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Thomas BL, Montero-Melendez T, Oggero S, Kaneva MK, Chambers D, Pinto AL, Nerviani A, Lucchesi D, Austin-Williams S, Hussain MT, Pitzalis C, Allen B, Malcangio M, Dell'Accio F, Norling LV, Perretti M. Molecular Determinants of Neutrophil Extracellular Vesicles That Drive Cartilage Regeneration in Inflammatory Arthritis. Arthritis Rheumatol 2024. [PMID: 39041647 DOI: 10.1002/art.42958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study was undertaken to establish the potential therapeutic profile of neutrophil-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) in experimental inflammatory arthritis and associate pharmacological activity with specific EV components, focusing on microRNAs. METHODS Neutrophil EVs were administered intra-articularly through a prophylactic or therapeutic protocol to male C57BL/6 mice undergoing serum-transfer-induced inflammatory arthritis. Transcriptomic analysis of knees was performed on joints following EV administration, naive and arthritic mice (untreated; n = 4/group) and EV-treated diseased mice (intra-articular administration) with contralateral (vehicle-treated; n = 8/group). Comparison of healthy donor and patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) neutrophil EVs was performed. RESULTS EVs afforded cartilage protection with an increase in collagen-II and reduced collagen-X expression within the joint. To gain mechanistic insights, RNA sequencing of the arthritic joints was conducted. A total of 5,231 genes were differentially expressed (P < 0.05), with 257 unique to EV treatment. EVs affected key regenerative pathways involved in joint development, including Wnt and Notch signaling. This wealth of genomic alteration prompted to identify microRNAs in EVs, 10 of which are associated with RA. As a proof of concept, we focused on miR-455-3p, which was detected in both healthy donor and RA EVs. EV addition to chondrocyte cultures elevated miR-455-3p and exerted anticatabolic effects upon interleukin-1β stimulation; these effects were blocked by actinomycin or miR-455-3p antagomir. CONCLUSION Neutrophils from patients with RA yielded EVs with composition, efficacy, and miR-455-3p content similar to those of healthy volunteers, suggesting that neutrophil EVs could be developed as an autologous treatment to protect and repair joint tissue of patients affected by inflammatory arthritides.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Silvia Oggero
- Queen Mary University of London and Kings College London, Guys' Campus, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - David Chambers
- Kings College London, Guys' Campus, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andreia L Pinto
- Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alessandra Nerviani
- Queen Mary University of London, Barts Health NHS Trust, and National Institute for Health and Care Research Barts Biomedical Research Centre, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Costantino Pitzalis
- Queen Mary University of London, Barts Health NHS Trust, and National Institute for Health and Care Research Barts Biomedical Research Centre, London, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin Allen
- Kings College London, Guys' Campus, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Francesco Dell'Accio
- Queen Mary University of London, Barts Health NHS Trust, and National Institute for Health and Care Research Barts Biomedical Research Centre, London, United Kingdom
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Kurz B, Hart ML, Rolauffs B. Mechanical Articular Cartilage Injury Models and Their Relevance in Advancing Therapeutic Strategies. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1402:107-124. [PMID: 37052850 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-25588-5_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
This chapter details how Alan Grodzinsky and his team unraveled the complex electromechanobiological structure-function relationships of articular cartilage and used these insights to develop an impressively versatile shear and compression model. In this context, this chapter focuses (i) on the effects of mechanical compressive injury on multiple articular cartilage properties for (ii) better understanding the molecular concept of mechanical injury, by studying gene expression, signal transduction and the release of potential injury biomarkers. Furthermore, we detail how (iii) this was used to combine mechanical injury with cytokine exposure or co-culture systems for generating a more realistic trauma model to (iv) investigate the therapeutic modulation of the injurious response of articular cartilage. Impressively, Alan Grodzinsky's research has been and will remain to be instrumental in understanding the proinflammatory response to injury and in developing effective therapies that are based on an in-depth understanding of complex structure-function relationships that underlay articular cartilage function and degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bodo Kurz
- Department of Anatomy, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel, Germany.
| | - Melanie L Hart
- G.E.R.N. Research Center for Tissue Replacement, Regeneration & Neogenesis, Department of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center-Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Bernd Rolauffs
- G.E.R.N. Research Center for Tissue Replacement, Regeneration & Neogenesis, Department of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center-Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
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3
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Siefen T, Bjerregaard S, Borglin C, Lamprecht A. Assessment of joint pharmacokinetics and consequences for the intraarticular delivery of biologics. J Control Release 2022; 348:745-759. [PMID: 35714731 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Intraarticular (IA) injections provide the opportunity to deliver biologics directly to their site of action for a local and efficient treatment of osteoarthritis. However, the synovial joint is a challenging site of administration since the drug is rapidly eliminated across the synovial membrane and has limited distribution into cartilage, resulting in unsatisfactory therapeutic efficacy. In order to rationally develop appropriate drug delivery systems, it is essential to thoroughly understand the unique biopharmaceutical environments and kinetics in the joint to adequately simulate them in relevant experimental models. This review presents a detailed view on articular kinetics and drug-tissue interplay of IA administered drugs and summarizes how these can be translated into reasonable formulation strategies by identification of key factors through which the joint residence time can be prolonged and specific structures can be targeted. In this way, pros and cons of the delivery approaches for biologics will be evaluated and the extent to which biorelevant models are applicable to gain mechanistic insights and ameliorate formulation design is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Siefen
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Institute of Pharmacy, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | | | | | - Alf Lamprecht
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Institute of Pharmacy, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany; PEPITE (EA4267), University of Burgundy/Franche-Comté, Besançon, France.
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4
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Khella CM, Horvath JM, Asgarian R, Rolauffs B, Hart ML. Anti-Inflammatory Therapeutic Approaches to Prevent or Delay Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis (PTOA) of the Knee Joint with a Focus on Sustained Delivery Approaches. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:8005. [PMID: 34360771 PMCID: PMC8347094 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22158005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammation plays a central role in the pathogenesis of knee PTOA after knee trauma. While a comprehensive therapy capable of preventing or delaying post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) progression after knee joint injury does not yet clinically exist, current literature suggests that certain aspects of early post-traumatic pathology of the knee joint may be prevented or delayed by anti-inflammatory therapeutic interventions. We discuss multifaceted therapeutic approaches that may be capable of effectively reducing the continuous cycle of inflammation and concomitant processes that lead to cartilage degradation as well as those that can simultaneously promote intrinsic repair processes. Within this context, we focus on early disease prevention, the optimal timeframe of treatment and possible long-lasting sustained delivery local modes of treatments that could prevent knee joint-associated PTOA symptoms. Specifically, we identify anti-inflammatory candidates that are not only anti-inflammatory but also anti-degenerative, anti-apoptotic and pro-regenerative.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Melanie L. Hart
- G.E.R.N. Center for Tissue Replacement, Regeneration & Neogenesis, Department of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center—Albert-Ludwigs—University of Freiburg, 79085 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany; (C.M.K.); (J.M.H.); (R.A.); (B.R.)
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5
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Thorup AS, Strachan D, Caxaria S, Poulet B, Thomas BL, Eldridge SE, Nalesso G, Whiteford JR, Pitzalis C, Aigner T, Corder R, Bertrand J, Dell'Accio F. ROR2 blockade as a therapy for osteoarthritis. Sci Transl Med 2021; 12:12/561/eaax3063. [PMID: 32938794 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aax3063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Osteoarthritis is characterized by the loss of the articular cartilage, bone remodeling, pain, and disability. No pharmacological intervention can currently halt progression of osteoarthritis. Here, we show that blocking receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 2 (ROR2) improves cartilage integrity and pain in osteoarthritis models by inhibiting yes-associated protein (YAP) signaling. ROR2 was up-regulated in the cartilage in response to inflammatory cytokines and mechanical stress. The main ligand for ROR2, WNT5A, and the targets YAP and connective tissue growth factor were up-regulated in osteoarthritis in humans. In vitro, ROR2 overexpression inhibited chondrocytic differentiation. Conversely, ROR2 blockade triggered chondrogenic differentiation of C3H10T1/2 cells and suppressed the expression of the cartilage-degrading enzymes a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS)-4 and ADAMTS-5. The chondrogenic effect of ROR2 blockade in the cartilage was independent of WNT signaling and was mediated by down-regulation of YAP signaling. ROR2 signaling induced G protein and Rho-dependent nuclear accumulation of YAP, and YAP inhibition was required but not sufficient for ROR2 blockade-induced chondrogenesis. ROR2 silencing protected mice from instability-induced osteoarthritis with improved structural outcomes, sustained pain relief, and without apparent side effects or organ toxicity. Last, ROR2 silencing in human articular chondrocytes transplanted in nude mice led to the formation of cartilage organoids with more and better differentiated extracellular matrix, suggesting that the anabolic effect of ROR2 blockade is conserved in humans. Thus, ROR2 blockade is efficacious and well tolerated in preclinical animal models of osteoarthritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Sophie Thorup
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK.
| | - Danielle Strachan
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Sara Caxaria
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Blandine Poulet
- Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L7 8TX, UK
| | - Bethan L Thomas
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Suzanne E Eldridge
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Giovanna Nalesso
- Department of Veterinary Preclinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7AL, UK
| | - James R Whiteford
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Costantino Pitzalis
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Thomas Aigner
- Institute of Pathology, Medical Center Coburg, Ketschendorferstrasse 33, 96450 Coburg, Germany
| | - Roger Corder
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Jessica Bertrand
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Otto-von-Guericke University, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Francesco Dell'Accio
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK.
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6
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Thomas BL, Eldridge SE, Nosrati B, Alvarez M, Thorup A, Nalesso G, Caxaria S, Barawi A, Nicholson JG, Perretti M, Gaston‐Massuet C, Pitzalis C, Maloney A, Moore A, Jupp R, Dell'Accio F. WNT3A-loaded exosomes enable cartilage repair. J Extracell Vesicles 2021; 10:e12088. [PMID: 34025953 PMCID: PMC8134720 DOI: 10.1002/jev2.12088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2019] [Revised: 09/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cartilage defects repair poorly. Recent genetic studies suggest that WNT3a may contribute to cartilage regeneration, however the dense, avascular cartilage extracellular matrix limits its penetration and signalling to chondrocytes. Extracellular vesicles actively penetrate intact cartilage. This study investigates the effect of delivering WNT3a into large cartilage defects in vivo using exosomes as a delivery vehicle. Exosomes were purified by ultracentrifugation from conditioned medium of either L-cells overexpressing WNT3a or control un-transduced L-cells, and characterized by electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis and marker profiling. WNT3a loaded on exosomes was quantified by western blotting and functionally characterized in vitro using the SUPER8TOPFlash reporter assay and other established readouts including proliferation and proteoglycan content. In vivo pathway activation was assessed using TCF/Lef:H2B-GFP reporter mice. Wnt3a loaded exosomes were injected into the knees of mice, in which large osteochondral defects were surgically generated. The degree of repair was histologically scored after 8 weeks. WNT3a was successfully loaded on exosomes and resulted in activation of WNT signalling in vitro. In vivo, recombinant WNT3a failed to activate WNT signalling in cartilage, whereas a single administration of WNT3a loaded exosomes activated canonical WNT signalling for at least one week, and eight weeks later, improved the repair of osteochondral defects. WNT3a assembled on exosomes, is efficiently delivered into cartilage and contributes to the healing of osteochondral defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bethan L. Thomas
- Barts and the London School of Medicine and DentistryWilliam Harvey Research InstituteQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Suzanne E. Eldridge
- Barts and the London School of Medicine and DentistryWilliam Harvey Research InstituteQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Babak Nosrati
- Dipartimento di scienza e tecnologia del farmacoUniversità degli Studi di TorinoTorinoItaly
| | - Mario Alvarez
- Barts and the London School of Medicine and DentistryWilliam Harvey Research InstituteQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Anne‐Sophie Thorup
- Barts and the London School of Medicine and DentistryWilliam Harvey Research InstituteQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Giovanna Nalesso
- School of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of SurreyDaphne Jackson RoadGuildfordUK
| | - Sara Caxaria
- Barts and the London School of Medicine and DentistryWilliam Harvey Research InstituteQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Aida Barawi
- Barts and the London School of Medicine and DentistryWilliam Harvey Research InstituteQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
| | - James G. Nicholson
- Barts and the London School of Medicine and DentistryWilliam Harvey Research InstituteQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Mauro Perretti
- Barts and the London School of Medicine and DentistryWilliam Harvey Research InstituteQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Carles Gaston‐Massuet
- Barts and the London School of Medicine and DentistryWilliam Harvey Research InstituteQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Costantino Pitzalis
- Barts and the London School of Medicine and DentistryWilliam Harvey Research InstituteQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
| | | | | | | | - Francesco Dell'Accio
- Barts and the London School of Medicine and DentistryWilliam Harvey Research InstituteQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
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7
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Rahimi M, Charmi G, Matyjaszewski K, Banquy X, Pietrasik J. Recent developments in natural and synthetic polymeric drug delivery systems used for the treatment of osteoarthritis. Acta Biomater 2021; 123:31-50. [PMID: 33444800 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA), is a common musculoskeletal disorder that will progressively increase in older populations and is expected to be the most dominant cause of disability in the world population by 2030. The progression of OA is controlled by a multi-factorial pathway that has not been completely elucidated and understood yet. However, over the years, research efforts have provided a significant understanding of some of the processes contributing to the progression of OA. Both cartilage and bone degradation processes induce articular cells to produce inflammatory mediators that produce proinflammatory cytokines that block the synthesis of collagen type II and aggrecan, the major components of cartilage. Systemic administration and intraarticular injection of anti-inflammatory agents are the first-line treatments of OA. However, small anti-inflammatory molecules are rapidly cleared from the joint cavity which limits their therapeutic efficacy. To palliate this strong technological drawback, different types of polymeric materials such as microparticles, nanoparticles, and hydrogels, have been examined as drug carriers for the delivery of therapeutic agents to articular joints. The main purpose of this review is to provide a summary of recent developments in natural and synthetic polymeric drug delivery systems for the delivery of anti-inflammatory agents to arthritic joints. Furthermore, this review provides an overview of the design rules that have been proposed so far for the development of drug carriers used in OA therapy. Overall it is difficult to state clearly which polymeric platform is the most efficient one because many advantages and disadvantages could be pointed to both natural and synthetic formulations. That requires further research in the near future.
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8
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McClurg O, Tinson R, Troeberg L. Targeting Cartilage Degradation in Osteoarthritis. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14020126. [PMID: 33562742 PMCID: PMC7916085 DOI: 10.3390/ph14020126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Osteoarthritis is a common, degenerative joint disease with significant socio-economic impact worldwide. There are currently no disease-modifying drugs available to treat the disease, making this an important area of pharmaceutical research. In this review, we assessed approaches being explored to directly inhibit metalloproteinase-mediated cartilage degradation and to counteract cartilage damage by promoting growth factor-driven repair. Metalloproteinase-blocking antibodies are discussed, along with recent clinical trials on FGF18 and Wnt pathway inhibitors. We also considered dendrimer-based approaches being developed to deliver and retain such therapeutics in the joint environment. These may reduce systemic side effects while improving local half-life and concentration. Development of such targeted anabolic therapies would be of great benefit in the osteoarthritis field.
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9
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Intra-articular targeting of nanomaterials for the treatment of osteoarthritis. Acta Biomater 2019; 93:239-257. [PMID: 30862551 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2019.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Revised: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Osteoarthritis is a prevalent and debilitating disease that involves pathological contributions from numerous joint tissues and cells. The joint is a challenging arena for drug delivery, since the joint has poor bioavailability for systemically administered drugs and experiences rapid clearance of therapeutics after intra-articular injection. Moreover, each tissue within the joint presents unique barriers to drug localization. In this review, the various applications of nanotechnology to overcome these drug delivery limitations are investigated. Nanomaterials have reliably shown improvements to retention profiles of drugs within the joint space relative to injected free drugs. Additionally, nanomaterials have been modified through active and passive targeting strategies to facilitate interactions with and localization within specific joint tissues such as cartilage and synovium. Last, the limitations of drawing cross-study comparisons, the implications of synovial fluid, and the potential importance of multi-modal therapeutic strategies are discussed. As emerging, cell-specific disease modifying osteoarthritis drugs continue to be developed, the need for targeted nanomaterial delivery will likely become critical for effective clinical translation of therapeutics for osteoarthritis. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Improving drug delivery to the joint is a pressing clinical need. Over 27 million Americans live with osteoarthritis, and this figure is continuously expanding. Numerous drugs have been investigated but have failed in clinical trials, likely related to poor bioavailability to target cells. This article comprehensively reviews the advances in nano-scale delivery vehicles designed to overcome the delivery barriers in the joint. This is the first review to analyze active and passive targeting strategies systematically for different target sites while also delineating between tissue homing and whole joint retention. By bringing together the lessons learned across numerous nano-scale platforms, researchers may be able to hone future nanomaterial designs, allowing emerging therapeutics to perform with clinically relevant efficacy and disease modifying potential.
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10
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Vedadghavami A, Wagner EK, Mehta S, He T, Zhang C, Bajpayee AG. Cartilage penetrating cationic peptide carriers for applications in drug delivery to avascular negatively charged tissues. Acta Biomater 2019; 93:258-269. [PMID: 30529083 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2018.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2018] [Revised: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Drug delivery to avascular, negatively charged tissues like cartilage remains a challenge. The constant turnover of synovial fluid results in short residence time of administered drugs in the joint space and the dense negatively charged matrix of cartilage hinders their diffusive transport. Drugs are, therefore, unable to reach their cell and matrix targets in sufficient doses, and fail to elicit relevant biological response, which has led to unsuccessful clinical trials. The high negative fixed charge density (FCD) of cartilage, however, can be used to convert cartilage from a barrier to drug entry into a depot by making drugs positively charged. Here we design cartilage penetrating and binding cationic peptide carriers (CPCs) with varying net charge, spatial distribution and hydrophobicity to deliver large-sized therapeutics and investigate their electro-diffusive transport in healthy and arthritic cartilage. We showed that CPC uptake increased with increasing net charge up to +14 but dropped as charge increased further due to stronger binding interactions that hindered CPC penetrability and uptake showing that weak-reversible binding is key to enable their penetration through full tissue thickness. Even after 90% GAG depletion, while CPC +14 uptake reduced by over 50% but still had a significantly high value of 148× showing that intra-tissue long-range charge-based binding is further stabilized by short-range H-bond and hydrophobic interactions. The work presents an approach for rational design of cationic carriers based on tissue FCD and properties of macromolecules to be delivered. These design rules can be extended to drug delivery for other avascular, negatively charged tissues. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Osteoarthritis (OA) remains an untreatable disease partly due to short joint residence time of drugs and a lack of delivery methods that can effectively target the dense, avascular, highly negatively charged cartilage tissue. In this study, we designed cartilage penetrating and binding cationic peptide carriers (CPCs) that, due to their optimal charge provide adequate electrical driving force to rapidly transport OA drugs into cartilage and reach their cell and matrix targets in therapeutic doses before drugs exit the joint space. This way cartilage is converted from being a barrier to drug entry into a drug depot that can provide sustained drug release for several weeks. This study also investigates synergistic effects of short-range H-bond and hydrophobic interactions in combination with long-range electrostatic interactions on intra-cartilage solute transport. The work provides rules for rational design of cartilage penetrating charge-based carriers depending on the net charge of tissue (normal versus arthritic), macromolecule to be delivered and whether the application is in drug delivery or tissue imaging.
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11
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Multi-scale imaging techniques to investigate solute transport across articular cartilage. J Biomech 2018; 78:10-20. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2018.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2018] [Revised: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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Bajpayee AG, Grodzinsky AJ. Cartilage-targeting drug delivery: can electrostatic interactions help? Nat Rev Rheumatol 2017; 13:183-193. [PMID: 28202920 DOI: 10.1038/nrrheum.2016.210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Current intra-articular drug delivery methods do not guarantee sufficient drug penetration into cartilage tissue to reach cell and matrix targets at the concentrations necessary to elicit the desired biological response. Here, we provide our perspective on the utilization of charge-charge (electrostatic) interactions to enhance drug penetration and transport into cartilage, and to enable sustained binding of drugs within the tissue's highly negatively charged extracellular matrix. By coupling drugs to positively charged nanocarriers that have optimal size and charge, cartilage can be converted from a drug barrier into a drug reservoir for sustained intra-tissue delivery. Alternatively, a wide variety of drugs themselves can be made cartilage-penetrating by functionalizing them with specialized positively charged protein domains. Finally, we emphasize that appropriate animal models, with cartilage thickness similar to that of humans, must be used for the study of drug transport and retention in cartilage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ambika G Bajpayee
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Alan J Grodzinsky
- Departments of Biological Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
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Nitric oxide-associated chondrocyte apoptosis in trauma patients after high-energy lower extremity intra-articular fractures. J Orthop Traumatol 2015; 16:335-41. [PMID: 25957508 PMCID: PMC4633420 DOI: 10.1007/s10195-015-0350-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2014] [Accepted: 04/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The primary goal of this study was to identify nitric oxide (NO)-induced apoptosis in traumatized chondrocytes in intra-articular lower extremity fractures and the secondary goal was to identify the timeline of NO-induced apoptosis after injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a prospective collection of samples of human cartilage harvested at the time of surgery to measure apoptotic cell death and the presence of NO by immunohistochemistry. Three patients met the criteria for control subjects and eight patients sustained high-energy intra-articular fractures and were included in the study. Subjects who sustained intra-articular acetabular, tibial, calcaneal and talus fracture had articular cartilage harvested at the time of surgical intervention. All 8 patients underwent open reduction and internal fixation of the displaced intra-articular fractures. The main outcome measures were rate of apoptosis, degree of NO-induced apoptosis in chondrocytes, and the timeline of NO-induced apoptosis after high-energy trauma. RESULTS The percentage of apoptotic chondrocytes was higher in impacted samples than in normal cartilage (56 vs 4 %), confirming the presence of apoptosis after intra-articular fracture. The percentage of cells with NO was greater in apoptotic cells than in normal cells (59 vs 20 %), implicating NO-induction of apoptosis. The correlation between chondrocyte apoptosis and increasing time from injury was found to be -0.615, indicating a decreasing rate of apoptosis post injury. CONCLUSIONS The data showed the involvement of NO-induced apoptosis of chondrocytes after high-energy trauma, which decreased with time from injury.
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14
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Mabey T, Honsawek S. Cytokines as biochemical markers for knee osteoarthritis. World J Orthop 2015; 6:95-105. [PMID: 25621214 PMCID: PMC4303794 DOI: 10.5312/wjo.v6.i1.95] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2013] [Revised: 03/24/2014] [Accepted: 07/17/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a debilitating degenerative joint disease particularly affecting weightbearing joints within the body, principally the hips and knees. Current radiographic techniques are insufficient to show biochemical changes within joint tissue which can occur many years before symptoms become apparent. The need for better diagnostic and prognostic tools is heightened with the prevalence of OA set to increase in aging and obese populations. As inflammation is increasingly being considered an important part of OAs pathophysiology, cytokines are being assessed as possible candidates for biochemical markers. Cytokines, both pro- and anti-inflammatory, as well as angiogenic and chemotactic, have in recent years been studied for relevant characteristics. Biochemical markers show promise in determination of the severity of disease in addition to monitoring of the efficacy and safety of disease-modifying OA drugs, with the potential to act as diagnostic and prognostic tools. Currently, the diagnostic power of interleukin (IL)-6 and the relationship to disease burden of IL-1β, IL-15, tumor necrosis factor-α, and vascular endothelial growth factor make these the best candidates for assessment. Grouping appropriate cytokine markers together and assessing them collectively alongside other bone and cartilage degradation products will yield a more statistically powerful tool in research and clinical applications, and additionally aid in distinguishing between OA and a number of other diseases in which cytokines are known to have an involvement. Further large scale studies are needed to assess the validity and efficacy of current biomarkers, and to discover other potential biomarker candidates.
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Sena P, Manfredini G, Benincasa M, Mariani F, Smargiassi A, Catani F, Palumbo C. Up-regulation of the chemo-attractive receptor ChemR23 and occurrence of apoptosis in human chondrocytes isolated from fractured calcaneal osteochondral fragments. J Anat 2014; 224:659-68. [PMID: 24689495 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
To study the expression level of a panel of pro/anti-apoptotic factors and inflammation-related receptors in chondral fragments from patients undergoing surgical treatment for intra-articular calcaneal fractures, cartilage fragments were retrieved from calcaneal fractures of 20 patients subjected to surgical treatment. Primary cultures were performed using chondral fragments from fractured and control patients. Chondrocyte cultures from each patient of the fractured and control groups were subjected to immunofluorescence staining and quantitatively analyzed under confocal microscopy. Proteins extracted from the cultured chondrocytes taken from the fractured and control groups were processed for Western blot experiments and densitometric analysis. The percentage of apoptotic cells was determined using the cleaved PARP-1 antibody. The proportion of labelled cells was 35% for fractured specimens, compared with 7% for control samples. Quantification of caspase-3 active and Bcl-2 proteins in chondrocyte cultures showed a significant increase of the apoptotic process in fractured specimens compared with control ones. Fractured chondrocytes were positively stained for ChemR23 with statistically significant differences with respect to control samples. Densitometric evaluation of the immunoreactive bands confirmed these observations. Human articular chondrocytes obtained from patients with intra-articular calcaneal fractures express higher levels of pivotal pro-apoptotic factors, and of the chemo-attractive receptor ChemR23, compared with control cultures. On the basis of these observations, the authors hypothesize that consistent prolonged chondrocyte death, associated with the persistence of high levels of pro-inflammatory factors, could enhance the deterioration of cartilage tissue with consequent development of post-traumatic arthritis following intra-articular bone fracture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Sena
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences - Section of Human Morphology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
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Serrat MA, Efaw ML, Williams RM. Hindlimb heating increases vascular access of large molecules to murine tibial growth plates measured by in vivo multiphoton imaging. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2014; 116:425-38. [PMID: 24371019 PMCID: PMC3921350 DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.01212.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2013] [Accepted: 12/23/2013] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in understanding the molecular regulation of longitudinal growth have led to development of novel drug therapies for growth plate disorders. Despite progress, a major unmet challenge is delivering therapeutic agents to avascular-cartilage plates. Dense extracellular matrix and lack of penetrating blood vessels create a semipermeable "barrier," which hinders molecular transport at the vascular-cartilage interface. To overcome this obstacle, we used a hindlimb heating model to manipulate bone circulation in 5-wk-old female mice (n = 22). Temperatures represented a physiological range of normal human knee joints. We used in vivo multiphoton microscopy to quantify temperature-enhanced delivery of large molecules into tibial growth plates. We tested the hypothesis that increasing hindlimb temperature from 22°C to 34°C increases vascular access of large systemic molecules, modeled using 10, 40, and 70 kDa dextrans that approximate sizes of physiological regulators. Vascular access was quantified by vessel diameter, velocity, and dextran leakage from subperichondrial plexus vessels and accumulation in growth plate cartilage. Growth plate entry of 10 kDa dextrans increased >150% at 34°C. Entry of 40 and 70 kDa dextrans increased <50%, suggesting a size-dependent temperature enhancement. Total dextran levels in the plexus increased at 34°C, but relative leakage out of vessels was not temperature dependent. Blood velocity and vessel diameter increased 118% and 31%, respectively, at 34°C. These results demonstrate that heat enhances vascular carrying capacity and bioavailability of large molecules around growth plates, suggesting that temperature could be a noninvasive strategy for modulating delivery of therapeutics to impaired growth plates of children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A Serrat
- Department of Anatomy and Pathology, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia
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Transport and binding of tumor necrosis factor-α in articular cartilage depend on its quaternary structure. Arch Biochem Biophys 2013; 540:1-8. [PMID: 24135706 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2013.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2013] [Revised: 09/16/2013] [Accepted: 10/03/2013] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The effect of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) on cartilage matrix degradation is mediated by its transport and binding within the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the tissue, which mediates availability to cell receptors. Since the bioactive form of TNFα is a homotrimer of monomeric subunits, conversion between trimeric and monomeric forms during intratissue transport may affect binding to ECM and, thereby, bioactivity within cartilage. We studied the transport and binding of TNFα in cartilage, considering the quaternary structure of this cytokine. Competitive binding assays showed significant binding of TNFα in cartilage tissue, leading to an enhanced uptake. However, studies in which TNFα was cross-linked to remain in the trimeric form revealed that the binding of trimeric TNFα was negligible. Thus, binding of TNFα to ECM was associated with the monomeric form. Binding of TNFα was not disrupted by pre-treating cartilage tissue with trypsin, which removes proteoglycans and glycoproteins but leaves the collagen network intact. Therefore, proteoglycan loss during osteoarthritis should only alter the passive diffusion of TNFα but not its binding interaction with the remaining matrix. Our results suggest that matrix binding and trimer-monomer conversion of TNFα both play crucial roles in regulating the accessibility of bioactive TNFα within cartilage.
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Avidin as a model for charge driven transport into cartilage and drug delivery for treating early stage post-traumatic osteoarthritis. Biomaterials 2013; 35:538-49. [PMID: 24120044 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2013.09.091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2013] [Accepted: 09/24/2013] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Local drug delivery into cartilage remains a challenge due to its dense extracellular matrix of negatively charged proteoglycans enmeshed within a collagen fibril network. The high negative fixed charge density of cartilage offers the unique opportunity to utilize electrostatic interactions to augment transport, binding and retention of drug carriers. With the goal of developing particle-based drug delivery mechanisms for treating post-traumatic osteoarthritis, our objectives were, first, to determine the size range of a variety of solutes that could penetrate and diffuse through normal cartilage and enzymatically treated cartilage to mimic early stages of OA, and second, to investigate the effects of electrostatic interactions on particle partitioning, uptake and binding within cartilage using the highly positively charged protein, Avidin, as a model. Results showed that solutes having a hydrodynamic diameter ≤10 nm can penetrate into the full thickness of cartilage explants while larger sized solutes were trapped in the tissue's superficial zone. Avidin had a 400-fold higher uptake than its neutral same-sized counterpart, NeutrAvidin, and >90% of the absorbed Avidin remained within cartilage explants for at least 15 days. We report reversible, weak binding (K(D) ~ 150 μM) of Avidin to intratissue sites in cartilage. The large effective binding site density (N(T) ~ 2920 μM) within cartilage matrix facilitates Avidin's retention, making its structure suitable for particle based drug delivery into cartilage.
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