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Wang H, Yang Y, Xu Y, Chen Y, Zhang W, Liu T, Chen G, Wang K. Phage-based delivery systems: engineering, applications, and challenges in nanomedicines. J Nanobiotechnology 2024; 22:365. [PMID: 38918839 PMCID: PMC11197292 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-024-02576-4] [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] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages (phages) represent a unique category of viruses with a remarkable ability to selectively infect host bacteria, characterized by their assembly from proteins and nucleic acids. Leveraging their exceptional biological properties and modifiable characteristics, phages emerge as innovative, safe, and efficient delivery vectors. The potential drawbacks associated with conventional nanocarriers in the realms of drug and gene delivery include a lack of cell-specific targeting, cytotoxicity, and diminished in vivo transfection efficiency. In contrast, engineered phages, when employed as cargo delivery vectors, hold the promise to surmount these limitations and attain enhanced delivery efficacy. This review comprehensively outlines current strategies for the engineering of phages, delineates the principal types of phages utilized as nanocarriers in drug and gene delivery, and explores the application of phage-based delivery systems in disease therapy. Additionally, an incisive analysis is provided, critically examining the challenges confronted by phage-based delivery systems within the domain of nanotechnology. The primary objective of this article is to furnish a theoretical reference that contributes to the reasoned design and development of potent phage-based delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
- Qingdao Central Hospital, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (Qingdao Central Medical Group), Qingdao, 266024, China
- School of Rehabilitation Sciences and Engineering, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, 266024, China
| | - Ying Yang
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
| | - Yan Xu
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
| | - Yi Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
| | - Wenjie Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China
| | - Tianqing Liu
- NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, 2145, Australia.
| | - Gang Chen
- Qingdao Central Hospital, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (Qingdao Central Medical Group), Qingdao, 266024, China.
- School of Rehabilitation Sciences and Engineering, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, 266024, China.
| | - Kaikai Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, China.
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2
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Upton C, Healey J, Rothnie AJ, Goddard AD. Insights into membrane interactions and their therapeutic potential. Arch Biochem Biophys 2024; 755:109939. [PMID: 38387829 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2024.109939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Recent research into membrane interactions has uncovered a diverse range of therapeutic opportunities through the bioengineering of human and non-human macromolecules. Although the majority of this research is focussed on fundamental developments, emerging studies are showcasing promising new technologies to combat conditions such as cancer, Alzheimer's and inflammatory and immune-based disease, utilising the alteration of bacteriophage, adenovirus, bacterial toxins, type 6 secretion systems, annexins, mitochondrial antiviral signalling proteins and bacterial nano-syringes. To advance the field further, each of these opportunities need to be better understood, and the therapeutic models need to be further optimised. Here, we summarise the knowledge and insights into several membrane interactions and detail their current and potential uses therapeutically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calum Upton
- School of Biosciences, Health & Life Science, Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK
| | - Joseph Healey
- Nanosyrinx, The Venture Centre, University of Warwick Science Park, Coventry, CV4 7EZ, UK
| | - Alice J Rothnie
- School of Biosciences, Health & Life Science, Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK
| | - Alan D Goddard
- School of Biosciences, Health & Life Science, Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK.
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Aljabali AAA, Aljbaly MBM, Obeid MA, Shahcheraghi SH, Tambuwala MM. The Next Generation of Drug Delivery: Harnessing the Power of Bacteriophages. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2738:279-315. [PMID: 37966606 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3549-0_18] [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] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
The use of biomaterials, such as bacteriophages, as drug delivery vehicles (DDVs) has gained increasing interest in recent years due to their potential to address the limitations of conventional drug delivery systems. Bacteriophages offer several advantages as drug carriers, such as high specificity for targeting bacterial cells, low toxicity, and the ability to be engineered to express specific proteins or peptides for enhanced targeting and drug delivery. In addition, bacteriophages have been shown to reduce the development of antibiotic resistance, which is a major concern in the field of antimicrobial therapy. Many initiatives have been taken to take up various payloads selectively and precisely by surface functionalization of the outside or interior of self-assembling viral protein capsids. Bacteriophages have emerged as a promising platform for the targeted delivery of therapeutic agents, including drugs, genes, and imaging agents. They possess several properties that make them attractive as drug delivery vehicles, including their ability to specifically target bacterial cells, their structural diversity, their ease of genetic manipulation, and their biocompatibility. Despite the potential advantages of using bacteriophages as drug carriers, several challenges and limitations need to be addressed. One of the main challenges is the limited host range of bacteriophages, which restricts their use to specific bacterial strains. However, this can also be considered as an advantage, as it allows for precise and targeted drug delivery to the desired bacterial cells. The use of biomaterials, including bacteriophages, as drug delivery vehicles has shown promising potential to address the limitations of conventional drug delivery systems. Further research is needed to fully understand the potential of these biomaterials and address the challenges and limitations associated with their use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaa A A Aljabali
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan.
| | | | - Mohammad A Obeid
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Seyed Hossein Shahcheraghi
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Murtaza M Tambuwala
- Lincoln Medical School, Brayford Pool Campus, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK.
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Fokine A, Islam MZ, Fang Q, Chen Z, Sun L, Rao VB. Structure and Function of Hoc-A Novel Environment Sensing Device Encoded by T4 and Other Bacteriophages. Viruses 2023; 15:1517. [PMID: 37515203 PMCID: PMC10385173 DOI: 10.3390/v15071517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophage T4 is decorated with 155 180 Å-long fibers of the highly antigenic outer capsid protein (Hoc). In this study, we describe a near-atomic structural model of Hoc by combining cryo-electron microscopy and AlphaFold structure predictions. It consists of a conserved C-terminal capsid-binding domain attached to a string of three variable immunoglobulin (Ig)-like domains, an architecture well-preserved in hundreds of Hoc molecules found in phage genomes. Each T4-Hoc fiber attaches randomly to the center of gp23* hexameric capsomers in one of the six possible orientations, though at the vertex-proximal hexamers that deviate from 6-fold symmetry, Hoc binds in two preferred orientations related by 180° rotation. Remarkably, each Hoc fiber binds to all six subunits of the capsomer, though the interactions are greatest with three of the subunits, resulting in the off-centered attachment of the C-domain. Biochemical analyses suggest that the acidic Hoc fiber (pI, ~4-5) allows for the clustering of virions in acidic pH and dispersion in neutral/alkaline pH. Hoc appears to have evolved as a sensing device that allows the phage to navigate its movements through reversible clustering-dispersion transitions so that it reaches its destination, the host bacterium, and persists in various ecological niches such as the human/mammalian gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrei Fokine
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- Bacteriophage Medical Research Center, Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 20064, USA
| | - Mohammad Zahidul Islam
- Bacteriophage Medical Research Center, Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 20064, USA
- Department of Pathology and Translational Pathology, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, Shreveport, LA 71103, USA
| | - Qianglin Fang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Zhenguo Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Lei Sun
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Venigalla B Rao
- Bacteriophage Medical Research Center, Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 20064, USA
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Zou G, He L, Rao J, Song Z, Du H, Li R, Wang W, Zhou Y, Liang L, Chen H, Li J. Improving the safety and efficacy of phage therapy from the perspective of phage-mammal interactions. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2023; 47:fuad042. [PMID: 37442611 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuad042] [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: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Phage therapy has re-emerged as a promising solution for combating antimicrobial-resistant bacterial infections. Increasingly, studies have revealed that phages possess therapeutic potential beyond their antimicrobial properties, including regulating the gut microbiome and maintain intestinal homeostasis, as a novel nanocarrier for targeted drug delivery. However, the complexity and unpredictability of phage behavior during treatment pose a significant challenge in clinical practice. The intricate interactions established between phages, humans, and bacteria throughout their long coexistence in the natural ecosystem contribute to the complexity of phage behavior in therapy, raising concerns about their efficacy and safety as therapeutic agents. Revealing the mechanisms by which phages interact with the human body will provide a theoretical basis for increased application of promising phage therapy. In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of phage-mammal interactions, including signaling pathways, adaptive immunity responses, and phage-mediated anti-inflammatory responses. Then, from the perspective of phage-mammalian immune system interactions, we present the first systematic overview of the factors affecting phage therapy, such as the mode of administration, the physiological status of the patient, and the biological properties of the phage, to offer new insights into phage therapy for various human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geng Zou
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, College of Food Science and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Biomedicine and Health, Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Lijun He
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, College of Food Science and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Biomedicine and Health, Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jing Rao
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, College of Food Science and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Biomedicine and Health, Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Zhiyong Song
- College of Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Hu Du
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, College of Food Science and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Biomedicine and Health, Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Runze Li
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, College of Food Science and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Biomedicine and Health, Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Wenjing Wang
- College of Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yang Zhou
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, College of Food Science and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Biomedicine and Health, Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Lu Liang
- School of Bioscience, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, United Kingdom
| | - Huanchun Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, College of Food Science and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Biomedicine and Health, Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jinquan Li
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, College of Food Science and Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, College of Biomedicine and Health, Shenzhen Institute of Nutrition and Health, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518000, China
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Zhu J, Batra H, Ananthaswamy N, Mahalingam M, Tao P, Wu X, Guo W, Fokine A, Rao VB. Design of bacteriophage T4-based artificial viral vectors for human genome remodeling. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2928. [PMID: 37253769 PMCID: PMC10229621 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38364-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Designing artificial viral vectors (AVVs) programmed with biomolecules that can enter human cells and carry out molecular repairs will have broad applications. Here, we describe an assembly-line approach to build AVVs by engineering the well-characterized structural components of bacteriophage T4. Starting with a 120 × 86 nm capsid shell that can accommodate 171-Kbp DNA and thousands of protein copies, various combinations of biomolecules, including DNAs, proteins, RNAs, and ribonucleoproteins, are externally and internally incorporated. The nanoparticles are then coated with cationic lipid to enable efficient entry into human cells. As proof of concept, we assemble a series of AVVs designed to deliver full-length dystrophin gene or perform various molecular operations to remodel human genome, including genome editing, gene recombination, gene replacement, gene expression, and gene silencing. These large capacity, customizable, multiplex, and all-in-one phage-based AVVs represent an additional category of nanomaterial that could potentially transform gene therapies and personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingen Zhu
- Bacteriophage Medical Research Center, Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, 20064, USA
| | - Himanshu Batra
- Bacteriophage Medical Research Center, Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, 20064, USA
| | - Neeti Ananthaswamy
- Bacteriophage Medical Research Center, Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, 20064, USA
| | - Marthandan Mahalingam
- Bacteriophage Medical Research Center, Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, 20064, USA
| | - Pan Tao
- Bacteriophage Medical Research Center, Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, 20064, USA
| | - Xiaorong Wu
- Bacteriophage Medical Research Center, Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, 20064, USA
| | - Wenzheng Guo
- Bacteriophage Medical Research Center, Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, 20064, USA
| | - Andrei Fokine
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Venigalla B Rao
- Bacteriophage Medical Research Center, Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, 20064, USA.
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Rao VB, Fokine A, Fang Q, Shao Q. Bacteriophage T4 Head: Structure, Assembly, and Genome Packaging. Viruses 2023; 15:527. [PMID: 36851741 PMCID: PMC9958956 DOI: 10.3390/v15020527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophage (phage) T4 has served as an extraordinary model to elucidate biological structures and mechanisms. Recent discoveries on the T4 head (capsid) structure, portal vertex, and genome packaging add a significant body of new literature to phage biology. Head structures in unexpanded and expanded conformations show dramatic domain movements, structural remodeling, and a ~70% increase in inner volume while creating high-affinity binding sites for the outer decoration proteins Soc and Hoc. Small changes in intercapsomer interactions modulate angles between capsomer planes, leading to profound alterations in head length. The in situ cryo-EM structure of the symmetry-mismatched portal vertex shows the remarkable structural morphing of local regions of the portal protein, allowing similar interactions with the capsid protein in different structural environments. Conformational changes in these interactions trigger the structural remodeling of capsid protein subunits surrounding the portal vertex, which propagate as a wave of expansion throughout the capsid. A second symmetry mismatch is created when a pentameric packaging motor assembles at the outer "clip" domains of the dodecameric portal vertex. The single-molecule dynamics of the packaging machine suggests a continuous burst mechanism in which the motor subunits adjusted to the shape of the DNA fire ATP hydrolysis, generating speeds as high as 2000 bp/s.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venigalla B. Rao
- Bacteriophage Medical Research Center, Department of Biology, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 20064, USA
| | - Andrei Fokine
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Qianglin Fang
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Qianqian Shao
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
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8
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Editorial overview: Special issue on phage therapy. Curr Opin Virol 2023; 58:101300. [PMID: 36586203 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2022.101300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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