 Talbot Ave, Medford, MA 02155, USA
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Liu C, Zhang L, Zhu W, Guo R, Sun H, Chen X, Deng N. Barriers and Strategies of Cationic Liposomes for Cancer Gene Therapy. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2020; 18:751-764. [PMID: 32913882 PMCID: PMC7452052 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2020.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Cationic liposomes (CLs) have been regarded as the most promising gene delivery vectors for decades with the advantages of excellent biodegradability, biocompatibility, and high nucleic acid encapsulation efficiency. However, the clinical use of CLs in cancer gene therapy is limited because of many uncertain factors in vivo. Extracellular barriers such as opsonization, rapid clearance by the reticuloendothelial system and poor tumor penetration, and intracellular barriers, including endosomal/lysosomal entrapped network and restricted diffusion to the nucleus, make CLs not the ideal vector for transferring extrinsic genes in the body. However, the obstacles in achieving productive therapeutic effects of nucleic acids can be addressed by tailoring the properties of CLs, which are influenced by lipid compositions and surface modification. This review focuses on the physiological barriers of CLs against cancer gene therapy and the effects of lipid compositions on governing transfection efficiency, and it briefly discusses the impacts of particle size, membrane charge density, and surface modification on the fate of CLs in vivo, which may provide guidance for their preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyan Liu
- Guangdong Province Engineering Research Center for Antibody Drug and Immunoassay, Department of Biology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Ligang Zhang
- Guangdong Province Engineering Research Center for Antibody Drug and Immunoassay, Department of Biology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Wenhui Zhu
- Guangdong Province Engineering Research Center for Antibody Drug and Immunoassay, Department of Biology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Raoqing Guo
- Guangdong Province Engineering Research Center for Antibody Drug and Immunoassay, Department of Biology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Huamin Sun
- Guangdong Province Engineering Research Center for Antibody Drug and Immunoassay, Department of Biology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Guangdong Province Engineering Research Center for Antibody Drug and Immunoassay, Department of Biology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Ning Deng
- Guangdong Province Engineering Research Center for Antibody Drug and Immunoassay, Department of Biology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
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65
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Simion V, Henriet E, Juric V, Aquino R, Loussouarn C, Laurent Y, Martin F, Midoux P, Garcion E, Pichon C, Baril P. Intracellular trafficking and functional monitoring of miRNA delivery in glioblastoma using lipopolyplexes and the miRNA-ON RILES reporter system. J Control Release 2020; 327:429-443. [PMID: 32853728 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2020.08.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 07/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNA (miRNA) oligonucleotides therapeutics are potent and attractive drugs for cancer treatment, but the kinetics of their intracellular trafficking, RISC processing and interaction with their mRNA targets in the cells are still not well understood. Moreover, the absence of efficient carriers impairs their translation into the clinic. Here, we compare the kinetics of miRNA-133a activity after transfection of U87MG glioblastoma cells with either a home-made lipopolyplexes (LPRi) or with the RNAiMax transfection reagent. For this purpose, we combined miRNA intracellular trafficking studies by confocal microscopy with our previously described RILES miRNA-ON reporter system subcloned here in a lentivirus expression vector (LentiRILES) for longitudinal analysis of miRNA activity in transfected cells. Using the LentiRILES system, we report significant differences in terms of miRNA delivery kinetics performed by these two transfection regents. We decipher the mechanisms of miRNA delivery by LPRi and investigate the main steps of miRNA internalization and cytosolic processing. We demonstrate that LPRi preferentially uses caveolae-mediated endocytosis as the main internalization pathway, releases miRNA into the cytosol after the first 3 h of incubation, and addresses the cytosolic miRNAs to P-bodies, while a fraction of miRNAs are exported to the extracellular space through exosomes which were found fully capable to re-transfect the cells. We implanted the LentiRILES cells in the brain of mice and infused the tumours with LPRi.miRNA using the convection-enhanced delivery method. Bioluminescence imaging of the live mice revealed efficient delivery of miRNAs in glioblastoma tumours, attesting successful miRNA uptake, internalization and RISC activation in vivo. Overall, our study provides a comprehensive overview of miRNA intracellular trafficking and processing in a glioblastoma context and highlights the potential use of LPRi for miRNA-based therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viorel Simion
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR4301, Université d'Orléans, France.
| | - Elodie Henriet
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR4301, Université d'Orléans, France
| | - Viktorija Juric
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR4301, Université d'Orléans, France
| | - Ruth Aquino
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR4301, Université d'Orléans, France
| | - Claire Loussouarn
- CRCINA, INSERM, Université de Nantes, Université d'Angers, Angers, France
| | - Yoan Laurent
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR4301, Université d'Orléans, France
| | - Francisco Martin
- GENYO, Pfizer/University of Granada/Andalusian Regional Government, Granada, Spain
| | - Patrick Midoux
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR4301, Université d'Orléans, France
| | - Emmanuel Garcion
- CRCINA, INSERM, Université de Nantes, Université d'Angers, Angers, France
| | - Chantal Pichon
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR4301, Université d'Orléans, France
| | - Patrick Baril
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR4301, Université d'Orléans, France.
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66
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Antisense drug discovery and development technology considered in a pharmacological context. Biochem Pharmacol 2020; 189:114196. [PMID: 32800852 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2020.114196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
When coined, the term "antisense" included oligonucleotides of any structure, with any chemical modification and designed to work through any post-RNA hybridization mechanism. However, in practice the term "antisense" has been used to describe single stranded oligonucleotides (ss ASOs) designed to hybridize to RNAswhile the term "siRNA" has come to mean double stranded oligonucleotides designed to activate Ago2. However, the two approaches share many common features. The medicinal chemistry developed for ASOs greatly facilitated the development of siRNA technology and remains the chemical basis for both approaches. Many of challenges faced and solutions achieved share many common features. In fact, because ss ASOs can be designed to activate Ago2, the two approaches intersect at this remarkably important protein. There are also meaningful differences. The pharmacokinetic properties are quite different and thus potential routes of delivery differ. ASOs may be designedto use a variety of post-RNA binding mechanismswhile siRNAs depend solely on the robust activity of Ago2. However, siRNAs and ASOs are both used for therapeutic purposes and both must be and can be understood in a pharmacological context. Thus, the goals of this review are to put ASOs in pharmacological context and compare their behavior as pharmacological agents to the those of siRNAs.
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Char R, Pierre P. The RUFYs, a Family of Effector Proteins Involved in Intracellular Trafficking and Cytoskeleton Dynamics. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:779. [PMID: 32850870 PMCID: PMC7431699 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Intracellular trafficking is essential for cell structure and function. In order to perform key tasks such as phagocytosis, secretion or migration, cells must coordinate their intracellular trafficking, and cytoskeleton dynamics. This relies on certain classes of proteins endowed with specialized and conserved domains that bridge membranes with effector proteins. Of particular interest are proteins capable of interacting with membrane subdomains enriched in specific phosphatidylinositol lipids, tightly regulated by various kinases and phosphatases. Here, we focus on the poorly studied RUFY family of adaptor proteins, characterized by a RUN domain, which interacts with small GTP-binding proteins, and a FYVE domain, involved in the recognition of phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate. We report recent findings on this protein family that regulates endosomal trafficking, cell migration and upon dysfunction, can lead to severe pathology at the organismal level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rémy Char
- Aix Marseille Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - Philippe Pierre
- Aix Marseille Université, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Marseille, France.,Institute for Research in Biomedicine and Ilidio Pinho Foundation, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.,Shanghai Institute of Immunology, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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68
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Debacker AJ, Voutila J, Catley M, Blakey D, Habib N. Delivery of Oligonucleotides to the Liver with GalNAc: From Research to Registered Therapeutic Drug. Mol Ther 2020; 28:1759-1771. [PMID: 32592692 PMCID: PMC7403466 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2020.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 176] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeted delivery of oligonucleotides to liver hepatocytes using N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) conjugates that bind to the asialoglycoprotein receptor has become a breakthrough approach in the therapeutic oligonucleotide field. This technology has led to the approval of givosiran for the treatment of acute hepatic porphyria, and there are another seven conjugates in registrational review or phase 3 trials and at least another 21 conjugates at earlier stages of clinical development. This review highlights some of the recent chemical and preclinical advances in this space, leading to a large number of clinical candidates against a diverse range of targets in liver hepatocytes. The review focuses on the use of this delivery system for small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and antisense molecules that cause downregulation of target mRNA and protein. A number of other approaches such as anti-microRNAs and small activating RNAs are starting to exploit the technology, broadening the potential of this approach for therapeutic oligonucleotide intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre J Debacker
- MiNA Therapeutics, Translation & Innovation Hub, 80 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Jon Voutila
- MiNA Therapeutics, Translation & Innovation Hub, 80 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Matthew Catley
- MiNA Therapeutics, Translation & Innovation Hub, 80 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, UK
| | - David Blakey
- MiNA Therapeutics, Translation & Innovation Hub, 80 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, UK.
| | - Nagy Habib
- MiNA Therapeutics, Translation & Innovation Hub, 80 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, UK; Department of Surgery & Cancer, Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
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69
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Ly S, Echeverria D, Sousa J, Khvorova A. Single-Stranded Phosphorothioated Regions Enhance Cellular Uptake of Cholesterol-Conjugated siRNA but Not Silencing Efficacy. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2020; 21:991-1005. [PMID: 32818923 PMCID: PMC7452107 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2020.07.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) have potential to silence virtually any disease-causing gene but require chemical modifications for delivery to the tissue and cell of interest. Previously, we demonstrated that asymmetric, phosphorothioate (PS)-modified, chemically stabilized, cholesterol-conjugated siRNAs, called hsiRNAs, support rapid cellular uptake and efficient mRNA silencing both in cultured cells and in vivo. Here, we systematically evaluated the impact of number, structure, and sequence context of PS-modified backbones on cellular uptake and RNAi-mediated silencing efficacy. We find that PS enhances cellular internalization in a sequence-dependent manner but only when present in a single-stranded but not double-stranded region. Furthermore, the observed increase in cellular internalization did not correlate with functional silencing improvement, indicating that PS-mediated uptake may drive compounds to non-productive sinks. Thus, the primary contributing factor of PS modifications to functional efficacy is likely stabilization rather than enhanced cellular uptake. A better understanding of the relative impact of different chemistries on productive versus non-productive uptake will assist in improved design of therapeutic RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Socheata Ly
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Dimas Echeverria
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Jacquelyn Sousa
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Anastasia Khvorova
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
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70
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Crooke ST, Vickers TA, Liang XH. Phosphorothioate modified oligonucleotide-protein interactions. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:5235-5253. [PMID: 32356888 PMCID: PMC7261153 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) interact with target RNAs via hybridization to modulate gene expression through different mechanisms. ASO therapeutics are chemically modified and include phosphorothioate (PS) backbone modifications and different ribose and base modifications to improve pharmacological properties. Modified PS ASOs display better binding affinity to the target RNAs and increased binding to proteins. Moreover, PS ASO protein interactions can affect many aspects of their performance, including distribution and tissue delivery, cellular uptake, intracellular trafficking, potency and toxicity. In this review, we summarize recent progress in understanding PS ASO protein interactions, highlighting the proteins with which PS ASOs interact, the influence of PS ASO protein interactions on ASO performance, and the structure activity relationships of PS ASO modification and protein interactions. A detailed understanding of these interactions can aid in the design of safer and more potent ASO drugs, as illustrated by recent findings that altering ASO chemical modifications dramatically improves therapeutic index.
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71
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Mei D, Tan WSD, Tay Y, Mukhopadhyay A, Wong WSF. Therapeutic RNA Strategies for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2020; 41:475-486. [PMID: 32434654 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2020.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by airflow limitation with persistent respiratory symptoms. Current therapeutics for COPD are largely borrowed from the drug armamentarium for the treatment of asthma, which has different pathophysiological mechanisms from COPD. COPD has been linked to dysregulated expression of mRNAs and noncoding (nc)RNAs including miRNAs, PIWI-interacting (pi)RNAs, long noncoding (lnc)RNAs, and circular (circ)RNAs. This review highlights and discusses some recent advances towards development of RNA therapeutics for COPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Mei
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Health System, Singapore 117600
| | - W S Daniel Tan
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Health System, Singapore 117600
| | - Yvonne Tay
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, Centre for Translational Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117599; Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Health System, Singapore 117597
| | - Amartya Mukhopadhyay
- Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, University Medicine Cluster, National University Health System, Singapore 119228
| | - W S Fred Wong
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University Health System, Singapore 117600; Immunology Program, Life Science Institute; National University of Singapore, Singapore 117456; Singapore-HUJ Alliance for Research and Enterprise, National University of Singapore, Singapore 138602.
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72
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Abstract
Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are a new class of promising therapeutic molecules that can be used for sequence-specific downregulation of disease-causing genes. However, endosomal entrapment of siRNA is a key hurdle for most delivery strategies, limiting the therapeutic effect. Here, we use live-cell microscopy and cytosolic galectin-9 as a sensor of membrane damage, to probe fundamental properties of endosomal escape of cholesterol-conjugated siRNA induced by endosome-disrupting compounds. We demonstrate efficient release of ligand-conjugated siRNA from vesicles damaged by small molecules, enhancing target knockdown up to ∼47-fold in tumor cells. Still, mismatch between siRNA-containing and drug-targeted endolysosomal compartments limits siRNA activity improvement. We also show widespread endosomal damage in macroscopic tumor spheroids after small molecule treatment, substantially improving siRNA delivery and knockdown throughout the spheroid. We believe the strategy to characterize endosomal escape presented here will be widely applicable, facilitating efforts to improve delivery of siRNA and other nucleic acid-based therapeutics.
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73
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Liang XH, Sun H, Hsu CW, Nichols JG, Vickers TA, De Hoyos CL, Crooke ST. Golgi-endosome transport mediated by M6PR facilitates release of antisense oligonucleotides from endosomes. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:1372-1391. [PMID: 31840180 PMCID: PMC7026651 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz1171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Release of phosphorothioate antisense oligonucleotides (PS-ASOs) from late endosomes (LEs) is a rate-limiting step and a poorly defined process for productive intracellular ASO drug delivery. Here, we examined the role of Golgi-endosome transport, specifically M6PR shuttling mediated by GCC2, in PS-ASO trafficking and activity. We found that reduction in cellular levels of GCC2 or M6PR impaired PS-ASO release from endosomes and decreased PS-ASO activity in human cells. GCC2 relocated to LEs upon PS-ASO treatment, and M6PR also co-localized with PS-ASOs in LEs or on LE membranes. These proteins act through the same pathway to influence PS-ASO activity, with GCC2 action preceding that of M6PR. Our data indicate that M6PR binds PS-ASOs and facilitates their vesicular escape. The co-localization of M6PR and of GCC2 with ASOs is influenced by the PS modifications, which have been shown to enhance the affinity of ASOs for proteins, suggesting that localization of these proteins to LEs is mediated by ASO-protein interactions. Reduction of M6PR levels also decreased PS-ASO activity in mouse cells and in livers of mice treated subcutaneously with PS-ASO, indicating a conserved mechanism. Together, these results demonstrate that the transport machinery between LE and Golgi facilitates PS-ASO release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Hai Liang
- Core Antisense Research, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Carlsbad, CA 92104, USA
| | - Hong Sun
- Core Antisense Research, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Carlsbad, CA 92104, USA
| | - Chih-Wei Hsu
- Core Antisense Research, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Carlsbad, CA 92104, USA
| | - Joshua G Nichols
- Core Antisense Research, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Carlsbad, CA 92104, USA
| | - Timothy A Vickers
- Core Antisense Research, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Carlsbad, CA 92104, USA
| | - Cheryl L De Hoyos
- Core Antisense Research, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Carlsbad, CA 92104, USA
| | - Stanley T Crooke
- Core Antisense Research, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Carlsbad, CA 92104, USA
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74
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Zhang L, Wu H, Zhao M, Chang C, Lu Q. Clinical significance of miRNAs in autoimmunity. J Autoimmun 2020; 109:102438. [PMID: 32184036 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2020.102438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are evolutionally conserved, single-stranded RNAs that regulate gene expression at the posttranscriptional level by disrupting translation. MiRNAs are key players in variety of biological processes that regulate the differentiation, development and activation of immune cells in both innate and adaptive immunity. The disruption and dysfunction of miRNAs can perturb the immune response, stimulate the release of inflammatory cytokines and initiate the production of autoantibodies, and contribute to the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythmatosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), and multiple sclerosis (MS). Accumulating studies demonstrate that miRNAs, which can be collected by noninvasive methods, have the potential to be developed as diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers, the discovery and validation of which is essential for the improvement of disease diagnosis and clinical monitoring. Recently, with the development of detection tools, such as microarrays and NGS (Next Generation Sequencing), large amounts of miRNAs have been identified and suggest a critical role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. Several miRNAs associated diagnostic biomarkers have been developed and applied clinically, though the pharmaceutical industry is still facing challenges in commercialization and drug delivery. The development of miRNAs is less advanced for autoimmune diseases compared with cancer. However, drugs that target miRNAs have been introduced as candidates and adopted in clinical trials. This review comprehensively summarizes the differentially expressed miRNAs in several types of autoimmune diseases and discusses the role and the significance of miRNAs in clinical management. The study of miRNAs in autoimmunity promises to provide novel and broad diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for a clinical market that is still in its infancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lian Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, PR China
| | - Haijing Wu
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, PR China
| | - Ming Zhao
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, PR China
| | - Christopher Chang
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical, Immunology, University of California at Davis School of Medicine, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Qianjin Lu
- Department of Dermatology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenomics, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410011, PR China.
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75
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Batista-Duharte A, Sendra L, Herrero MJ, Téllez-Martínez D, Carlos IZ, Aliño SF. Progress in the Use of Antisense Oligonucleotides for Vaccine Improvement. Biomolecules 2020; 10:E316. [PMID: 32079263 PMCID: PMC7072586 DOI: 10.3390/biom10020316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
: Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are synthetically prepared short single-stranded deoxynucleotide sequences that have been validated as therapeutic agents and as a valuable tool in molecular driving biology. ASOs can block the expression of specific target genes via complementary hybridization to mRNA. Due to their high specificity and well-known mechanism of action, there has been a growing interest in using them for improving vaccine efficacy. Several studies have shown that ASOs can improve the efficacy of vaccines either by inducing antigen modification such as enhanced expression of immunogenic molecules or by targeting certain components of the host immune system to achieve the desired immune response. However, despite their extended use, some problems such as insufficient stability and low cellular delivery have not been sufficiently resolved to achieve effective and safe ASO-based vaccines. In this review, we analyze the molecular bases and the research that has been conducted to demonstrate the potential use of ASOs in vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Batista-Duharte
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Clinical Analysis, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rod. Araraquara-Jaú - Km 1, 14800-903 Araraquara, SP, Brazil; (D.T.-M.); (I.Z.C.)
- Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibáñez 15, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (L.S.); (S.F.A.)
| | - Luis Sendra
- Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibáñez 15, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (L.S.); (S.F.A.)
| | - Maria José Herrero
- Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibáñez 15, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (L.S.); (S.F.A.)
| | - Damiana Téllez-Martínez
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Clinical Analysis, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rod. Araraquara-Jaú - Km 1, 14800-903 Araraquara, SP, Brazil; (D.T.-M.); (I.Z.C.)
| | - Iracilda Zeppone Carlos
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Clinical Analysis, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rod. Araraquara-Jaú - Km 1, 14800-903 Araraquara, SP, Brazil; (D.T.-M.); (I.Z.C.)
| | - Salvador Francisco Aliño
- Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibáñez 15, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (L.S.); (S.F.A.)
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76
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Vocelle D, Chan C, Walton SP. Endocytosis Controls siRNA Efficiency: Implications for siRNA Delivery Vehicle Design and Cell-Specific Targeting. Nucleic Acid Ther 2020; 30:22-32. [PMID: 31718426 PMCID: PMC6987736 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2019.0804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
While small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are commonly used for laboratory studies, development of siRNA therapeutics has been slower than expected, due, in part, to a still limited understanding of the endocytosis and intracellular trafficking of siRNA-containing complexes. With the recent characterization of multiple clathrin-/caveolin-independent endocytic pathways, that is, those mediated by Graf1, Arf6, and flotillin, it has become clear that the endocytic mechanism influences subsequent intracellular processing of the internalized cargo. To explore siRNA delivery in light of these findings, we developed a novel assay that differentiates uptake by each of the endocytic pathways and can be used to determine whether endocytosis by a pathway leads to the initiation of RNA interference (RNAi). Using Lipofectamine 2000 (LF2K), we determined the endocytosis pathway leading to active silencing (whether by clathrin, caveolin, Arf6, Graf1, flotillin, or macropinocytosis) across multiple cell types (HeLa, H1299, HEK293, and HepG2). We showed that LF2K is internalized by Graf1-, Arf6-, or flotillin-mediated endocytosis for the initiation of RNAi, depending on cell type. In addition, we found that a portion of siRNA-containing complexes is internalized by pathways that do not lead to initiation of silencing. Inhibition of these pathways enhanced intracellular levels of siRNAs with concomitant enhancement of silencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Vocelle
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | - Christina Chan
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | - S. Patrick Walton
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
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77
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Desai AS, Hunter MR, Kapustin AN. Using macropinocytosis for intracellular delivery of therapeutic nucleic acids to tumour cells. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 374:20180156. [PMID: 30967005 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acids are a rapidly emerging therapeutic modality with the potential to become the third major drug modality alongside antibodies and small molecules. Owing to the unfavourable physico-chemical characteristics of nucleic acids, such as large size and negative charge, intracellular delivery remains a fundamental challenge to realizing this potential. Delivery technologies such as lipids, polymers and peptides have been used to facilitate delivery, with many of the most successful technologies using macropinocytosis to gain cellular entry; mostly by default rather than design. Fundamental knowledge of macropinocytosis is rapidly growing, presenting opportunities to better tailor design strategies to target this pathway. Furthermore, certain types of tumour cells have been observed to have high levels of macropinocytic activity and traffic cargo to favourable destinations within the cell for endosomal release, providing unique opportunities to further use this entry route for drug delivery. In this article, we review the delivery systems reported to be taken up by macropinocytosis and what is known about the mechanisms for regulating macropinocytosis in tumour cells. From this analysis, we identify new opportunities for exploiting this pathway for the intracellular delivery of nucleic acids to tumour cells. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Macropinocytosis'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arpan S Desai
- AstraZeneca, IMED Biotech Unit, Pharmaceutical Sciences , Aaron Klug Building, Granta Park, Cambridge CB21 6GH , UK
| | - Morag R Hunter
- AstraZeneca, IMED Biotech Unit, Pharmaceutical Sciences , Aaron Klug Building, Granta Park, Cambridge CB21 6GH , UK
| | - Alexander N Kapustin
- AstraZeneca, IMED Biotech Unit, Pharmaceutical Sciences , Aaron Klug Building, Granta Park, Cambridge CB21 6GH , UK
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78
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Weidle UH, Schmid D, Birzele F, Brinkmann U. MicroRNAs Involved in Metastasis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Target Candidates, Functionality and Efficacy in Animal Models and Prognostic Relevance. Cancer Genomics Proteomics 2020; 17:1-21. [PMID: 31882547 PMCID: PMC6937123 DOI: 10.21873/cgp.20163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is responsible for the second-leading cancer-related death toll worldwide. Although sorafenib and levantinib as frontline therapy and regorafenib, cabazantinib and ramicurimab have now been approved for second-line therapy, the therapeutic benefit is in the range of only a few months with respect to prolongation of survival. Aggressiveness of HCC is mediated by metastasis. Intrahepatic metastases and distant metastasis to the lungs, lymph nodes, bones, omentum, adrenal gland and brain have been observed. Therefore, the identification of metastasis-related new targets and treatment modalities is of paramount importance. In this review, we focus on metastasis-related microRNAs (miRs) as therapeutic targets for HCC. We describe miRs which mediate or repress HCC metastasis in mouse xenograft models. We discuss 18 metastasis-promoting miRs and 35 metastasis-inhibiting miRs according to the criteria as outlined. Six of the metastasis-promoting miRs (miR-29a, -219-5p, -331-3p, 425-5p, -487a and -1247-3p) are associated with unfavourable clinical prognosis. Another set of six down-regulated miRs (miR-101, -129-3p, -137, -149, -503, and -630) correlate with a worse clinical prognosis. We discuss the corresponding metastasis-related targets as well as their potential as therapeutic modalities for treatment of HCC-related metastasis. A subset of up-regulated miRs -29a, -219-5p and -425-5p and down-regulated miRs -129-3p and -630 were evaluated in orthotopic metastasis-related models which are suitable to mimic HCC-related metastasis. Those miRNAs may represent prioritized targets emerging from our survey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich H Weidle
- Large Molecule Research, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED), Roche Innovation Center Munich, Penzberg, Germany
| | - Daniela Schmid
- Large Molecule Research, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED), Roche Innovation Center Munich, Penzberg, Germany
| | - Fabian Birzele
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED), Roche Innovation Center Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ulrich Brinkmann
- Large Molecule Research, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED), Roche Innovation Center Munich, Penzberg, Germany
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79
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Gaillard B, Seguin C, Remy JS, Pons F, Lebeau L. Erufosine (ErPC3) Cationic Prodrugs as Dual Gene Delivery Reagents for Combined Antitumor Therapy. Chemistry 2019; 25:15662-15679. [PMID: 31549752 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201903976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Sixteen cationic prodrugs of the antitumor alkylphospholipid (APL) erufosine were rationally synthesized to provide original gene delivery reagents with improved cytotoxicity profile. The DNA complexation properties of these cationic lipids were determined and associated transfection rates were measured. Furthermore, the self-assembly properties of the pro-erufosine compounds were investigated and their critical aggregation concentration was determined. Their hydrolytic stability under pH conditions mimicking the extracellular environment and the late endosome milieu was measured. Hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity of the compounds were investigated. The results obtained in various cell lines demonstrate that the prodrugs of erufosine display antineoplastic activity similar to that of the parent antitumor drug but are not associated with hemolytic toxicity, which is a dose-limiting side effect of APLs and a major obstacle to their use in anticancer therapeutic regimen. Furthermore, by using lipoplexes prepared from a prodrug of erufosine and a plasmid DNA encoding a pro-apoptotic protein (TRAIL), evidence was provided for selective cytotoxicity towards tumor cells while nontumor cells were resistant. This study demonstrates that the combination approach involving well tolerated erufosine cationic prodrugs and cancer gene therapy holds significant promise in tumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris Gaillard
- Laboratoire de Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, UMR 7199 CNRS-Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Pharmacie, 74 route du Rhin-BP 60024, 67401, Illkirch, France
| | - Cendrine Seguin
- Laboratoire de Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, UMR 7199 CNRS-Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Pharmacie, 74 route du Rhin-BP 60024, 67401, Illkirch, France
| | - Jean-Serge Remy
- Laboratoire de Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, UMR 7199 CNRS-Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Pharmacie, 74 route du Rhin-BP 60024, 67401, Illkirch, France
| | - Françoise Pons
- Laboratoire de Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, UMR 7199 CNRS-Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Pharmacie, 74 route du Rhin-BP 60024, 67401, Illkirch, France
| | - Luc Lebeau
- Laboratoire de Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, UMR 7199 CNRS-Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Pharmacie, 74 route du Rhin-BP 60024, 67401, Illkirch, France
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80
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Araújo D, Azevedo NM, Barbosa A, Almeida C, Rodrigues ME, Henriques M, Silva S. Application of 2'-OMethylRNA' Antisense Oligomer to Control Candida albicans EFG1 Virulence Determinant. MOLECULAR THERAPY-NUCLEIC ACIDS 2019; 18:508-517. [PMID: 31671344 PMCID: PMC6838528 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2019.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Revised: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Antisense oligomers and their analogs have been successfully utilized to silence gene expression for the treatment of many human diseases; however, the control of yeast’s virulence determinants has never been exploited before. In this sense, this work is based on the key hypothesis that if a pathogen’s genetic sequence is a determinant of virulence, it will be possible to synthesize a nucleic acid mimic based on antisense therapy (AST) that will bind to the mRNA produced, blocking its translation into protein and, consequently, reducing the pathogen virulence phenotype. EFG1 is an important determinant of virulence that is involved in the regulation of the Candida albicans switch from yeast to filamentous form. Thus, our main goal was to design and synthesize an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) targeting the EFG1 mRNA and to validate its in vitro applicability. The results show that the anti-EFG1 2′-OMethylRNA (2′OMe) oligomer was able to significantly reduce the levels of EFG1 gene expression and of Efg1p protein translation (both approximately 60%), as well as effectively prevent filamentation of C. albicans cells (by 80%). Moreover, it was verified that anti-EFG1 2′OMe keeps the efficacy in different simulated human body fluids. Undeniably, this work provides potentially valuable information for future research into the management of Candida infections, regarding the development of a credible and alternative method to control C. albicans infections, based on AST methodology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Araújo
- LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Nuno Miguel Azevedo
- LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Ana Barbosa
- LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Carina Almeida
- LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; INIAV, IP-National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research, Rua dos Lagidos, Lugar da Madalena, Vairão, 4485-655 Vila do Conde, Portugal
| | - Maria Elisa Rodrigues
- LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Mariana Henriques
- LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Sónia Silva
- LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.
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Schlagnitweit J, Friebe Sandoz S, Jaworski A, Guzzetti I, Aussenac F, Carbajo RJ, Chiarparin E, Pell AJ, Petzold K. Observing an Antisense Drug Complex in Intact Human Cells by in-Cell NMR Spectroscopy. Chembiochem 2019; 20:2474-2478. [PMID: 31206961 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201900297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Gaining insight into the uptake, trafficking and target engagement of drugs in cells can enhance understanding of a drug's function and efficiency. However, there are currently no reliable methods for studying untagged biomolecules in macromolecular complexes in intact human cells. Here we have studied an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) drug in HEK 293T and HeLa cells by NMR spectroscopy. Using a combination of transfection, cryoprotection and dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP), we were able to detect the drug directly in intact frozen cells. Activity of the drug was confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). By applying DNP NMR to frozen cells, we overcame limitations both of solution-state in-cell NMR spectroscopy (e.g., size, stability and sensitivity) and of visualization techniques, in which (e.g., fluorescent) tagging of the ASO decreases its activity. The capability to detect an untagged, active drug, interacting in its natural environment, represents a first step towards studying molecular mechanisms in intact cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Schlagnitweit
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, Solnavägen 9, 17165, Solna, Sweden
| | - Sarah Friebe Sandoz
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, Solnavägen 9, 17165, Solna, Sweden
| | - Aleksander Jaworski
- Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Arrhenius Laboratory, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 16 C, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ileana Guzzetti
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, Solnavägen 9, 17165, Solna, Sweden
| | - Fabien Aussenac
- Bruker BioSpin, 34 Rue de l'Industrie, 67160, Wissembourg, France
| | - Rodrigo J Carbajo
- Analytical and Structural Chemistry Oncology, IMED Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, CB4 0WG, UK
| | - Elisabetta Chiarparin
- Analytical and Structural Chemistry Oncology, IMED Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, CB4 0WG, UK
| | - Andrew J Pell
- Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Arrhenius Laboratory, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 16 C, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Katja Petzold
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institute, Solnavägen 9, 17165, Solna, Sweden
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82
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Bosgra S, Sipkens J, de Kimpe S, den Besten C, Datson N, van Deutekom J. The Pharmacokinetics of 2'- O-Methyl Phosphorothioate Antisense Oligonucleotides: Experiences from Developing Exon Skipping Therapies for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Nucleic Acid Ther 2019; 29:305-322. [PMID: 31429628 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2019.0805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Delivery to the target site and adversities related to off-target exposure have made the road to clinical success and approval of antisense oligonucleotide (AON) therapies challenging. Various classes of AONs have distinct chemical features and pharmacological properties. Understanding the similarities and differences in pharmacokinetics (PKs) among AON classes is important to make future development more efficient and may facilitate regulatory guidance of AON development programs. For the class of 2'-O-methyl phosphorothioate (2OMe PS) RNA AONs, most nonclinical and clinical PK data available today are derived from development of exon skipping therapies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). While some publications have featured PK aspects of these AONs, no comprehensive overview is available to date. This article presents a detailed review of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of 2OMe PS AONs, compiled from publicly available data and previously unpublished internal data on drisapersen and related exon skipping candidates in preclinical species and DMD patients. Considerations regarding drug-drug interactions, toxicokinetics, and pharmacodynamics are also discussed. From the data presented, the picture emerges of consistent PK properties within the 2OMe PS class, predictable behavior across species, and a considerable overlap with other single-stranded PS AONs. A level of detail on muscle as a target tissue is provided, which was not previously available. Furthermore, muscle biopsy samples taken in DMD clinical trials allowed confirmation of the applicability of interspecies scaling approaches commonly applied in the absence of clinical target tissue data.
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83
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Targeted delivery and endosomal cellular uptake of DARPin-siRNA bioconjugates: Influence of linker stability on gene silencing. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2019; 141:37-50. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2019.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Revised: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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84
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Anti-Niemann Pick C1 Single-Stranded Oligonucleotides with Locked Nucleic Acids Potently Reduce Ebola Virus Infection In Vitro. MOLECULAR THERAPY-NUCLEIC ACIDS 2019; 16:686-697. [PMID: 31125846 PMCID: PMC6529764 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2019.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Ebola virus is the causative agent of Ebola virus disease, a severe, often fatal illness in humans. So far, there are no US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved therapeutics directed against Ebola virus. Here, we selected the host factor Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1), which has been shown to be essential for Ebola virus entry into host cytoplasm, as a therapeutic target for suppression by locked nucleic acid-modified antisense oligonucleotides. Screening of antisense oligonucleotides in human and murine cell lines led to identification of candidates with up to 94% knockdown efficiency and 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values in the submicromolar range. Selected candidate oligonucleotides led to efficient NPC1 protein knockdown in vitro without alteration of cell viability. Furthermore, they did not have immune stimulatory activity in cell-based assays. Treatment of Ebola-virus-infected HeLa cells with the most promising candidates resulted in significant (>99%) virus titer reduction, indicating that antisense oligonucleotides against NPC1 are a promising therapeutic approach for treatment of Ebola virus infection.
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85
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Hillebrand F, Ostermann PN, Müller L, Degrandi D, Erkelenz S, Widera M, Pfeffer K, Schaal H. Gymnotic Delivery of LNA Mixmers Targeting Viral SREs Induces HIV-1 mRNA Degradation. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20051088. [PMID: 30832397 PMCID: PMC6429378 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20051088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Revised: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcription of the HIV-1 provirus generates a viral pre-mRNA, which is alternatively spliced into more than 50 HIV-1 mRNAs encoding all viral proteins. Regulation of viral alternative splice site usage includes the presence of splicing regulatory elements (SREs) which can dramatically impact RNA expression and HIV-1 replication when mutated. Recently, we were able to show that two viral SREs, GI3-2 and ESEtat, are important players in the generation of viral vif, vpr and tat mRNAs. Furthermore, we demonstrated that masking these SREs by transfected locked nucleic acid (LNA) mixmers affect the viral splicing pattern and viral particle production. With regard to the development of future therapeutic LNA mixmer-based antiretroviral approaches, we delivered the GI3-2 and the ESEtat LNA mixmers “nakedly”, without the use of transfection reagents (gymnosis) into HIV-1 infected cells. Surprisingly, we observed that gymnotically-delivered LNA mixmers accumulated in the cytoplasm, and seemed to co-localize with GW bodies and induced degradation of mRNAs containing their LNA target sequence. The GI3-2 and the ESEtat LNA-mediated RNA degradation resulted in abrogation of viral replication in HIV-1 infected Jurkat and PM1 cells as well as in PBMCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Hillebrand
- Institute of Virology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Philipp Niklas Ostermann
- Institute of Virology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Lisa Müller
- Institute of Virology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Daniel Degrandi
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Steffen Erkelenz
- Institute of Virology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Marek Widera
- Institute of Virology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Klaus Pfeffer
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Heiner Schaal
- Institute of Virology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
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86
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Chernikov IV, Gladkikh DV, Meschaninova MI, Karelina UA, Ven'yaminova AG, Zenkova MA, Vlassov VV, Chernolovskaya EL. Fluorophore Labeling Affects the Cellular Accumulation and Gene Silencing Activity of Cholesterol-Modified siRNAs In Vitro. Nucleic Acid Ther 2018; 29:33-43. [PMID: 30562146 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2018.0745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of fluorophores on the intracellular accumulation and biological activity of small interfering RNA (siRNA) and its cholesterol conjugates. In this study, we used stem-loop real-time PCR and calibration curves to quantitate cellular siRNA accumulation. Attachment of fluorophores significantly affected both the accumulation and biological activity of siRNA conjugates. The severity of this effect depended significantly on the structure of the conjugate; fluorophores (Cy5.5 or Alexa-488) attached to siRNA, facing the side of the duplex opposite to cholesterol, enhanced the unproductive intracellular accumulation of the conjugate when delivered in carrier-free mode. Enhanced cellular accumulation of siRNA conjugates did not result in enhanced biological activity of the conjugate. Moreover, the attachment of a hydrophobic fluorophore, such as Cy5.5, to conventional siRNA also enhanced its apparent intracellular accumulation, but not its biological activity. Thus, the use of fluorescent labels for the study of the intracellular accumulation of siRNA and its conjugates formed with different molecules is possible only for a limited range of structures, and requires verification using alternative methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan V Chernikov
- 1 Laboratory of Nucleic Acids Biochemistry, Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Daniil V Gladkikh
- 1 Laboratory of Nucleic Acids Biochemistry, Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Mariya I Meschaninova
- 2 Laboratory of RNA Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Ulyana A Karelina
- 1 Laboratory of Nucleic Acids Biochemistry, Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Alya G Ven'yaminova
- 2 Laboratory of RNA Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Marina A Zenkova
- 1 Laboratory of Nucleic Acids Biochemistry, Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Valentin V Vlassov
- 1 Laboratory of Nucleic Acids Biochemistry, Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Elena L Chernolovskaya
- 1 Laboratory of Nucleic Acids Biochemistry, Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia
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87
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Wang S, Allen N, Liang XH, Crooke ST. Membrane Destabilization Induced by Lipid Species Increases Activity of Phosphorothioate-Antisense Oligonucleotides. MOLECULAR THERAPY-NUCLEIC ACIDS 2018; 13:686-698. [PMID: 30508785 PMCID: PMC6276310 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2018.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2018] [Revised: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Chemically modified antisense oligonucleotides with phosphorothioate linkages (PS-ASOs) mediate site-specific cleavage of RNA by RNase H1 and are broadly used as research and therapeutic tools. PS-ASOs can enter cells via endocytic pathways and escape from membrane-enclosed endocytic organelles to reach target RNAs. We recently found that lysobisphosphatidic acid is required for release of PS-ASOs from late endosomes. Here, we evaluated the effects of other lipids on PS-ASO intracellular trafficking and activities. We show that free fatty acids, ceramide, and cholesterol increase PS-ASO activities. Free fatty acids induced formation of lipid droplets without changing the intracellular localization of PS-ASOs in early or late endosomes. Ceramide and cholesterol did not obviously induce the formation of lipid droplets, but cholesterol caused enlargement of endosome size and volume. Although none of those lipids appeared to influence PS-ASO internalization or intracellular trafficking processes, all led to an increase in leakiness of late endosomes. Thus, the membrane destabilization induced by these lipids likely contributes to PS-ASO release from late endosomes, which, in turn, increases PS-ASO activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyu Wang
- Department of Core Antisense Research, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA.
| | - Nickolas Allen
- Department of Core Antisense Research, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Xue-Hai Liang
- Department of Core Antisense Research, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Stanley T Crooke
- Department of Core Antisense Research, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
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