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Wang S, Shcherbii MV, Hirvonen SP, Silvennoinen G, Sarparanta M, Santos HA. Quantitative analysis of electroporation-mediated intracellular delivery via bioorthogonal luminescent reaction. Commun Chem 2024; 7:181. [PMID: 39147836 PMCID: PMC11327378 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-024-01266-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Efficient intracellular delivery is crucial for biotherapeutics, such as proteins, oligonucleotides, and CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing systems, to achieve their efficacy. Despite the great efforts of developing new intracellular delivery carriers, the lack of straightforward methods for intracellular delivery quantification limits further development in this area. Herein, we designed a simple and versatile bioorthogonal luminescent reaction (BioLure assay) to analyze intracellular delivery. Our results suggest that BioLure can be used to estimate the amount of intracellularly delivered molecules after electroporation, and the estimation by BioLure is in good correlation with the results from complementary methods. Furthermore, we used BioLure assay to correlate the intracellularly-delivered RNase A amount with its tumoricidal activity. Overall, BioLure is a versatile tool for understanding the intracellular delivery process on live cells, and establishing the link between the cytosolic concentration of intracellularly-delivered biotherapeutics and their therapeutic efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiqi Wang
- Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Mariia V Shcherbii
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sami-Pekka Hirvonen
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Gudrun Silvennoinen
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mirkka Sarparanta
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hélder A Santos
- Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Biomaterials and Biomedical Technology, The Personalized Medicine Research Institute (PRECISION), University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713, AV, Groningen, The Netherlands
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2
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Batistatou N, Kritzer JA. Recent advances in methods for quantifying the cell penetration of macromolecules. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2024; 81:102501. [PMID: 39024686 PMCID: PMC11323051 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2024.102501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
As the landscape of macromolecule therapeutics advances, drug developers are continuing to aim at intracellular targets. To activate, inhibit, or degrade these targets, the macromolecule must be delivered efficiently to intracellular compartments. Quite often, there is a discrepancy between binding affinity in biochemical assays and activity in cell-based assays. Identifying the bottleneck for cell-based activity requires robust assays that quantify total cellular uptake and/or cytosolic delivery. Recognizing this need, chemical biologists have designed a plethora of assays to make this measurement, each with distinct advantages and disadvantages. In this review, we describe the latest and most promising developments in the last 3 to 4 years.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joshua A Kritzer
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford MA 02155, USA.
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3
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Illien F, Bánóczi Z, Sagan S. A Quantitative Method to Distinguish Cytosolic from Endosome-Trapped Cell-Penetrating Peptides. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202400198. [PMID: 38589287 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202400198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2024] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Cell-penetrating peptides are known to penetrate cells through endocytosis and translocation. The two pathways are hardly distinguished in current cell assays. We developed a reliable, simple and robust method to distinguish and quantify independently the two routes. The assay requires (DABCYL) 4-(dimethylaminoazo)benzene-4-carboxylic acid- and (CF) carboxyfluorescein-labeled peptides. When the labeled peptide is intact, the fluorescence signal is weak thanks to the dark quenching property of DABCYL. A 10-fold higher fluorescence signal is measured when the labeled peptide is degraded. By referring to a standard fluorescent curve according to the concentration of the hydrolyzed peptide, we have access to the internalized peptide quantity. Therefore, cell lysis after internalization permits to determine the total quantity of intracellular peptide. The molecular state of the internalized peptide (intact or degraded), depends on its location in cells (cytosol vs endo-lysosomes), and can be blocked by boiling cells. This boiling step results indeed in denaturation and inhibition of the cellular enzymes. The advantage of this method is the possibility to quantify translocation at 37 °C and to compare it to the 4 °C condition, where all endocytosis processes are inhibited. We found that ranking of the translocation efficacy is DABCYL-R6-(ϵCF)K≫DABCYL-R4-(ϵCF)K≥CF-R9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Françoise Illien
- Sorbonne Université, École normale supérieure, PSL University, CNRS, Laboratoire des Biomolécules, LBM, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Zoltán Bánóczi
- ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary, Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Pázmány Péter sétány. 1/A, Budapest H-1117, Hungary, HUN-REN-ELTE Research Group of Peptide Chemistry, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Sandrine Sagan
- Sorbonne Université, École normale supérieure, PSL University, CNRS, Laboratoire des Biomolécules, LBM, 75005, Paris, France
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4
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Batistatou N, Kritzer JA. Comparing Cell Penetration of Biotherapeutics across Human Cell Lines. ACS Chem Biol 2024; 19:1351-1365. [PMID: 38836425 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.4c00211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
A major obstacle in biotherapeutics development is maximizing cell penetration. Ideally, assays would allow for optimization of cell penetration in the cell type of interest early in the drug development process. However, few assays exist to compare cell penetration across different cell types independent of drug function. In this work, we applied the chloroalkane penetration assay (CAPA) in seven mammalian cell lines as well as primary cells. Careful controls were used to ensure that data could be compared across cell lines. We compared the nuclear penetration of several peptides and drug-like oligonucleotides and saw significant differences among the cell lines. To help explain these differences, we quantified the relative activities of endocytosis pathways in these cell lines and correlated them with the penetration data. Based on these results, we knocked down clathrin in a cell line with an efficient permeability profile and observed reduced penetration of peptides but not oligonucleotides. Finally, we used small-molecule endosomal escape enhancers and observed enhancement of cell penetration of some oligonucleotides, but only in some of the cell lines tested. CAPA data provide valuable points of comparison among different cell lines, including primary cells, for evaluating the cell penetration of various classes of peptides and oligonucleotides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nefeli Batistatou
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Joshua A Kritzer
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
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5
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Mehta MJ, Kim HJ, Lim SB, Naito M, Miyata K. Recent Progress in the Endosomal Escape Mechanism and Chemical Structures of Polycations for Nucleic Acid Delivery. Macromol Biosci 2024; 24:e2300366. [PMID: 38226723 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202300366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Nucleic acid-based therapies are seeing a spiralling surge. Stimuli-responsive polymers, especially pH-responsive ones, are gaining widespread attention because of their ability to efficiently deliver nucleic acids. These polymers can be synthesized and modified according to target requirements, such as delivery sites and the nature of nucleic acids. In this regard, the endosomal escape mechanism of polymer-nucleic acid complexes (polyplexes) remains a topic of considerable interest owing to various plausible escape mechanisms. This review describes current progress in the endosomal escape mechanism of polyplexes and state-of-the-art chemical designs for pH-responsive polymers. The importance is also discussed of the acid dissociation constant (i.e., pKa) in designing the new generation of pH-responsive polymers, along with assays to monitor and quantify the endosomal escape behavior. Further, the use of machine learning is addressed in pKa prediction and polymer design to find novel chemical structures for pH responsiveness. This review will facilitate the design of new pH-responsive polymers for advanced and efficient nucleic acid delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohit J Mehta
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon, 22212, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Jin Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon, 22212, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon, 22212, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Been Lim
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon, 22212, Republic of Korea
| | - Mitsuru Naito
- Department of Materials Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
| | - Kanjiro Miyata
- Department of Materials Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
- Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
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6
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Becker L, Plückthun A. DARPins bind their cytosolic targets after having been translocated through the protective antigen pore of anthrax toxin. Sci Rep 2023; 13:8048. [PMID: 37198284 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34647-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Intracellular protein-protein interactions in aberrant signaling pathways have emerged as a prime target in several diseases, particularly cancer. Since many protein-protein interactions are mediated by rather flat surfaces, they can typically not be interrupted by small molecules as they require cavities for binding. Therefore, protein drugs might be developed to compete with undesired interactions. However, proteins in general are not able to translocate from the extracellular side to the cytosolic target site by themselves, and thus an efficient protein translocation system, ideally combining efficient translocation with receptor specificity, is in high demand. Anthrax toxin, the tripartite holotoxin of Bacillus anthracis, is one of the best studied bacterial protein toxins and has proven to be a suitable candidate for cell-specific translocation of cargoes in vitro and in vivo. Our group recently developed a retargeted protective antigen (PA) variant fused to different Designed Ankyrin Repeat Proteins (DARPins) to achieve receptor specificity, and we incorporated a receptor domain to stabilize the prepore and prevent cell lysis. This strategy had been shown to deliver high amounts of cargo DARPins fused behind the N-terminal 254 amino acids of Lethal Factor (LFN). Here, we established a cytosolic binding assay, demonstrating the ability of DARPins to refold in the cytosol and bind their target after been translocated by PA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Becker
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstr. 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Plückthun
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstr. 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
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7
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Hadjerci J, Billet A, Kessler P, Mourier G, Ghazarian M, Gonzalez A, Wunder C, Mabrouk N, Tartour E, Servent D, Johannes L. Engineered Synthetic STxB for Enhanced Cytosolic Delivery. Cells 2023; 12:cells12091291. [PMID: 37174690 PMCID: PMC10177378 DOI: 10.3390/cells12091291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Many molecular targets for cancer therapy are located in the cytosol. Therapeutic macromolecules are generally not able to spontaneously translocate across membranes to reach these cytosolic targets. Therefore a strong need exists for tools that enhance cytosolic delivery. Shiga toxin B-subunit (STxB) is used to deliver therapeutic principles to disease-relevant cells that express its receptor, the glycolipid Gb3. Based on its naturally existing membrane translocation capacity, STxB delivers antigens to the cytosol of Gb3-positive dendritic cells, leading to the induction of CD8+ T cells. Here, we have explored the possibility of further increasing the membrane translocation of STxB to enable other therapeutic applications. For this, our capacity to synthesize STxB chemically was exploited to introduce unnatural amino acids at different positions of the protein. These were then functionalized with hydrophobic entities to locally destabilize endosomal membranes. Intracellular trafficking of these functionalized STxB was measured by confocal microscopy and their cytosolic arrival with a recently developed highly robust, sensitive, and quantitative translocation assay. From different types of hydrophobic moieties that were linked to STxB, the most efficient configuration was determined. STxB translocation was increased by a factor of 2.5, paving the path for new biomedical opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine Hadjerci
- Cellular and Chemical Biology Unit, Institut Curie, Université PSL, U1143 INSERM, UMR3666 CNRS, 26 Rue d'Ulm, CEDEX 05, 75248 Paris, France
| | - Anne Billet
- Cellular and Chemical Biology Unit, Institut Curie, Université PSL, U1143 INSERM, UMR3666 CNRS, 26 Rue d'Ulm, CEDEX 05, 75248 Paris, France
- Université de Paris, 85 Boulevard Saint-Germain, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Pascal Kessler
- DMTS/SIMoS, CEA, Université Paris Saclay, 91191 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Gilles Mourier
- DMTS/SIMoS, CEA, Université Paris Saclay, 91191 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Marine Ghazarian
- DMTS/SIMoS, CEA, Université Paris Saclay, 91191 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Anthony Gonzalez
- DMTS/SIMoS, CEA, Université Paris Saclay, 91191 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Christian Wunder
- Cellular and Chemical Biology Unit, Institut Curie, Université PSL, U1143 INSERM, UMR3666 CNRS, 26 Rue d'Ulm, CEDEX 05, 75248 Paris, France
| | | | - Eric Tartour
- PARCC, INSERM, Université Paris Cité, 75015 Paris, France
- Department of Immunology, Hôpital Européen Georges-Pompidou, AP-HP, CEDEX 15, 75908 Paris, France
| | - Denis Servent
- DMTS/SIMoS, CEA, Université Paris Saclay, 91191 Gif sur Yvette, France
| | - Ludger Johannes
- Cellular and Chemical Biology Unit, Institut Curie, Université PSL, U1143 INSERM, UMR3666 CNRS, 26 Rue d'Ulm, CEDEX 05, 75248 Paris, France
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8
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Targeting the Inside of Cells with Biologicals: Toxin Routes in a Therapeutic Context. BioDrugs 2023; 37:181-203. [PMID: 36729328 PMCID: PMC9893211 DOI: 10.1007/s40259-023-00580-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Numerous toxins translocate to the cytosol in order to fulfil their function. This demonstrates the existence of routes for proteins from the extracellular space to the cytosol. Understanding these routes is relevant to multiple aspects related to therapeutic applications. These include the development of anti-toxin treatments, the potential use of toxins as shuttles for delivering macromolecular cargo to the cytosol or the use of drugs based on toxins. Compared with other strategies for delivery, such as chemicals as carriers for macromolecular delivery or physical methods like electroporation, toxin routes present paths into the cell that potentially cause less damage and can be specifically targeted. The efficiency of delivery via toxin routes is limited. However, low-delivery efficiencies can be entirely sufficient, if delivered cargoes possess an amplification effect or if very few molecules are sufficient for inducing the desired effects. This is known for example from RNA-based vaccines that have been developed during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic as well as for other approved RNA-based drugs, which elicited the desired effect despite their typically low delivery efficiencies. The different mechanisms by which toxins enter cells may have implications for their technological utility. We review the mechanistic principles of the translocation pathway of toxins from the extracellular space to the cytosol, the delivery efficiencies, and therapeutic strategies or applications that exploit toxin routes for intracellular delivery.
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9
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Hedlund H, Du Rietz H, Johansson JM, Eriksson HC, Zedan W, Huang L, Wallin J, Wittrup A. Single-cell quantification and dose-response of cytosolic siRNA delivery. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1075. [PMID: 36841822 PMCID: PMC9968291 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36752-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Endosomal escape and subsequent cytosolic delivery of small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapeutics is believed to be highly inefficient. Since it has not been possible to quantify cytosolic amounts of delivered siRNA at therapeutic doses, determining delivery bottlenecks and total efficiency has been difficult. Here, we present a confocal microscopy-based method to quantify cytosolic delivery of fluorescently labeled siRNA during lipid-mediated delivery. This method enables detection and quantification of sub-nanomolar cytosolic siRNA release amounts from individual release events with measures of quantitation confidence for each event. Single-cell kinetics of siRNA-mediated knockdown in cells expressing destabilized eGFP unveiled a dose-response relationship with respect to knockdown induction, depth and duration in the range from several hundred to thousands of cytosolic siRNA molecules. Accurate quantification of cytosolic siRNA, and the establishment of the intracellular dose-response relationships, will aid the development and characterization of novel delivery strategies for nucleic acid therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hampus Hedlund
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Hampus Du Rietz
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Johanna M Johansson
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Hanna C Eriksson
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Wahed Zedan
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Linfeng Huang
- Wang-Cai Biochemistry Lab, Division of Natural and Applied Sciences, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jonas Wallin
- Department of Mathematical Statistics, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Anders Wittrup
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. .,Skane University Hospital, Oncology, Lund, Sweden. .,Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Lund, Sweden.
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10
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Okano S, Kawaguchi Y, Kawano K, Hirose H, Imanishi M, Futaki S. Split luciferase-based estimation of cytosolic cargo concentration delivered intracellularly via attenuated cationic amphiphilic lytic peptides. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2022; 72:128875. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2022.128875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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11
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Buyanova M, Sahni A, Yang R, Sarkar A, Salim H, Pei D. Discovery of a Cyclic Cell-Penetrating Peptide with Improved Endosomal Escape and Cytosolic Delivery Efficiency. Mol Pharm 2022; 19:1378-1388. [PMID: 35405068 PMCID: PMC9175492 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.1c00924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Cyclic cell-penetrating peptide 12 (CPP12) is highly efficient for the cytosolic delivery of a variety of cargo molecules into mammalian cells in vitro and in vivo. However, its cytosolic entry efficiency is substantially reduced at lower concentrations or in the presence of serum proteins. In this study, CPP12 analogs were prepared by replacing its hydrophobic residues with amino acids of varying hydrophobicity and evaluated for cellular entry. Substitution of l-3-benzothienylalanine (Bta) for l-2-naphthylalanine (Nal) resulted in CPP12-2, which exhibits up to 3.8-fold higher cytosolic entry efficiency than CPP12, especially at low CPP concentrations; thanks to improved endosomal escape efficiency. CPP12-2 is well suited for the cytosolic delivery of highly potent cargos to achieve biological activity at low concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Buyanova
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, 100 West 18th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Ashweta Sahni
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, 100 West 18th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Rui Yang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, 100 West 18th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Amar Sarkar
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, 100 West 18th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Heba Salim
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, 100 West 18th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Dehua Pei
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, 100 West 18th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
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12
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STxB as an Antigen Delivery Tool for Mucosal Vaccination. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14030202. [PMID: 35324699 PMCID: PMC8948715 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14030202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy against cancer and infectious disease holds the promise of high efficacy with minor side effects. Mucosal vaccines to protect against tumors or infections disease agents that affect the upper airways or the lung are still lacking, however. One mucosal vaccine candidate is the B-subunit of Shiga toxin, STxB. In this review, we compare STxB to other immunotherapy vectors. STxB is a non-toxic protein that binds to a glycosylated lipid, termed globotriaosylceramide (Gb3), which is preferentially expressed by dendritic cells. We review the use of STxB for the cross-presentation of tumor or viral antigens in a MHC class I-restricted manner to induce humoral immunity against these antigens in addition to polyfunctional and persistent CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes capable of protecting against viral infection or tumor growth. Other literature will be summarized that documents a powerful induction of mucosal IgA and resident memory CD8+ T cells against mucosal tumors specifically when STxB-antigen conjugates are administered via the nasal route. It will also be pointed out how STxB-based vaccines have been shown in preclinical cancer models to synergize with other therapeutic modalities (immune checkpoint inhibitors, anti-angiogenic therapy, radiotherapy). Finally, we will discuss how molecular aspects such as low immunogenicity, cross-species conservation of Gb3 expression, and lack of toxicity contribute to the competitive positioning of STxB among the different DC targeting approaches. STxB thereby appears as an original and innovative tool for the development of mucosal vaccines in infectious diseases and cancer.
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13
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Buyanova M, Pei D. Targeting intracellular protein-protein interactions with macrocyclic peptides. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2022; 43:234-248. [PMID: 34911657 PMCID: PMC8840965 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2021.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 10/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Intracellular protein-protein interactions (PPIs) are challenging targets for traditional drug modalities. Macrocyclic peptides (MPs) prove highly effective PPI inhibitors in vitro and can be rapidly discovered against PPI targets by rational design or screening combinatorial libraries but are generally impermeable to the cell membrane. Recent advances in MP science and technology are allowing for the development of 'drug-like' MPs that potently and specifically modulate intracellular PPI targets in cell culture and animal models. In this review, we highlight recent progress in generating cell-permeable MPs that enter the mammalian cell by passive diffusion, endocytosis followed by endosomal escape, or as-yet unknown mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Buyanova
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, 484 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Dehua Pei
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, 484 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
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14
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Abstract
Biomolecules such as peptides, proteins, and nucleic acids generally cannot cross a cell membrane by passive diffusion. Nevertheless, cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs), bacterial protein toxins, certain eukaryotic proteins, viruses, and many synthetic drug delivery vehicles have been shown to enter the cytosol of eukaryotic cells with varying efficiencies. They generally enter the cell by one or more of the endocytic mechanisms and are initially localized inside the endosomes. But how they cross the endosomal membrane to reach the cytosol (i.e., endosomal escape) has been a mystery for decades, and this knowledge gap has been a major bottleneck for the development of efficient drug delivery systems. In addition, many bacterial and eukaryotic proteins are transported across the plasma membrane in their native states into the periplasmic/extracellular space through the twin-arginine translocation (TAT) and unconventional protein secretion (UPS) systems, respectively. Again, the mechanisms underpinning these protein export systems remain unclear.In this Account, I introduce a previously unrecognized, fundamental membrane translocation mechanism which we have termed the vesicle budding-and-collapse (VBC) mechanism. Through VBC, biomolecules of diverse sizes and physicochemical properties autonomously translocate across cell membranes topologically (i.e., from one side to the other side of the membrane) but not physically (i.e., without going through the membrane). We have demonstrated that CPPs and bacterial protein toxins escape the endosome by the VBC mechanism in giant unilamellar vesicles as well as live mammalian cells. This advance resulted from studies in which we labeled the biomolecules with a pH-sensitive, red-colored dye (pHAb) and phosphatidylserine with a pH-insensitive green dye (TopFluor) and monitored the intracellular trafficking of the biomolecules in real time by confocal microscopy. In addition, by enlarging the endosomes with a kinase inhibitor, we were able to visualize the structural changes of the endosomes (i.e., endosomal escape intermediates) as they went through the VBC process. I postulate that bacterial/viral/eukaryotic proteins, nonenveloped viruses, and synthetic drug delivery vehicles (e.g., polyplexes, lipoplexes, and lipid nanoparticles) may also escape the endosome by inducing VBC. Furthermore, I propose that VBC may be the mechanism that drives the bacterial TAT and eukaryotic UPS systems. Our findings fill a long-standing gap in cell biology and provide guiding principles for designing more efficient drug delivery vehicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dehua Pei
- Corresponding Author: To whom correspondence should be addressed: Dehua Pei. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Ohio State Biochemistry Program, The Ohio State University, 484 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States; (+1-614-688-4068, )
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15
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Lucchino M, Billet A, Bai S, Dransart E, Hadjerci J, Schmidt F, Wunder C, Johannes L. Absolute Quantification of Drug Vector Delivery to the Cytosol. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:14824-14830. [PMID: 33904231 PMCID: PMC8252025 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202102332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Macromolecular drugs inefficiently cross membranes to reach their cytosolic targets. They require drug delivery vectors to facilitate their translocation across the plasma membrane or escape from endosomes. Optimization of these vectors has however been hindered by the difficulty to accurately measure cytosolic arrival. We have developed an exceptionally sensitive and robust assay for the relative or absolute quantification of this step. The assay is based on benzylguanine and biotin modifications on a drug delivery vector of interest, which allow, respectively, for selective covalent capture in the cytosol with a SNAP-tag fusion protein and for quantification at picomolar sensitivity. The assay was validated by determining the absolute numbers of cytosolic molecules for two drug delivery vectors: the B-subunit of Shiga toxin and the cell-penetrating peptide TAT. We expect this assay to favor delivery vector optimization and the understanding of the enigmatic translocation process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Lucchino
- Cellular and Chemical Biology Unit, U1143 INSERM, UMR3666 CNRS, Institut Curie—Université PSL26 rue d'Ulm75248Paris Cedex 05France
| | - Anne Billet
- Cellular and Chemical Biology Unit, U1143 INSERM, UMR3666 CNRS, Institut Curie—Université PSL26 rue d'Ulm75248Paris Cedex 05France
- Université de Paris85 boulevard Saint-Germain75006ParisFrance
| | - Siau‐Kun Bai
- Cellular and Chemical Biology Unit, U1143 INSERM, UMR3666 CNRS, Institut Curie—Université PSL26 rue d'Ulm75248Paris Cedex 05France
| | - Estelle Dransart
- Cellular and Chemical Biology Unit, U1143 INSERM, UMR3666 CNRS, Institut Curie—Université PSL26 rue d'Ulm75248Paris Cedex 05France
| | - Justine Hadjerci
- Cellular and Chemical Biology Unit, U1143 INSERM, UMR3666 CNRS, Institut Curie—Université PSL26 rue d'Ulm75248Paris Cedex 05France
| | - Frédéric Schmidt
- Cellular and Chemical Biology Unit, U1143 INSERM, UMR3666 CNRS, Institut Curie—Université PSL26 rue d'Ulm75248Paris Cedex 05France
| | - Christian Wunder
- Cellular and Chemical Biology Unit, U1143 INSERM, UMR3666 CNRS, Institut Curie—Université PSL26 rue d'Ulm75248Paris Cedex 05France
| | - Ludger Johannes
- Cellular and Chemical Biology Unit, U1143 INSERM, UMR3666 CNRS, Institut Curie—Université PSL26 rue d'Ulm75248Paris Cedex 05France
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Johannes L. The Cellular and Chemical Biology of Endocytic Trafficking and Intracellular Delivery-The GL-Lect Hypothesis. Molecules 2021; 26:3299. [PMID: 34072622 PMCID: PMC8198588 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26113299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Lipid membranes are common to all forms of life. While being stable barriers that delimitate the cell as the fundamental organismal unit, biological membranes are highly dynamic by allowing for lateral diffusion, transbilayer passage via selective channels, and in eukaryotic cells for endocytic uptake through the formation of membrane bound vesicular or tubular carriers. Two of the most abundant fundamental fabrics of membranes-lipids and complex sugars-are produced through elaborate chains of biosynthetic enzymes, which makes it difficult to study them by conventional reverse genetics. This review illustrates how organic synthesis provides access to uncharted areas of membrane glycobiology research and its application to biomedicine. For this Special Issue on Chemical Biology Research in France, focus will be placed on synthetic approaches (i) to study endocytic functions of glycosylated proteins and lipids according to the GlycoLipid-Lectin (GL-Lect) hypothesis, notably that of Shiga toxin; (ii) to mechanistically dissect its endocytosis and intracellular trafficking with small molecule; and (iii) to devise intracellular delivery strategies for immunotherapy and tumor targeting. It will be pointed out how the chemical biologist's view on lipids, sugars, and proteins synergizes with biophysics and modeling to "look" into the membrane for atomistic scale insights on molecular rearrangements that drive the biogenesis of endocytic carriers in processes of clathrin-independent endocytosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludger Johannes
- Cellular and Chemical Biology Department, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, U1143 INSERM, UMR3666 CNRS, 26 rue d'Ulm, CEDEX 05, 75248 Paris, France
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