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Lamptey RNL, Sun C, Singh J. Blood pressure reduction through brain delivery of nanoparticles loaded with plasmid DNA encoding angiotensin receptor shRNA. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2024; 35:102210. [PMID: 38827383 PMCID: PMC11141442 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Elevated brain angiotensin II activity plays a key role in the development of neurogenic hypertension. While blood pressure (BP) control in neurogenic hypertension has been successfully demonstrated by regulating central angiotensin II activity, current techniques involving cerebrovascular injections of potential therapeutic agents are not suitable for clinical translation. To address this gap, we present the synthesis of dual-functionalized liposomes functionalized with targeting ligand and cell-penetrating peptide. Functionalized liposomes were synthesized using the thin film hydration technique and loaded with plasmid DNA encoding short hairpin RNA targeted toward angiotensin II receptors (PEAS), via the post-insertion method. The synthesized liposomes had a cationic surface charge, an average size of 150 nm, and effectively entrapped more than 89% of loaded PEAS. These liposomes loaded with PEAS demonstrated biocompatibility and efficient delivery to brain-derived cell lines, resulting in a remarkable reduction of more than 70% in receptor expression within 7 days. To assess the therapeutic potential, spontaneously hypertensive rats were administered intravenous injections of functionalized liposomes loaded with PEAS, and the changes in mean arterial pressure were monitored for 45 days. Remarkably, this treatment led to a significant (p < 0.001) decrease in BP of more than 30 mm Hg compared with saline-treated rats.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chengwen Sun
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA
| | - Jagdish Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA
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2
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Effectiveness of Fragment C Domain of Tetanus Toxin and Pramipexole in an Animal Model of Parkinson’s Disease. Neurotox Res 2019; 35:699-710. [DOI: 10.1007/s12640-018-9990-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2018] [Revised: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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3
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Surana S, Tosolini AP, Meyer IF, Fellows AD, Novoselov SS, Schiavo G. The travel diaries of tetanus and botulinum neurotoxins. Toxicon 2018; 147:58-67. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2017.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Revised: 10/09/2017] [Accepted: 10/11/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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4
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Tan JKY, Sellers DL, Pham B, Pun SH, Horner PJ. Non-Viral Nucleic Acid Delivery Strategies to the Central Nervous System. Front Mol Neurosci 2016; 9:108. [PMID: 27847462 PMCID: PMC5088201 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2016.00108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2016] [Accepted: 10/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
With an increased prevalence and understanding of central nervous system (CNS) injuries and neurological disorders, nucleic acid therapies are gaining promise as a way to regenerate lost neurons or halt disease progression. While more viral vectors have been used clinically as tools for gene delivery, non-viral vectors are gaining interest due to lower safety concerns and the ability to deliver all types of nucleic acids. Nevertheless, there are still a number of barriers to nucleic acid delivery. In this focused review, we explore the in vivo challenges hindering non-viral nucleic acid delivery to the CNS and the strategies and vehicles used to overcome them. Advantages and disadvantages of different routes of administration including: systemic injection, cerebrospinal fluid injection, intraparenchymal injection and peripheral administration are discussed. Non-viral vehicles and treatment strategies that have overcome delivery barriers and demonstrated in vivo gene transfer to the CNS are presented. These approaches can be used as guidelines in developing synthetic gene delivery vectors for CNS applications and will ultimately bring non-viral vectors closer to clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- James-Kevin Y Tan
- Department of Bioengineering and Molecular Engineering & Sciences Institute, University of Washington Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Drew L Sellers
- Department of Bioengineering and Molecular Engineering & Sciences Institute, University of Washington Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Binhan Pham
- Department of Bioengineering and Molecular Engineering & Sciences Institute, University of Washington Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Suzie H Pun
- Department of Bioengineering and Molecular Engineering & Sciences Institute, University of Washington Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Philip J Horner
- Center for Neuroregenerative Medicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute Houston, TX, USA
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5
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Oliván S, Calvo AC, Rando A, Herrando-Grabulosa M, Manzano R, Zaragoza P, Tizzano EF, Aquilera J, Osta R. Neuroprotective Effect of Non-viral Gene Therapy Treatment Based on Tetanus Toxin C-fragment in a Severe Mouse Model of Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Front Mol Neurosci 2016; 9:76. [PMID: 27605908 PMCID: PMC4995219 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2016.00076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2016] [Accepted: 08/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a hereditary childhood disease that causes paralysis and progressive degeneration of skeletal muscles and spinal motor neurons. SMA is associated with reduced levels of full-length Survival of Motor Neuron (SMN) protein, due to mutations in the Survival of Motor Neuron 1 gene. Nowadays there are no effective therapies available to treat patients with SMA, so our aim was to test whether the non-toxic carboxy-terminal fragment of tetanus toxin heavy chain (TTC), which exhibits neurotrophic properties, might have a therapeutic role or benefit in SMA. In this manuscript, we have demonstrated that TTC enhance the SMN expression in motor neurons “in vitro” and evaluated the effect of intramuscular injection of TTC-encoding plasmid in the spinal cord and the skeletal muscle of SMNdelta7 mice. For this purpose, we studied the weight and the survival time, as well as, the survival and cell death pathways and muscular atrophy. Our results showed that TTC treatment reduced the expression of autophagy markers (Becn1, Atg5, Lc3, and p62) and pro-apoptotic genes such as Bax and Casp3 in spinal cord. In skeletal muscle, TTC was able to downregulate the expression of the main marker of autophagy, Lc3, to wild-type levels and the expression of the apoptosis effector protein, Casp3. Regarding the genes related to muscular atrophy (Ankrd1, Calm1, Col19a1, Fbox32, Mt2, Myod1, NogoA, Pax7, Rrad, and Sln), TTC suggest a compensatory effect for muscle damage response, diminished oxidative stress and modulated calcium homeostasis. These preliminary findings suggest the need for further experiments to depth study the effect of TTC in SMA disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Oliván
- Laboratorio de Genética Bioquímica, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón, Universidad de ZaragozaZaragoza, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, Grupo AMB, Instituto de Investigación en Ingeniería de Aragón (I3A), Universidad de ZaragozaZaragoza, Spain
| | - Ana C Calvo
- Laboratorio de Genética Bioquímica, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón, Universidad de Zaragoza Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Amaya Rando
- Laboratorio de Genética Bioquímica, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón, Universidad de Zaragoza Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Mireia Herrando-Grabulosa
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Spain Institut de Neurociències and Departament de Bioquímica i de Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Raquel Manzano
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford Oxford, UK
| | - Pilar Zaragoza
- Laboratorio de Genética Bioquímica, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón, Universidad de Zaragoza Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Eduardo F Tizzano
- Área de Genética Clínica y Molecular, Hospital Vall d'Hebron, Centros de Investigación Biomédica en Red Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jose Aquilera
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas, Spain Institut de Neurociències and Departament de Bioquímica i de Biologia Molecular, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Rosario Osta
- Laboratorio de Genética Bioquímica, Facultad de Veterinaria, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón, Universidad de Zaragoza Zaragoza, Spain
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6
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Zhan C, Li C, Wei X, Lu W, Lu W. Toxins and derivatives in molecular pharmaceutics: Drug delivery and targeted therapy. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2015; 90:101-18. [PMID: 25959429 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2015.04.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2015] [Revised: 04/20/2015] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Protein and peptide toxins offer an invaluable source for the development of actively targeted drug delivery systems. They avidly bind to a variety of cognate receptors, some of which are expressed or even up-regulated in diseased tissues and biological barriers. Protein and peptide toxins or their derivatives can act as ligands to facilitate tissue- or organ-specific accumulation of therapeutics. Some toxins have evolved from a relatively small number of structural frameworks that are particularly suitable for addressing the crucial issues of potency and stability, making them an instrumental source of leads and templates for targeted therapy. The focus of this review is on protein and peptide toxins for the development of targeted drug delivery systems and molecular therapies. We summarize disease- and biological barrier-related toxin receptors, as well as targeted drug delivery strategies inspired by those receptors. The design of new therapeutics based on protein and peptide toxins is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changyou Zhan
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University & Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai 201203, PR China
| | - Chong Li
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southwest University & Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Pharmaceutical Process and Quality Control, Chongqing 400716, PR China
| | - Xiaoli Wei
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University & Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai 201203, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, PR China
| | - Wuyuan Lu
- Institute of Human Virology and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Weiyue Lu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University & Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery (Fudan University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai 201203, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and the Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, PR China.
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7
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Auger A, Park M, Nitschke F, Minassian LM, Beilhartz GL, Minassian BA, Melnyk RA. Efficient Delivery of Structurally Diverse Protein Cargo into Mammalian Cells by a Bacterial Toxin. Mol Pharm 2015; 12:2962-71. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.5b00233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anick Auger
- Program in Molecular Structure & Function, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Minyoung Park
- Program in Molecular Structure & Function, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Felix Nitschke
- Program in Genetics & Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lori M. Minassian
- Program in Molecular Structure & Function, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Greg L. Beilhartz
- Program in Molecular Structure & Function, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Berge A. Minassian
- Program in Genetics & Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department
of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Roman A. Melnyk
- Program in Molecular Structure & Function, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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8
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McCall RL, Cacaccio J, Wrabel E, Schwartz ME, Coleman TP, Sirianni RW. Pathogen-inspired drug delivery to the central nervous system. Tissue Barriers 2014; 2:e944449. [PMID: 25610755 PMCID: PMC4292043 DOI: 10.4161/21688362.2014.944449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2014] [Accepted: 06/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
For as long as the human blood-brain barrier (BBB) has been evolving to exclude bloodborne agents from the central nervous system (CNS), pathogens have adopted a multitude of strategies to bypass it. Some pathogens, notably viruses and certain bacteria, enter the CNS in whole form, achieving direct physical passage through endothelial or neuronal cells to infect the brain. Other pathogens, including bacteria and multicellular eukaryotic organisms, secrete toxins that preferentially interact with specific cell types to exert a broad range of biological effects on peripheral and central neurons. In this review, we will discuss the directed mechanisms that viruses, bacteria, and the toxins secreted by higher order organisms use to enter the CNS. Our goal is to identify ligand-mediated strategies that could be used to improve the brain-specific delivery of engineered nanocarriers, including polymers, lipids, biologically sourced materials, and imaging agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L McCall
- Barrow Brain Tumor Research Center; Barrow Neurological Institute ; Phoenix, AZ USA
| | | | - Eileen Wrabel
- Nemucore Medical Innovations, Inc. ; Worcester, MA USA
| | | | - Timothy P Coleman
- Blue Ocean Biomanufacturing , Worcester, MA USA ; Nemucore Medical Innovations, Inc. ; Worcester, MA USA ; Center for Translational Cancer Nanomedicine; Northeastern University ; Boston, MA USA ; Foundation for the Advancement of Personalized Medicine Manufacturing ; Phoenix, AZ USA
| | - Rachael W Sirianni
- Barrow Brain Tumor Research Center; Barrow Neurological Institute ; Phoenix, AZ USA
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9
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Investigation of a recombinant SMN protein delivery system to treat spinal muscular atrophy. Transl Neurosci 2014. [DOI: 10.2478/s13380-014-0201-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractSpinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the most common genetic cause of infant death, is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting motor neurons. SMA results from a loss in full-length survival of motor neuron (SMN) protein due to deletions/mutations in the SMN1 gene. In this study, we assessed the ability of cell-penetrating peptides (CPP) to deliver recombinant SMN protein to cultured neurons as a prelude for a potential therapeutic to treat SMA. Firstly, we confirmed that E. coli produced recombinant GFP protein fused to TAT (YGRKKRRQRRR; TAT-GFP) transduced rat cortical neurons in a concentration dependent manner. However, due to low yields of recombinant TATSMN protein obtainable from E. coli, we investigated the potential of a modified TAT (TATκ: YARKAARQARA) or R9 (RRRRRRRRR) peptide downstream of the fibronectin (FIB) secretory signal peptide to generate recombinant CPP-fused SMN protein. While U251 cells transduced with an adenoviral vector expressing CMV-FIB-TATκ-SMN secreted recombinant TATκ-SMN protein, we did not detect TATκ-SMN protein transduction of cortical neurons. Further, purified TATκ-SMN was unable to transduce SH-SY5Y cells, nor block apoptosis following LY294002 treatment of these cells. Our findings indicate that TATκ is not a suitable CPP to deliver SMN protein to neurons. Nonetheless, we have developed a novel method to generate full-length recombinant SMN protein using a mammalian expression system, which can be used to explore the application of other CPPs to deliver SMN protein as a treatment for SMA.
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10
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Rossetto O, Scorzeto M, Megighian A, Montecucco C. Tetanus neurotoxin. Toxicon 2013; 66:59-63. [PMID: 23419592 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2012.12.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2012] [Revised: 12/25/2012] [Accepted: 12/30/2012] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- O Rossetto
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, and National Research Council Institute of Neuroscience, Italy
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11
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Toivonen JM, Oliván S, Osta R. Tetanus toxin C-fragment: the courier and the cure? Toxins (Basel) 2010; 2:2622-44. [PMID: 22069568 PMCID: PMC3153173 DOI: 10.3390/toxins2112622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2010] [Accepted: 10/28/2010] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In many neurological disorders strategies for a specific delivery of a biological activity from the periphery to the central nervous system (CNS) remains a considerable challenge for successful therapy. Reporter assays have established that the non-toxic C-fragment of tetanus toxin (TTC), provided either as protein or encoded by non-viral naked DNA plasmid, binds pre-synaptic motor neuron terminals and can facilitate the retrograde axonal transport of desired therapeutic molecules to the CNS. Alleviated symptoms in animal models of neurological diseases upon delivery of therapeutic molecules offer a hopeful prospect for TTC therapy. This review focuses on what has been learned on TTC-mediated neuronal targeting, and discusses the recent discovery that, instead of being merely a carrier molecule, TTC itself may well harbor neuroprotective properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janne M Toivonen
- LAGENBIO-I3A, Veterinary School, Aragón Institute of Health Sciences (IACS), Universidad de Zaragoza, Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain.
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12
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Federici T, Boulis NM. Invited review: festschrift edition of neurosurgery peripheral nervous system as a conduit for delivering therapies for diabetic neuropathy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and nerve regeneration. Neurosurgery 2010; 65:A87-92. [PMID: 19927084 DOI: 10.1227/01.neu.0000335653.52938.f2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In this review, we describe how therapies that promote axonal regeneration and neuronal protection can complement surgery for a successful functional restoration in peripheral nerve disorders. We discuss the advantages of peripheral drug delivery and the role of the neurosurgeon in the precise delivery of molecular therapies to surgically inaccessible structures. Strategies for enhancing uptake and retrograde transport of therapeutics, including gene therapy, are emphasized as conduits for delivery of therapeutics. Finally, candidate therapeutic proteins and genes are discussed in the context of application to degenerative disorders of the nervous system, including nerve injury, peripheral neuropathy, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thais Federici
- Department of Neurosurgery, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA
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13
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Antiapoptotic activity maintenance of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor and the C fragment of the tetanus toxin genetic fusion protein. Open Life Sci 2008. [DOI: 10.2478/s11535-008-0011-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractNeurotrophic factors have been widely suggested as a treatment for multiple diseases including motorneuron pathologies, like Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. However, clinical trials in which growth factors have been systematically administered to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis patients have not been effective, owing in part to the short half-life of these factors and their low concentrations at target sites. A possible strategy is the use of the atoxic C fragment of the tetanus toxin as a neurotrophic factor carrier to the motorneurons. The activity of trophic factors should be tested because their genetic fusion to proteins could alter their folding and conformation, thus undermining their neuroprotective properties. For this purpose, in this paper we explored the Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) activity maintenance after genetic fusion with the C fragment of the tetanus toxin. We demonstrated that BDNF fused with the C fragment of the tetanus toxin induces the neuronal survival Akt kinase pathway in mouse cortical culture neurons and maintains its antiapoptotic neuronal activity in Neuro2A cells.
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14
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Oligomerization of membrane-bound diphtheria toxin (CRM197) facilitates a transition to the open form and deep insertion. Biophys J 2007; 94:2115-27. [PMID: 18055530 DOI: 10.1529/biophysj.107.113498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Diphtheria toxin (DT) contains separate domains for receptor-specific binding, translocation, and enzymatic activity. After binding to cells, DT is taken up into endosome-like acidic compartments where the translocation domain inserts into the endosomal membrane and releases the catalytic domain into the cytosol. The process by which the catalytic domain is translocated across the endosomal membrane is known to involve pH-induced conformational changes; however, the molecular mechanisms are not yet understood, in large part due to the challenge of probing the conformation of the membrane-bound protein. In this work neutron reflection provided detailed conformational information for membrane-bound DT (CRM197) in situ. The data revealed that the bound toxin oligomerizes with increasing DT concentration and that the oligomeric form (and only the oligomeric form) undergoes a large extension into solution with decreasing pH that coincides with deep insertion of residues into the membrane. We interpret the large extension as a transition to the open form. These results thus indicate that as a function of bulk DT concentration, adsorbed DT passes from an inactive state with a monomeric dimension normal to the plane of the membrane to an active state with a dimeric dimension normal to the plane of the membrane.
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15
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Federici T, Liu JK, Teng Q, Yang J, Boulis NM. A Means for Targeting Therapeutics to Peripheral Nervous System Neurons with Axonal Damage. Neurosurgery 2007; 60:911-8; discussion 911-8. [PMID: 17460527 DOI: 10.1227/01.neu.0000255444.44365.b9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Delivery of biological therapeutics to motor and dorsal root ganglion neurons remains a major hurdle in the development of treatments for a variety of neurological processes, including peripheral nerve injury, pain, and motor neuron diseases. Because nerve cell bodies are important in initiating and controlling axonal regeneration, targeted delivery is an appealing strategy to deliver therapeutic proteins after peripheral nerve injury. METHODS Tet1 is a 12-aa peptide, isolated through phage display that is selected for tetanus toxin C fragment-like binding properties. In this study, we surveyed its uptake and retrograde transport using compartmented cultures and sciatic nerve injections. We then characterized the time course of this delivery. Finally, to confirm the retrograde transport involvement, a colchicine pretreatment was performed. We also performed competitive binding studies between Tet1 and a recombinant tetanus toxin C fragment using recombinant tetanus toxin C fragment enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS We were able to demonstrate efficient uptake and retrograde axonal transport of the Tet1 peptide in vitro and in vivo. Intraneural colchicine pretreatment partially blocked fluorescence detection in the spinal cord, revealing a retrograde axonal transport mechanism. Finally, a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay experiment revealed Tet1-specific binding to the recombinant tetanus toxin C fragment axon terminal trisialogangliosides receptor. CONCLUSION These properties of Tet1 can be applied to the development of therapeutic viral vectors and fusion proteins for neuronal targeting and enhanced spinal cord delivery in the treatment of nerve regeneration, neuroprotection, analgesia, and spasticity. Small peptides can be easily fused to larger proteins without significantly modifying their function and can be used to alter the binding and uptake properties of these proteins.
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16
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Abstract
Motor neuron diseases (MND), such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), are progressive neurodegenerative diseases that share the common characteristic of upper and/or lower motor neuron degeneration. Therapeutic strategies for MND are designed to confer neuroprotection, using trophic factors, anti-apoptotic proteins, as well as antioxidants and anti-excitotoxicity agents. Although a large number of therapeutic clinical trials have been attempted, none has been shown satisfactory for MND at this time. A variety of strategies have emerged for motor neuron gene transfer. Application of these approaches has yielded therapeutic results in cell culture and animal models, including the SOD1 models of ALS. In this study we describe the gene-based treatment of MND in general, examining the potential viral vector candidates, gene delivery strategies, and main therapeutic approaches currently attempted. Finally, we discuss future directions and potential strategies for more effective motor neuron gene delivery and clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thais Federici
- Department of Neuroscience, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, NB2-126A, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA
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17
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Payne AM, Zheng Z, Messi ML, Milligan CE, González E, Delbono O. Motor neurone targeting of IGF-1 prevents specific force decline in ageing mouse muscle. J Physiol 2005; 570:283-94. [PMID: 16293644 PMCID: PMC1464304 DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2005.100032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
IGF-1 is a potent growth factor for both motor neurones and skeletal muscle. Muscle IGF-1 is known to provide target-derived trophic effects on motor neurones. Therefore, IGF-1 overexpression in muscle is effective in delaying or preventing deleterious effects of ageing in both tissues. Since age-related decline in muscle function stems partly from motor neurone loss, a tetanus toxin fragment-C (TTC) fusion protein was created to target IGF-1 to motor neurones. IGF-1-TTC retains IGF-1 activity as indicated by [(3)H]thymidine incorporation into L6 myoblasts. Spinal cord motor neurones effectively bound and internalized the IGF-1-TTC in vitro. Similarly, IGF-1-TTC injected into skeletal muscles was taken up and retrogradely transported to the spinal cord in vivo, a process prevented by denervation of injected muscles. Three monthly IGF-1-TTC injections into muscles of ageing mice did not increase muscle weight or muscle fibre size, but significantly increased single fibre specific force over aged controls injected with saline, IGF-1, or TTC. None of the injections changed muscle fibre type composition, but neuromuscular junction post-terminals were larger and more complex in muscle fibres injected with IGF-1-TTC, compared to the other groups, suggesting preservation of muscle fibre innervation. This work demonstrates that induced overexpression of IGF-1 in spinal cord motor neurones of ageing mice prevents muscle fibre specific force decline, a hallmark of ageing skeletal muscle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony M Payne
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
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18
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Benn SC, Ay I, Bastia E, Chian RJ, Celia SA, Pepinsky RB, Fishman PS, Brown RH, Francis JW. Tetanus toxin fragment C fusion facilitates protein delivery to CNS neurons from cerebrospinal fluid in mice. J Neurochem 2005; 95:1118-31. [PMID: 16271047 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2005.03459.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
To improve protein delivery to the CNS following intracerebroventricular administration, we compared the distribution of a human Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase:tetanus toxin fragment C fusion protein (SOD1:TTC) in mouse brain and spinal cord with that of tetanus toxin fragment C (TTC) or human SOD1 (hSOD1) alone, following continuous infusion into the lateral ventricle. Mice infused with TTC or SOD1:TTC showed intense anti-TTC or anti-hSOD1 labeling, respectively, throughout the CNS. In contrast, animals treated with hSOD1 revealed moderate staining in periventricular tissues. In spinal cord sections from animals infused with SOD1:TTC, the fusion protein was found in neuron nuclear antigen-positive (NeuN+) neurons and not glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive (GFAP+) astrocytes. The percentage of NeuN+ ventral horn cells that were co-labeled with hSOD1 antibody was greater in mice treated with SOD1:TTC (cervical cord = 73 +/- 8.5%; lumbar cord = 62 +/- 7.7%) than in mice treated with hSOD1 alone (cervical cord = 15 +/- 3.9%; lumbar cord = 27 +/-4.7%). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for hSOD1 further demonstrated that SOD1:TTC-infused mice had higher levels of immunoreactive hSOD1 in CNS tissue extracts than hSOD1-infused mice. Following 24 h of drug washout, tissue extracts from SOD1:TTC-treated mice still contained substantial amounts of hSOD1, while extracts from hSOD1-treated mice lacked detectable hSOD1. Immunoprecipitation of SOD1:TTC from these extracts using anti-TTC antibody revealed that the recovered fusion protein was structurally intact and enzymatically active. These results indicate that TTC may serve as a useful prototype for development as a non-viral vehicle for improving delivery of therapeutic proteins to the CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanna C Benn
- Cecil B. Day Laboratory for Neuromuscular Research, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, USA
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Abstract
Over the last 15 years, many publications described the use of peptide sequences that have been dubbed cell penetrating peptides (CPP), Trojan Horse peptides, protein transduction domains, or membrane-translocating sequences. These mostly positively charged domains bring attached cargo across biological membranes. One of the reasons for the interest in CPP is their potential as delivery tools to enhance the pharmacodynamics of drugs otherwise poorly bioavailable. In particular, the neuroscientist aiming to deliver a protein or other compound into the brain for analytical or therapeutic reasons is faced with the challenge that few drugs cross the blood-brain barrier. CPP are valuable tools to overcome the plasma membrane or the blood-brain barrier in basic research, and in relevant models of neural disease, and will hopefully help to increase the precious few treatments or even cures for people with diseases of the brain and nervous system. Here, we review applications in neuroscience and recent insights into the mechanism of CPP-mediated trafficking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunnar P H Dietz
- Neurologische Universitätsklinik, Waldweg 33, 37073 Göttingen, Germany.
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Abstract
The year 2004 represents a milestone for the biosensor research community: in this year, over 1000 articles were published describing experiments performed using commercially available systems. The 1038 papers we found represent an approximately 10% increase over the past year and demonstrate that the implementation of biosensors continues to expand at a healthy pace. We evaluated the data presented in each paper and compiled a 'top 10' list. These 10 articles, which we recommend every biosensor user reads, describe well-performed kinetic, equilibrium and qualitative/screening studies, provide comparisons between binding parameters obtained from different biosensor users, as well as from biosensor- and solution-based interaction analyses, and summarize the cutting-edge applications of the technology. We also re-iterate some of the experimental pitfalls that lead to sub-optimal data and over-interpreted results. We are hopeful that the biosensor community, by applying the hints we outline, will obtain data on a par with that presented in the 10 spotlighted articles. This will ensure that the scientific community at large can be confident in the data we report from optical biosensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L Rich
- Center for Biomolecular Interaction Analysis, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA
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