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Kolster M, Sonntag A, Weise C, Correa J, Fuchs H, Walther W, Fernandez-Megia E, Weng A. Broadening the Scope of Sapofection: Cationic Peptide-Saponin Conjugates Improve Gene Delivery In Vitro and In Vivo. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:36095-36105. [PMID: 38970470 PMCID: PMC11261559 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c05846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024]
Abstract
Gene therapies represent promising new therapeutic options for a variety of indications. However, despite several approved drugs, its potential remains untapped. For polymeric gene delivery, endosomal escape represents a bottleneck. SO1861, a naturally occurring triterpene saponin with endosomal escape properties isolated from Saponaria officinalis L., has been described as additive agent to enhance transfection efficiency (sapofection). However, the challenge to synchronize the saponin and gene delivery system in vivo imposes limitations. Herein, we address this issue by conjugating SO1861 to a peptide-based gene vector using a pH-sensitive hydrazone linker programmed to release SO1861 at the acidic pH of the endosome. Nanoplexes formulated with SO1861-equipped peptides were investigated for transfection efficiency and tolerability in vitro and in vivo. In all investigated cell lines, SO1861-conjugated nanoplexes have shown superior transfection efficiency and cell viability over supplementation of transfection medium with free SO1861. Targeted SO1861-equipped nanoplexes incorporating a targeting peptide were tested in vitro and in vivo in an aggressively growing neuroblastoma allograft model in mice. Using a suicide gene vector encoding the cytotoxic protein saporin, a slowed tumor growth and improved survival rate were observed for targeted SO1861-equipped nanoplexes compared to vehicle control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meike Kolster
- Institut
für Pharmazie, Freie Universität
Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 2-4, Berlin 14195, Germany
| | - Alexander Sonntag
- Institut
für Pharmazie, Freie Universität
Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 2-4, Berlin 14195, Germany
| | - Christoph Weise
- Institut
für Chemie und Biochemie, Freie Universität
Berlin, Thielallee 63, Berlin 14195, Germany
| | - Juan Correa
- Centro
Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica
e Materiais Moleculares (CIQUS), Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Jenaro de la Fuente s/n, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain
| | - Hendrik Fuchs
- Institut
für Laboratoriumsmedizin, Klinische Chemie und Pathobiochemie, Charité − Universitätsmedizin
Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität
zu Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, Berlin 13353, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Walther
- Experimental
Pharmacology & Oncology Berlin-Buch GmbH, Robert-Rössle-Str. 10, Berlin 13125, Germany
| | - Eduardo Fernandez-Megia
- Centro
Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica
e Materiais Moleculares (CIQUS), Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Jenaro de la Fuente s/n, Santiago de Compostela 15782, Spain
| | - Alexander Weng
- Institut
für Pharmazie, Freie Universität
Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 2-4, Berlin 14195, Germany
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Smakosz A, Matkowski A, Nawrot-Hadzik I. Phytochemistry and Biological Activities of Agrostemma Genus-A Review. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:1673. [PMID: 38931105 PMCID: PMC11207627 DOI: 10.3390/plants13121673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 06/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
The family Caryophyllaceae comprises more than 2600 species spread widely across all the continents. Their economic importance is mainly as ornamentals (carnation) and as weeds in agriculture. Some species have been used traditionally (and some are still) in herbal medicine or as emulsifiers in food processing. These applications are based on the high content of triterpenoid saponins. Typical for this family are also ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs), which are potentially highly toxic. Agrostemma githago L. (common corncockle) was historically considered a serious toxicological hazard owing to cereal grain contamination by its seeds. Notwithstanding, it was also recommended as a drug by various herbalists. In this review, the literature was searched in the PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases for papers focused on the chemical composition and bioactivity of the two accepted species of the Agrostemma genus. This systematic review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and MetaAnalysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Current research reports the cytotoxicity against neoplastic cells; the protection against oxidative stress; the suppression of Leishmania major culture growth; the inhibition of protein synthesis; and the antiviral, anti-angiogenic, and antihypercholesterolemic activities of common corncockle. The future prospects of using A. githago saponins as adjuvants in drug formulations and enhancing the cytotoxicity of RIPs are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adam Matkowski
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-556 Wroclaw, Poland; (A.S.); (I.N.-H.)
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Roerig J, Schulz-Siegmund M. Standardization Approaches for Extracellular Vesicle Loading with Oligonucleotides and Biologics. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2301763. [PMID: 37287374 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202301763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are widely recognized for their potential as drug delivery systems. EVs are membranous nanoparticles shed from cells. Among their natural features are their ability to shield cargo molecules against degradation and enable their functional internalization into target cells. Especially biological or bio-inspired large molecules (LMs), like nucleic acids, proteins, peptides, and others, may profit from encapsulation in EVs for drug delivery purposes. In the last years, a variety of loading protocols are explored for different LMs. The lack of standardization in the EV drug delivery field has impeded their comparability so far. Currently, the first reporting frameworks and workflows for EV drug loading are proposed. The aim of this review is to summarize these evolving standardization approaches and set recently developed methods into context. This will allow for enhanced comparability of future work on EV drug loading with LMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josepha Roerig
- Pharmaceutical Technology, Institute of Pharmacy, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04317, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Michaela Schulz-Siegmund
- Pharmaceutical Technology, Institute of Pharmacy, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04317, Leipzig, Germany
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Niapour A, Miran M, Seyedasli N, Norouzi F. Anti-angiogenic effects of aqueous extract from Agrostemma githago L. seed in human umbilical vein endothelial cells via regulating Notch/VEGF, MMP2/9, ANG2, and VEGFR2. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:22413-22429. [PMID: 36287364 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-23510-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Abnormal angiogenesis contributes to the pathogenesis of various diseases. The medicinal usage of Agrostemma githago L. seed (A. githago herein) has been stated in traditional medicine. This study aims to investigate the anti-angiogenic potential of aqueous extract of A. githago. In order to test the effect of A. githago extract, its impact on HUVECs, T98G, and HGF2PI2 cells was assessed by looking at cellular viability, changes in the distribution of cells in different phases of the cell cycle, induction of oxidative stress, and apoptosis. In addition, the release of VEGF, ANG2, and MMP2/9 factors, along with the expressions of the critical Notch signaling pathway players and VEGF receptors (VEGFR), was measured. Furthermore, a γ-secretase inhibitor (LY411575) was applied to determine whether Notch inhibition restores A. githago effects. As a further characterization, total phenolic and flavonoid contents of A. githago were estimated, and five triterpene saponin compounds were identified using LC-ESI-MS. In response to A. githago extract, a reduction in total cell viability, along with the induction of ROS and apoptosis, was detected. Exposure to the A. githago extract could modulate the release of VEGF and ANG2 from T98G and HUVECs, respectively. In addition, A. githago reduced the release of MMP2/9. Furthermore, Notch1, DLL4, and HEY2 transcripts and protein expressions were up-regulated, while VEGFR2 was down-regulated in treated HUVEC cells. Treatment with the A. githago extract resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of AKT phosphorylation. Inhibition of Notch signaling retrieved the viability loss, reduced intracellular ROS, and alleviated the impaired tube formation in A. githago-treated HUVECs. Overall, these data underscore the anti-angiogenic potential of A. githago via inducing apoptosis, modifying the expression levels of VEGF/VEGFR2, and impacting the release of MMP2/9 and ANG2, effects that are most probably modulated through the Notch/VEGF signaling axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Niapour
- Research Laboratory for Embryology and Stem Cells, Department of Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran.
| | - Mansour Miran
- Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Naisana Seyedasli
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital, Westmead NSW, Sydney, Australia
- The Centre for Cancer Research, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead NSW, Sydney, Australia
| | - Firouz Norouzi
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
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Hasanzadeh A, Vahabi AH, Hooshmand SE, Hosseini ES, Azar BKY, Kiani J, Saeedi S, Shahbazi A, Rudra A, Hamblin MR, Karimi M. Saponin and fluorine-modified polycation as a versatile gene delivery system. NANOTECHNOLOGY 2022; 33:445101. [PMID: 35882099 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/ac842d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Despite the development of many novel carriers for the delivery of various types of genetic material, the lack of a delivery system with high efficiency and low cytotoxicity is a major bottleneck. Herein, low molecular weight polyethylenimine (PEI1.8k) was functionalized with saponin residues using phenylboronic acid (PBA) as an ATP-responsive cross-linker, and a fluorinated side chain to construct PEI-PBA-SAP-F polycation as a highly efficient delivery vector. This vehicle could transfect small plasmid DNA (∼3 kb) with outstanding efficiency into various cells, including HEK 293T, NIH3T3, A549, PC12, MCF7 and HT-29, as well as robust transfection of a large plasmid (∼9 kb) into HEK 293T cells. The carrier indicated good transfection efficacy even at high concentration of serum and low doses of plasmid. The use of green fluorescent protein (GFP) knock-out analysis demonstrated transfection of different types of CRISPR/Cas9 complexes (Cas9/sgRNA ribonucleoproteins RNP, plasmid encoding Cas9 plus sgRNA targeting GFP, Cas9 expression plasmid plusin vitro-prepared sgRNA). In summary, we report an effective PEI-PBA-SAP-F gene carrier with the appropriate lipophilic/cationic balance for biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akbar Hasanzadeh
- Department of Medical Nanotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Hossein Vahabi
- Department of Medical Nanotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyyed Emad Hooshmand
- Department of Medical Nanotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elaheh Sadat Hosseini
- Department of Medical Nanotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Behjat Kheiri Yeghaneh Azar
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Jafar Kiani
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sara Saeedi
- Department of Medical Nanotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Shahbazi
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Arnab Rudra
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States of America
- Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, United States of America
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States of America
| | - Michael R Hamblin
- Laser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Science, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein 2028, South Africa
| | - Mahdi Karimi
- Department of Medical Nanotechnology, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Research Center for Science and Technology in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Mitdank H, Tröger M, Sonntag A, Shirazi NA, Woith E, Fuchs H, Kobelt D, Walther W, Weng A. Suicide nanoplasmids coding for ribosome-inactivating proteins. Eur J Pharm Sci 2022; 170:106107. [PMID: 34958884 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2021.106107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Conventional eukaryotic expression plasmids contain a DNA backbone that is dispensable for the cellular expression of the transgene. In order to reduce the vector size, minicircle DNA technology was introduced. A drawback of the minicircle technology are considerable production costs. Nanoplasmids are a relatively new class of mini-DNA constructs that are of tremendous potential for pharmaceutical applications. In this study we have designed novel suicide nanoplasmid constructs coding for plant derived ribosome-inactivating proteins. The suicide-nanoplasmids were formulated with a targeted K16-lysine domain, analyzed for size, and characterized by electron microscopy. The anti-proliferative activity of the suicide-nanoplasmids was investigated in vitro by real time microscopy and the expression kinetic was determined using an enhanced green fluorescent protein nanoplasmid variant. In an aggressive in vivo neuroblastoma tumor model, treated mice showed a reduced tumor growth whereby the therapy was well tolerated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hardy Mitdank
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Pharmazie, Königin-Luise-Str. 2+4, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Meike Tröger
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Pharmazie, Königin-Luise-Str. 2+4, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexander Sonntag
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Pharmazie, Königin-Luise-Str. 2+4, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Nima Amini Shirazi
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Pharmazie, Königin-Luise-Str. 2+4, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Eric Woith
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Pharmazie, Königin-Luise-Str. 2+4, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Hendrik Fuchs
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Dennis Kobelt
- Experimental Pharmacology & Oncology Berlin-Buch GmbH, Robert-Rössle-Str.10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Walther
- Experimental Pharmacology & Oncology Berlin-Buch GmbH, Robert-Rössle-Str.10, 13125 Berlin, Germany; Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin and Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Rössle-Str. 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexander Weng
- Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Pharmazie, Königin-Luise-Str. 2+4, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
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Sonntag A, Mitdank H, Weng A. Construction of Minicircle Suicide Genes Coding for Ribosome-Inactivating Proteins. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2521:157-171. [PMID: 35732997 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2441-8_8] [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: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Due to the lower risks of adverse effects, nonviral gene therapy is a suitable alternative to transfect cancer cells with a suicide gene to let them kill themselves by expressing toxic ribosome-inactivating proteins. Plasmids are stable and easy-to-produce vectors, but they have some disadvantages due to the bacterial backbone. Applying the minicircle technology, this problem can be solved with manageable effort in a well-equipped laboratory. With the described methodology, minicircle-DNA can be produced at low costs. The cell killing properties are monitored following transfection using the CytoSMART® Omni system-a camera based live cell imaging device.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hardy Mitdank
- Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexander Weng
- Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
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