Endocytosis

Anticancer Effect of α-Tocopheryl Succinate Delivered by Mitochondria-Targeted Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles

Mitochondria targeted mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs) having an average diameter of 68 nm were fabricated and then loaded with hydrophobic anticancer agent α-tocopheryl succinate (α-TOS). The property of targeting mitochondria was achieved by the surface functionalization of triphenylphosphonium (TPP) on MSNPs, since TPP is an effective mitochondria-targeting ligand. Intracellular uptake and mitochondria targeting of fabricated MSNPs were evaluated in HeLa and HepG2 cancerous cell lines as well as HEK293 normal cell line. In addition, various biological assays were conducted with the aim to investigate the effectiveness of α-TOS delivered by the functional MSNPs, including studies of cytotoxicity, mitochondria membrane potential, intracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, and apoptosis. On the basis of these experiments, high anticancer efficiency of α-TOS delivered by mitochondria targeted MSNPs was demonstrated, indicating a promising application potential of MSNP-based platform in mitochondria targeted delivery of anticancer agents.

Do Microglia Default on Network Maintenance in Alzheimer's Disease?

Although the cause of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remains unknown, a number of new findings suggest that the immune system may play a critical role in the early stages of the disease. Genome-wide association studies have identified a wide array of risk-associated genes for AD, many of which are associated with abnormal functioning of immune cells. Microglia are the brain’s immune cells. They play an important role in maintaining the brain’s extracellular environment, including clearance of aggregated proteins such as amyloid-β (Aβ). Recent studies suggest that microglia play a more active role in the brain than initially considered. Specifically, microglia provide trophic support to neurons and also regulate synapses. Microglial regulation of neuronal activity may have important consequences for AD. In this article we review the function of microglia in AD and examine the possible relationship between microglial dysfunction and network abnormalities, which occur very early in disease pathogenesis.

Journey to the Center of the Cell: Current Nanocarrier Design Strategies Targeting Biopharmaceuticals to the Cytoplasm and Nucleus

New biopharmaceutical molecules, potentially able to provide more personalized and effective treatments, are being identified through the advent of advanced synthetic biology strategies, sophisticated chemical synthesis approaches, and new analytical methods to assess biological potency. However, translation of many of these structures has been significantly limited due to the need for more efficient strategies to deliver macromolecular therapeutics to desirable intracellular sites of action. Engineered nanocarriers that encapsulate peptides, proteins, or nucleic acids are generally internalized into target cells via one of several endocytic pathways. These nanostructures, entrapped within endosomes, must navigate the intracellular milieu to orchestrate delivery to the intended destination, typically the cytoplasm or nucleus. For therapeutics active in the cytoplasm, endosomal escape continues to represent a limiting step to effective treatment, since a majority of nanocarriers trapped within endosomes are ultimately marked for enzymatic degradation in lysosomes. Therapeutics active in the nucleus have the added challenges of reaching and penetrating the nuclear envelope, and nuclear delivery remains a preeminent challenge preventing clinical translation of gene therapy applications. Herein, we review cutting-edge peptide- and polymer-based design strategies with the potential to enable significant improvements in biopharmaceutical efficacy through improved intracellular targeting. These strategies often mimic the activities of pathogens, which have developed innate and highly effective mechanisms to penetrate plasma membranes and enter the nucleus of host cells. Understanding these mechanisms has enabled advances in synthetic peptide and polymer design that may ultimately improve intracellular trafficking and bioavailability, leading to increased access to new classes of biotherapeutics.

The endocytic pathway in microglia during health, aging and Alzheimer's disease

Microglia, the main phagocytes of the central nervous system (CNS), are involved in the surveillance and maintenance of nervous tissue. During normal tissue homeostasis, microglia migrates within the CNS, phagocytose dead cells and tissue debris, and modulate synapse pruning and spine formation via controlled phagocytosis. In the event of an invasion by a foreign body, microglia are able to phagocytose the invading pathogen and process it proteolytically for antigen presentation. Internalized substrates are incorporated and sorted within the endocytic pathway and thereafter transported via complex vesicular routes. When targeted for degradation, substrates are delivered to acidic late endosomes and lysosomes. In these, the enzymatic degradation relies on pH and enzyme content. Endocytosis, sorting, transport, compartment acidification and degradation are regulated by complex signaling mechanisms, and these may be altered during aging and pathology. In this review, we discuss the endocytic pathway in microglia, with insight into the mechanisms controlling lysosomal biogenesis and pH regulation. We also discuss microglial lysosome function associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and the mechanisms of amyloid-beta (Aβ) internalization and degradation. Finally, we explore some therapies currently being investigated to treat AD and their effects on microglial response to Aβ, with insight in those involving enhancement of lysosomal function.

Optimization of Curcumin-Loaded PEG-PLGA Nanoparticles by GSH Functionalization: Investigation of the Internalization Pathway in Neuronal Cells

One major challenge in the field of nanotherapeutics is to increase the selective delivery of cargo to targeted cells. Using polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA), we recently highlighted the importance of polymer composition in the biological fate of the nanodrug delivery systems. However, the route of internalization of polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) is another key component to consider in the elaboration of modern and targeted devices. For that purpose, herein, we effectively synthesized and characterized glutathione-functionalized PLGA-nanoparticles (GSH-NPs) loaded with curcumin (GSH-NPs-Cur), using thiol-maleimide click reaction and determined their physicochemical properties. We found that GSH functionalization did not affect the drug loading efficiency (DLE), the size, the polydispersity index (PDI), the zeta potential, the release profile, and the stability of the formulation. While being nontoxic, the presence of GSH on the surface of the formulations exhibits a better neuroprotective property against acrolein. The neuronal internalization of GSH-NPs-Cur was higher than free curcumin. In order to track the intracellular localization of the formulations, we used a covalently attached rhodamine (PLGA-Rhod), into our GSH-functionalized matrix. We found that GSH-functionalized matrix could easily be taken up by neuronal cells. Furthermore, we found that GSH conjugation modifies the route of internalization enabling them to escape the uptake through macropinocytosis and therefore avoiding the lysosomal degradation. Taken together, GSH functionalization increases the uptake of formulations and modifies the route of internalization toward a safer pathway. This study shows that the choice of ideal ligand to develop NPs-targeting devices is a crucial step when designing innovative strategy for neuronal cells delivery.

Vps35-dependent recycling of Trem2 regulates microglial function

Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (Trem2), an immune-modulatory receptor, is preferentially expressed in microglia of central nervous system. Trem2 might be involved in the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD) through regulating the inflammatory responses and phagocytosis of microglia. However, the intracellular trafficking of Trem2 remains unclear. In this study, we showed that Trem2 in the plasma membrane underwent endocytosis and recycling. Trem2 is internalized in a clathrin-dependent manner and then recycled back to the plasma membrane through vacuolar protein sorting 35 (Vps35), the key component of cargo recognition core of retromer complex, but not Rab11. When Vps35 is knocked down, Trem2 accumulated in the lysosomes but was not degraded. More importantly, Vps35 deficiency leads to excessive lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression and IL-6 production, which can be abolished by Trem2 overexpression. Furthermore, R47H Trem2, an AD-associated mutant, failed to interact with Vps35 and became unstable compared with wild-type Trem2. Our study suggests that Vps35/retromer is responsible for recycling of Trem2 in the regulation of microglial function such as proinflammatory responses, whereas R47H mutation impairs Trem2 trafficking, which might contribute to AD.

Functional droplets that recognize, collect, and transport debris on surfaces

We describe polymer-stabilized droplets capable of recognizing and picking up nanoparticles from substrates in experiments designed for transporting hydroxyapatite nanoparticles that represent the principal elemental composition of bone. Our experiments, which are inspired by cells that carry out materials transport in vivo, used oil-in-water droplets that traverse a nanoparticle-coated substrate driven by an imposed fluid flow. Nanoparticle capture is realized by interaction of the particles with chemical functionality embedded within the polymeric stabilizing layer on the droplets. Nanoparticle uptake efficiency is controlled by solution conditions and the extent of functionality available for contact with the nanoparticles. Moreover, in an elementary demonstration of nanoparticle transportation, particles retrieved initially from the substrate were later deposited "downstream," illustrating a pickup and drop-off technique that represents a first step toward mimicking point-to-point transportation events conducted in living systems.

Pre-Clinical Study of a Novel Recombinant Botulinum Neurotoxin Derivative Engineered for Improved Safety

Cyto-012 is a recombinant derivative of Botulinum neurotoxin Type A (BoNT/A). It primarily differs from wild type (wt) BoNT/A1 in that it incorporates two amino acid substitutions in the catalytic domain of the light chain (LC) metalloprotease (E224 > A and Y366 > A), designed to provide a safer clinical profile. Cyto-012 is specifically internalized into rat cortical and hippocampal neurons, and cleaves Synaptosomal-Associated Protein 25 (SNAP-25), the substrate of wt BoNT/A, but exhibits slower cleavage kinetics and therefore requires a higher absolute dose to exhibit pharmacologic activity. The pharmacodynamics of Cyto-012 and wt BoNT/A have similar onset and duration of action using the Digital Abduction Assay (DAS). Intramuscular LD50 values for Cyto-012 and wt BoNT/A respectively, were 0.63 ug (95% CI = 0.61, 0.66) and 6.22 pg (95% CI = 5.42, 7.02). ED50 values for Cyto-012 and wt BoNT/A were respectively, 0.030 ug (95% CI = 0.026, 0.034) and 0.592 pg (95% CI = 0.488, 0.696). The safety margin (intramuscular LD50/ED50 ratio) for Cyto-012 was found to be improved 2-fold relative to wt BoNT/A (p < 0.001). The DAS response to Cyto-012 was diminished when a second injection was administered 32 days after the first. These data suggest that the safety margin of BoNT/A can be improved by modulating their activity towards SNAP-25.

Synthesis of HPMA Copolymer Containing Adriamycin Bound via an Acid-Labile Spacer and its Activity toward Human Ovarian Carcinoma Cells

N-(2-Hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymer-adriamycin (ADR) conjugate (P-aconityl-ADR) was synthesized by the attachment of cis-aconityl-ADR to an HPMA copolymer precursor using 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide (EDC) as the condensing agent. The ADR release from the HPMA copolymer conjugate was pH sensitive. After 48 h incubation at pH 5, 6, and 7, the amount of ADR released was 63.4, 9.2, and 2.8% respectively. The in vitro cytotoxicity of the conjugate was evaluated toward A2780 sensitive and A2780/AD resistant human ovarian carcinoma cells. An HPMA copolymer, containing ADR bound via a tetrapeptide (GFLG) sequence susceptible to cleavage catalyzed by lysosomal enzymes (P-GFLG-ADR), was used as control. The IC50 doses seemed to indicate that the total hydrolysis of P-aconityl-ADR in prelysosomal and lysosomal compartments proceeded faster than the release of ADR from P-GFLG-ADR catalyzed by lysomal cysteine proteinases. Both HPMA copolymer-ADR conjugates appeared to overcome the ATP-driven P-glycoprotein efflux pump expressed in A2780/AD cells.

Acid-Sensitive Sheddable PEGylated PLGA Nanoparticles Increase the Delivery of TNF-α siRNA in Chronic Inflammation Sites

There has been growing interest in utilizing small interfering RNA (siRNA) specific to pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α ( TNF-α), in chronic inflammation therapy. However, delivery systems that can increase the distribution of the siRNA in chronic inflammation sites after intravenous administration are needed. Herein we report that innovative functionalization of the surface of siRNA-incorporated poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanoparticles significantly increases the delivery of the siRNA in the chronic inflammation sites in a mouse model. The TNF-α siRNA incorporated PLGA nanoparticles were prepared by the standard double emulsion method, but using stearoyl-hydrazone-polyethylene glycol 2000, a unique acid-sensitive surface active agent, as the emulsifying agent, which renders (i) the nanoparticles PEGylated and (ii) the PEGylation sheddable in low pH environment such as that in chronic inflammation sites. In a mouse model of lipopolysaccharide-induced chronic inflammation, the acid-sensitive sheddable PEGylated PLGA nanoparticles showed significantly higher accumulation or distribution in chronic inflammation sites than PLGA nanoparticles prepared with an acid-insensitive emulsifying agent (i.e., stearoyl-amide-polyethylene glycol 2000) and significantly increased the distribution of the TNF-α siRNA incorporated into the nanoparticles in inflamed mouse foot.

Turning the gun on cancer: Utilizing lysosomal P-glycoprotein as a new strategy to overcome multi-drug resistance

Oxidative stress plays a role in the development of drug resistance in cancer cells. Cancer cells must constantly and rapidly adapt to changes in the tumor microenvironment, due to alterations in the availability of nutrients, such as glucose, oxygen and key transition metals (e.g., iron and copper). This nutrient flux is typically a consequence of rapid growth, poor vascularization and necrosis. It has been demonstrated that stress factors, such as hypoxia and glucose deprivation up-regulate master transcription factors, namely hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), which transcriptionally regulate the multi-drug resistance (MDR), transmembrane drug efflux transporter, P-glycoprotein (Pgp). Interestingly, in addition to the established role of plasma membrane Pgp in MDR, a new paradigm of intracellular resistance has emerged that is premised on the ability of lysosomal Pgp to transport cytotoxic agents into this organelle. This mechanism is enabled by the topological inversion of Pgp via endocytosis resulting in the transporter actively pumping agents into the lysosome. In this way, classical Pgp substrates, such as doxorubicin (DOX), can be actively transported into this organelle. Within the lysosome, DOX becomes protonated upon acidification of the lysosomal lumen, causing its accumulation. This mechanism efficiently traps DOX, preventing its cytotoxic interaction with nuclear DNA. This review discusses these effects and highlights a novel mechanism by which redox-active and protonatable Pgp substrates can utilize lysosomal Pgp to gain access to this compartment, resulting in catastrophic lysosomal membrane permeabilization and cell death. Hence, a key MDR mechanism that utilizes Pgp (the "gun") to sequester protonatable drug substrates safely within lysosomes can be "turned on" MDR cancer cells to destroy them from within.

Selection, tuning, and adaptation in mouse NK cell education

Natural killer (NK) cells recognize transformed cells with an array of germline-encoded inhibitory and activating receptors. Inhibitory Ly49 receptors bind major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) molecules, providing a mechanism by which NK cells maintain self-tolerance yet eliminate cells expressing reduced levels of MHC-I. Additionally, MHC-I molecules are required for NK cell education, a process in which NK cells acquire responsiveness. In this review, we discuss three facets of MHC class I-dependent education of mouse NK cells: skewing of the inhibitory receptor repertoire, induction of functional responsiveness, and tuning in response to changes in MHC-I expression. We discuss prevailing models for education such as licensing and disarming and propose a model for positive selection of 'useful' NK cell subsets. Furthermore, we argue that both repertoire skewing and functional NK cell education may be altered in mature NK cells subject to changes in MHC-I input and suggest that this process may provide increased dynamics to the NK cell system.

Defect-Related Luminescent Hydroxyapatite-Enhanced Osteogenic Differentiation of Bone Mesenchymal Stem Cells Via an ATP-Induced cAMP/PKA Pathway

Novel defect-related hydroxyapatite (DHAP), which combines the advantages of HAP and defect-related luminescence, has the potential application in tissue engineering and biomedical area, because of its excellent capability of monitoring the osteogenic differentiation and material biodegradation. Although the extracellular mechanism of DHAP minerals and PO4(3-) functioning in osteogenic differentiation has been widely studied, the intracellular molecular mechanism through which PO4(3-) mediates osteogenesis of bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) is not clear. We examined a previously unknown molecular mechanism through which PO4(3-) promoted osteogenesis of BMSCs with an emphasis on adenosine-triphosphate (ATP)-induced cAMP/PKA pathway. Our studies showed that DHAP could be uptaken into lysosome, in which PO4(3-) was released from DHAP, because of the acid environment of lysosome. The released PO4(3-) interacted with ADP to form ATP, and then degraded into adenosine, an ATP metabolite, which interacted with A2b adenosine receptor to activate the cAMP/PKA pathway, resulting in the high expression of osteogenesis-related genes, such as Runx2, BMP-2, and OCN. These findings first revealed the function of ATP-metabolism in bone physiological homeostasis, which may be developed to cure bone metabolic diseases.

Electron microscopic localization of M2-muscarinic receptors in cholinergic and noncholinergic neurons of the laterodorsal tegmental and pedunculopontine nuclei of the rat mesopontine tegmentum

Muscarinic m2 receptors (M2Rs) are implicated in autoregulatory control of cholinergic output neurons located within the pedunculopontine (PPT) and laterodorsal tegmental (LTD) nuclei of the mesopontine tegmentum (MPT). However, these nuclei contain many noncholinergic neurons in which activation of M2R heteroceptors may contribute significantly to the decisive role of the LTD and PPT in sleep-wakefulness. We examined the electron microscopic dual immunolabeling of M2Rs and the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAchT) in the MPT of rat brain to identify the potential sites for M2R activation. M2R immunogold labeling was predominately seen in somatodendritic profiles throughout the PPT/LTD complex. In somata, M2R immunogold particles were often associated with Golgi lamellae and cytoplasmic endomembrannes, but were rarely in contact with the plasma membrane, as was commonly seen in dendrites. Approximately 36% of the M2R-labeled somata and 16% of the more numerous M2R-labeled dendrites coexpressed VAchT. M2R and M2R/VAchT-labeled dendritic profiles received synapses from inhibitory- and excitatory-type axon terminals, over 88% of which were unlabeled and others contained exclusively M2R or VAchT immunoreactivity. In axonal profiles M2R immunogold was localized to plasmalemmal and cytoplasmic regions and showed a similar distribution in many VAchT-negative glial profiles. These results provide ultrastructural evidence suggestive of somatic endomembrane trafficking of M2Rs, whose activation serves to regulate the postsynaptic excitatory and inhibitory responses in dendrites of cholinergic and noncholinergic neurons in the MPT. They also suggest the possibility that M2Rs in this brain region mediate the effects of acetylcholine on the release of other neurotransmitters and on glial signaling. J. Comp. Neurol. 524:3084-3103, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ultra-fast stem cell labelling using cationised magnetoferritin

Magnetic cell labelling with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) facilitates many important biotechnological applications, such as cell imaging and remote manipulation. However, to achieve adequate cellular loading of SPIONs, long incubation times (24 hours and more) or laborious surface functionalisation are often employed, which can adversely affect cell function. Here, we demonstrate that chemical cationisation of magnetoferritin produces a highly membrane-active nanoparticle that can magnetise human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) using incubation times as short as one minute. Magnetisation persisted for several weeks in culture and provided significant T2* contrast enhancement during magnetic resonance imaging. Exposure to cationised magnetoferritin did not adversely affect the membrane integrity, proliferation and multi-lineage differentiation capacity of hMSCs, which provides the first detailed evidence for the biocompatibility of magnetoferritin. The combination of synthetic ease and flexibility, the rapidity of labelling and absence of cytotoxicity make this novel nanoparticle system an easily accessible and versatile platform for a range of cell-based therapies in regenerative medicine.

Short interfering RNA therapeutics: nanocarriers, prospects and limitations

Since the first experiment depicting gene inhibition using RNA interference mechanism, extensive research has been carried out to design targeted delivery systems that use short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) for gene expression regulation. Although several siRNAs loaded nanoparticle systems have reached clinical trial stage, cellular uptake, reticuloendothelial entrapment and endosomal escape still limit the efficacy of these drugs considerably. This review discusses about the RNA interference mechanism, nanostructures being used as non-viral vectors for targeted delivery, limitations of the common delivery systems and the current siRNA-loaded nanoparticle formulations undergoing clinical testing.

Plasticity of sarcolemmal KATP channel surface expression: relevance during ischemia and ischemic preconditioning

Myocardial ischemia remains the primary cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Ischemic preconditioning (IPC) is a powerful form of endogenous protection against myocardial infarction. We studied alterations in KATP channels surface density as a potential mechanism of the protection of IPC. Using cardiac-specific knockout of Kir6.2 subunits, we demonstrated an essential role for sarcolemmal KATP channels in the infarct-limiting effect of IPC in the mouse heart. With biochemical membrane fractionation, we demonstrated that sarcolemmal KATP channel subunits are distributed both to the sarcolemma and intracellular endosomal compartments. Global ischemia causes a loss of sarcolemmal KATP channel subunit distribution and internalization to endosomal compartments. Ischemia-induced internalization of KATP channels was prevented by CaMKII inhibition. KATP channel subcellular redistribution was also observed with immunohistochemistry. Ischemic preconditioning before the index ischemia reduced not only the infarct size but also prevented KATP channel internalization. Furthermore, not only did adenosine mimic IPC by preventing infarct size, but it also prevented ischemia-induced KATP channel internalization via a PKC-mediated pathway. We show that preventing endocytosis with dynasore reduced both KATP channel internalization and strongly mitigated infarct development. Our data demonstrate that plasticity of KATP channel surface expression must be considered as a potentially important mechanism of the protective effects of IPC and adenosine.

Synthesis of a dansyl-labeled inhibitor of 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3 for optical imaging

The steroidogenic enzyme 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3 (17β-HSD3) is a therapeutic target in the management of androgen-sensitive diseases such as prostate cancer and benign prostate hyperplasia. In this Letter, we designed and synthesized the first fluorescent inhibitor of this enzyme by combining a fluorogenic dansyl moiety to the chemical structure of a known inhibitor of 17β-HSD3. The synthesized compound 3 is a potent fluorogenic compound (λex=348 nm and λ em=498 nm). It crosses the cell membrane, keeps its fluorescent properties and is distributed inside the LNCaP cells overexpressing 17β-HSD3, where it inhibits the transformation of 4-androstene-3,17-dione into the androgen testosterone (IC50=262 nM).

Magnetic resonance imaging and cell-based neurorestorative therapy after brain injury

Restorative cell-based therapies for experimental brain injury, such as stroke and traumatic brain injury, substantially improve functional outcome. We discuss and review state of the art magnetic resonance imaging methodologies and their applications related to cell-based treatment after brain injury. We focus on the potential of magnetic resonance imaging technique and its associated challenges to obtain useful new information related to cell migration, distribution, and quantitation, as well as vascular and neuronal remodeling in response to cell-based therapy after brain injury. The noninvasive nature of imaging might more readily help with translation of cell-based therapy from the laboratory to the clinic.

Shape-dependent internalization kinetics of nanoparticles by membranes

Internalization of nanoparticles by biomembranes is critical for nanomedicine development; however, this process, especially its dynamics aspect, is still not well understood. Using coarse-grained molecular modeling combined with free energy calculations, we studied the endocytic process for spherical, prolate and oblate particles with varied aspect ratios, volumes and interaction strengths. Rich dynamic wrapping behaviors have been observed. Small ellipsoids follow a pathway that includes particle laying-down, membrane invagination and wrapping, and then disruption of the membrane neck. However, the step of particle laying-down is skipped for large ellipsoids. Because of the significantly decreased local mean curvature at the side edge (oblate ellipsoid) or tips (prolate ellipsoid), the rotation is less favorable for particles with larger volume. Given the existence of a local minimum and an energy barrier during the endocytic process presented by our free energy calculations, the oblate particle provides longer endocytic time than the corresponding prolate particle. For large particles, the free energy surfaces are smooth, with no local minimum. When we increase the interaction strength between the membrane and the particle, the endocytic process is greatly affected. Moreover, a "sandwiched structure", in which the particle lays between the two membrane layers, was observed for both prolate and oblate particles.

Endocytic recycling protein EHD1 regulates primary cilia morphogenesis and SHH signaling during neural tube development

Members of the four-member C-terminal EPS15-Homology Domain-containing (EHD) protein family play crucial roles in endocytic recycling of cell surface receptors from endosomes to the plasma membrane. In this study, we show that Ehd1 gene knockout in mice on a predominantly B6 background is embryonic lethal. Ehd1-null embryos die at mid-gestation with a failure to complete key developmental processes including neural tube closure, axial turning and patterning of the neural tube. We found that Ehd1-null embryos display short and stubby cilia on the developing neuroepithelium at embryonic day 9.5 (E9.5). Loss of EHD1 also deregulates the ciliary SHH signaling with Ehd1-null embryos displaying features indicative of increased SHH signaling, including a significant downregulation in the formation of the GLI3 repressor and increase in the ventral neuronal markers specified by SHH. Using Ehd1-null MEFS we found that EHD1 protein co-localizes with the SHH receptor Smoothened in the primary cilia upon ligand stimulation. Under the same conditions, EHD1 was shown to co-traffic with Smoothened into the developing primary cilia and we identify EHD1 as a direct binding partner of Smoothened. Overall, our studies identify the endocytic recycling regulator EHD1 as a novel regulator of the primary cilium-associated trafficking of Smoothened and Hedgehog signaling.

Selective Imaging of Late Endosomes with a pH-Sensitive Diazaoxatriangulene Fluorescent Probe

Late endosomes are a major trafficking hub in the cell at the crossroads between endocytosis, autophagy, and degradation in lysosomes. Herein is disclosed the first small molecule allowing their selective imaging and monitoring in the form of a diazaoxatriangulene fluorophore, 1a (hexadecyl side chain). The compound is prepared in three steps from a simple carbenium precursor. In nanospheres, this pH-sensitive (pKa = 7.3), photochemically stable dye fluoresces in the red part of visible light (601 and 578 nm, acid and basic forms, respectively) with a quantum yield between 14 and 16% and an excited-state lifetime of 7.7-7.8 ns. Importantly, the protonated form 1a·H(+) provokes a specific staining of late endosome compartments (pH 5.0-5.5) after 5 h of incubation with HeLa cells. Not surprisingly, this late endosome marking depends on the intra-organelle pH, and changing the nature of the lipophilic chain provokes a loss of selectivity. Interestingly, fixation of the fluorophore is readily achieved with paraformaldehyde, giving the possibility to image both live and fixed cells.

The role of membrane curvature for the wrapping of nanoparticles

Cellular internalization of nanoparticles requires the full wrapping of the nanoparticles by the cell membrane. This wrapping process can occur spontaneously if the adhesive interactions between the nanoparticles and the membranes are sufficiently strong to compensate for the cost of membrane bending. In this article, we show that the membrane curvature prior to wrapping plays a key role for the wrapping process, besides the size and shape of the nanoparticles that have been investigated in recent years. For membrane segments that initially bulge away from nanoparticles by having a mean curvature of the same sign as the mean curvature of the particle surface, we find strongly stable partially wrapped states that can prevent full wrapping. For membrane segments that initially bulge towards the nanoparticles, in contrast, partially wrapped states can constitute a significant energetic barrier for the wrapping process.

Molecular and functional characterization of the vitellogenin receptor in oriental river prawn, Macrobrachium nipponense

A complementary DNA (cDNA) that encodes the vitellogenin receptor (VgR) in the oriental river prawn, Macrobrachium nipponense, was cloned using expressed sequence tag analysis and a rapid amplification of cDNA ends approach. The coding region consists of 5920 base pairs (bp) that encode a 1902 amino acid protein, with a predicted molecular mass of 209 kDa. The coding region is flanked by a 45 bp 5'-untranslated region (UTR) and a 166 bp 3'-UTR. The deduced amino acid sequence of the M. nipponense VgR cDNA had typically conserved domains, such as an extracellular, lipoprotein-binding domain, epidermal growth factor-like and O-glycosylation domains, a transmembrane domain and a short C-terminal, cytosolic tail. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) indicated that Mn-VgR is highly expressed in the female ovary. Expression analysis by qPCR demonstrated the larval and ovarian developmental stage-specific expression pattern. As the ovaries developed, the expression level of Mn-VgR gradually increased during the reproductive cycle (stage I), to reach a peak in stage III. Levels then dropped as a new development cycle was entered after reproduction molting. Eyestalk ablation led to a significant increase in the expression of Mn-VgR during the ovarian development stages (P<0.05), when compared with the eyestalk-intact group. The investigation revealed that eyestalk ablation initially affected Mn-VgR expression and then influenced vitellogenesis. In adult females, VgR RNA interference (RNAi) dramatically delayed the maturation of the ovary, in accordance with the gonad somatic index. In addition, Mn-VgR RNAi led to vitellin depletion in the oocytes and the accumulation of vitellin in the hepatopancreas.

Polymeric Nanoparticles for Cancer Photodynamic Therapy

In chemotherapy a fine balance between therapeutic and toxic effects needs to be found for each patient, adapting standard combination protocols each time. Nanotherapeutics has been introduced into clinical practice for treating tumors with the aim of improving the therapeutic outcome of conventional therapies and of alleviating their toxicity and overcoming multidrug resistance. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a clinically approved, minimally invasive procedure emerging in cancer treatment. It involves the administration of a photosensitizer (PS) which, under light irradiation and in the presence of molecular oxygen, produces cytotoxic species. Unfortunately, most PSs lack specificity for tumor cells and are poorly soluble in aqueous media, where they can form aggregates with low photoactivity. Nanotechnological approaches in PDT (nanoPDT) can offer a valid option to deliver PSs in the body and to solve at least some of these issues. Currently, polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) are emerging as nanoPDT system because their features (size, surface properties, and release rate) can be readily manipulated by selecting appropriate materials in a vast range of possible candidates commercially available and by synthesizing novel tailor-made materials. Delivery of PSs through NPs offers a great opportunity to overcome PDT drawbacks based on the concept that a nanocarrier can drive therapeutic concentrations of PS to the tumor cells without generating any harmful effect in non-target tissues. Furthermore, carriers for nanoPDT can surmount solubility issues and the tendency of PS to aggregate, which can severely affect photophysical, chemical, and biological properties. Finally, multimodal NPs carrying different drugs/bioactive species with complementary mechanisms of cancer cell killing and incorporating an imaging agent can be developed. In the following, we describe the principles of PDT use in cancer and the pillars of rational design of nanoPDT carriers dictated by tumor and PS features. Then we illustrate the main nanoPDT systems demonstrating potential in preclinical models together with emerging concepts for their advanced design.

Bispecific Antibody Conjugated Manganese-Based Magnetic Engineered Iron Oxide for Imaging of HER2/neu- and EGFR-Expressing Tumors

The overexpression of HER2/neu and EGFR receptors plays important roles in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Targeting these two receptors simultaneously can have a more widespread application in early diagnosis of cancers. In this study, a new multifunctional nanoparticles (MnMEIO-CyTE777-(Bis)-mPEG NPs) comprising a manganese-doped iron oxide nanoparticle core (MnMEIO), a silane-amino functionalized poly(ethylene glycol) copolymer shell, a near infrared fluorescence dye (CyTE777), and a covalently conjugated anti-HER2/neu and anti-EGFR receptors bispecific antibody (Bis) were successfully developed. In vitro T2-weighted MR imaging studies in SKBR-3 and A431 tumor cells incubated with MnMEIO-CyTE777-(Bis)-mPEG NPs showed - 94.8 ± 3.8 and - 84.1 ± 2.8% negative contrast enhancement, respectively. Pharmacokinetics study showed that MnMEIO-CyTE777-(Bis)-mPEG NPs were eliminated from serum with the half-life of 21.3 mins. In vivo MR imaging showed that MnMEIO-CyTE777-(Bis)-mPEG NPs could specifically and effectively target to HER2/neu- and EGFR-expressing tumors in mice; the relative contrast enhancements were 11.8 (at 2 hrs post-injection) and 61.5 (at 24 hrs post-injection) fold higher in SKBR-3 tumors as compared to Colo-205 tumors. T2-weighted MR and optical imaging studies revealed that the new contrast agent (MnMEIO-CyTE777-(Bis)-mPEG NPs) could specifically and effectively target to HER2/neu- and/or EGFR-expressing tumors. Our results demonstrate that MnMEIO-CyTE777-(Bis)-mPEG NPs are able to recognize the tumors expressing both HER2/neu and/or EGFR, and may provide a novel molecular imaging tool for early diagnosis of cancers expressing HER2/neu and/or EGFR.

Cellular processing and destinies of artificial DNA nanostructures

This review gives a panoramic view of the many DNA nanotechnology applications in cells, mechanistic understanding of how and where their interactions occur and their subsequent outcomes.

Elucidating the cellular uptake mechanism of aptamer-functionalized graphene-isolated-Au-nanocrystals with dual-modal imaging

Aptamers significantly changed the nanocrystal cellular endocytosis pathway with graphene-isolated-Au-nanocrystals as the Raman and two-photon luminescence dual-modal imaging probe.

New biocompatible polymeric micelles designed for efficient intracellular uptake and delivery

New amphiphilic block copolymers are easily synthesised by post-polymerisation modifications of poly(glycidyl methacrylate) chain derivatives. The obtained material, upon dispersion in water, is capable of self-assembling into robust micelles. These nanoparticles, which are also characterised by adaptable stability, were loaded with different thiophene based fluorophores. The photoluminescent micelles were administered to cultured cells revealing a high and rapid internalisation of structurally different fluorescent molecules by the same internalisation pathway. Appropriate pairs of chromophores were selected and loaded into the micelles to induce Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET). The disappearing of the FRET phenomenon, after cell uptaking, demonstrated the intracellular release of the nanoparticle contents. The studied nanomaterial and the loaded chromophores have also shown to be biocompatible and non toxic towards the tested cells.

Designing polymers with sugar-based advantages for bioactive delivery applications

Sugar-based polymers have been extensively explored as a means to increase drug delivery systems' biocompatibility and biodegradation. Here,we review he use of sugar-based polymers for drug delivery applications, with a particular focus on the utility of the sugar component(s) to provide benefits for drug targeting and stimuli responsive systems. Specifically, numerous synthetic methods have been developed to reliably modify naturally-occurring polysaccharides, conjugate sugar moieties to synthetic polymer scaffolds to generate glycopolymers, and utilize sugars as a multifunctional building block to develop sugar-linked polymers. The design of sugar-based polymer systems has tremendous implications on both the physiological and biological properties imparted by the saccharide units and are unique from synthetic polymers. These features include the ability of glycopolymers to preferentially target various cell types and tissues through receptor interactions, exhibit bioadhesion for prolonged residence time, and be rapidly recognized and internalized by cancer cells. Also discussed are the distinct stimuli-sensitive properties of saccharide-modified polymers to mediate drug release under desired conditions. Saccharide-based systems with inherent pH- and temperature-sensitive properties, as well as enzyme-cleavable polysaccharides for targeted bioactive delivery, are covered. Overall, this work emphasizes inherent benefits of sugar-containing polymer systems for bioactive delivery.

Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 mediates α1-antitrypsin internalization in CD4+ T lymphocytes

In α1-antitrypsin-deficient HIV patients, an accelerated decline of CD4(+) T cell numbers is observed, suggesting that α1-antitrypsin is a potential endogenous HIV inhibitor. In infected T lymphocytes, α1-antitrypsin potently blocks NF-κB activation and HIV-1 replication by directly interacting with IκBα in the cytosol, thereby altering its ubiquitination pattern. However, the mechanism of α1-antitrypsin entry into the cytosol, where IκBα locates, remains unclear. In the present study, we investigated the mechanism of α1-antitrypsin internalization in CD4(+) T cells. Thus, primary CD4(+) T cells were infected with HIV-1 and then incubated with α1-antitrypsin to detect its internalization. We found that CD4(+) T cells internalized α1-antitrypsin through a clathrin-dependent endocytosis process. Next, intracellular α1-antitrypsin exerted the inhibitory effect on NF-κB activation and HIV-1 replication. On primary CD4(+) T cells, α1-antitrypsin interacted with low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 to initiate the internalization. Inside CD4(+) T lymphocytes, α1-antitrypsin was transported from the endosome to the lysosome and then released into the cytosol, where it is possible for α1-antitrypsin to directly interact with IκBα. These results together suggest that α1-antitrypsin internalization is a clathrin-dependent and low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1-mediated endocytosis process. Internalized α1-antitrypsin is transported through the endosome-lysosome-cytosol routine to interact with cytosolic IκBα and block NF-κB activation and HIV-1 replication.

Glucose Modulation Induces Lysosome Formation and Increases Lysosomotropic Drug Sequestration via the P-Glycoprotein Drug Transporter

Pgp is functional on the plasma membrane and lysosomal membrane. Lysosomal-Pgp can pump substrates into the organelle, thereby trapping certain chemotherapeutics (e.g. doxorubicin; DOX). This mechanism serves as a "safe house" to protect cells against cytotoxic drugs. Interestingly, in contrast to DOX, lysosomal sequestration of the novel anti-tumor agent and P-glycoprotein (Pgp) substrate, di-2-pyridylketone-4,4-dimethyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (Dp44mT), induces lysosomal membrane permeabilization. This mechanism of lysosomal-Pgp utilization enhances cytotoxicity to multidrug-resistant cells. Consequently, Dp44mT has greater anti-tumor activity in drug-resistant relative to non-Pgp-expressing tumors. Interestingly, stressors in the tumor microenvironment trigger endocytosis for cell signaling to assist cell survival. Hence, this investigation examined how glucose variation-induced stress regulated early endosome and lysosome formation via endocytosis of the plasma membrane. Furthermore, the impact of glucose variation-induced stress on resistance to DOX was compared with Dp44mT and its structurally related analogue, di-2-pyridylketone 4-cyclohexyl-4-methyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (DpC). These studies showed that glucose variation-induced stress-stimulated formation of early endosomes and lysosomes. In fact, through the process of fluid-phase endocytosis, Pgp was redistributed from the plasma membrane to the lysosomal membrane via early endosome formation. This lysosomal-Pgp actively transported the Pgp substrate, DOX, into the lysosome where it became trapped as a result of protonation at pH 5. Due to increased lysosomal DOX trapping, Pgp-expressing cells became more resistant to DOX. In contrast, cytotoxicity of Dp44mT and DpC was potentiated due to more lysosomes containing functional Pgp under glucose-induced stress. These thiosemicarbazones increased lysosomal membrane permeabilization and cell death. This mechanism has critical implications for drug-targeting in multidrug-resistant tumors where a stressful micro-environment exists.

Immunoevasion and immunosuppression of the macrophage by Mycobacterium tuberculosis

By virtue of their position at the crossroads between the innate and adaptive immune response, macrophages play an essential role in the control of bacterial infections. Paradoxically, macrophages serve as the natural habitat to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Mtb subverts the macrophage's mechanisms of intracellular killing and antigen presentation, leading ultimately to the development of tuberculosis (TB) disease. Here, we describe mechanisms of Mtb uptake by the macrophage and address key macrophage functions that are targeted by Mtb-specific effector molecules enabling this pathogen to circumvent host immune response. The macrophage functions described in this review include fusion between phagosomes and lysosomes, production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, antigen presentation and major histocompatibility complex class II expression and trafficking, as well as autophagy and apoptosis. All these are Mtb-targeted key cellular pathways, normally working in concert in the macrophage to recognize, respond, and activate 'proper' immune responses. We further analyze and discuss major molecular interactions between Mtb virulence factors and key macrophage proteins and provide implications for vaccine and drug development.

New progress and prospects: The application of nanogel in drug delivery

Nanogel has attracted considerable attention as one of the most versatile drug delivery systems especially for site-specific and/or time-controlled delivery of bioactive agents owing to their combining features of hydrogel and nanoparticle. Physically synthesized nanogels can offer a platform to encapsulate various types of bioactive compounds, particularly hydrophobic drugs and biomacromolecules, but they have poor mechanical stability, whereas nanogels prepared by chemical cross-link have a wider application and larger flexibility. As an ideal drug-delivery carrier, nanogel has excellent drug loading capacity, high stability, biologic consistence and response to a wide variety of environmental stimuli. Nowadays, targeting and response especially multi-response of the nanogel system for drug delivery have become an issue in research. And the application study of nanogels mainly focuses on antitumor agents and proteins. This review focuses on the formation of nanogels (physical and chemical cross-linking) and their release behavior. Recent application of nanogels is also discussed.

Influenza Virus Induces Cholesterol-Enriched Endocytic Recycling Compartments for Budozone Formation via Cell Cycle-Independent Centrosome Maturation

Influenza virus particles are assembled at the plasma membrane in concert with incorporation of the virus genome, but the details of its spatio-temporal regulation are not understood. Here we showed that influenza virus infection induces the assembly of pericentrosomal endocytic recycling compartment (ERC) through the activation of Rab11a GTPase and cell cycle-independent maturation of centrosome by YB-1, a multifunctional protein that is involved in mitotic division, RNA metabolism and tumorigenesis. YB-1 is recruited to the centrosome in infected cells and is required for anchoring microtubules to the centrosome. We also found that viral infection accumulates cholesterol in ERC and is dependent on YB-1. Depletion of YB-1 shows reduced cholesterol-enriched ERC and prevented budozone formation at the plasma membrane. These results suggest that cholesterol in recycling endosomes, which are emanated from ERC, may trigger the virus assembly concomitantly with the packaging of the virus genome. We propose that the virus genome is transported to the plasma membrane by cholesterol-enriched recycling endosomes through cell cycle-independent activation of the centrosome by YB-1.

Influenza virus particles are assembled at the plasma membrane in concert with incorporation of the virus genome, but the details of its spatiotemporal regulation are unknown. We found that the virus genome is transported to the plasma membrane using cholesterol-enriched recycling endosomes through cell cycle-independent activation of the centrosome by recruiting YB-1, which is a mitotic centrosomal protein. We also revealed that the cholesterol-enriched endosomes are important for clustering of viral structural proteins at lipid rafts to assemble the virus particles. These results suggest that local accumulation of cholesterol, via fusion of endosomes to the plasma membrane, is one of the triggers for the virus assembly concomitantly with arrival of the virus genome beneath the plasma membrane.

A narrow-bandgap benzobisthiadiazole derivative with high near-infrared photothermal conversion efficiency and robust photostability for cancer therapy

Photothermal therapy has emerged as a promising tool for treatment of diseases such as cancers. Previous photothermal agents have been largely limited to inorganic nanomaterials and conductive polymers that are barely biodegradable, thus raising issues of long-term toxicity for clinical applications. Here we report a new photothermal agent based on colloidal nanoparticles formed by a small-molecular dye, benzo[1,2-c;4,5-c']bis[1,2,5]thiadiazole-4,7-bis(5-(2-ethylhexyl)thiophene). These nanoparticles showed strong near-infrared absorption, robust photostability and high therapeutic efficiency for photothermal treatment of cancer cells.

Mechanism Matters: A Taxonomy of Cell Penetrating Peptides

The permeability barrier imposed by cellular membranes limits the access of exogenous compounds to the interior of cells. Researchers and patients alike would benefit from efficient methods for intracellular delivery of a wide range of membrane-impermeant molecules, including biochemically active small molecules, imaging agents, peptides, peptide nucleic acids, proteins, RNA, DNA, and nanoparticles. There has been a sustained effort to exploit cell penetrating peptides (CPPs) for the delivery of such useful cargoes in vitro and in vivo because of their biocompatibility, ease of synthesis, and controllable physical chemistry. Here, we discuss the many mechanisms by which CPPs can function, and describe a taxonomy of mechanisms that could be help organize future efforts in the field.

Membrane Mechanics of Endocytosis in Cells with Turgor

Endocytosis is an essential process by which cells internalize a piece of plasma membrane and material from the outside. In cells with turgor, pressure opposes membrane deformations, and increases the amount of force that has to be generated by the endocytic machinery. To determine this force, and calculate the shape of the membrane, we used physical theory to model an elastic surface under pressure. Accurate fits of experimental profiles are obtained assuming that the coated membrane is highly rigid and preferentially curved at the endocytic site. The forces required from the actin machinery peaks at the onset of deformation, indicating that once invagination has been initiated, endocytosis is unlikely to stall before completion. Coat proteins do not lower the initiation force but may affect the process by the curvature they induce. In the presence of isotropic curvature inducers, pulling the tip of the invagination can trigger the formation of a neck at the base of the invagination. Hence direct neck constriction by actin may not be required, while its pulling role is essential. Finally, the theory shows that anisotropic curvature effectors stabilize membrane invaginations, and the loss of crescent-shaped BAR domain proteins such as Rvs167 could therefore trigger membrane scission.

Cells use endocytosis to intake molecules and to recycle components of their membrane. Even in its simplest form, endocytosis involves a large number of proteins with often redundant functions that are organized into a microscopic force-producing “machine”. Knowing how much force is needed to induce a membrane invagination is essential to understand how this endocytic machine may operate. We show that experimental membrane shapes are well described theoretically by a thin sheet elastic model including a difference of pressure across the membrane due to turgor. This allows us to integrate the different contributions that shape the membrane, and to compute the forces opposing membrane deformation. This calculation provides an estimate of the pulling force that must be generated by the actin machinery in yeast. We also identify a membrane instability that could lead to vesicle budding.

Targeted delivery of doxorubicin to mitochondria using mesoporous silica nanoparticle nanocarriers

A lot of investigations have been conducted using mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs) functionalized with different targeting ligands in order to deliver various hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs to targeted cancer cells. However, the utilization of MSNPs to deliver drug molecules to targeted subcellular organelles has been rarely reported. In this work, we applied targeting ligand-conjugated MSNPs with an average diameter of 80 nm to deliver the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) to mitochondria. Triphenoylphosphonium (TPP) was functionalized on MSNPs as a mitochondria targeting ligand. Mitochondria targeting efficiency was demonstrated in HeLa cells by a co-localization study of mitochondria and functionalized MSNPs as well as by fluorescence analysis in isolated mitochondria. In addition, enhanced cancer cell killing efficacy was achieved when using DOX-loaded and TPP-functionalized MSNPs for mitochondria-targeted delivery. Lowered adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential were observed, demonstrating the mitochondria dysfunction caused by delivered DOX. The positive results indicate promising application potential of MSNPs in targeted subcellular drug delivery.

Effect of lipopolysaccharide on angiotensin II type 1 receptor expression and function in human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells

Lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) are an important initiation factor in acute respiratory distress syndrome. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of LPSs on the regulation of angiotensin II (Ang II) receptors in human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMECs). HPMECs were treated with 0, 50, 100 or 200 ng/ml LPS and incubated for 4, 8, 12 or 16 h. The expression of Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1R) and Ang II type 2 receptor (AT2R) was determined using reverse transcription‑polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. The affinity to Ang II was measured using a radioligand binding assay. No AT2R expression was detected with or without LPS administration in HPMECs, and LPS treatment increased the expression level of AT1R. A time‑dependent increase of AT1R transcription was observed in the 50 ng/ml group, while in the 100 and 200 ng/ml groups, the AT1R mRNA levels reached peak values at 4 h and remained unchanged. The protein level of AT1R increased significantly in a dose‑dependent manner for each incubation time period. A time‑dependent increase in the protein level was observed in the 50 and 100 ng/ml groups. As for the 200 ng/ml group, the level of AT1R reached a peak value at 8 h. Maximal binding (Bmax) significantly increased following LPS treatment and Bmax of the 50 ng/ml group exhibited a time‑dependent increase. The Bmax of the 100 and 200 ng/ml groups reached peak values at 12 and 8 h, respectively, and decreased thereafter. The dissociation constant remained unchanged following LPS treatment. Thus, treatment with LPS increased AT1R expression and its Bmax to Ang II in HPMECs, however, did not alter the affinity of AT1R to Ang II.