1
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Yekta R, Xiong X, Li J, Heater BS, Lee MM, Chan MK. Mechanoresponsive Protein Crystals for NADH Recycling in Multicycle Enzyme Reactions. J Am Chem Soc 2024. [PMID: 38968608 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c04725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
NAD(H)-dependent enzymes play a crucial role in the biosynthesis of pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals, but the limited recyclability of the NAD(H) cofactor hinders its more general application. Here, we report the generation of mechano-responsive PEI-modified Cry3Aa protein crystals and their use for NADH recycling over multiple reaction cycles. For demonstration of its practical utility, a complementary Cry3Aa protein particle containing genetically encoded and co-immobilized formate dehydrogenase for NADH regeneration and leucine dehydrogenase for catalyzing the NADH-dependent l-tert-leucine (l-tert-Leu) biosynthesis has been produced. When combined with the PEI-modified Cry3Aa crystal, the resultant reaction system could be used for the efficient biosynthesis of l-tert-Leu for up to 21 days with a 10.5-fold improvement in the NADH turnover number.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Yekta
- School of Life Sciences & Center of Novel Biomaterials, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong S.A.R. 999077
| | - Xu Xiong
- School of Life Sciences & Center of Novel Biomaterials, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong S.A.R. 999077
| | - Jiaxin Li
- School of Life Sciences & Center of Novel Biomaterials, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong S.A.R. 999077
| | - Bradley S Heater
- School of Life Sciences & Center of Novel Biomaterials, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong S.A.R. 999077
| | - Marianne M Lee
- School of Life Sciences & Center of Novel Biomaterials, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong S.A.R. 999077
| | - Michael K Chan
- School of Life Sciences & Center of Novel Biomaterials, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong S.A.R. 999077
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2
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Jones AA, Snow CD. Porous protein crystals: synthesis and applications. Chem Commun (Camb) 2024; 60:5790-5803. [PMID: 38756076 DOI: 10.1039/d4cc00183d] [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: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Large-pore protein crystals (LPCs) are an emerging class of biomaterials. The inherent diversity of proteins translates to a diversity of crystal lattice structures, many of which display large pores and solvent channels. These pores can, in turn, be functionalized via directed evolution and rational redesign based on the known crystal structures. LPCs possess extremely high solvent content, as well as extremely high surface area to volume ratios. Because of these characteristics, LPCs continue to be explored in diverse applications including catalysis, targeted therapeutic delivery, templating of nanostructures, structural biology. This Feature review article will describe several of the existing platforms in detail, with particular focus on LPC synthesis approaches and reported applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alec Arthur Jones
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1301, USA.
| | - Christopher D Snow
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1301, USA.
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1301, USA
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3
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Pham TT, Abe S, Date K, Hirata K, Suzuki T, Ueno T. Displaying a Protein Cage on a Protein Crystal by In-Cell Crystal Engineering. NANO LETTERS 2023; 23:10118-10125. [PMID: 37955329 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c02117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
The development of solid biomaterials has rapidly progressed in recent years in applications in bionanotechnology. The immobilization of proteins, such as enzymes, within protein crystals is being used to develop solid catalysts and functionalized materials. However, an efficient method for encapsulating protein assemblies has not yet been established. This work presents a novel approach to displaying protein cages onto a crystalline protein scaffold using in-cell protein crystal engineering. The polyhedra crystal (PhC) scaffold, which displays a ferritin cage, was produced by coexpression of polyhedrin monomer (PhM) and H1-ferritin (H1-Fr) monomer in Escherichia coli. The H1-tag is derived from the H1-helix of PhM. Our technique represents a unique strategy for immobilizing protein assemblies onto in-cell protein crystals and is expected to contribute to various applications in bionanotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thuc Toan Pham
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta-cho 4259, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
| | - Satoshi Abe
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta-cho 4259, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
| | - Koki Date
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta-cho 4259, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
| | - Kunio Hirata
- SR Life Science Instrumentation Unit, RIKEN/SPring-8 Center, 1-1-1, Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun 679-5148, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Taiga Suzuki
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta-cho 4259, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
| | - Takafumi Ueno
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta-cho 4259, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
- Living Systems Materialogy (LiSM) Research Group, International Research Frontiers Initiative (IRFI), Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta-cho 4259, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
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4
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Zhang W, Yang Z, Zheng J, Fu K, Wong JH, Ni Y, Ng TB, Cho CH, Chan MK, Lee MM. A Bioresponsive Genetically Encoded Antimicrobial Crystal for the Oral Treatment of Helicobacter Pylori Infection. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2301724. [PMID: 37675807 PMCID: PMC10602570 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202301724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) causes infection in the stomach and is a major factor for gastric carcinogenesis. The application of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as an alternative treatment to traditional antibiotics is limited by their facile degradation in the stomach, their poor penetration of the gastric mucosa, and the cost of peptide production. Here, the design and characterization of a genetically encoded H. pylori-responsive microbicidal protein crystal Cry3Aa-MIIA-AMP-P17 is described. This designed crystal exhibits preferential binding to H. pylori, and when activated, promotes the targeted release of the AMP at the H. pylori infection site. Significantly, when the activated Cry3Aa-MIIA-AMP-P17 crystals are orally delivered to infected mice, the Cry3Aa crystal framework protects its cargo AMP against degradation, resulting in enhanced in vivo efficacy against H. pylori infection. Notably, in contrast to antibiotics, treatment with the activated crystals results in minimal perturbation of the mouse gut microbiota. These results demonstrate that engineered Cry3Aa crystals can serve as an effective platform for the oral delivery of therapeutic peptides to treat gastrointestinal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxiu Zhang
- School of Life Sciences and Center of Novel BiomaterialsThe Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong999077China
| | - Zaofeng Yang
- School of Life Sciences and Center of Novel BiomaterialsThe Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong999077China
| | - Jiale Zheng
- School of Life Sciences and Center of Novel BiomaterialsThe Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong999077China
| | - Kaili Fu
- Department of Medicine and TherapeuticsFaculty of MedicineThe Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong999077China
| | - Jack Ho Wong
- School of Biomedical SciencesFaculty of MedicineThe Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong999077China
- Present address:
School of Health SciencesCaritas Institute of Higher EducationHong Kong999077China
| | - Yunbi Ni
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular PathologyPrince of Wales HospitalThe Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong999077China
| | - Tzi Bun Ng
- School of Biomedical SciencesFaculty of MedicineThe Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong999077China
| | - Chi Hin Cho
- School of Biomedical SciencesFaculty of MedicineThe Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong999077China
- Present address:
School of PharmacyUniversity of Southwest Medical UniversityLuzhou646000China
| | - Michael K. Chan
- School of Life Sciences and Center of Novel BiomaterialsThe Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong999077China
| | - Marianne M. Lee
- School of Life Sciences and Center of Novel BiomaterialsThe Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong999077China
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5
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Han K, Zhang Z, Tezcan FA. Spatially Patterned, Porous Protein Crystals as Multifunctional Materials. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:19932-19944. [PMID: 37642457 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c06348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
While the primary use of protein crystals has historically been in crystallographic structure determination, they have recently emerged as promising materials with many advantageous properties such as high porosity, biocompatibility, stability, structural and functional versatility, and genetic/chemical tailorability. Here, we report that the utility of protein crystals as functional materials can be further augmented through their spatial patterning and control of their morphologies. To this end, we took advantage of the chemically and kinetically controllable nature of ferritin self-assembly and constructed core-shell crystals with chemically distinct domains, tunable structural patterns, and morphologies. The spatial organization within ferritin crystals enabled the generation of patterned, multi-enzyme frameworks with cooperative catalytic behavior. We further exploited the differential growth kinetics of ferritin crystal facets to assemble Janus-type architectures with an anisotropic arrangement of chemically distinct domains. These examples represent a step toward using protein crystals as reaction vessels for complex multi-step reactions and broadening their utility as functional, solid-state materials. Our results demonstrate that morphology control and spatial patterning, which are key concepts in materials science and nanotechnology, can also be applied for engineering protein crystals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Han
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Zhiyin Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - F Akif Tezcan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
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6
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Liu Y, Hu Y, Xue J, Li J, Yi J, Bu J, Zhang Z, Qiu P, Gu X. Advances in immunotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:145. [PMID: 37660039 PMCID: PMC10474743 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01850-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immunotherapy has recently emerged as a treatment strategy which stimulates the human immune system to kill tumor cells. Tumor immunotherapy is based on immune editing, which enhances the antigenicity of tumor cells and increases the tumoricidal effect of immune cells. It also suppresses immunosuppressive molecules, activates or restores immune system function, enhances anti-tumor immune responses, and inhibits the growth f tumor cell. This offers the possibility of reducing mortality in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). MAIN BODY Immunotherapy approaches for TNBC have been diversified in recent years, with breakthroughs in the treatment of this entity. Research on immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has made it possible to identify different molecular subtypes and formulate individualized immunotherapy schedules. This review highlights the unique tumor microenvironment of TNBC and integrates and analyzes the advances in ICI therapy. It also discusses strategies for the combination of ICIs with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, and emerging treatment methods such as nanotechnology, ribonucleic acid vaccines, and gene therapy. Currently, numerous ongoing or completed clinical trials are exploring the utilization of immunotherapy in conjunction with existing treatment modalities for TNBC. The objective of these investigations is to assess the effectiveness of various combined immunotherapy approaches and determine the most effective treatment regimens for patients with TNBC. CONCLUSION This review provides insights into the approaches used to overcome drug resistance in immunotherapy, and explores the directions of immunotherapy development in the treatment of TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Yueting Hu
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Jinqi Xue
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Jingying Li
- Department of Health Management, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Jiang Yi
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Jiawen Bu
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Zhenyong Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, Liaoning Province, China.
| | - Peng Qiu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, Liaoning Province, China.
| | - Xi Gu
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, Liaoning Province, China.
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7
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Zhou R, Xu H, Qu J, Ohulchanskyy TY. Hemoglobin Nanocrystals for Drugs Free, Synergistic Theranostics of Colon Tumor. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2205165. [PMID: 36508710 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202205165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The conventional approach in cancer nanomedicine involves advanced drug nanocarriers delivering preloaded therapeutics to targeted tumor sites to maximize drug efficiency. However, both cancer drugs and nanocarriers inevitably produce side effects and systemic toxicity. Herein, hemoglobin nanocrystals (HbC) as drug-free theranostic nanoformulations with the tumor microenvironment (TME) activated diagnostic and therapeutic abilities towards colon tumors are introduced. HbC can release Fe2+ oxidized to Fe3+ in the Fenton reaction with tumor endogenous H2 O2 , concurrently with the generation of cytotoxic hydroxyl radicals (•OH) that allow for chemodynamic therapy (CDT). Furthermore, in situ-produced Fe3+ reacts with colon tumor-abundant H2 S, resulting in the production of Fe1- x S, which provides magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast and allows for NIR light-inducible photothermal therapy (PTT). In vitro and in vivo studies revealed that HbC produced CDT towards 4T1 tumors, and MRI-guided, synergistically enhanced combination of CDT and PTT against H2 S abundant colon tumors (CT26), with negligible toxicity towards normal tissues, enlightening HbC as highly efficient and biocompatible TME activated theranostic nanoplatform specific against colon cancer without any traditional drugs and drug carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renbin Zhou
- College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Photonics and Biophotonics, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, P. R. China
| | - Hao Xu
- College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Photonics and Biophotonics, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, P. R. China
| | - Junle Qu
- College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Photonics and Biophotonics, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, P. R. China
| | - Tymish Y Ohulchanskyy
- College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Photonics and Biophotonics, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, P. R. China
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8
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Lu H, Xu J, Yang J, Wang Z, Xu P, Hao Q, Luo W, Li S, Li Z, Xue X, Zheng H, Zhou Z, Wu H, Ma X, Li Y. On-demand targeting nanotheranostics with stimuli-responsive releasing property to improve delivery efficiency to cancer. Biomaterials 2022; 290:121852. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2022.121852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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9
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Yang Z, Sun JKL, Lee MM, Chan MK. Restoration of p53 activity via intracellular protein delivery sensitizes triple negative breast cancer to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2022-005068. [PMID: 36104100 PMCID: PMC9476161 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-005068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been shown to yield promising therapeutic outcomes in a small subset of patients with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), the majority of patients either do not respond or subsequently develop resistance. Recent studies have revealed the critical role of TP53 gene in cancer immunology. Loss or mutation of p53 in cancer cells has been found to promote their immune escape. Given the high mutation frequency of TP53 in TNBC cells, restoration of p53 function could be a potential strategy to overcome their resistance to anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) therapy. Herein, we have assessed the use of Pos3Aa crystal-based platform to mediate the intracellular delivery of p53 protein to restore p53 activity in p53 null tumors and consequently augment anti-PD-1 activity. Methods The efficiency of Pos3Aa-p53 crystals in delivering p53 protein was evaluated using confocal imaging, immunofluorescence staining, flow cytometry and RNA-seq. The ability of Pos3Aa-p53 crystals to remodel tumor microenvironment was investigated by examining the markers of immunogenic cell death (ICD) and the expression of PD-L1, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1, tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase 2 and type I interferon (IFN). Finally, both unilateral and bilateral 4T1 tumor mouse models were utilized to assess the efficacy of Pos3Aa-p53 crystal-mediated p53 restoration in enhancing the antitumor activity of ICIs. T cells in tumor tissues and spleens were analyzed, and the in vivo biosafety of the Pos3Aa-p53 crystal/anti-PD-1 antibody combination was also evaluated. Results Delivery of p53 protein into p53-null TNBC 4T1 cells via Pos3Aa-p53 crystals restored the p53 activity, and therefore led to the induction of ICD, activation of type I IFN signaling and upregulation of PD-L1 expression. Pos3Aa-p53 crystals significantly enhanced T cell infiltration and activation in 4T1 tumors, thereby sensitizing them to anti-PD-1 therapy. The combination of Pos3Aa-p53 crystals with anti-PD-1 antibody also induced a systemic antitumor immunity resulting in the inhibition of distal tumor growth with minimal toxicity. Conclusion This study validates that p53 restoration can be an effective approach to overcome ICI resistance and demonstrates that intracellular delivery of p53 protein can be an efficient, safe and potentially universal strategy to restore p53 activity in tumors carrying TP53 mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaofeng Yang
- School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.,Center of Novel Biomaterials, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | | | - Marianne M Lee
- School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong .,Center of Novel Biomaterials, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Michael K Chan
- School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong .,Center of Novel Biomaterials, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
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10
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Zhou R, Ohulchanskyy TY, Xu Y, Ziniuk R, Xu H, Liu L, Qu J. Tumor-Microenvironment-Activated NIR-II Nanotheranostic Platform for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Colon Cancer. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:23206-23218. [PMID: 35549055 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c04242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Rational design of tumor-microenvironment (TME)-activated nanoformulation for precisely targeted cancer treatment has recently attracted an enormous attention. However, the all-in-one TME-activated theranostic nanosystems with a simple preparation and high biocompatibility are still rarely reported. Herein, catalase nanocrystals (CatCry) are first introduced as a tumor microenvironment activatable nanoplatform for selective theranostics of colon cancer. They are engaged as (i) a "nanoreactor" for silver nanoparticles (AgNP) synthesis, (ii) a nanovehicle for tumor delivery of anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX), and (iii) an in situ O2 generator to relief tumor hypoxia. When CatCry-AgNP-DOX nanoformulation is within a tumor, the intratumoral H2S turns AgNP into Ag2S nanoparticles, inducing a photothermal effect and NIR-II emission under 808 nm laser irradiation and also triggering DOX release. Simultaneously, CatCry catalyzes intratumoral H2O2 into O2, relieving hypoxia and enhancing chemotherapy. In contrast, when delivered to healthy tissue without increased concentration of H2S, the developed nanoformulation remains in the "off" state and no theranostic action takes place. Studies with colon cancer cells in vitro and a murine colon cancer model in vivo demonstrated that CatCry-AgNP-DOX delivered a synergistic combination of PTT and enhanced chemotherapy, enabling complete eradication of tumor with minimal side effects. This work not only introduces nanoplatform for theranostics of H2S-rich tumors but also suggests a general strategy for protein-crystal-based nanomedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renbin Zhou
- College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Guangdong Province and Ministry of Education, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China
| | - Tymish Y Ohulchanskyy
- College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Guangdong Province and Ministry of Education, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China
| | - Yunjian Xu
- College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Guangdong Province and Ministry of Education, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China
| | - Roman Ziniuk
- College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Guangdong Province and Ministry of Education, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China
| | - Hao Xu
- College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Guangdong Province and Ministry of Education, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China
| | - Liwei Liu
- College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Guangdong Province and Ministry of Education, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China
| | - Junle Qu
- College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Guangdong Province and Ministry of Education, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, P. R. China
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11
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Shen J, Ma M, Shafiq M, Yu H, Lan Z, Chen H. Microfluidics-Assisted Engineering of pH/Enzyme Dual-Activatable ZIF@Polymer Nanosystem for Co-Delivery of Proteins and Chemotherapeutics with Enhanced Deep-Tumor Penetration. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202113703. [PMID: 34989079 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202113703] [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] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The impermeable barriers of solid tumors restrict the co-delivery of protein-based drugs and chemotherapeutics for cancer treatment. Therefore, we developed a ZIF-DOX/RA@DG nanosystem that encapsulates ribonuclease A (RA) and doxorubicin (DOX) in a zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8) core, with a dextran-based coating (DG). The nanosystem exhibits dual-responsiveness due to γ-glutamyl transpeptidase-activatable cationization and acidic microenvironment-triggered degradation. The DG-coating process was achieved using a microfluidic approach, which stabilized the polymer responsiveness, ZIF-8-based structure, and bioactivity of the encapsulated therapeutics. In vivo results confirmed that the nanosystem could co-deliver RA and DOX to deep impermeable lesions with a synergistic anticancer therapeutic effects. Such a multi-drug delivery system based on an intelligent-responsive design and a microfluidics-assisted synthesis strategy shows great clinical prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Shen
- State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructures, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, P. R. China.,Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Ming Ma
- State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructures, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, P. R. China.,Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China.,School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310024, P. R. China
| | - Muhammad Shafiq
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan
| | - Huizhu Yu
- State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructures, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, P. R. China
| | - Zhengyi Lan
- State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructures, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, P. R. China
| | - Hangrong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructures, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, P. R. China.,Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China.,School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310024, P. R. China
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12
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Shen J, Ma M, Shafiq M, Yu H, Lan Z, Chen H. Microfluidics‐Assisted Engineering of pH/Enzyme Dual‐Activatable ZIF@Polymer Nanosystem for Co‐Delivery of Proteins and Chemotherapeutics with Enhanced Deep‐Tumor Penetration. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202113703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Shen
- Shanghai Institute of Ceramics State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructures CHINA
| | - Ming Ma
- Shanghai Institute of Ceramics Chinese Academy of Sciences State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructures CHINA
| | - Muhammad Shafiq
- University of Central Punjab Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences PAKISTAN
| | - Huizhu Yu
- Shanghai Institute of Ceramics Chinese Academy of Sciences State Key Laboratory of High performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructures CHINA
| | - Zhengyi Lan
- Shanghai Institute of Ceramics State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructures CHINA
| | - Hangrong Chen
- Shanghai Institute of Ceramics State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure No. 1295, Dingxi Road 200050 Shanghai CHINA
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13
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Kojima M, Abe S, Ueno T. Engineering of protein crystals for use as solid biomaterials. Biomater Sci 2021; 10:354-367. [PMID: 34928275 DOI: 10.1039/d1bm01752g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Protein crystals have attracted a great deal of attention as solid biomaterials because they have porous structures created by regular assemblies of proteins. The lattice structures of protein crystals are controlled by designing molecular interfacial interactions via covalent bonds and non-covalent bonds. Protein crystals have been functionalized as templates to immobilize foreign molecules such as metal nanoparticles, metal complexes, and proteins. These hybrid crystals are used as functional materials for catalytic reactions and structural analysis. Furthermore, in-cell protein crystals have been studied extensively, providing progress in rapid protein crystallization and crystallography. This review highlights recent advances in crystal engineering for protein crystallization and generation of solid functional materials both in vitro and within cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariko Kojima
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta 4259-B55, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan.
| | - Satoshi Abe
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta 4259-B55, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan.
| | - Takafumi Ueno
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta 4259-B55, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan.
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Yang Z, Yang M, Chow HM, Tsang SY, Lee MM, Chan MK. Cytosolic delivery of CDK4/6 inhibitor p16 protein using engineered protein crystals for cancer therapy. Acta Biomater 2021; 135:582-592. [PMID: 34496285 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.08.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The tumor suppressor p16 protein is an endogenous CDK4/6 inhibitor. Inactivation of its encoding gene is found in nearly half of human cancers. Restoration of p16 function via adenovirus-based gene delivery has been shown to be effective in suppressing aberrant cell growth in many types of cancer, however, the potential risk of insertional mutagenesis in genomic DNA remains a major concern. Thus, there has been great interest in developing efficient strategies to directly deliver proteins into cells as an alternative that can avoid such safety concerns while achieving a comparable therapeutic effect. Nevertheless, intracellular delivery of protein therapeutics remains a challenge. Our group has recently developed a protein delivery platform based on an engineered Pos3Aa protein that forms sub-micrometer-sized crystals in Bacillus thuringiensis cells. In this report, we describe the further development of this platform (Pos3AaTM) via rationally designed site-directed mutagenesis, and its resultant potency for the delivery of cargo proteins into cells. Pos3AaTM-based fusion protein crystals are shown to exhibit improved release of their cargo proteins as demonstrated using a model mCherry protein. Importantly, this Pos3AaTM platform is able to mediate the efficient intracellular delivery of p16 protein with significant endosomal escape, resulting in p16-mediated inhibition of CDK4/6 kinase activity and Rb phosphorylation, and as a consequence, significant cell cycle arrest and cell growth inhibition. These results validate the ability of these improved Pos3AaTM crystals to mediate enhanced cytosolic protein delivery and highlight the potential of using protein therapeutics as selective CDK4/6 inhibitors for cancer therapy. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Cytosolic delivery of bioactive therapeutic proteins capable of eliciting therapeutic benefit remains a significant challenge. We have previously developed a protein delivery platform based on engineered Pos3Aa protein crystals with excellent cell-permeability and endosomal escape properties. In this report, we describe the rational design of an improved Pos3Aa triple mutant (Pos3AaTM) with enhanced cargo release. We demonstrate that Pos3AaTM-mCherry-p16 fusion crystals can efficiently deliver p16 protein, a CDK4/6 inhibitor frequently inactivated in human cancers, into p16-deficient UM-SCC-22A cells, where it promotes significant G1 cell cycle arrest and cell growth inhibition. These results highlight the ability of the Pos3AaTM platform to promote potent cytosolic delivery of protein therapeutics, and the efficacy of p16 protein delivery as an effective strategy for treating cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zaofeng Yang
- School of Life Sciences and Center of Novel Biomaterials, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, China Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Meigui Yang
- School of Life Sciences and Center of Novel Biomaterials, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, China Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Hei-Man Chow
- School of Life Sciences and Center of Novel Biomaterials, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, China Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Suk Ying Tsang
- School of Life Sciences and Center of Novel Biomaterials, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, China Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, China Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Marianne M Lee
- School of Life Sciences and Center of Novel Biomaterials, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, China Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
| | - Michael K Chan
- School of Life Sciences and Center of Novel Biomaterials, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, China Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
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