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Sator C, Lico C, Pannucci E, Marchetti L, Baschieri S, Warzecha H, Santi L. Plant-Produced Viral Nanoparticles as a Functionalized Catalytic Support for Metabolic Engineering. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:503. [PMID: 38498408 PMCID: PMC10893517 DOI: 10.3390/plants13040503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Substrate channeling could be very useful for plant metabolic engineering; hence, we propose that functionalized supramolecular self-assembly scaffolds can act as enzymatic hubs able to perform reactions in close contiguity. Virus nanoparticles (VNPs) offer an opportunity in this context, and we present a functionalization strategy to display different enzymes on the outer surface of three different VNPs produced in plants. Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) and Potato virus X (PVX) plant viruses were functionalized by the genetic fusion of the E-coil peptide coding sequence to their respective coat proteins genes, while the enzyme lichenase was tagged with the K-coil peptide. Immobilized E-coil VNPs were able to interact in vitro with the plant-produced functionalized lichenase, and catalysis was demonstrated by employing a lichenase assay. To prove this concept in planta, the Hepatitis B core (HBc) virus-like particles (VLPs) were similarly functionalized by genetic fusion with the E-coil sequence, while acyl-activating enzyme 1, olivetolic acid synthase, and olivetolic acid cyclase enzymes were tagged with the K-coil. The transient co-expression of the K-coil-enzymes together with E-coil-VLPs allowed the establishment of the heterologous cannabinoid precursor biosynthetic pathway. Noteworthy, a significantly higher yield of olivetolic acid glucoside was achieved when the scaffold E-coil-VLPs were employed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Sator
- Plant Biotechnology and Metabolic Engineering, Technical University of Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 4, 65287 Darmstadt, Germany
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 4, 65287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Chiara Lico
- Laboratory of Biotechnologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy; (C.L.); (S.B.)
| | - Elisa Pannucci
- Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (E.P.); (L.M.); (L.S.)
| | - Luca Marchetti
- Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (E.P.); (L.M.); (L.S.)
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy
| | - Selene Baschieri
- Laboratory of Biotechnologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy; (C.L.); (S.B.)
| | - Heribert Warzecha
- Plant Biotechnology and Metabolic Engineering, Technical University of Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 4, 65287 Darmstadt, Germany
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstrasse 4, 65287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Luca Santi
- Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (E.P.); (L.M.); (L.S.)
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2
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Marchetti L, Novelli F, Tanno B, Leonardi S, Hizam VM, Arcangeli C, Santi L, Baschieri S, Lico C, Mancuso M. Peptide-Functionalized and Drug-Loaded Tomato Bushy Stunt Virus Nanoparticles Counteract Tumor Growth in a Mouse Model of Shh-Dependent Medulloblastoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24108911. [PMID: 37240259 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108911] [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: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Sonic hedgehog medulloblastoma (SHH-MB) accounts for 25-30% of all MBs, and conventional therapy results in severe long-term side effects. New targeted therapeutic approaches are urgently needed, drawing also on the fields of nanoparticles (NPs). Among these, plant viruses are very promising, and we previously demonstrated that tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV), functionalized on the surface with CooP peptide, specifically targets MB cells. Here, we tested the hypothesis that TBSV-CooP can specifically deliver a conventional chemotherapeutic drug (i.e., doxorubicin, DOX) to MB in vivo. To this aim, a preclinical study was designed to verify, by histological and molecular methods, if multiple doses of DOX-TBSV-CooP were able to inhibit tumor progression of MB pre-neoplastic lesions, and if a single dose was able to modulate pro-apoptotic/anti-proliferative molecular signaling in full-blown MBs. Our results demonstrate that when DOX is encapsulated in TBSV-CooP, its effects on cell proliferation and cell death are similar to those obtained with a five-fold higher dose of non-encapsulated DOX, both in early and late MB stages. In conclusion, these results confirm that CooP-functionalized TBSV NPs are efficient carriers for the targeted delivery of therapeutics to brain tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Marchetti
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy
- Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - Flavia Novelli
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy
| | - Barbara Tanno
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy
| | - Simona Leonardi
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy
| | - Veronica Mohamed Hizam
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy
| | - Caterina Arcangeli
- Laboratory of Health and Environment, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy
| | - Luca Santi
- Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - Selene Baschieri
- Laboratory of Biotechnologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Lico
- Laboratory of Biotechnologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy
| | - Mariateresa Mancuso
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy
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3
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Marchetti L, Simon-Gracia L, Lico C, Mancuso M, Baschieri S, Santi L, Teesalu T. Targeting of Tomato Bushy Stunt Virus with a Genetically Fused C-End Rule Peptide. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:1428. [PMID: 37111013 PMCID: PMC10143547 DOI: 10.3390/nano13081428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Homing peptides are widely used to improve the delivery of drugs, imaging agents, and nanoparticles (NPs) to their target sites. Plant virus-based particles represent an emerging class of structurally diverse nanocarriers that are biocompatible, biodegradable, safe, and cost-effective. Similar to synthetic NPs, these particles can be loaded with imaging agents and/or drugs and functionalized with affinity ligands for targeted delivery. Here we report the development of a peptide-guided Tomato Bushy Stunt Virus (TBSV)-based nanocarrier platform for affinity targeting with the C-terminal C-end rule (CendR) peptide, RPARPAR (RPAR). Flow cytometry and confocal microscopy demonstrated that the TBSV-RPAR NPs bind specifically to and internalize in cells positive for the peptide receptor neuropilin-1 (NRP-1). TBSV-RPAR particles loaded with a widely used anticancer anthracycline, doxorubicin, showed selective cytotoxicity on NRP-1-expressing cells. Following systemic administration in mice, RPAR functionalization conferred TBSV particles the ability to accumulate in the lung tissue. Collectively, these studies show the feasibility of the CendR-targeted TBSV platform for the precision delivery of payloads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Marchetti
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy
- Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - Lorena Simon-Gracia
- Laboratory of Precision and Nanomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Ravila 14b, 50090 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Chiara Lico
- Laboratory of Biotechnologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy
| | - Mariateresa Mancuso
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy
| | - Selene Baschieri
- Laboratory of Biotechnologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy
| | - Luca Santi
- Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - Tambet Teesalu
- Laboratory of Precision and Nanomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Ravila 14b, 50090 Tartu, Estonia
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
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4
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Lico C, Tanno B, Marchetti L, Novelli F, Giardullo P, Arcangeli C, Pazzaglia S, Podda MS, Santi L, Bernini R, Baschieri S, Mancuso M. Tomato Bushy Stunt Virus Nanoparticles as a Platform for Drug Delivery to Shh-Dependent Medulloblastoma. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:10523. [PMID: 34638864 PMCID: PMC8509062 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Medulloblastoma (MB) is a primary central nervous system tumor affecting mainly young children. New strategies of drug delivery are urgent to treat MB and, in particular, the SHH-dependent subtype-the most common in infants-in whom radiotherapy is precluded due to the severe neurological side effects. Plant virus nanoparticles (NPs) represent an innovative solution for this challenge. Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) was functionally characterized as a carrier for drug targeted delivery to a murine model of Shh-MB. The TBSV NPs surface was genetically engineered with peptides for brain cancer cell targeting, and the modified particles were produced on a large scale using Nicotiana benthamiana plants. Tests on primary cultures of Shh-MB cells allowed us to define the most efficient peptides able to induce specific uptake of TBSV. Immunofluorescence and molecular dynamics simulations supported the hypothesis that the specific targeting of the NPs was mediated by the interaction of the peptides with their natural partners and reinforced by the presentation in association with the virus. In vitro experiments demonstrated that the delivery of Doxorubicin through the chimeric TBSV allowed reducing the dose of the chemotherapeutic agent necessary to induce a significant decrease in tumor cells viability. Moreover, the systemic administration of TBSV NPs in MB symptomatic mice, independently of sex, confirmed the ability of the virus to reach the tumor in a specific manner. A significant advantage in the recognition of the target appeared when TBSV NPs were functionalized with the CooP peptide. Overall, these results open new perspectives for the use of TBSV as a vehicle for the targeted delivery of chemotherapeutics to MB in order to reduce early and late toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Lico
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy;
| | - Barbara Tanno
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy; (B.T.); (L.M.); (F.N.); (P.G.); (S.P.)
| | - Luca Marchetti
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy; (B.T.); (L.M.); (F.N.); (P.G.); (S.P.)
| | - Flavia Novelli
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy; (B.T.); (L.M.); (F.N.); (P.G.); (S.P.)
| | - Paola Giardullo
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy; (B.T.); (L.M.); (F.N.); (P.G.); (S.P.)
| | - Caterina Arcangeli
- Laboratory of Health and Environment, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy; (C.A.); (M.S.P.)
| | - Simonetta Pazzaglia
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy; (B.T.); (L.M.); (F.N.); (P.G.); (S.P.)
| | - Maurizio S. Podda
- Laboratory of Health and Environment, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy; (C.A.); (M.S.P.)
| | - Luca Santi
- Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (L.S.); (R.B.)
| | - Roberta Bernini
- Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy; (L.S.); (R.B.)
| | - Selene Baschieri
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy;
| | - Mariateresa Mancuso
- Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy; (B.T.); (L.M.); (F.N.); (P.G.); (S.P.)
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5
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Zampieri R, Brozzetti A, Pericolini E, Bartoloni E, Gabrielli E, Roselletti E, Lomonosoff G, Meshcheriakova Y, Santi L, Imperatori F, Merlin M, Tinazzi E, Dotta F, Nigi L, Sebastiani G, Pezzotti M, Falorni A, Avesani L. Prevention and treatment of autoimmune diseases with plant virus nanoparticles. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaaz0295. [PMID: 32494704 PMCID: PMC7202875 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaz0295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Plant viruses are natural, self-assembling nanostructures with versatile and genetically programmable shells, making them useful in diverse applications ranging from the development of new materials to diagnostics and therapeutics. Here, we describe the design and synthesis of plant virus nanoparticles displaying peptides associated with two different autoimmune diseases. Using animal models, we show that the recombinant nanoparticles can prevent autoimmune diabetes and ameliorate rheumatoid arthritis. In both cases, this effect is based on a strictly peptide-related mechanism in which the virus nanoparticle acts both as a peptide scaffold and as an adjuvant, showing an overlapping mechanism of action. This successful preclinical testing could pave the way for the development of plant viruses for the clinical treatment of human autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Zampieri
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- Diamante srl, Strada Le Grazie, 15, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | | | - Eva Pericolini
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Dental and Morphological Sciences with interest in Transplant, Oncological and Regenerative Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Elena Bartoloni
- Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Elena Gabrielli
- Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Luca Santi
- Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences, University of La Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Francesca Imperatori
- Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences, University of La Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Matilde Merlin
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Elisa Tinazzi
- Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Francesco Dotta
- Diabetes Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Laura Nigi
- Diabetes Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
- Umberto Di Mario Foundation ONLUS, Toscana Life Sciences, Siena, Italy
| | - Guido Sebastiani
- Diabetes Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
- Umberto Di Mario Foundation ONLUS, Toscana Life Sciences, Siena, Italy
| | - Mario Pezzotti
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Alberto Falorni
- Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Linda Avesani
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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6
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Santoni M, Zampieri R, Avesani L. Plant Virus Nanoparticles for Vaccine Applications. Curr Protein Pept Sci 2020; 21:344-356. [PMID: 32048964 DOI: 10.2174/1389203721666200212100255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Revised: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
In the rapidly evolving field of nanotechnology, plant virus nanoparticles (pVNPs) are emerging as powerful tools in diverse applications ranging from biomedicine to materials science. The proteinaceous structure of plant viruses allows the capsid structure to be modified by genetic engineering and/or chemical conjugation with nanoscale precision. This means that pVNPs can be engineered to display peptides and proteins on their external surface, including immunodominant peptides derived from pathogens allowing pVNPs to be used for active immunization. In this context, pVNPs are safer than VNPs derived from mammalian viruses because there is no risk of infection or reversion to pathogenicity. Furthermore, pVNPs can be produced rapidly and inexpensively in natural host plants or heterologous production platforms. In this review, we discuss the use of pVNPs for the delivery of peptide antigens to the host immune in pre-clinical studies with the final aim of promoting systemic immunity against the corresponding pathogens. Furthermore, we described the versatility of plant viruses, with innate immunostimulatory properties, in providing a huge natural resource of carriers that can be used to develop the next generation of sustainable vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattia Santoni
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona. Strada Le Grazie, 15. 37134 Verona, Italy
| | | | - Linda Avesani
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona. Strada Le Grazie, 15. 37134 Verona, Italy
- Diamante srl. Strada Le Grazie, 15. 37134 Verona, Italy
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7
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Reconceptualizing cancer immunotherapy based on plant production systems. Future Sci OA 2017; 3:FSO217. [PMID: 28884013 PMCID: PMC5583679 DOI: 10.4155/fsoa-2017-0018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 04/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Plants can be used as inexpensive and facile production platforms for vaccines and other biopharmaceuticals. More recently, plant-based biologics have expanded to include cancer immunotherapy agents. The following review describes the current state of the art for plant-derived strategies to prevent or reduce cancers. The review discusses avenues taken to prevent infection by oncogenic viruses, solid tumors and lymphomas. Strategies including cancer vaccines, monoclonal antibodies and virus nanoparticles are described, and examples are provided. The review ends with a discussion of the implications of plant-based cancer immunotherapy for developing countries. Cancer immunotherapy has made great strides over recent years. This review describes the use of plants as production systems to produce biopharmaceuticals such as vaccines and antibodies to treat a wide variety of cancers. The use of nanoparticle technology based on plant viruses as a novel strategy to target and combat cancers is also included. The review concludes with a discussion of plant production platforms and their relevance for the generation of cheap and effective cancer immunotherapies for developing countries.
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8
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Steele JFC, Peyret H, Saunders K, Castells‐Graells R, Marsian J, Meshcheriakova Y, Lomonossoff GP. Synthetic plant virology for nanobiotechnology and nanomedicine. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. NANOMEDICINE AND NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY 2017; 9:e1447. [PMID: 28078770 PMCID: PMC5484280 DOI: 10.1002/wnan.1447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2016] [Revised: 10/12/2016] [Accepted: 11/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Nanotechnology is a rapidly expanding field seeking to utilize nano-scale structures for a wide range of applications. Biologically derived nanostructures, such as viruses and virus-like particles (VLPs), provide excellent platforms for functionalization due to their physical and chemical properties. Plant viruses, and VLPs derived from them, have been used extensively in biotechnology. They have been characterized in detail over several decades and have desirable properties including high yields, robustness, and ease of purification. Through modifications to viral surfaces, either interior or exterior, plant-virus-derived nanoparticles have been shown to support a range of functions of potential interest to medicine and nano-technology. In this review we highlight recent and influential achievements in the use of plant virus particles as vehicles for diverse functions: from delivery of anticancer compounds, to targeted bioimaging, vaccine production to nanowire formation. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2017, 9:e1447. doi: 10.1002/wnan.1447 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hadrien Peyret
- Department of Biology ChemistryJohn Innes CentreNorwichUK
| | - Keith Saunders
- Department of Biology ChemistryJohn Innes CentreNorwichUK
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9
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Lico C, Giardullo P, Mancuso M, Benvenuto E, Santi L, Baschieri S. A biodistribution study of two differently shaped plant virus nanoparticles reveals new peculiar traits. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2016; 148:431-439. [PMID: 27648774 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2016.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2016] [Revised: 09/12/2016] [Accepted: 09/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Self-assembling plant virus nanoparticles (pVNPs) have started to be explored as nanometre-sized objects for biomedical applications, such as vaccine or drug delivery and imaging. Plant VNPs may be ideal tools in terms of biocompatibility and biodegradability endowed with a wide diversity of symmetries and dimensions, easy chemical/biological engineering, and rapid production in plants. Recently, we defined that icosahedral Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) and filamentous Potato virus X (PVX) are neither toxic nor teratogenic. We report here the results of an interdisciplinary study aimed to define for the first time the biodistribution of unlabelled, unpegylated, underivatized TBSV and PVX by proved detecting antibodies. These data add new insights on the in vivo behaviour of these nano-objects and demonstrate that the pVNPs under scrutiny are each intrinsically endowed with peculiar properties foreshadowing different applications in molecular medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Lico
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Agenzia Nazionale per le Nuove Tecnologie, l'Energia e lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile (ENEA), Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Giardullo
- Department of Radiation Physics, Guglielmo Marconi University, Rome, Italy; Department of Sciences, University of Roma Tre, Rome, Italy
| | - Mariateresa Mancuso
- Laboratory of Biomedical technologies, Agenzia Nazionale per le Nuove Tecnologie, l'Energia e lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile (ENEA), Rome, Italy
| | - Eugenio Benvenuto
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Agenzia Nazionale per le Nuove Tecnologie, l'Energia e lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile (ENEA), Rome, Italy
| | - Luca Santi
- Department of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Selene Baschieri
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Agenzia Nazionale per le Nuove Tecnologie, l'Energia e lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile (ENEA), Rome, Italy.
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10
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Llauró A, Coppari E, Imperatori F, Bizzarri AR, Castón JR, Santi L, Cannistraro S, de Pablo PJ. Calcium ions modulate the mechanics of tomato bushy stunt virus. Biophys J 2015; 109:390-7. [PMID: 26200875 PMCID: PMC4621496 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2015.05.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2014] [Revised: 05/25/2015] [Accepted: 05/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Viral particles are endowed with physicochemical properties whose modulation confers certain metastability to their structures to fulfill each task of the viral cycle. Here, we investigate the effects of swelling and ion depletion on the mechanical stability of individual tomato bushy stunt virus nanoparticles (TBSV-NPs). Our experiments show that calcium ions modulate the mechanics of the capsid: the sequestration of calcium ions from the intracapsid binding sites reduces rigidity and resilience in ∼24% and 40%, respectively. Interestingly, mechanical deformations performed on native TBSV-NPs induce an analogous result. In addition, TBSV-NPs do not show capsomeric vacancies after surpassing the elastic limit. We hypothesize that even though there are breakages among neighboring capsomers, RNA-capsid protein interaction prevents the release of capsid subunits. This work shows the mechanical role of calcium ions in viral shell stability and identifies TBSV-NPs as malleable platforms based on protein cages for cargo transportation at the nanoscale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aida Llauró
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics and Condensed Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid,. Madrid, Spain
| | - Emilia Coppari
- Biophysics and Nanoscience Centre, DEB, Università della Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Francesca Imperatori
- Department of Agriculture, Forests, Nature and Energy (DAFNE), Università della Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Anna R Bizzarri
- Biophysics and Nanoscience Centre, DEB, Università della Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - José R Castón
- Department of Macromolecular Structure, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología/CSIC, Madrid Spain
| | - Luca Santi
- Department of Agriculture, Forests, Nature and Energy (DAFNE), Università della Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | | | - Pedro J de Pablo
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics and Condensed Matter Physics Center (IFIMAC), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid,. Madrid, Spain.
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Blandino A, Lico C, Baschieri S, Barberini L, Cirotto C, Blasi P, Santi L. In vitro and in vivo toxicity evaluation of plant virus nanocarriers. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2015; 129:130-6. [PMID: 25847457 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2015.03.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2014] [Revised: 03/15/2015] [Accepted: 03/16/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The use of biological self-assembling materials, plant virus nanoparticles in particular, appears very intriguing as it allows a great choice of symmetries and dimensions, easy chemical and biological engineering of both surface and/or internal cavity as well as safe and rapid production in plants. In this perspective, we present an initial evaluation of the safety profile of two structurally different plant viruses produced in Nicotiana benthamiana L. plants: the filamentous Potato virus X and the icosahedral Tomato bushy stunt virus. In vitro haemolysis assay was used to test the cytotoxic effects, which could arise by pVNPs interaction with cellular membranes, while early embryo assay was used to evaluate toxicity and teratogenicity in vivo. Data indicates that these structurally robust particles, still able to infect plants after incubation in serum up to 24h, have neither toxic nor teratogenic effects in vitro and in vivo. This work represents the first safety-focused characterization of pVNPs in view of their possible use as drug delivery carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnese Blandino
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, via del Liceo 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Chiara Lico
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Technical Unit Radiation Biology and Human Health, ENEA Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 S. Maria di Galeria, Rome, Italy
| | - Selene Baschieri
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Technical Unit Radiation Biology and Human Health, ENEA Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123 S. Maria di Galeria, Rome, Italy
| | - Lanfranco Barberini
- Department of Chemistry, Biology, and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, via elce di sotto, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Carlo Cirotto
- Department of Chemistry, Biology, and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, via elce di sotto, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Paolo Blasi
- School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Via Sant'Agostino 1, 62032 Camerino, Italy.
| | - Luca Santi
- Department of Agriculture, Forests, Nature and Energy (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, Via San Camillo de Lellis snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
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Lovato A, Faoro F, Gambino G, Maffi D, Bracale M, Polverari A, Santi L. Construction of a synthetic infectious cDNA clone of Grapevine Algerian latent virus (GALV-Nf) and its biological activity in Nicotiana benthamiana and grapevine plants. Virol J 2014; 11:186. [PMID: 25367743 PMCID: PMC4289286 DOI: 10.1186/1743-422x-11-186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2014] [Accepted: 10/08/2014] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Grapevine Algerian latent virus (GALV) is a tombusvirus first isolated in 1989 from an Algerian grapevine (Vitis spp.) plant and more recently from water samples and commercial nipplefruit and statice plants. No further reports of natural GALV infections in grapevine have been published in the last two decades, and artificial inoculations of grapevine plants have not been reported. We developed and tested a synthetic GALV construct for the inoculation of Nicotiana benthamiana plants and different grapevine genotypes to investigate the ability of this virus to infect and spread systemically in different hosts. METHODS We carried out a phylogenetic analysis of all known GALV sequences and an epidemiological survey of grapevine samples to detect the virus. A GALV-Nf clone under the control of the T7 promoter was chemically synthesized based on the full-length sequence of the nipplefruit isolate GALV-Nf, the only available sequence at the time the project was conceived, and the infectious transcripts were tested in N. benthamiana plants. A GALV-Nf-based binary vector was then developed for the agroinoculation of N. benthamiana and grapevine plants. Infections were confirmed by serological and molecular analysis and the resulting ultrastructural changes were investigated in both species. RESULTS Sequence analysis showed that the GALV coat protein is highly conserved among diverse isolates. The first epidemiological survey of cDNAs collected from 152 grapevine plants with virus-like symptoms did not reveal the presence of GALV in any of the samples. The agroinoculation of N. benthamiana and grapevine plants with the GALV-Nf binary vector promoted efficient infections, as revealed by serological and molecular analysis. The GALV-Nf infection of grapevine plants was characterized in more detail by inoculating different cultivars, revealing distinct patterns of symptom development. Ultrastructural changes induced by GALV-Nf in N. benthamiana were similar to those induced by tombusviruses in other hosts, but the cytopathological alterations in grapevine plants were less severe. CONCLUSIONS This is the first report describing the development of a synthetic GALV-Nf cDNA clone, its artificial transmission to grapevine plants and the resulting symptoms and cytopathological alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Lovato
- />Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 15, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Franco Faoro
- />Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (DiSAA), University of Milan, via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy
- />Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council, Grugliasco Unit, Largo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy
| | - Giorgio Gambino
- />Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection, National Research Council, Grugliasco Unit, Largo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy
| | - Dario Maffi
- />Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (DiSAA), University of Milan, via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Marcella Bracale
- />Department of Environment, Health and Safety, University of Insubria, via J.H. Dunant 3, 21100 Varese, Italy
| | - Annalisa Polverari
- />Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 15, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Luca Santi
- />Department of Science and Technology for Agriculture, Forestry, Nature and Energy (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, Via San Camillo de Lellis snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
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