1
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VanKeulen-Miller R, Fenton OS. Messenger RNA Therapy for Female Reproductive Health. Mol Pharm 2024; 21:393-409. [PMID: 38189262 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Female reproductive health has traditionally been an underrepresented area of research in the drug delivery sciences. This disparity is also seen in the emerging field of mRNA therapeutics, a class of medicines that promises to treat and prevent disease by upregulating protein expression in the body. Here, we review advances in mRNA therapies through the lens of improving female reproductive health. Specifically, we begin our review by discussing the fundamental structure and biochemical modifications associated with mRNA-based drugs. Then, we discuss various packaging technologies, including lipid nanoparticles, that can be utilized to protect and transport mRNA drugs to target cells in the body. Last, we conclude our review by discussing the usage of mRNA therapy for addressing pregnancy-related health and vaccination against sexually transmitted diseases in women. Of note, we also highlight relevant clinical trials using mRNA for female reproductive health while also providing their corresponding National Clinical Trial identifiers. In undertaking this review, our aim is to provide a fundamental background understanding of mRNA therapy and its usage to specifically address female health issues with an overarching goal of providing information toward addressing gender disparity in certain aspects of health research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel VanKeulen-Miller
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Owen S Fenton
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
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2
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Liu A, Wang X. The Pivotal Role of Chemical Modifications in mRNA Therapeutics. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:901510. [PMID: 35912117 PMCID: PMC9326091 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.901510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
After over a decade of development, mRNA has recently matured into a potent modality for therapeutics. The advantages of mRNA therapeutics, including their rapid development and scalability, have been highlighted due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, in which the first two clinically approved mRNA vaccines have been spotlighted. These vaccines, as well as multiple other mRNA therapeutic candidates, are modified to modulate their immunogenicity, stability, and translational efficiency. Despite the importance of mRNA modifications for harnessing the full efficacy of mRNA drugs, the full breadth of potential modifications has yet to be explored clinically. In this review, we survey the field of mRNA modifications, highlighting their ability to tune the properties of mRNAs. These include cap and tail modifications, nucleoside substitutions, and chimeric mRNAs, each of which represents a component of mRNA that can be exploited for modification. Additionally, we cover clinical and preclinical trials of the modified mRNA platform not only to illustrate the promise of modified mRNAs but also to call attention to the room for diversifying future therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Xiao Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Xiao Wang,
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3
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Gómez-Aguado I, Rodríguez-Castejón J, Beraza-Millor M, Rodríguez-Gascón A, Del Pozo-Rodríguez A, Solinís MÁ. mRNA delivery technologies: Toward clinical translation. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 372:207-293. [PMID: 36064265 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2022.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Messenger RNA (mRNA)-therapies have recently taken a huge step toward clinic thanks to the first mRNA-based medicinal products marketed. mRNA features for clinical purposes are improved by chemical modifications, but the inclusion in a delivery system is a regular requirement. mRNA nanomedicines must be designed for the specific therapeutic purpose, protecting the nucleic acid and facilitating the overcoming of biological barriers. Polymers, polypeptides, and cationic lipids are the main used materials to design mRNA delivery systems. Among them, lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are the most advanced ones, and currently they are at the forefront of preclinical and clinical evaluation in several fields, including immunotherapy (against infectious diseases and cancer), protein replacement, gene editing and regenerative medicine. This chapter includes an overview on mRNA delivery technologies, with special interest in LNPs, and the most recent advances in their clinical application. Liposomes are the mRNA delivery technology with the highest clinical translation among LNPs, whereas the first clinical trial of a therapeutic mRNA formulated in exosomes has been recently approved for protein replacement therapy. The first mRNA products approved by the regulatory agencies worldwide are LNP-based mRNA vaccines against viral infections, specifically against the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The clinical translation of mRNA-therapies for cancer is mainly focused on three strategies: anti-cancer vaccination by means of delivering cancer antigens or acting as an adjuvant, mRNA-engineered chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) and T-cell receptors (TCRs), and expression of antibodies and immunomodulators. Cancer immunotherapy and, more recently, COVID-19 vaccines spearhead the advance of mRNA clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Itziar Gómez-Aguado
- Pharmacokinetic, Nanotechnology and Gene Therapy Group (PharmaNanoGene), Faculty of Pharmacy, Centro de investigación Lascaray ikergunea, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain; Bioaraba, Microbiology, Infectious Disease, Antimicrobial Agents, and Gene Therapy, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Julen Rodríguez-Castejón
- Pharmacokinetic, Nanotechnology and Gene Therapy Group (PharmaNanoGene), Faculty of Pharmacy, Centro de investigación Lascaray ikergunea, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain; Bioaraba, Microbiology, Infectious Disease, Antimicrobial Agents, and Gene Therapy, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Marina Beraza-Millor
- Pharmacokinetic, Nanotechnology and Gene Therapy Group (PharmaNanoGene), Faculty of Pharmacy, Centro de investigación Lascaray ikergunea, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain; Bioaraba, Microbiology, Infectious Disease, Antimicrobial Agents, and Gene Therapy, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Alicia Rodríguez-Gascón
- Pharmacokinetic, Nanotechnology and Gene Therapy Group (PharmaNanoGene), Faculty of Pharmacy, Centro de investigación Lascaray ikergunea, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain; Bioaraba, Microbiology, Infectious Disease, Antimicrobial Agents, and Gene Therapy, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Ana Del Pozo-Rodríguez
- Pharmacokinetic, Nanotechnology and Gene Therapy Group (PharmaNanoGene), Faculty of Pharmacy, Centro de investigación Lascaray ikergunea, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain; Bioaraba, Microbiology, Infectious Disease, Antimicrobial Agents, and Gene Therapy, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - María Ángeles Solinís
- Pharmacokinetic, Nanotechnology and Gene Therapy Group (PharmaNanoGene), Faculty of Pharmacy, Centro de investigación Lascaray ikergunea, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain; Bioaraba, Microbiology, Infectious Disease, Antimicrobial Agents, and Gene Therapy, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.
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4
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Wulf MG, Maguire S, Dai N, Blondel A, Posfai D, Krishnan K, Sun Z, Guan S, Corrêa IR. Chemical capping improves template switching and enhances sequencing of small RNAs. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 50:e2. [PMID: 34581823 PMCID: PMC8754658 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Template-switching reverse transcription is widely used in RNA sequencing for low-input and low-quality samples, including RNA from single cells or formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues. Previously, we identified the native eukaryotic mRNA 5′ cap as a key structural element for enhancing template switching efficiency. Here, we introduce CapTS-seq, a new strategy for sequencing small RNAs that combines chemical capping and template switching. We probed a variety of non-native synthetic cap structures and found that an unmethylated guanosine triphosphate cap led to the lowest bias and highest efficiency for template switching. Through cross-examination of different nucleotides at the cap position, our data provided unequivocal evidence that the 5′ cap acts as a template for the first nucleotide in reverse transcriptase-mediated post-templated addition to the emerging cDNA—a key feature to propel template switching. We deployed CapTS-seq for sequencing synthetic miRNAs, human total brain and liver FFPE RNA, and demonstrated that it consistently improves library quality for miRNAs in comparison with a gold standard template switching-based small RNA-seq kit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madalee G Wulf
- New England Biolabs, Inc., 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
| | - Sean Maguire
- New England Biolabs, Inc., 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
| | - Nan Dai
- New England Biolabs, Inc., 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
| | - Alice Blondel
- New England Biolabs, Inc., 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
| | - Dora Posfai
- New England Biolabs, Inc., 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
| | | | - Zhiyi Sun
- New England Biolabs, Inc., 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
| | - Shengxi Guan
- New England Biolabs, Inc., 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
| | - Ivan R Corrêa
- New England Biolabs, Inc., 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
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5
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Warminski M, Kowalska J, Nowak E, Kubacka D, Tibble R, Kasprzyk R, Sikorski PJ, Gross JD, Nowotny M, Jemielity J. Structural Insights into the Interaction of Clinically Relevant Phosphorothioate mRNA Cap Analogs with Translation Initiation Factor 4E Reveal Stabilization via Electrostatic Thio-Effect. ACS Chem Biol 2021; 16:334-343. [PMID: 33439620 PMCID: PMC7901015 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.0c00864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
![]()
mRNA-based
therapies and vaccines constitute a disruptive technology
with the potential to revolutionize modern medicine. Chemically modified
5′ cap structures have provided access to mRNAs with superior
translational properties that could benefit the currently flourishing
mRNA field. Prime examples of compounds that enhance mRNA properties
are antireverse cap analog diastereomers that contain an O-to-S substitution
within the β-phosphate (β-S-ARCA D1 and D2), where D1
is used in clinically investigated mRNA vaccines. The compounds were
previously found to have high affinity for eukaryotic translation
initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) and augment translation in vitro and in vivo. However, the molecular basis for the
beneficial “thio-effect” remains unclear. Here, we employed
multiple biophysical techniques and captured 11 cap analog-eIF4E crystallographic
structures to investigate the consequences of the β-O-to-S or
-Se substitution on the interaction with eIF4E. We determined the SP/RP configurations
of β-S-ARCA and related compounds and obtained structural insights
into the binding. Unexpectedly, in both stereoisomers, the β-S/Se
atom occupies the same binding cavity between Lys162 and Arg157, indicating
that the key driving force for complex stabilization is the interaction
of negatively charged S/Se with positively charged amino acids. This
was observed for all structural variants of the cap and required significantly
different conformations of the triphosphate for each diastereomer.
This finding explains why both β-S-ARCA diastereomers have higher
affinity for eIF4E than unmodified caps. Binding affinities determined
for di-, tri-, and oligonucleotide cap analogs suggested that the
“thio-effect” was preserved in longer RNAs. Our observations
broaden the understanding of thiophosphate biochemistry and enable
the rational design of translationally active mRNAs and eIF4E-targeting
drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Warminski
- Division of Biophysics, Institute of Experimental Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw, Pasteura 5, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Kowalska
- Division of Biophysics, Institute of Experimental Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw, Pasteura 5, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Elzbieta Nowak
- Laboratory of Protein Structure, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Ksiecia Trojdena 4, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Dorota Kubacka
- Division of Biophysics, Institute of Experimental Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw, Pasteura 5, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ryan Tibble
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Renata Kasprzyk
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Pawel J. Sikorski
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - John D. Gross
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, United States
| | - Marcin Nowotny
- Laboratory of Protein Structure, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Ksiecia Trojdena 4, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jacek Jemielity
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
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6
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5'-DMT-protected double-stranded DNA: Synthesis and competence to enzymatic reactions. Anal Biochem 2021; 617:114115. [PMID: 33508272 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2021.114115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The functionalization of 5'-OH group in nucleic acids is of significant value for molecular biology. In the current work we discovered that acid-labile 4,4'-dimethoxytrityl protecting group (DMT) of oligonucleotides (ONs) is stable under PCR conditions and does not interfere with activity of DNA polymerases. So application of 5'-DMT-protected ONs could allow producing both symmetric and asymmetric 5'-DMT-blocked double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) fragments. We demonstrated that the presence of thiol compounds (mercaptoethanol and dithiothreitol) in PCR mixture is undesirable for the stability of DMT-group. DMT-ONs can be successfully used during polymerase chain assembly of synthetic genes. We tested 5'-DMT dsDNA in blunt-end DNA ligation reaction by T4 DNA ligase and found that it could not be ligated with 5'-phosphorylated DNA fragments, namely linearized plasmid vector pJET1.2/blunt. Possible reason for this is steric hindrance created by bulky and rigid DMT-group, that prevents entering enzyme active site. We also demonstrated that 5'-DMT modification of dsDNA does not affect activity of T5 5',3'-exonuclease towards both ssDNA and dsDNA. Further screening of the exonucleases, sensitive to 5'-DMT-modification or search of ways to separate long 5'-DMT-ssDNA and 5'-OH-ssDNA could allow finding application of 5'-DMT-modified oligo- and polynucleotides.
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7
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Vormehr M, Lehar S, Kranz LM, Tahtinen S, Oei Y, Javinal V, Delamarre L, Walzer KC, Diken M, Kreiter S, Mellman I, Sahin U, Schartner JM, Türeci Ö. Dexamethasone premedication suppresses vaccine-induced immune responses against cancer. Oncoimmunology 2020; 9:1758004. [PMID: 32923115 PMCID: PMC7458619 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2020.1758004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticosteroids (GCS) have an established role in oncology and are administered to cancer patients in routine clinical care and in drug development trials as co-medication. Given their strong immune-suppressive activity, GCS may interfere with immune-oncology drugs. We are developing a therapeutic cancer vaccine, which is based on a liposomal formulation of tumor-antigen encoding RNA (RNA-LPX) and induces a strong T-cell response both in mice as well as in humans. In this study, we investigated in vivo in mice and in human PBMCs the effect of the commonly used long-acting GCS Dexamethasone (Dexa) on the efficacy of this vaccine format, with a particular focus on antigen-specific T-cell immune responses. We show that Dexa, when used as premedication, substantially blunts RNA-LPX vaccine-mediated immune effects. Premedication with Dexa inhibits vaccine-dependent induction of serum cytokines and chemokines and reduces both the number and activation of splenic conventional dendritic cells (cDC) expressing vaccine-encoded antigens. Consequently, priming of functional effector T cells and therapeutic activity is significantly impaired. Interestingly, responses are less impacted when Dexa is administered post-vaccination. Consistent with this observation, although many inflammatory cytokines are reduced, IFNα, a key cytokine in T-cell priming, is less impacted and antigen expression by cDCs is intact. These findings warrant special caution when combining GCS with immune therapies relying on priming and activation of antigen-specific T cells and suggest that careful sequencing of these treatments may preserve T-cell induction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Vormehr
- BioNTech RNA Pharmaceuticals, Mainz, Germany.,Research Center for Immunotherapy (FZI), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Yoko Oei
- Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Vincent Javinal
- BioNTech RNA Pharmaceuticals, Mainz, Germany.,Research Center for Immunotherapy (FZI), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.,Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA.,BioNTech SE, Mainz, Germany.,TRON - Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University gGmbH, Mainz, Germany
| | | | | | - Mustafa Diken
- BioNTech RNA Pharmaceuticals, Mainz, Germany.,TRON - Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University gGmbH, Mainz, Germany
| | - Sebastian Kreiter
- BioNTech RNA Pharmaceuticals, Mainz, Germany.,TRON - Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University gGmbH, Mainz, Germany
| | - Ira Mellman
- Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ugur Sahin
- Research Center for Immunotherapy (FZI), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.,TRON - Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University gGmbH, Mainz, Germany.,BioNTech SE, Mainz, Germany
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8
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Nanomedicines to Deliver mRNA: State of the Art and Future Perspectives. NANOMATERIALS 2020; 10:nano10020364. [PMID: 32093140 PMCID: PMC7075285 DOI: 10.3390/nano10020364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The use of messenger RNA (mRNA) in gene therapy is increasing in recent years, due to its unique features compared to plasmid DNA: Transient expression, no need to enter into the nucleus and no risk of insertional mutagenesis. Nevertheless, the clinical application of mRNA as a therapeutic tool is limited by its instability and ability to activate immune responses; hence, mRNA chemical modifications together with the design of suitable vehicles result essential. This manuscript includes a revision of the strategies employed to enhance in vitro transcribed (IVT) mRNA functionality and efficacy, including the optimization of its stability and translational efficiency, as well as the regulation of its immunostimulatory properties. An overview of the nanosystems designed to protect the mRNA and to overcome the intra and extracellular barriers for successful delivery is also included. Finally, the present and future applications of mRNA nanomedicines for immunization against infectious diseases and cancer, protein replacement, gene editing, and regenerative medicine are highlighted.
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9
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Walczak S, Sikorski PJ, Kasprzyk R, Kowalska J, Jemielity J. Exploring the potential of phosphotriazole 5' mRNA cap analogues as efficient translation initiators. Org Biomol Chem 2019; 16:6741-6748. [PMID: 30187040 DOI: 10.1039/c8ob01720d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Augmenting the mRNA translation efficiency and stability by replacing the standard 7-methylguanosine 5'-cap with properly designed analogues is a viable strategy for increasing the in vivo expression of proteins from exogenously delivered mRNA. However, the development of novel cap analogues with superior biological properties is hampered by the challenges associated with the synthesis of such highly modified nucleotides. To provide a simpler alternative to traditional methods for cap analogue preparation, we have recently proposed a click-chemistry-based strategy for the synthesis of dinucleotide cap analogues and identified several triazole-containing compounds with promising biochemical properties. Here, we further explored the concept of CuAAC-mediated cap synthesis by designing and studying 'second generation' triazole-modified caps, which were derived from the most promising 'first generation' compounds by modifying the oligophosphate chain length, altering the position of the triazole moiety, or replacing chemically labile P-N bonds with P-O bonds. The biochemical properties of the new analogues were evaluated by determining their affinity for eIF4E, susceptibility to hDcp2-catalysed decapping, and translation efficiencies in vitro and in cultured cells. The results led to identification of cap analogues that have superior translational properties compared to standard caps and the parent triazole-modified compounds as well as provided directions for future improvements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylwia Walczak
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland.
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10
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Kwon H, Kim M, Seo Y, Moon YS, Lee HJ, Lee K, Lee H. Emergence of synthetic mRNA: In vitro synthesis of mRNA and its applications in regenerative medicine. Biomaterials 2017; 156:172-193. [PMID: 29197748 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2017.11.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2017] [Revised: 10/25/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The field of gene therapy has evolved over the past two decades after the first introduction of nucleic acid drugs, such as plasmid DNA (pDNA). With the development of in vitro transcription (IVT) methods, synthetic mRNA has become an emerging class of gene therapy. IVT mRNA has several advantages over conventional pDNA for the expression of target proteins. mRNA does not require nuclear localization to mediate protein translation. The intracellular process for protein expression is much simpler and there is no potential risk of insertion mutagenesis. Having these advantages, the level of protein expression is far enhanced as comparable to that of viral expression systems. This makes IVT mRNA a powerful alternative gene expression system for various applications in regenerative medicine. In this review, we highlight the synthesis and preparation of IVT mRNA and its therapeutic applications. The article includes the design and preparation of IVT mRNA, chemical modification of IVT mRNA, and therapeutic applications of IVT mRNA in cellular reprogramming, stem cell engineering, and protein replacement therapy. Finally, future perspectives and challenges of IVT mRNA are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyokyoung Kwon
- College of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Minjeong Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Yunmi Seo
- College of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Yae Seul Moon
- College of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Hwa Jeong Lee
- College of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyuri Lee
- College of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hyukjin Lee
- College of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760, Republic of Korea.
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11
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Warminski M, Sikorski PJ, Kowalska J, Jemielity J. Applications of Phosphate Modification and Labeling to Study (m)RNA Caps. Top Curr Chem (Cham) 2017; 375:16. [PMID: 28116583 PMCID: PMC5396385 DOI: 10.1007/s41061-017-0106-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2016] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The cap is a natural modification present at the 5' ends of eukaryotic messenger RNA (mRNA), which because of its unique structural features, mediates essential biological functions during the process of gene expression. The core structural feature of the mRNA cap is an N7-methylguanosine moiety linked by a 5'-5' triphosphate chain to the first transcribed nucleotide. Interestingly, other RNA 5' end modifications structurally and functionally resembling the m7G cap have been discovered in different RNA types and in different organisms. All these structures contain the 'inverted' 5'-5' oligophosphate bridge, which is necessary for interaction with specific proteins and also serves as a cleavage site for phosphohydrolases regulating RNA turnover. Therefore, cap analogs containing oligophosphate chain modifications or carrying spectroscopic labels attached to phosphate moieties serve as attractive molecular tools for studies on RNA metabolism and modification of natural RNA properties. Here, we review chemical, enzymatic, and chemoenzymatic approaches that enable preparation of modified cap structures and RNAs carrying such structures, with emphasis on phosphate-modified mRNA cap analogs and their potential applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Warminski
- Division of Biophysics, Institute of Experimental Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw, Zwirki i Wigury 93, 02-089, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Pawel J Sikorski
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Kowalska
- Division of Biophysics, Institute of Experimental Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw, Zwirki i Wigury 93, 02-089, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Jacek Jemielity
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland.
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12
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Gampe CM, Hollis-Symynkywicz M, Zécri F. Covalent Chemical 5'-Functionalization of RNA with Diazo Reagents. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2016; 55:10283-6. [PMID: 27431506 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201604385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2016] [Revised: 06/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Functionalization of RNA at the 5'-terminus is important for analytical and therapeutic purposes. Currently, these RNAs are synthesized de novo starting with a chemically functionalized 5'-nucleotide, which is incorporated into RNA using chemical synthesis or biochemical techniques. Methods for direct chemical modification of native RNA would provide an attractive alternative but are currently underexplored. Herein, we report that diazo compounds can be used to selectively alkylate the 5'-phosphate of ribo(oligo)nucleotides to give RNA labelled through a native phosphate ester bond. We applied this method to functionalize oligonucleotides with biotin and an orthosteric inhibitor of the eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E), an enzyme involved in mRNA recognition. The modified RNA binds to eIF4E, demonstrating the utility of this labelling technique to modulate biological activity of RNA. This method complements existing techniques and may be used to chemically introduce a broad range of functional handles at the 5'-end of RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian M Gampe
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 181 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
| | - Micah Hollis-Symynkywicz
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 181 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Frédéric Zécri
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 181 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
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13
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Gampe CM, Hollis-Symynkywicz M, Zécri F. Covalent Chemical 5′-Functionalization of RNA with Diazo Reagents. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201604385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christian M. Gampe
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research; 181 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge MA 02139 USA
| | | | - Frédéric Zécri
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research; 181 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge MA 02139 USA
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14
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Kore AR, Bugarin A, Shanmugasundaram M. Design and Facile Synthesis of New Dinucleotide Cap Analog Containing Both 2' and 3'-OH Modification on M⁷Guanosine Moiety. NUCLEOSIDES NUCLEOTIDES & NUCLEIC ACIDS 2016; 34:611-9. [PMID: 26252630 DOI: 10.1080/15257770.2015.1041643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The first example of the synthesis of new dinucleotide cap analog containing 2('),3(')-diacetyl group on m(7)guanosine moiety is described. The desired modified cap analog, m(7,2)(')(,3)(')(-diacetyl)G[5(')]ppp[5(')]G has been obtained by the coupling reaction of triethylamine salt of m(7,2)(')(,3)(')(-diacetyl)GDP with ImGMP in presence of ZnCl2 as a catalyst in 62% yield with high purity. The structure of new cap analog has been confirmed by (1)H and (31)P NMR and mass data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anilkumar R Kore
- a Life Sciences Solutions Group, Thermo Fisher Scientific , Austin , Texas , USA
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15
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Wojtczak BA, Warminski M, Kowalska J, Lukaszewicz M, Honcharenko M, Smith CIE, Strömberg R, Darzynkiewicz E, Jemielity J. Clickable trimethylguanosine cap analogs modified within the triphosphate bridge: synthesis, conjugation to RNA and susceptibility to degradation. RSC Adv 2016. [DOI: 10.1039/c5ra25684d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Phosphate-modified m3G cap analogs were synthesized, conjugated to RNA using “click chemistry”, and studied for susceptibility to hNUDT16 enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marcin Warminski
- Division of Biophysics
- Institute of Experimental Physics
- Faculty of Physics
- University of Warsaw
- Poland
| | - Joanna Kowalska
- Division of Biophysics
- Institute of Experimental Physics
- Faculty of Physics
- University of Warsaw
- Poland
| | - Maciej Lukaszewicz
- Division of Biophysics
- Institute of Experimental Physics
- Faculty of Physics
- University of Warsaw
- Poland
| | | | - C. I. Edvard Smith
- Department of Laboratory Medicine
- Karolinska Institutet
- Karolinska University Hospital
- Sweden
| | - Roger Strömberg
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition
- Karolinska Institutet
- Sweden
| | | | - Jacek Jemielity
- Centre of New Technologies
- University of Warsaw
- 02-089 Warsaw
- Poland
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16
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Warminski M, Warminska Z, Kowalska J, Jemielity J. mRNA Cap Modification through Carbamate Chemistry: Synthesis of Amino- and Carboxy-Functionalised Cap Analogues Suitable for Labelling and Bioconjugation. European J Org Chem 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201500672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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17
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Vallazza B, Petri S, Poleganov MA, Eberle F, Kuhn AN, Sahin U. Recombinant messenger RNA technology and its application in cancer immunotherapy, transcript replacement therapies, pluripotent stem cell induction, and beyond. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2015; 6:471-99. [DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2015] [Revised: 04/23/2015] [Accepted: 04/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Ugur Sahin
- BioNTech RNA Pharmaceuticals GmbH; Mainz Germany
- TRON gGmbH; Mainz Germany
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18
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Korhonen HJ, Conway LP, Hodgson DRW. Phosphate analogues in the dissection of mechanism. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2014; 21:63-72. [PMID: 24879389 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2014.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2014] [Revised: 05/01/2014] [Accepted: 05/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Phosphoryl group transfer is central to genetic replication, cellular signalling and many metabolic processes. Understanding the mechanisms of phosphorylation and phosphate ester and anhydride cleavage is key to efforts towards biotechnological and biomedical exploitation of phosphate-handling enzymes. Analogues of phosphate esters and anhydrides are indispensable tools, alongside protein mutagenesis and computational methods, for the dissection of phosphoryl transfer mechanisms. Hydrolysable and non-hydrolysable phosphate analogues have provided insight into the nature and sites of phosphoryl transfer processes. Kinetic isotope effects and crystallography using transition state analogues have painted more detailed pictures of transition states and how enzymes work to stabilise them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi J Korhonen
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University Mountjoy Site, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK; Department of Chemistry, University of Turku, Vatselankatu 2, 20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Louis P Conway
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University Mountjoy Site, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
| | - David R W Hodgson
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University Mountjoy Site, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, UK.
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