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Selvadoss A, Baby HM, Zhang H, Bajpayee AG. Harnessing exosomes for advanced osteoarthritis therapy. NANOSCALE 2024. [PMID: 39323205 DOI: 10.1039/d4nr02792b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/27/2024]
Abstract
Exosomes are nanosized, lipid membrane vesicles secreted by cells, facilitating intercellular communication by transferring cargo from parent to recipient cells. This capability enables biological crosstalk across multiple tissues and cells. Extensive research has been conducted on their role in the pathogenesis of degenerative musculoskeletal diseases such as osteoarthritis (OA), a chronic and painful joint disease that particularly affects cartilage. Currently, no effective treatment exists for OA. Given that exosomes naturally modulate synovial joint inflammation and facilitate cartilage matrix synthesis, they are promising candidates as next generation nanocarriers for OA therapy. Recent advancements have focused on engineering exosomes through endogenous and exogenous approaches to enhance their joint retention, cartilage and chondrocyte targeting properties, and therapeutic content enrichment, further increasing their potential for OA drug delivery. Notably, charge-reversed exosomes that utilize electrostatic binding interactions with cartilage anionic aggrecan glycosaminoglycans have demonstrated the ability to penetrate the full thickness of early-stage arthritic cartilage tissue following intra-articular administration, maximizing their therapeutic potential. These exosomes offer a non-viral, naturally derived, cell-free carrier for OA drug and gene delivery applications. Efforts to standardize exosome harvest, engineering, and property characterization methods, along with scaling up production, will facilitate more efficient and rapid clinical translation. This article reviews the current state-of-the-art, explores opportunities for exosomes as OA therapeutics, and identifies potential challenges in their clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Selvadoss
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Helna M Baby
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Hengli Zhang
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ambika G Bajpayee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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2
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Sundar S, Koopman A, Manzoni TJ, Xie W, Bhatti QUA, Lo CY, Damani VS, Yang AN, Pochan D, Parreno J, Engiles JB, Kayser LV, Dhong C. Kinetics and Retention of Polystyrenesulfonate for Proteoglycan Replacement in Cartilage. Biomacromolecules 2024; 25:5819-5833. [PMID: 39142342 PMCID: PMC11389691 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.4c00479] [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: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
Tissue hydration provides articular cartilage with dynamic viscoelastic properties. Early stage osteoarthritis (OA) is marked by loss of proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans (GAG), lowering fixed charge density, and impairing tissue osmotic function. The most common GAG replacement, chondroitin sulfate (CS), has failed to show effectiveness. Here, we investigated a synthetic polyelectrolyte, poly(styrenesulfonate) (PSS), both as a model compound to investigate polyelectrolyte transport in cartilage, and as a potential candidate to restore bulk fixed charge density in cartilage with GAG loss. Through bovine explants and histology, we determined zonal-based effective diffusion coefficients for three different molecular weights of PSS. Compared to CS, PSS was retained longer in GAG-depleted cartilage in static and compression-based desorption experiments. We explained enhanced solute performance of PSS by its more compact morphology and higher charge density by small-angle X-ray scattering. This study may improve design of GAG mimetic molecules for repairing osmotic function in OA cartilage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shalini Sundar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark 19716, Delaware, United States
| | - Allison Koopman
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark 19716, Delaware, United States
| | - Thomas J Manzoni
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark 19716, Delaware, United States
| | - Weiran Xie
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark 19716, Delaware, United States
| | - Qurat-Ul-Ain Bhatti
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark 19716, Delaware, United States
| | - Chun-Yuan Lo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Delaware, Newark 19716, Delaware, United States
| | - Vidhika S Damani
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark 19716, Delaware, United States
| | - Ai Nin Yang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Delaware, Newark 19716, Delaware, United States
| | - Darrin Pochan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark 19716, Delaware, United States
| | - Justin Parreno
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark 19716, Delaware, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark 19716, Delaware, United States
| | - Julie B Engiles
- Department of Clinical Studies, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Kennett Square 19348, Pennsylvania, United States
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania 19348, United States
| | - Laure V Kayser
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark 19716, Delaware, United States
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Delaware, Newark 19716, Delaware, United States
| | - Charles Dhong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark 19716, Delaware, United States
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark 19716, Delaware, United States
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3
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Kondiboyina V, Boyer TL, Mooney N, Bajpayee AG, Shefelbine SJ. Effect of dynamic loading on calcium signaling in In-Situ chondrocytes. J Biomech 2024; 174:112265. [PMID: 39137485 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2024.112265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
Chondrocytes respond to mechanical stimuli by increasing their intracellular calcium concentration. The response depends on the cellular environment. Previous studies have investigated chondrocytes under slow strain rates or cells embedded in hydrogels, but the response of chondrocytes in their native environment under physiologically relevant cyclic loads and dynamic hydrostatic pressure has not been studied. This study investigated the calcium signaling response of in-situ chondrocytes under physiological cyclic compressive loads and hydrostatic pressure with varying frequency and load rates. Bovine cartilage explants were stained with a fluorescent calcium indicator dye and subjected to physiologically relevant cyclic loads using a custom-built loading device secured on a confocal/multiphoton microscope. Calcium fluorescence intensities of the cells were tracked and analyzed. Loading groups were compared using one-way ANOVA followed by a post-hoc test with Tukey correction (α = 0.05). The percentage of cells signaling increased in all compressive loading conditions compared to the no-load baseline. The percentage of cells responding under 1 Hz load was significantly greater than the slow ramp and 0.1 Hz group (p < 0.05). The number of compression cycles had no effect on the calcium signaling response (p > 0.05). The width and time between consecutive peaks were not different between different loading conditions (p > 0.05). Calcium signaling of in-situ chondrocytes did not increase under dynamic hydrostatic pressure of magnitudes up to 0.2 MPa at frequencies of 0.5 Hz and 0.05 Hz (p > 0.05). In conclusion, in-situ chondrocytes respond to physiological compressive loads in a strain rate-dependent manner with an increased number of responsive cells and unaltered temporal characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Timothy L Boyer
- Dept. of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Noah Mooney
- Dept. of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
| | | | - Sandra J Shefelbine
- Dept. of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA; Dept. of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
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4
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Millán Cotto HA, Pathrikar TV, Hakim B, Baby HM, Zhang H, Zhao P, Ansaripour R, Amini R, Carrier RL, Bajpayee AG. Cationic-motif-modified exosomes for mRNA delivery to retinal photoreceptors. J Mater Chem B 2024; 12:7384-7400. [PMID: 38946491 PMCID: PMC11323772 DOI: 10.1039/d4tb00849a] [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: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Topical treatment of vitreoretinal diseases remains a challenge due to slow corneal uptake and systemic clearance. Exosomes are emerging nanocarriers for drug delivery due to biocompatibility and cellular targeting properties. To apply them for retinal targeting via the topical route, exosomes must traverse various ocular barriers including the cornea, lens, vitreous humor (VH), and the retina itself. Here we engineered high-purity milk-derived exosomes by anchoring arginine-rich cationic motifs via PEG2000 lipid insertion on their surface. Modification enabled exosomes to use weak-reversible electrostatic interactions with anionic glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and water content of the tissue to enhance their transport rate and retention. Addition of cationic motifs neutralized the anionic surface charge of exosomes (-24 to -2 mV) without impacting size or morphology. Cationic-motif-modified exosomes exhibited two-fold faster steady state diffusivity through bovine corneas compared to unmodified exosomes. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching confirmed that cationic-motif-modified exosomes can diffuse through VH without steric hindrance. In healthy VH, cationic-motif-modified exosomes demonstrated stronger binding resulting in three-fold lower average diffusivity that enhanced by six-fold in 50% GAG-depleted VH recapitulating advanced liquefaction. Cationic-motif-modified exosomes penetrated through the full-thickness of porcine retinal explants resulting in ten-fold higher uptake in photoreceptors and three-fold greater transfection with encapsulated eGFP mRNA compared to unmodified exosomes. Cationic-motif-modified exosomes are safe to use as they did not adversely affect the mechanical swelling properties of the cornea or lens nor impact retinal cell viability. Cationic-motif-modified exosomes, therefore, offer themselves as a cell-free nanocarrier platform for gene delivery to retinal photoreceptors potentially via the topical route.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Bill Hakim
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Helna M Baby
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Hengli Zhang
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Peng Zhao
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Ronak Ansaripour
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Rouzbeh Amini
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Rebecca L Carrier
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Ambika G Bajpayee
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Weber P, Asadikorayem M, Zenobi-Wong M. Zwitterionic Poly-Carboxybetaine Polymers Restore Lubrication of Inflamed Articular Cartilage. Adv Healthc Mater 2024:e2401623. [PMID: 39007282 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202401623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that is associated with decreased synovial fluid viscosity and increased cartilage friction. Though viscosupplements are available for decades, their clinical efficacy is limited and there is ample need for more effective joint lubricants. This study first evaluates the tribological and biochemical properties of bovine articular cartilage explants after stimulation with the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β. This model is then used to investigate the tribological potential of carboxybetaine (CBAA)-based zwitterionic polymers of linear and bottlebrush architecture. Due to their affinity for cartilage tissue, these polymers form a highly hydrated surface layer that decreases friction under high load in the boundary lubrication regime. For linear pCBAA, these benefits are retained over several weeks and the relaxation time of cartilage explants under compression is furthermore decreased, thereby potentially boosting the weeping lubrication mechanism. Bottlebrush bb-pCBAA shows smaller benefits under boundary lubrication but is more viscous than linear pCBAA, therefore providing better lubrication under low load in the fluid-film regime and enabling a longer residence time to bind to the cartilage surface. Showing how CBAA-based polymers restore the lost lubrication mechanisms during inflammation can inspire the next steps toward more effective joint lubricants in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Weber
- Tissue Engineering + Biofabrication Laboratory, ETH Zurich, Otto-Stern-Weg 7, Zürich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Maryam Asadikorayem
- Tissue Engineering + Biofabrication Laboratory, ETH Zurich, Otto-Stern-Weg 7, Zürich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Marcy Zenobi-Wong
- Tissue Engineering + Biofabrication Laboratory, ETH Zurich, Otto-Stern-Weg 7, Zürich, 8093, Switzerland
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6
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Gonzales G, Hoque J, Gilpin A, Maity B, Zauscher S, Varghese S. Branched poly-l-lysine for cartilage penetrating carriers. Bioeng Transl Med 2024; 9:e10612. [PMID: 38818117 PMCID: PMC11135149 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Joint diseases, such as osteoarthritis, often require delivery of drugs to chondrocytes residing within the cartilage. However, intra-articular delivery of drugs to cartilage remains a challenge due to their rapid clearance within the joint. This problem is further exacerbated by the dense and negatively charged cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM). Cationic nanocarriers that form reversible electrostatic interactions with the anionic ECM can be an effective approach to overcome the electrostatic barrier presented by cartilage tissue. For an effective therapeutic outcome, the nanocarriers need to penetrate, accumulate, and be retained within the cartilage tissue. Nanocarriers that adhere quickly to cartilage tissue after intra-articular administration, transport through cartilage, and remain within its full thickness are crucial to the therapeutic outcome. To this end, we used ring-opening polymerization to synthesize branched poly(l-lysine) (BPL) cationic nanocarriers with varying numbers of poly(lysine) branches, surface charge, and functional groups, while maintaining similar hydrodynamic diameters. Our results show that the multivalent BPL molecules, including those that are highly branched (i.e., generation two), can readily adhere and transport through the full thickness of cartilage, healthy and degenerated, with prolonged intra-cartilage retention. Intra-articular injection of the BPL molecules in mouse knee joint explants and rat knee joints showed their localization and retention. In summary, this study describes an approach to design nanocarriers with varying charge and abundant functional groups while maintaining similar hydrodynamic diameters to aid the delivery of macromolecules to negatively charged tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gavin Gonzales
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringDuke UniversityDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Jiaul Hoque
- Department of Orthopedic SurgeryDuke University School of MedicineDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Anna Gilpin
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringDuke UniversityDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Biswanath Maity
- Department of Orthopedic SurgeryDuke University School of MedicineDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Stefan Zauscher
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials ScienceDuke UniversityDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Shyni Varghese
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringDuke UniversityDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
- Department of Orthopedic SurgeryDuke University School of MedicineDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials ScienceDuke UniversityDurhamNorth CarolinaUSA
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7
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Zhang C, Pathrikar TV, Baby HM, Li J, Zhang H, Selvadoss A, Ovchinnikova A, Ionescu A, Chubinskaya S, Miller RE, Bajpayee AG. Charge-Reversed Exosomes for Targeted Gene Delivery to Cartilage for Osteoarthritis Treatment. SMALL METHODS 2024:e2301443. [PMID: 38607953 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202301443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Gene therapy has the potential to facilitate targeted expression of therapeutic proteins to promote cartilage regeneration in osteoarthritis (OA). The dense, avascular, aggrecan-glycosaminoglycan (GAG) rich negatively charged cartilage, however, hinders their transport to reach chondrocytes in effective doses. While viral vector mediated gene delivery has shown promise, concerns over immunogenicity and tumorigenic side-effects persist. To address these issues, this study develops surface-modified cartilage-targeting exosomes as non-viral carriers for gene therapy. Charge-reversed cationic exosomes are engineered for mRNA delivery by anchoring cartilage targeting optimally charged arginine-rich cationic motifs into the anionic exosome bilayer by using buffer pH as a charge-reversal switch. Cationic exosomes penetrated through the full-thickness of early-stage arthritic human cartilage owing to weak-reversible ionic binding with GAGs and efficiently delivered the encapsulated eGFP mRNA to chondrocytes residing in tissue deep layers, while unmodified anionic exosomes do not. When intra-articularly injected into destabilized medial meniscus mice knees with early-stage OA, mRNA loaded charge-reversed exosomes overcame joint clearance and rapidly penetrated into cartilage, creating an intra-tissue depot and efficiently expressing eGFP; native exosomes remained unsuccessful. Cationic exosomes thus hold strong translational potential as a platform technology for cartilage-targeted non-viral delivery of any relevant mRNA targets for OA treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenzhen Zhang
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Tanvi V Pathrikar
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Helna M Baby
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Hengli Zhang
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Andrew Selvadoss
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | | | - Andreia Ionescu
- Department of Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Susan Chubinskaya
- Department of Pediatrics, Rush University Medical College, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Rachel E Miller
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Ambika G Bajpayee
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
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Morici L, Gonzalez-Fernandez P, Jenni S, Porcello A, Allémann E, Jordan O, Rodríguez-Nogales C. Nanocrystal-chitosan particles for intra-articular delivery of disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs. Int J Pharm 2024; 651:123754. [PMID: 38163526 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.123754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Osteoarthritis is the most common chronic joint disease and a major health care concern due to the lack of efficient treatments. This is mainly related to the local and degenerative nature of this disease. Kartogenin was recently reported as a disease-modifying osteoarthritis drug that promotes cartilage repair, but its therapeutic effect is impeded by its very low solubility. Therefore, we designed a unique nanocrystal-chitosan particle intra-articular delivery system for osteoarthritis treatment that merges the following formulation techniques: nanosize reduction of a drug by wet milling and spray drying. The intermediate formulation (kartogenin nanocrystals) increased the solubility and dissolution rates of kartogenin. The final drug delivery system consisted of an easily resuspendable and ready-to-use microsphere powder for intra-articular injection. Positively charged chitosan microspheres with a median size of approximately 10 µm acted as a mothership drug delivery system for kartogenin nanocrystals in a simulated intra-articular injection. The microspheres showed suitable stability and a controlled release profile in synovial fluid and were nontoxic in human synoviocytes. The cartilage retention skills of the microspheres were also explored ex vivo using cartilage. This drug delivery system shows promise for advancement to preclinical stages in osteoarthritis therapy and scale-up production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Morici
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland; Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Paula Gonzalez-Fernandez
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland; Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Sébastien Jenni
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland; Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Alexandre Porcello
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland; Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Eric Allémann
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland; Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Jordan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland; Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland.
| | - Carlos Rodríguez-Nogales
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland; Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, Rue Michel-Servet 1, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland.
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Zhang C, Zhang H, Millán Cotto HA, Boyer TL, Warren MR, Wang CM, Luchan J, Dhal PK, Carrier RL, Bajpayee AG. Milk exosomes anchored with hydrophilic and zwitterionic motifs enhance mucus permeability for applications in oral gene delivery. Biomater Sci 2024; 12:634-649. [PMID: 38047368 PMCID: PMC10842862 DOI: 10.1039/d3bm01089a] [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: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Exosomes have emerged as a promising tool for the delivery of drugs and genetic materials, owing to their biocompatibility and non-immunogenic nature. However, challenges persist in achieving successful oral delivery due to their susceptibility to degradation in the harsh gastrointestinal (GI) environment and impeded transport across the mucus-epithelium barrier. To overcome these challenges, we have developed high-purity bovine milk exosomes (mExo) as a scalable and efficient oral drug delivery system, which can be customized by incorporating hydrophilic and zwitterionic motifs on their surface. In our study, we observed significantly improved transport rates by 2.5-4.5-fold in native porcine intestinal mucus after the introduction of hydrophilic and zwitterionic surface modifications, as demonstrated by transwell setup and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) analysis. Remarkably, mExo functionalized by a block peptide (BP), consisting of cationic and anionic amino acids arranged in blocks at the two ends, demonstrated superior tolerability in the acidic gastric environment (with a protein recovery rate of 84.8 ± 7.7%) and exhibited a 2.5-fold increase in uptake by intestinal epithelial cells. Furthermore, both mExo and mExo-BP demonstrated successful intracellular delivery of functional siRNA, resulting in up to 65% suppression of the target green fluorescence protein (GFP) gene expression at a low dose of siRNA (5 pmol) without causing significant toxicity. These findings highlight the immense potential of modifying mExo with hydrophilic and zwitterionic motifs for effective oral delivery of siRNA therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenzhen Zhang
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Hengli Zhang
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | | | - Timothy L Boyer
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Matthew R Warren
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Chia-Ming Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Joshua Luchan
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | | | - Rebecca L Carrier
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Ambika G Bajpayee
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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10
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Mehta S, Boyer TL, Akhtar S, He T, Zhang C, Vedadghavami A, Bajpayee AG. Sustained intra-cartilage delivery of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist using cationic peptide and protein-based carriers. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2023; 31:780-792. [PMID: 36739939 PMCID: PMC10392024 DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2023.01.573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Blocking the interleukin-1 (IL-1) catabolic cascade following joint trauma can be achieved using its receptor antagonist, IL-1Ra. However, its clinical translation for osteoarthritis therapy has been unsuccessful due to its rapid joint clearance and lack of targeting and penetration into deep cartilage layers at therapeutic concentrations. Here, we target the high negative charge of cartilage aggrecan-glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) by attaching cationic carriers to IL-1Ra. IL-1Ra was conjugated to the cartilage targeting glycoprotein, Avidin, and a short length optimally charged cationic peptide carrier (CPC+14). It is hypothesized that electro-diffusive transport and binding properties of IL-1Ra-Avidin and IL-1Ra-CPC+14 will create intra-cartilage depots of IL-1Ra, resulting in long-term suppression of IL-1 catabolism with only a single administration. DESIGN IL-1Ra was conjugated to Avidin or CPC+14 using site specific maleimide linkers, and confirmed using gel electrophoresis, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and mass spectrometry. Intra-cartilage transport and retention of conjugates was compared with native IL-1Ra. Attenuation of IL-1 catabolic signaling with one-time dose of IL-1Ra-CPC+14 and IL-1Ra-Avidin was assessed over 16 days using IL-1α challenged bovine cartilage and compared with unmodified IL-1Ra. RESULTS Positively charged IL-1Ra penetrated through the full-thickness of cartilage, creating a drug depot. A single dose of unmodified IL-1Ra was not sufficient to attenuate IL-1-induced cartilage deterioration over 16 days. However, when delivered using Avidin, and to a greater extent CPC+14, IL-1Ra significantly suppressed cytokine induced GAG loss and nitrite release while improving cell metabolism and viability. CONCLUSION Charge-based cartilage targeting drug delivery systems hold promise as they can enable long-term therapeutic benefit with only a single dose.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Mehta
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - T L Boyer
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - S Akhtar
- Department of Biochemistry, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - T He
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - C Zhang
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - A Vedadghavami
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - A G Bajpayee
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
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11
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Zhang C, Vedadghavami A, He T, Charles JF, Bajpayee AG. Cationic Carrier Mediated Delivery of Anionic Contrast Agents in Low Doses Enable Enhanced Computed Tomography Imaging of Cartilage for Early Osteoarthritis Diagnosis. ACS NANO 2023; 17:6649-6663. [PMID: 36989423 PMCID: PMC10629240 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c12376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Cartilage tissue exhibits early degenerative changes with onset of osteoarthritis (OA). Early diagnosis is critical as there is only a narrow time window during which therapeutic intervention can reverse disease progression. Computed tomography (CT) has been considered for cartilage imaging as a tool for early OA diagnosis by introducing radio-opaque contrast agents like ioxaglate (IOX) into the joint. IOX, however, is anionic and thus repelled by negatively charged cartilage glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) that hinders its intra-tissue penetration and partitioning, resulting in poor CT attenuation. This is further complicated by its short intra-tissue residence time owing to rapid clearance from joints, which necessitates high doses causing toxicity concerns. Here we engineer optimally charged cationic contrast agents based on cartilage negative fixed charge density by conjugating cartilage targeting a cationic peptide carrier (CPC) and multi-arm avidin nanoconstruct (mAv) to IOX, such that they can penetrate through the full thickness of cartilage within 6 h using electrostatic interactions and elicit similar CT signal with about 40× lower dose compared to anionic IOX. Their partitioning and distribution correlate strongly with spatial GAG distribution within healthy and early- to late-stage arthritic bovine cartilage tissues at 50-100× lower doses than other cationic contrast agents used in the current literature. The use of contrast agents at low concentrations also allowed for delineation of cartilage from subchondral bone as well as other soft tissues in rat tibial joints. These contrast agents are safe to use at current doses, making CT a viable imaging modality for early detection of OA and staging of its severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenzhen Zhang
- Department
of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Armin Vedadghavami
- Department
of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Tengfei He
- Department
of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Julia F. Charles
- Department
of Orthopaedic Surgery, Brigham and Women’s
Hospital, 60 Fenwood Road, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Ambika G. Bajpayee
- Department
of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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Spherical PEG/SiO 2 promising agents for Lamivudine antiviral drug delivery, a molecular dynamics simulation study. Sci Rep 2023; 13:3323. [PMID: 36849795 PMCID: PMC9969043 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30493-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Spherical nanocarriers can lead to a bright future to lessen problems of virus infected people. Spherical polyethylene glycol (PEG) and spherical silica (SiO2) are novel attractive nanocarriers as drug delivery agents, especially they are recently noticed to be reliable for antiviral drugs like anti-HIV, anti-covid-19, etc. Lamivudine (3TC) is used as a first line drug for antiviral therapy and the atomic view of 3TC-PEG/SiO2 complexes enable scientist to help improve treatment of patients with viral diseases. This study investigates the interactions of 3TC with Spherical PEG/SiO2, using molecular dynamics simulations. The mechanism of adsorption, the stability of systems and the drug concentration effect are evaluated by analyzing the root mean square deviation, the solvent accessible surface area, the radius of gyration, the number of hydrogen bonds, the radial distribution function, and Van der Waals energy. Analyzed data show that the compression of 3TC is less on PEG and so the stability is higher than SiO2; the position and intensity of the RDF peaks approve this stronger binding of 3TC to PEG as well. Our studies show that PEG and also SiO2 are suitable for loading high drug concentrations and maintaining their stability; therefore, spherical PEG/SiO2 can reduce drug dosage efficiently.
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He T, Zhang C, Colombani T, Bencherif SA, Porter RM, Bajpayee AG. Intra-articular kinetics of a cartilage targeting cationic PEGylated protein for applications in drug delivery. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2023; 31:187-198. [PMID: 36241136 PMCID: PMC9892226 DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2022.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Cartilage targeting cationic glycoprotein Avidin was PEGylated to synthesize a multi-arm Avidin (mAv) nano-construct with high drug loading content. Here we investigate mAv biodistribution and kinetics over a 7-day period following intra-articular (IA) administration in rat knee joints. METHODS Labeled mAv was injected into healthy rat knees, and joint tissues (articular cartilage, menisci, ligaments, tendons, fat pad) were harvested following sacrifice at 6 h, 1, 4 and 7 days. Its IA biodistribution and retention were measured using fluorescence microscopy. Tissue localization was compared in young vs old rats by immunohistochemistry. mAv chondrotoxicity and immune response were evaluated to determine safe carrier dose limits. RESULTS mAv penetrated through the full thickness of rat cartilage and other joint tissues within 6 h, remaining detectable within most joint tissues over 7 days. Intra-tissue uptake correlated strongly with tissue GAG concentration, confirming the dominant role of electrostatic interactions between positively charged mAv and the negatively charged aggrecan proteoglycans. mAv was uptaken by chondrocytes and also penetrated the osteocyte lacuno-canalicular system of peri-articular bone in both young and old rats. mAv did not cause cytotoxicity at concentrations up to 300 μM but elicited a dose dependent immunogenic response. CONCLUSIONS mAv's ability to target a variety of joint tissues, chondrocytes, and peri-articular osteocytes without sequestration in synovial fluid makes it a versatile carrier for delivering a wide range of drugs for treating a broad class of musculoskeletal diseases. Drugs can be conjugated using simple aqueous based avidin-biotin reaction, supporting its clinical prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- T He
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - C Zhang
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - T Colombani
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - S A Bencherif
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA; Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - R M Porter
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA.
| | - A G Bajpayee
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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Han L. Drug delivery carriers can alter cartilage biomechanics. Biophys J 2022; 121:3303-3304. [PMID: 36029765 PMCID: PMC9515117 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lin Han
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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Vedadghavami A, Hakim B, He T, Bajpayee AG. Cationic peptide carriers enable long-term delivery of insulin-like growth factor-1 to suppress osteoarthritis-induced matrix degradation. Arthritis Res Ther 2022; 24:172. [PMID: 35858920 PMCID: PMC9297664 DOI: 10.1186/s13075-022-02855-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) has the potential to be used for osteoarthritis (OA) treatment but has not been evaluated in clinics yet owing to toxicity concerns. It suffers from short intra-joint residence time and a lack of cartilage targeting following its intra-articular administration. Here, we synthesize an electrically charged cationic formulation of IGF-1 by using a short-length arginine-rich, hydrophilic cationic peptide carrier (CPC) with a net charge of +14, designed for rapid and high uptake and retention in both healthy and arthritic cartilage. METHODS IGF-1 was conjugated to CPC by using a site-specific sulfhydryl reaction via a bifunctional linker. Intra-cartilage depth of penetration and retention of CPC-IGF-1 was compared with the unmodified IGF-1. The therapeutic effectiveness of a single dose of CPC-IGF-1 was compared with free IGF-1 in an IL-1α-challenged cartilage explant culture post-traumatic OA model. RESULTS CPC-IGF-1 rapidly penetrated through the full thickness of cartilage creating a drug depot owing to electrostatic interactions with negatively charged aggrecan-glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). CPC-IGF-1 remained bound within the tissue while unmodified IGF-1 cleared out. Treatment with a single dose of CPC-IGF-1 effectively suppressed IL-1α-induced GAG loss and nitrite release and rescued cell metabolism and viability throughout the 16-day culture period, while free IGF at the equivalent dose was not effective. CONCLUSIONS CPC-mediated depot delivery of IGF-1 protected cartilage by suppressing cytokine-induced catabolism with only a single dose. CPC is a versatile cationic motif that can be used for intra-cartilage delivery of other similar-sized drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bill Hakim
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tengfei He
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ambika G Bajpayee
- Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
- Departments of Mechanical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
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