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Pawar S, Pingale P, Garkal A, Osmani RAM, Gajbhiye K, Kulkarni M, Pardeshi K, Mehta T, Rajput A. Unlocking the potential of nanocarrier-mediated mRNA delivery across diverse biomedical frontiers: A comprehensive review. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 267:131139. [PMID: 38615863 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.131139] [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: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Messenger RNA (mRNA) has gained marvelous attention for managing and preventing various conditions like cancer, Alzheimer's, infectious diseases, etc. Due to the quick development and success of the COVID-19 mRNA-based vaccines, mRNA has recently grown in prominence. A lot of products are in clinical trials and some are already FDA-approved. However, still improvements in line of optimizing stability and delivery, reducing immunogenicity, increasing efficiency, expanding therapeutic applications, scalability and manufacturing, and long-term safety monitoring are needed. The delivery of mRNA via a nanocarrier system gives a synergistic outcome for managing chronic and complicated conditions. The modified nanocarrier-loaded mRNA has excellent potential as a therapeutic strategy. This emerging platform covers a wide range of diseases, recently, several clinical studies are ongoing and numerous publications are coming out every year. Still, many unexplained physical, biological, and technical problems of mRNA for safer human consumption. These complications were addressed with various nanocarrier formulations. This review systematically summarizes the solved problems and applications of nanocarrier-based mRNA delivery. The modified nanocarrier mRNA meaningfully improved mRNA stability and abridged its immunogenicity issues. Furthermore, several strategies were discussed that can be an effective solution in the future for managing complicated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smita Pawar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Institute of Chemical Technology, N.P. Marg, Matunga (E), Mumbai 400019, Maharashtra, India
| | - Prashant Pingale
- Department of Pharmaceutics, GES's Sir Dr. M. S. Gosavi College of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Nashik 422005, Maharashtra, India
| | - Atul Garkal
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Institute of Pharmacy, Nirma University, Ahmedabad 382481, Gujarat, India; Center for Nanomedicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Riyaz Ali M Osmani
- Department of Pharmaceutics, JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education & Research, Mysuru 570015, Karnataka, India
| | - Kavita Gajbhiye
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Bharti Vidyapeeth Deemed University, Poona College of Pharmacy, Erandwane, Pune 411038, Maharashtra, India
| | - Madhur Kulkarni
- SCES's Indira College of Pharmacy, New Pune Mumbai Highway, Tathwade 411033, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Krutika Pardeshi
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sandip University, Nashik 422213, Maharashtra, India
| | - Tejal Mehta
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Institute of Pharmacy, Nirma University, Ahmedabad 382481, Gujarat, India
| | - Amarjitsing Rajput
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Bharti Vidyapeeth Deemed University, Poona College of Pharmacy, Erandwane, Pune 411038, Maharashtra, India.
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Wang AYL, Chang YC, Chen KH, Loh CYY. Potential Application of Modified mRNA in Cardiac Regeneration. Cell Transplant 2024; 33:9636897241248956. [PMID: 38715279 PMCID: PMC11080755 DOI: 10.1177/09636897241248956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Heart failure remains the leading cause of human death worldwide. After a heart attack, the formation of scar tissue due to the massive death of cardiomyocytes leads to heart failure and sudden death in most cases. In addition, the regenerative ability of the adult heart is limited after injury, partly due to cell-cycle arrest in cardiomyocytes. In the current post-COVID-19 era, urgently authorized modified mRNA (modRNA) vaccines have been widely used to prevent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Therefore, modRNA-based protein replacement may act as an alternative strategy for improving heart disease. It is a safe, effective, transient, low-immunogenic, and integration-free strategy for in vivo protein expression, in addition to recombinant protein and stem-cell regenerative therapies. In this review, we provide a summary of various cardiac factors that have been utilized with the modRNA method to enhance cardiovascular regeneration, cardiomyocyte proliferation, fibrosis inhibition, and apoptosis inhibition. We further discuss other cardiac factors, modRNA delivery methods, and injection methods using the modRNA approach to explore their application potential in heart disease. Factors for promoting cardiomyocyte proliferation such as a cocktail of three genes comprising FoxM1, Id1, and Jnk3-shRNA (FIJs), gp130, and melatonin have potential to be applied in the modRNA approach. We also discuss the current challenges with respect to modRNA-based cardiac regenerative medicine that need to be overcome to apply this approach to heart disease. This review provides a short description for investigators interested in the development of alternative cardiac regenerative medicines using the modRNA platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Yen Ling Wang
- Center for Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yun-Ching Chang
- Department of Health Industry Technology Management, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Kuan-Hung Chen
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
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3
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Zhang M, Singh N, Ehmann ME, Zheng L, Zhao H. Incorporation of noncanonical base Z yields modified mRNA with minimal immunogenicity and improved translational capacity in mammalian cells. iScience 2023; 26:107739. [PMID: 37720088 PMCID: PMC10504480 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemically modified mRNAs hold great potential for therapeutic applications in vivo. Currently, the base modification scheme largely preserves the canonical Watson-Crick base pairing, thus missing one mode of mRNA modulation by altering its secondary structure. Here we report the incorporation of base Z (2-aminoadenine) into mRNA to create Z-mRNA with improved translational capacity, decreased cytotoxicity, and drastically reduced immunogenicity compared to the unmodified mRNA in mammalian cells. In particular, the A-to-Z substitution renders modified mRNAs less immunogenic than the state-of-the-art base modification N1-methylpseudouridine (m1ψ) in mouse embryonic fibroblast cells. As a proof of concept, we developed a Z-mRNA-based vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Antigen-encoding Z-mRNA elicited substantial humoral and cellular immune responses in vivo in mice, albeit with relatively lower efficacy than the state-of-the-art m1ψ-mRNA. Z-mRNA expands the scope of mRNA base modifications toward noncanonical bases and could offer an advantageous platform for mRNA-based therapeutics where minimal immunogenicity is desired.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Nilmani Singh
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Mary Elisabeth Ehmann
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Lining Zheng
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Huimin Zhao
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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4
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Karim ME, Haque ST, Al-Busaidi H, Bakhtiar A, Tha KK, Holl MMB, Chowdhury EH. Scope and challenges of nanoparticle-based mRNA delivery in cancer treatment. Arch Pharm Res 2022; 45:865-893. [DOI: 10.1007/s12272-022-01418-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Jansen EM, Frijlink HW, Hinrichs WLJ, Ruigrok MJR. Are inhaled mRNA vaccines safe and effective? A review of preclinical studies. Expert Opin Drug Deliv 2022; 19:1471-1485. [DOI: 10.1080/17425247.2022.2131767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Evalyne M Jansen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Henderik W Frijlink
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter LJ Hinrichs
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Mitchel JR Ruigrok
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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Yiangou L, Blanch-Asensio A, de Korte T, Miller DC, van Meer BJ, Mol MPH, van den Brink L, Brandão KO, Mummery CL, Davis RP. Optogenetic reporters delivered as mRNA facilitate repeatable action potential and calcium handling assessment in human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes. Stem Cells 2022; 40:655-668. [PMID: 35429386 PMCID: PMC9332902 DOI: 10.1093/stmcls/sxac029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Electrical activity and intracellular Ca 2+ transients are key features of cardiomyocytes. They can be measured using organic voltage- and Ca 2+-sensitive dyes but their photostability and phototoxicity means they are unsuitable for long-term measurements. Here, we investigated whether genetically-encoded voltage and Ca 2+ indicators (GEVIs and GECIs) delivered as modified mRNA (modRNA) into human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) would be accurate alternatives allowing measurements over long periods. These indicators were detected in hiPSC-CMs for up to 7 days after transfection and did not affect responses to proarrhythmic compounds. Furthermore, using the GEVI ASAP2f we observed action potential prolongation in long QT syndrome models, while the GECI jRCaMP1b facilitated the repeated evaluation of Ca 2+ handling responses for various tyrosine kinase inhibitors. This study demonstrated that modRNAs encoding optogenetic constructs report cardiac physiology in hiPSC-CMs without toxicity or the need for stable integration, illustrating their value as alternatives to organic dyes or other gene delivery methods for expressing transgenes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loukia Yiangou
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands
| | - Albert Blanch-Asensio
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands
| | - Tessa de Korte
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands
| | - Duncan C Miller
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands
- Present Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Berend J van Meer
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands
| | - Mervyn P H Mol
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands
| | - Lettine van den Brink
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands
| | - Karina O Brandão
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands
| | - Christine L Mummery
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands
- Department of Applied Stem Cell Technologies, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Richard P Davis
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands
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Nonviral Delivery Systems of mRNA Vaccines for Cancer Gene Therapy. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14030512. [PMID: 35335891 PMCID: PMC8949480 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14030512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the use of messenger RNA (mRNA) in the fields of gene therapy, immunotherapy, and stem cell biomedicine has received extensive attention. With the development of scientific technology, mRNA applications for tumor treatment have matured. Since the SARS-CoV-2 infection outbreak in 2019, the development of engineered mRNA and mRNA vaccines has accelerated rapidly. mRNA is easy to produce, scalable, modifiable, and not integrated into the host genome, showing tremendous potential for cancer gene therapy and immunotherapy when used in combination with traditional strategies. The core mechanism of mRNA therapy is vehicle-based delivery of in vitro transcribed mRNA (IVT mRNA), which is large, negatively charged, and easily degradable, into the cytoplasm and subsequent expression of the corresponding proteins. However, effectively delivering mRNA into cells and successfully activating the immune response are the keys to the clinical transformation of mRNA therapy. In this review, we focus on nonviral nanodelivery systems of mRNA vaccines used for cancer gene therapy and immunotherapy.
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Abstract
In the past 20 years, the mRNA vaccine technology has evolved from the first proof of concept to the first licensed vaccine against emerging pandemics such as SARS-CoV-2. Two mRNA vaccines targeting SARS-CoV-2 have received emergency use authorization by US FDA, conditional marketing authorization by EMA, as well as multiple additional national regulatory authorities. The simple composition of an mRNA encoding the antigen formulated in a lipid nanoparticle enables a fast adaptation to new emerging pathogens. This can speed up vaccine development in pandemics from antigen and sequence selection to clinical trial to only a few months. mRNA vaccines are well tolerated and efficacious in animal models for multiple pathogens and will further contribute to the development of vaccines for other unaddressed diseases. Here, we give an overview of the mRNA vaccine design and factors for further optimization of this new promising technology and discuss current knowledge on the mode of action of mRNA vaccines interacting with the innate and adaptive immune system.
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Maruggi G, Ulmer JB, Rappuoli R, Yu D. Self-amplifying mRNA-Based Vaccine Technology and Its Mode of Action. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2022; 440:31-70. [PMID: 33861374 DOI: 10.1007/82_2021_233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Self-amplifying mRNAs derived from the genomes of positive-strand RNA viruses have recently come into focus as a promising technology platform for vaccine development. Non-virally delivered self-amplifying mRNA vaccines have the potential to be highly versatile, potent, streamlined, scalable, and inexpensive. By amplifying their genome and the antigen encoding mRNA in the host cell, the self-amplifying mRNA mimics a viral infection, resulting in sustained levels of the target protein combined with self-adjuvanting innate immune responses, ultimately leading to potent and long-lasting antigen-specific humoral and cellular immune responses. Moreover, in principle, any eukaryotic sequence could be encoded by self-amplifying mRNA without the need to change the manufacturing process, thereby enabling a much faster and flexible research and development timeline than the current vaccines and hence a quicker response to emerging infectious diseases. This chapter highlights the rapid progress made in using non-virally delivered self-amplifying mRNA-based vaccines against infectious diseases in animal models. We provide an overview of the unique attributes of this vaccine approach, summarize the growing body of work defining its mechanism of action, discuss the current challenges and latest advances, and highlight perspectives about the future of this promising technology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Dong Yu
- GSK, 14200 Shady Grove Road, Rockville, MD, 20850, USA. .,Dynavax Technologies, 2100 Powell Street Suite, Emeryville, CA, 94608, USA.
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Walsh AP, Gordon HN, Peter K, Wang X. Ultrasonic particles: An approach for targeted gene delivery. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2021; 179:113998. [PMID: 34662671 PMCID: PMC8518240 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.113998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Gene therapy has been widely investigated for the treatment of genetic, acquired, and infectious diseases. Pioneering work utilized viral vectors; however, these are suspected of causing serious adverse events, resulting in the termination of several clinical trials. Non-viral vectors, such as lipid nanoparticles, have attracted significant interest, mainly due to their successful use in vaccines in the current COVID-19 pandemic. Although they allow safe delivery, they come with the disadvantage of off-target delivery. The application of ultrasound to ultrasound-sensitive particles allows for a direct, site-specific transfer of genetic materials into the organ/site of interest. This process, termed ultrasound-targeted gene delivery (UTGD), also increases cell membrane permeability and enhances gene uptake. This review focuses on the advances in ultrasound and the development of ultrasonic particles for UTGD across a range of diseases. Furthermore, we discuss the limitations and future perspectives of UTGD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aidan P.G. Walsh
- Molecular Imaging and Theranostics Laboratory, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia,Atherothrombosis and Vascular Biology Laboratory, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia,Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Henry N. Gordon
- Molecular Imaging and Theranostics Laboratory, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia,Atherothrombosis and Vascular Biology Laboratory, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia,Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Karlheinz Peter
- Atherothrombosis and Vascular Biology Laboratory, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia,Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia,Department of Cardiometabolic Health, University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia,La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Xiaowei Wang
- Molecular Imaging and Theranostics Laboratory, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia,Atherothrombosis and Vascular Biology Laboratory, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia,Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia,Department of Cardiometabolic Health, University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia,La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia,Corresponding author at: Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, 75 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
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Abstract
In vitro-transcribed RNAs are emerging as new biologics for therapeutic innovation, as exemplified by their application recently in SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations. RNAs prepared by in vitro transcription (IVT) allow transient expression of proteins of interest, conferring safety over DNA- or virus-mediated gene delivery systems. However, in vitro-transcribed RNAs should be used with caution because of their immunogenicity, which is in part triggered by double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) byproducts during IVT. Cellular innate immune response to dsRNA byproducts can lead to undesirable consequences, including suppression of protein synthesis and cell death, which in turn can detrimentally impact the efficacy of mRNA therapy. Thus, it is critical to understand the nature of IVT byproducts and the mechanisms by which they trigger innate immune responses.Our lab has been investigating the mechanisms by which the innate immune system discriminates between "self" and "nonself" RNA, with the focus on the cytoplasmic dsRNA receptors retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) and melanoma differentiation-associated 5 (MDA5). We have biochemically and structurally characterized critical events involving RNA discrimination and signal transduction by RIG-I or MDA5. We have used in vitro-transcribed RNAs as tools to investigate RNA specificity of RIG-I and MDA5, which required optimization of the IVT reaction and purification processes to eliminate the effect of IVT byproducts. In this Account, we summarize our current understanding of RIG-I and MDA5 and IVT reactions and propose future directions for improving IVT as a method to generate both research tools and therapeutics. Other critical proteins in cellular innate immune response to dsRNAs are also discussed. We arrange the contents in the following order: (i) innate immunity sensors for nonself RNA, including the RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs) in the cytosol and the toll-like receptors (TLRs) in the endosome, as well as cytoplasmic dsRNA-responding proteins, including protein kinase R (PKR) and 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetases (OASes), illustrating the feature of protein-RNA binding and its consequences; (ii) the immunogenicity of IVT byproducts, specifically the generation of dsRNA molecules during IVT; and (iii) methods to reduce IVT RNA immunogenicity, including optimizations of RNA polymerases, reagents, and experimental conditions during IVT and subsequent purification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Mu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Tianjin University and Health-Biotech United Group Joint Laboratory of Innovative Drug Development and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Sun Hur
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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Hou X, Zaks T, Langer R, Dong Y. Lipid nanoparticles for mRNA delivery. NATURE REVIEWS. MATERIALS 2021; 6:1078-1094. [PMID: 34394960 PMCID: PMC8353930 DOI: 10.1038/s41578-021-00358-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1205] [Impact Index Per Article: 401.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Messenger RNA (mRNA) has emerged as a new category of therapeutic agent to prevent and treat various diseases. To function in vivo, mRNA requires safe, effective and stable delivery systems that protect the nucleic acid from degradation and that allow cellular uptake and mRNA release. Lipid nanoparticles have successfully entered the clinic for the delivery of mRNA; in particular, lipid nanoparticle-mRNA vaccines are now in clinical use against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which marks a milestone for mRNA therapeutics. In this Review, we discuss the design of lipid nanoparticles for mRNA delivery and examine physiological barriers and possible administration routes for lipid nanoparticle-mRNA systems. We then consider key points for the clinical translation of lipid nanoparticle-mRNA formulations, including good manufacturing practice, stability, storage and safety, and highlight preclinical and clinical studies of lipid nanoparticle-mRNA therapeutics for infectious diseases, cancer and genetic disorders. Finally, we give an outlook to future possibilities and remaining challenges for this promising technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xucheng Hou
- Division of Pharmaceutics & Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH USA
| | - Tal Zaks
- Moderna, Inc., Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Robert Langer
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Yizhou Dong
- Division of Pharmaceutics & Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH USA
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Non-Immunotherapy Application of LNP-mRNA: Maximizing Efficacy and Safety. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9050530. [PMID: 34068715 PMCID: PMC8151051 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9050530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulated messenger RNA-based (LNP-mRNA) vaccines came into the spotlight as the first vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 virus to be applied worldwide. Long-known benefits of mRNA-based technologies consisting of relatively simple and fast engineering of mRNA encoding for antigens and proteins of interest, no genomic integration, and fast and efficient manufacturing process compared with other biologics have been verified, thus establishing a basis for a broad range of applications. The intrinsic immunogenicity of LNP formulated in vitro transcribed (IVT) mRNA is beneficial to the LNP-mRNA vaccines. However, avoiding immune activation is critical for therapeutic applications of LNP-mRNA for protein replacement where targeted mRNA expression and repetitive administration of high doses for a lifetime are required. This review summarizes our current understanding of immune activation induced by mRNA, IVT byproducts, and LNP. It gives a comprehensive overview of the present status of preclinical and clinical studies in which LNP-mRNA is used for protein replacement and treatment of rare diseases with an emphasis on safety. Moreover, the review outlines innovations and strategies to advance pharmacology and safety of LNP-mRNA for non-immunotherapy applications.
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Zhong Z, McCafferty S, Opsomer L, Wang H, Huysmans H, De Temmerman J, Lienenklaus S, Portela Catani JP, Combes F, Sanders NN. Corticosteroids and cellulose purification improve, respectively, the in vivo translation and vaccination efficacy of sa-mRNAs. Mol Ther 2021; 29:1370-1381. [PMID: 33484964 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2021.01.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Synthetic mRNAs are an appealing platform with multiple biomedical applications ranging from protein replacement therapy to vaccination. In comparison with conventional mRNA, synthetic self-amplifying mRNAs (sa-mRNAs) are gaining interest because of their higher and longer-lasting expression. However, sa-mRNAs also elicit an innate immune response, which may complicate their clinical application. Approaches to reduce the innate immunity of sa-mRNAs have not been studied in detail. Here we investigated, in vivo, the effect of several innate immune inhibitors and a novel cellulose-based mRNA purification approach on the type I interferon (IFN) response and the translation and vaccination efficacy of our formerly developed sa-mRNA vaccine against Zika virus. Among the investigated inhibitors, we found that corticosteroids and especially topical application of clobetasol at the sa-mRNA injection site was the most efficient in suppressing the type I IFN response and increasing the translation of sa-mRNA. However, clobetasol prevented formation of antibodies against sa-mRNA-encoded antigens and should therefore be avoided in a vaccination context. Residual dsRNA by-products of the in vitro transcription reaction are known inducers of immediate type I IFN responses. We additionally demonstrate a drastic reduction of these dsRNA by-products upon cellulose-based purification, reducing the innate immune response and improving sa-mRNA vaccination efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zifu Zhong
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Séan McCafferty
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute (CRIG), Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lisa Opsomer
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Haixiu Wang
- Laboratory of Immunology, Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Hanne Huysmans
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Joyca De Temmerman
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Poultry Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Stefan Lienenklaus
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - João Paulo Portela Catani
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Francis Combes
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute (CRIG), Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Niek N Sanders
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute (CRIG), Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
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15
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Esprit A, de Mey W, Bahadur Shahi R, Thielemans K, Franceschini L, Breckpot K. Neo-Antigen mRNA Vaccines. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:E776. [PMID: 33353155 PMCID: PMC7766040 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8040776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The interest in therapeutic cancer vaccines has caught enormous attention in recent years due to several breakthroughs in cancer research, among which the finding that successful checkpoint blockade treatments reinvigorate neo-antigen-specific T cells and that successful adoptive cell therapies are directed towards neo-antigens. Neo-antigens are cancer-specific antigens, which develop from somatic mutations in the cancer cell genome that can be highly immunogenic and are not subjected to central tolerance. As the majority of neo-antigens are unique to each patient's cancer, a vaccine technology that is flexible and potent is required to develop personalized neo-antigen vaccines. In vitro transcribed mRNA is such a technology platform and has been evaluated for delivery of neo-antigens to professional antigen-presenting cells both ex vivo and in vivo. In addition, strategies that support the activity of T cells in the tumor microenvironment have been developed. These represent a unique opportunity to ensure durable T cell activity upon vaccination. Here, we comprehensively review recent progress in mRNA-based neo-antigen vaccines, summarizing critical milestones that made it possible to bring the promise of therapeutic cancer vaccines within reach.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Karine Breckpot
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy (LMCT), Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, B-1090 Brussels, Belgium; (A.E.); (W.d.M.); (R.B.S.); (K.T.); (L.F.)
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16
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Abstract
Despite various clinical modalities available for patients, heart disease remains among the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Genetic medicine, particularly mRNA, has broad potential as a therapeutic. More specifically, mRNA-based protein delivery has been used in the fields of cancer and vaccination, but recent changes to the structural composition of mRNA have led the scientific community to swiftly embrace it as a new drug to deliver missing genes to injured myocardium and many other organs. Modified mRNA (modRNA)-based gene delivery features transient but potent protein translation and low immunogenicity, with minimal risk of insertional mutagenesis. In this review, we compared and listed the advantages of modRNA over traditional vectors for cardiac therapy, with particular focus on using modRNA therapy in cardiac repair. We present a comprehensive overview of modRNA's role in cardiomyocyte (CM) proliferation, cardiac vascularization, and prevention of cardiac apoptosis. We also emphasize recent advances in modRNA delivery strategies and discuss the challenges for its clinical translation.
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17
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Liu Y, Chin JM, Choo EL, Phua KKL. Messenger RNA translation enhancement by immune evasion proteins: a comparative study between EKB (vaccinia virus) and NS1 (influenza A virus). Sci Rep 2019; 9:11972. [PMID: 31427778 PMCID: PMC6700162 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48559-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we compared vaccinia virus derived monofunctional E3, K3 and B18R (also known as EKB) with influenza A virus derived multifunctional non-structural protein 1 (NS1) based on their ability to enhance mRNA translation. EKB and NS1-TX91 were all found to enhance mRNA translation and suppress interferon production, yet level of enhancement by EKB was much lower than NS1-TX91. Similarly, greater luciferase expression was mediated by co-delivery of unmodified luciferase with NS1 mRNA, compared to co-delivery of unmodified luciferase with either E3, K3 or B18R mRNA, respectively. Different combinations of E3, K3 and/or B18R mRNA were mixed with NS1-TX91 mRNA at varying ratios and co-delivered with luciferase mRNA. However, no synergism was observed as mRNA translation enhancement mediated by NS1-TX91 could not be improved by the inclusion EKB in all tested combinations. Lastly, it was found that E3 was able to rescue mRNA translation enhancement mediated by NS1 PKR knockout mutant (PR8PKR−), suggesting that one of NS1’s multiple immune evasion mechanisms overlapped with E3. Altogether, our data validated mRNA translation enhancement mediated by immune evasion proteins (EKB and NS1) and showed that the multifunctional nature of NS1 accounted for its superior performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Liu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, 4 Engineering Drive 4, Singapore, 117585, Singapore
| | - Jas Min Chin
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, 4 Engineering Drive 4, Singapore, 117585, Singapore
| | - En Lin Choo
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, 4 Engineering Drive 4, Singapore, 117585, Singapore.,School of Life Sciences and Chemical Technology, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, 535 Clementi Road, Singapore, 599489, Singapore
| | - Kyle K L Phua
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, 4 Engineering Drive 4, Singapore, 117585, Singapore.
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18
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Huysmans H, Zhong Z, De Temmerman J, Mui BL, Tam YK, Mc Cafferty S, Gitsels A, Vanrompay D, Sanders NN. Expression Kinetics and Innate Immune Response after Electroporation and LNP-Mediated Delivery of a Self-Amplifying mRNA in the Skin. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2019; 17:867-878. [PMID: 31472371 PMCID: PMC6722285 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2019.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
In this work, we studied the expression kinetics and innate immune response of a self-amplifying mRNA (sa-RNA) after electroporation and lipid-nanoparticle (LNP)-mediated delivery in the skin of mice. Intradermal electroporation of the sa-RNA resulted in a plateau-shaped expression, with the plateau between day 3 and day 10. The overall protein expression of sa-RNA was significantly higher than that obtained after electroporation of plasmid DNA (pDNA) or non-replication mRNAs. Moreover, using IFN-β reporter mice, we elucidated that intradermal electroporation of sa-RNA induced a short-lived moderate innate immune response, which did not affect the expression of the sa-RNA. A completely different expression profile and innate immune response were observed when LNPs were used. The expression peaked 24 h after intradermal injection of sa-RNA-LNPs and subsequently showed a sharp drop. This drop might be explained by a translational blockage caused by the strong innate immune response that we observed in IFN-β reporter mice shortly (4 h) after intradermal injection of sa-RNA-LNPs. A final interesting observation was the capacity of sa-RNA-LNPs to transfect the draining lymph nodes after intradermal injection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanne Huysmans
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Zifu Zhong
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Joyca De Temmerman
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Poultry Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | | | - Ying K Tam
- Acuitas Therapeutics, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Séan Mc Cafferty
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Arlieke Gitsels
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; Laboratory for Immunology and Animal Biotechnology, Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Daisy Vanrompay
- Laboratory for Immunology and Animal Biotechnology, Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Niek N Sanders
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute (CRIG), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
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19
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Jiang Z, Bo L, Meng Y, Wang C, Chen T, Wang C, Yu X, Deng X. Overexpression of homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 2 (HIPK2) attenuates sepsis-mediated liver injury by restoring autophagy. Cell Death Dis 2018; 9:847. [PMID: 30154452 PMCID: PMC6113252 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-018-0838-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2018] [Revised: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Sepsis is the leading cause of death in intensive care units worldwide. Autophagy has recently been shown to protect against sepsis-induced liver injury. Here, we investigated the roles of homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 2 (HIPK2) in the molecular mechanism of sepsis-induced liver injury. HIPK2 expression was reduced in sepsis-induced liver injury, and HIPK2 overexpression increased the survival rate and improved caecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced liver injury by reducing serum and liver aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels in mice with sepsis. HIPK2 overexpression significantly decreased CLP-induced release of inflammatory cytokines into the serum and attenuated oxidative stress-associated indicators in mice with CLP-induced liver injury, whereas HIPK2 knockdown produced the opposite results, suggesting that HIPK2 is a negative regulator of sepsis. Furthermore, HIPK2 overexpression inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced apoptosis of primary hepatocytes, increased the autophagic flux, and restored both autophagosome and autolysosome formation in the livers of CLP-induced mice by suppressing calpain signalling. Importantly, HIPK2 overexpression reduced the elevated cytosolic Ca2+ concentration in LPS-treated primary hepatocytes by interacting with calpain 1 and calmodulin. Finally, several anti-inflammatory drugs, including resveratrol, aspirin, vitamin E and ursolic acid, significantly increased the levels of the HIPK2 mRNA and protein by modulating promoter activity and the 3′-UTR stability of the HIPK2 gene. In conclusion, HIPK2 overexpression may improve sepsis-induced liver injury by restoring autophagy and thus might be a promising target for the clinical treatment of sepsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengyu Jiang
- Faculty of Anesthesiology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Lulong Bo
- Faculty of Anesthesiology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Yan Meng
- Faculty of Anesthesiology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Chen Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Tianxing Chen
- School of Life Science, Nanjing University, 210023, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.,State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing University, 210023, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Changli Wang
- Faculty of Anesthesiology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Xiya Yu
- Faculty of Anesthesiology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - Xiaoming Deng
- Faculty of Anesthesiology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
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20
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Liu Y, Chia ZH, Liew JNMH, Or SM, Phua KKL. Modulation of mRNA Translation and Cell Viability by Influenza A Virus Derived Nonstructural Protein 1. Nucleic Acid Ther 2018; 28:200-208. [PMID: 29634401 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2017.0712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Translation of in vitro transcribed messenger RNA (mRNA) is known to be compromised by cell's innate immune responses. Herein we show that when mRNA encoding nonstructural protein 1 (NS1), an immune evasion gene derived from influenza A virus, is co-delivered with mRNA encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP), higher GFP expression can be observed in four different interferon competent cell types within 6 h, indicating NS1's wide host range property and rapid counter response to the cells' innate immune response. Enhanced mRNA translation correlates with reduced interferon production in all tested cell types and substituting a small portion of luciferase mRNA with NS1 mRNA enhances luciferase production compared to the same dose composing of only luciferase mRNA although in a cell type specific manner. Toxicity caused by transfection of unmodified mRNA is mitigated with the delivery of NS1 mRNA and is observed only in NS1 without cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor 30 kda (CPSF30) inhibition function. Conversely, delivery of mRNA encoding NS1 with CPSF30 inhibition function aggravated toxicity. Overall, we demonstrate that NS1 enhanced mRNA transfection through active evasion of innate immune responses and modulated cellular viability during mRNA transfection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Liu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore , Singapore, Singapore
| | - Zhen Hua Chia
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore , Singapore, Singapore
| | - Johannes Nathaniel Min Hui Liew
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore , Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shi Min Or
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore , Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kyle K L Phua
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore , Singapore, Singapore
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21
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Leyman B, Huysmans H, Mc Cafferty S, Combes F, Cox E, Devriendt B, Sanders NN. Comparison of the Expression Kinetics and Immunostimulatory Activity of Replicating mRNA, Nonreplicating mRNA, and pDNA after Intradermal Electroporation in Pigs. Mol Pharm 2018; 15:377-384. [PMID: 29297692 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.7b00722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Synthetic mRNA is becoming increasingly popular as an alternative to pDNA-based gene therapy. Currently, multiple synthetic mRNA platforms have been developed. In this study we investigated the expression kinetics and the changes in mRNA encoding cytokine and chemokine levels following intradermal electroporation in pigs of pDNA, self-replicating mRNA, and modified and unmodified mRNA. The self-replicating mRNA tended to induce the highest protein expression, followed by pDNA, modified mRNA, and unmodified mRNA. Interestingly, the self-replicating mRNA was able to maintain its high expression levels during at least 12 days. In contrast, the expression of pDNA and the nonreplicating mRNAs dropped after respectively one and two days. Six days after intradermal electroporation a dose-dependent expression was observed for all vectors. Again, also at lower doses, the self-replicating mRNA tended to show the highest expression. All the mRNA vectors, including the modified mRNA, induced elevated levels of mRNA encoding cytokines and chemokines in the porcine skin after intradermal electroporation, while no such response was noticed after intradermal electroporation of the pDNA vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bregje Leyman
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Nutrition, Genetics, and Ethology, Laboratory for Gene Therapy, Ghent University , Heidestraat 19, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Hanne Huysmans
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Nutrition, Genetics, and Ethology, Laboratory for Gene Therapy, Ghent University , Heidestraat 19, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Séan Mc Cafferty
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Nutrition, Genetics, and Ethology, Laboratory for Gene Therapy, Ghent University , Heidestraat 19, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.,Cancer Research Institute (CRIG), Ghent University , 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Francis Combes
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Nutrition, Genetics, and Ethology, Laboratory for Gene Therapy, Ghent University , Heidestraat 19, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.,Cancer Research Institute (CRIG), Ghent University , 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Eric Cox
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Virology, Parasitology, and Immunology, Ghent University , Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Bert Devriendt
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Virology, Parasitology, and Immunology, Ghent University , Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Niek N Sanders
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Nutrition, Genetics, and Ethology, Laboratory for Gene Therapy, Ghent University , Heidestraat 19, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.,Cancer Research Institute (CRIG), Ghent University , 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
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22
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Engineering intranasal mRNA vaccines to enhance lymph node trafficking and immune responses. Acta Biomater 2017; 64:237-248. [PMID: 29030308 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2017.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Revised: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Intranasal mRNA vaccination provides immediate immune protection against pandemic diseases. Recent studies have shown that diverse forms of polyethyleneimine (PEI) have potent mucosal adjuvant activity, which could significantly facilitate the delivery of intranasal mRNA vaccines. Nevertheless, optimizing the chemical structure of PEI to maximize its adjuvanticity and decrease its toxicity remains a challenge. Here we show that the chemical structure of PEI strongly influences how well nanocomplexes of PEI and mRNA migrate to the lymph nodes and elicit immune responses. Conjugating cyclodextrin (CD) with PEI600 or PEI2k yielded CP (CD-PEI) polymers with different CD/PEI ratios. We analyzed the delivery efficacy of CP600, CP2k, and PEI25k as intranasal mRNA vaccine carriers by evaluating the lymph nodes migration and immune responses. Among these polymers, CP2k/mRNA showed significantly higher in vitro transfection efficiency, stronger abilities to migrate to lymph nodes and stimulate dendritic cells maturation in vivo, which further led to potent humoral and cellular immune responses, and showed lower local and systemic toxicity than PEI25k/mRNA. These results demonstrate the potential of CD-PEI2k/mRNA nanocomplex as a self-adjuvanting vaccine delivery vehicle that traffics to lymph nodes with high efficiency. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE As we face outbreaks of pandemic diseases such as Zika virus, intranasal mRNA vaccination provides instant massive protection against highly variant viruses. Various polymer-based delivery systems have been successfully applied in intranasal vaccine delivery. However, the influence of molecular structure of the polymeric carriers on the lymph node trafficking and dendritic cell maturation is seldom studied for intranasal vaccination. Therefore, engineering polymer-based vaccine delivery system and elucidating the relationship between molecular structure and the intranasal delivery efficiency are essential for maximizing the immune responses. We hereby construct self-adjuvanting polymer-based intranasal mRNA vaccines to enhance lymph node trafficking and further improve immune responses.
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23
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Co-delivery of nucleoside-modified mRNA and TLR agonists for cancer immunotherapy: Restoring the immunogenicity of immunosilent mRNA. J Control Release 2017; 266:287-300. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2017.09.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Revised: 09/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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24
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Kawasaki S, Fujita Y, Nagaike T, Tomita K, Saito H. Synthetic mRNA devices that detect endogenous proteins and distinguish mammalian cells. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:e117. [PMID: 28525643 PMCID: PMC5499560 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2016] [Accepted: 04/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Synthetic biology has great potential for future therapeutic applications including autonomous cell programming through the detection of protein signals and the production of desired outputs. Synthetic RNA devices are promising for this purpose. However, the number of available devices is limited due to the difficulty in the detection of endogenous proteins within a cell. Here, we show a strategy to construct synthetic mRNA devices that detect endogenous proteins in living cells, control translation and distinguish cell types. We engineered protein-binding aptamers that have increased stability in the secondary structures of their active conformation. The designed devices can efficiently respond to target proteins including human LIN28A and U1A proteins, while the original aptamers failed to do so. Moreover, mRNA delivery of an LIN28A-responsive device into human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) revealed that we can distinguish living hiPSCs and differentiated cells by quantifying endogenous LIN28A protein expression level. Thus, our endogenous protein-driven RNA devices determine live-cell states and program mammalian cells based on intracellular protein information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunsuke Kawasaki
- Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.,Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Yoshihiko Fujita
- Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Takashi Nagaike
- Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Science, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8562, Japan
| | - Kozo Tomita
- Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Science, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8562, Japan
| | - Hirohide Saito
- Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
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25
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Nanotechnologies in delivery of mRNA therapeutics using nonviral vector-based delivery systems. Gene Ther 2017; 24:133-143. [DOI: 10.1038/gt.2017.5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 207] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2016] [Revised: 10/28/2016] [Accepted: 01/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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26
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Sergeeva OV, Koteliansky VE, Zatsepin TS. mRNA-Based Therapeutics - Advances and Perspectives. BIOCHEMISTRY (MOSCOW) 2017; 81:709-22. [PMID: 27449617 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297916070075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
In this review we discuss features of mRNA synthesis and modifications used to minimize immune response and prolong efficiency of the translation process in vivo. Considerable attention is given to the use of liposomes and nanoparticles containing lipids and polymers for the mRNA delivery. Finally we briefly discuss mRNAs which are currently in the clinical trials for cancer immunotherapy, vaccination against infectious diseases, and replacement therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- O V Sergeeva
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Department of Chemistry, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
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27
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Kauffman KJ, Mir FF, Jhunjhunwala S, Kaczmarek JC, Hurtado JE, Yang JH, Webber MJ, Kowalski PS, Heartlein MW, DeRosa F, Anderson DG. Efficacy and immunogenicity of unmodified and pseudouridine-modified mRNA delivered systemically with lipid nanoparticles in vivo. Biomaterials 2016; 109:78-87. [PMID: 27680591 PMCID: PMC5267554 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2016.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2016] [Revised: 09/07/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
mRNA has broad potential for treating diseases requiring protein expression. However, mRNA can also induce an immune response with associated toxicity. Replacement of uridine bases with pseudouridine has been postulated to modulate both mRNA immunogenicity and potency. Here, we explore the immune response and activity of lipid nanoparticle-formulated unmodified and pseudouridine-modified mRNAs administered systemically in vivo. Pseudouridine modification to mRNA had no significant effect on lipid nanoparticle physical properties, protein expression in vivo, or mRNA immunogenicity compared to unmodified mRNA when delivered systemically with liver-targeting lipid nanoparticles, but reduced in vitro transfection levels. Indicators of a transient, extracellular innate immune response to mRNA were observed, including neutrophilia, myeloid cell activation, and up-regulation of four serum cytokines. This study provides insight into the immune responses to mRNA lipid nanoparticles, and suggests that pseudouridine modifications may be unnecessary for therapeutic application of mRNA in the liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin J Kauffman
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Faryal F Mir
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Siddharth Jhunjhunwala
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - James C Kaczmarek
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Juan E Hurtado
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jung H Yang
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Matthew J Webber
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Piotr S Kowalski
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | | | | | - Daniel G Anderson
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Harvard MIT Division of Health Science and Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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28
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Lee J, Xu L, Gibson TM, Gersbach CA, Sullenger BA. Differential effects of toll-like receptor stimulation on mRNA-driven myogenic conversion of human and mouse fibroblasts. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2016; 478:1484-90. [PMID: 27586271 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2016.08.159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2016] [Accepted: 08/27/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Transfection with in vitro transcribed mRNAs is a safe and effective tool to convert somatic cells to any cell type of interest. One caveat of mRNA transfection is that mRNAs are recognized by multiple RNA-sensing toll like receptors (TLRs). These TLRs can both promote and inhibit cellular reprogramming. We demonstrated that mRNA transfection stimulated TLR3 and TLR7 and induced cytotoxicity and IFN-β expression in human and mouse fibroblasts. Furthermore, mRNA transfection induced paracrine inhibition of repeated mRNA transfection through type I IFNs. Modified mRNAs (mmRNAs) containing pseudouridine and 5-methycytosine reduced TLR stimulation, cytotoxicity and IFN-β expression in fibroblasts. Repeated liposomal transfection with MyoD mmRNAs significantly enhanced myogenic conversion of human and mouse fibroblasts compared with repeated transfection with MyoD mRNAs. Interestingly, electroporation of mRNAs and mmRNAs completely abrogated cytotoxicity and IFN-β expression and also abolished myogenic conversion of fibroblasts. At a low concentration, TLR7/8 agonist R848 enhanced MyoD mmRNA-driven conversion of human fibroblasts into skeletal muscle cells, whereas high concentrations of R848 inhibited myogenic conversion of fibroblasts. Our study suggests that deliberate control of TLR signaling is a key factor in the success of mRNA-driven cellular reprogramming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaewoo Lee
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, USA; Duke Translational Research Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
| | - Li Xu
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, USA
| | - Tyler M Gibson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, USA
| | | | - Bruce A Sullenger
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, USA; Duke Translational Research Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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Type I Interferons Interfere with the Capacity of mRNA Lipoplex Vaccines to Elicit Cytolytic T Cell Responses. Mol Ther 2016; 24:2012-2020. [PMID: 27506450 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2016.161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Given their high potential to evoke cytolytic T cell responses, tumor antigen-encoding messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines are now being intensively explored as therapeutic cancer vaccines. mRNA vaccines clearly benefit from wrapping the mRNA into nano-sized carriers such as lipoplexes that protect the mRNA from degradation and increase its uptake by dendritic cells in vivo. Nevertheless, the early innate host factors that regulate the induction of cytolytic T cells to mRNA lipoplex vaccines have remained unresolved. Here, we demonstrate that mRNA lipoplexes induce a potent type I interferon (IFN) response upon subcutaneous, intradermal and intranodal injection. Regardless of the route of immunization applied, these type I IFNs interfered with the generation of potent cytolytic T cell responses. Most importantly, blocking type I IFN signaling at the site of immunization through the use of an IFNAR blocking antibody greatly enhanced the prophylactic and therapeutic antitumor efficacy of mRNA lipoplexes in the highly aggressive B16 melanoma model. As type I IFN induction appears to be inherent to the mRNA itself rather than to unique properties of the mRNA lipoplex formulation, preventing type I IFN induction and/or IFNAR signaling at the site of immunization might constitute a widely applicable strategy to improve the potency of mRNA vaccination.
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Steinle H, Behring A, Schlensak C, Wendel HP, Avci-Adali M. Concise Review: Application of In Vitro Transcribed Messenger RNA for Cellular Engineering and Reprogramming: Progress and Challenges. Stem Cells 2016; 35:68-79. [DOI: 10.1002/stem.2402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2015] [Revised: 04/25/2016] [Accepted: 04/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Heidrun Steinle
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery; University Hospital Tuebingen; Calwerstraße 7/1 Tuebingen 72076 Germany
| | - Andreas Behring
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery; University Hospital Tuebingen; Calwerstraße 7/1 Tuebingen 72076 Germany
| | - Christian Schlensak
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery; University Hospital Tuebingen; Calwerstraße 7/1 Tuebingen 72076 Germany
| | - Hans Peter Wendel
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery; University Hospital Tuebingen; Calwerstraße 7/1 Tuebingen 72076 Germany
| | - Meltem Avci-Adali
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery; University Hospital Tuebingen; Calwerstraße 7/1 Tuebingen 72076 Germany
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Richards RI, Robertson SA, O'Keefe LV, Fornarino D, Scott A, Lardelli M, Baune BT. The Enemy within: Innate Surveillance-Mediated Cell Death, the Common Mechanism of Neurodegenerative Disease. Front Neurosci 2016; 10:193. [PMID: 27242399 PMCID: PMC4862319 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2016] [Accepted: 04/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases comprise an array of progressive neurological disorders all characterized by the selective death of neurons in the central nervous system. Although, rare (familial) and common (sporadic) forms can occur for the same disease, it is unclear whether this reflects several distinct pathogenic pathways or the convergence of different causes into a common form of nerve cell death. Remarkably, neurodegenerative diseases are increasingly found to be accompanied by activation of the innate immune surveillance system normally associated with pathogen recognition and response. Innate surveillance is the cell's quality control system for the purpose of detecting such danger signals and responding in an appropriate manner. Innate surveillance is an "intelligent system," in that the manner of response is relevant to the magnitude and duration of the threat. If possible, the threat is dealt with within the cell in which it is detected, by degrading the danger signal(s) and restoring homeostasis. If this is not successful then an inflammatory response is instigated that is aimed at restricting the spread of the threat by elevating degradative pathways, sensitizing neighboring cells, and recruiting specialized cell types to the site. If the danger signal persists, then the ultimate response can include not only the programmed cell death of the original cell, but the contents of this dead cell can also bring about the death of adjacent sensitized cells. These responses are clearly aimed at destroying the ability of the detected pathogen to propagate and spread. Innate surveillance comprises intracellular, extracellular, non-cell autonomous and systemic processes. Recent studies have revealed how multiple steps in these processes involve proteins that, through their mutation, have been linked to many familial forms of neurodegenerative disease. This suggests that individuals harboring these mutations may have an amplified response to innate-mediated damage in neural tissues, and renders innate surveillance mediated cell death a plausible common pathogenic pathway responsible for neurodegenerative diseases, in both familial and sporadic forms. Here we have assembled evidence in favor of the hypothesis that neurodegenerative disease is the cumulative result of chronic activation of the innate surveillance pathway, triggered by endogenous or environmental danger or damage associated molecular patterns in a progressively expanding cascade of inflammation, tissue damage and cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert I Richards
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Centre for Molecular Pathology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Sarah A Robertson
- School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, Robinson Research Institute, The University of Adelaide Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Louise V O'Keefe
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Centre for Molecular Pathology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Dani Fornarino
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Centre for Molecular Pathology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Andrew Scott
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Centre for Molecular Pathology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Michael Lardelli
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Centre for Molecular Pathology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Bernhard T Baune
- School of Medicine, Discipline of Psychiatry, The University of Adelaide Adelaide, SA, Australia
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Li M, Zhao M, Fu Y, Li Y, Gong T, Zhang Z, Sun X. Enhanced intranasal delivery of mRNA vaccine by overcoming the nasal epithelial barrier via intra- and paracellular pathways. J Control Release 2016; 228:9-19. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2016.02.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2015] [Revised: 01/30/2016] [Accepted: 02/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Turnbull IC, Eltoukhy AA, Fish KM, Nonnenmacher M, Ishikawa K, Chen J, Hajjar RJ, Anderson DG, Costa KD. Myocardial Delivery of Lipidoid Nanoparticle Carrying modRNA Induces Rapid and Transient Expression. Mol Ther 2016; 24:66-75. [PMID: 26471463 PMCID: PMC4754552 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2015.193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2015] [Accepted: 09/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Nanoparticle-based delivery of nucleotides offers an alternative to viral vectors for gene therapy. We report highly efficient in vivo delivery of modified mRNA (modRNA) to rat and pig myocardium using formulated lipidoid nanoparticles (FLNP). Direct myocardial injection of FLNP containing 1-10 μg eGFPmodRNA in the rat (n = 3 per group) showed dose-dependent enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) mRNA levels in heart tissue 20 hours after injection, over 60-fold higher than for naked modRNA. Off-target expression, including lung, liver, and spleen, was <10% of that in heart. Expression kinetics after injecting 5 μg FLNP/eGFPmodRNA showed robust expression at 6 hours that reduced by half at 48 hours and was barely detectable at 2 weeks. Intracoronary administration of 10 μg FLNP/eGFPmodRNA also proved successful, although cardiac expression of eGFP mRNA at 20 hours was lower than direct injection, and off-target expression was correspondingly higher. Findings were confirmed in a pilot study in pigs using direct myocardial injection as well as percutaneous intracoronary delivery, in healthy and myocardial infarction models, achieving expression throughout the ventricular wall. Fluorescence microscopy revealed GFP-positive cardiomyocytes in treated hearts. This nanoparticle-enabled approach for highly efficient, rapid and short-term mRNA expression in the heart offers new opportunities to optimize gene therapies for enhancing cardiac function and regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene C Turnbull
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ahmed A Eltoukhy
- David H Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kenneth M Fish
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Mathieu Nonnenmacher
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kiyotake Ishikawa
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jiqiu Chen
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Roger J Hajjar
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Daniel G Anderson
- David H Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kevin D Costa
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
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Antony JS, Dewerth A, Haque A, Handgretinger R, Kormann MSD. Modified mRNA as a new therapeutic option for pediatric respiratory diseases and hemoglobinopathies. Mol Cell Pediatr 2015; 2:11. [PMID: 26589812 PMCID: PMC4654728 DOI: 10.1186/s40348-015-0022-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2015] [Accepted: 11/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The immunogenicity and limited stability of conventional messenger RNA (mRNA) has traditionally restricted its potential therapeutic use. In 1992, the first clinical application of mRNA was reported as a potential protein-replacement therapy; however, subsequent investigations have not been made for almost two decades. Recent developments, including increased stability, controlling immunogenicity, as well as utilization of mRNA encoding zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and CRISPR-Cas9, have implicated modified mRNA as a very promising option for cancer immunotherapy, vaccines, protein expression replacement, and genome editing. This review aims to offer a summary of our present understanding of and improvements in mRNA-based drug technologies, along with a focus on the role in therapeutic options for pediatric respiratory diseases and hemoglobinopathies. CONCLUSIONS This mini review summarizes the recent advances in modified mRNA-based therapy and its potential therapeutic effect in treating major pediatric diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin S Antony
- Department of Pediatrics I-Pediatric Infectiology and Immunology, Translational Genomics and Gene Therapy in Pediatrics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Alexander Dewerth
- Department of Pediatrics I-Pediatric Infectiology and Immunology, Translational Genomics and Gene Therapy in Pediatrics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ashiqul Haque
- Department of Pediatrics I-Pediatric Infectiology and Immunology, Translational Genomics and Gene Therapy in Pediatrics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Rupert Handgretinger
- Department of Pediatrics I-Pediatric Infectiology and Immunology, Translational Genomics and Gene Therapy in Pediatrics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Michael S D Kormann
- Department of Pediatrics I-Pediatric Infectiology and Immunology, Translational Genomics and Gene Therapy in Pediatrics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
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Abstract
PURPOSE The human pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis is worldwide the leading cause of bacterial sexually transmitted disease. Nasal or vaginal nucleic acid vaccination is a promising strategy for controlling genital Chlamydia trachomatis infections. Since naked nucleic acids are generally not efficiently taken up by cells, they are often complexed with carriers that facilitate their intracellular delivery. METHODS In the current study, we screened a variety of commonly used non-viral gene delivery carriers for their ability to transfect newborn pig tracheal cells. The effect of aerosolization on the physicochemical properties and transfection efficiency of the complexes was also evaluated in vitro. Subsequently, a pilot experiment was performed in which the selected complexes were aerosolized in the vaginal tract of pigs. RESULTS Both mRNA and pDNA containing lipofectamine and ADM70 complexes showed promise for protein expression in vitro, before and after aerosolization. In vivo, only lipofectamine/pDNA complexes resulted in high protein expression levels 24 h following aerosolization. This correlates to the unexpected observation that the presence of vaginal mucus increases the efficiency of lipofectamine/pDNA complexes 3-fold, while the efficiency of lipofectamine/mRNA complexes and ADM70/mRNA and ADM70/pDNA complexes decreased. CONCLUSIONS As aerosolization was an easy and effective method to deliver complexes to the vaginal tract of pigs, we believe this application technique has future potential for both vaginal and perhaps nasal vaccination using non-viral gene delivery vectors.
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Remaut K, De Clercq E, Andries O, Rombouts K, Van Gils M, Cicchelero L, Vandenbussche I, Van Praet S, Benito JM, Fernandéz JMG, Sanders N, Vanrompay D. Aerosolized Non-viral Nucleic Acid Delivery in the Vaginal Tract of Pigs. Pharm Res 2015; 33:384-94. [DOI: 10.1007/s11095-015-1796-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2015] [Accepted: 09/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Andries O, Mc Cafferty S, De Smedt SC, Weiss R, Sanders NN, Kitada T. N(1)-methylpseudouridine-incorporated mRNA outperforms pseudouridine-incorporated mRNA by providing enhanced protein expression and reduced immunogenicity in mammalian cell lines and mice. J Control Release 2015; 217:337-44. [PMID: 26342664 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2015.08.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 328] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2015] [Revised: 08/17/2015] [Accepted: 08/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Messenger RNA as a therapeutic modality is becoming increasingly popular in the field of gene therapy. The realization that nucleobase modifications can greatly enhance the properties of mRNA by reducing the immunogenicity and increasing the stability of the RNA molecule (the Kariko paradigm) has been pivotal for this revolution. Here we find that mRNAs containing the N(1)-methylpseudouridine (m1Ψ) modification alone and/or in combination with 5-methylcytidine (m5C) outperformed the current state-of-the-art pseudouridine (Ψ) and/or m5C/Ψ-modified mRNA platform by providing up to ~44-fold (when comparing double modified mRNAs) or ~13-fold (when comparing single modified mRNAs) higher reporter gene expression upon transfection into cell lines or mice, respectively. We show that (m5C/)m1Ψ-modified mRNA resulted in reduced intracellular innate immunogenicity and improved cellular viability compared to (m5C/)Ψ-modified mRNA upon in vitro transfection. The enhanced capability of (m5C/)m1Ψ-modified mRNA to express proteins may at least partially be due to the increased ability of the mRNA to evade activation of endosomal Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) and downstream innate immune signaling. We believe that the (m5C/)m1Ψ-mRNA platform presented here may serve as a new standard in the field of modified mRNA-based therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliwia Andries
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Séan Mc Cafferty
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Stefaan C De Smedt
- Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicine, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Harelbekestraat 72, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ron Weiss
- Synthetic Biology Center, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Niek N Sanders
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
| | - Tasuku Kitada
- Synthetic Biology Center, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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Devoldere J, Dewitte H, De Smedt SC, Remaut K. Evading innate immunity in nonviral mRNA delivery: don't shoot the messenger. Drug Discov Today 2015. [PMID: 26210957 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2015.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
In the field of nonviral gene therapy, in vitro transcribed (IVT) mRNA has emerged as a promising tool for the delivery of genetic information. Over the past few years it has become widely known that the introduction of IVT mRNA into mammalian cells elicits an innate immune response that has favored mRNA use toward immunotherapeutic vaccination strategies. However, for non-immunotherapy-related applications this intrinsic immune-stimulatory activity directly interferes with the aimed therapeutic outcome, because it can seriously compromise the expression of the desired protein. This review presents an overview of the immune-related obstacles that limit mRNA advance for non-immunotherapy-related applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joke Devoldere
- Laboratory for General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Heleen Dewitte
- Laboratory for General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Stefaan C De Smedt
- Laboratory for General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Katrien Remaut
- Laboratory for General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
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Uchida S, Kataoka K, Itaka K. Screening of mRNA Chemical Modification to Maximize Protein Expression with Reduced Immunogenicity. Pharmaceutics 2015. [PMID: 26213960 PMCID: PMC4588190 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics7030137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemical modification of nucleosides in mRNA is an important technology to regulate the immunogenicity of mRNA. In this study, various previously reported mRNA formulations were evaluated by analyzing in vitro protein expression and immunogenicity in multiple cell lines. For the macrophage-derived cell line, RAW 264.7, modified mRNA tended to have reduced immunogenicity and increased protein expression compared to the unmodified mRNA. In contrast, in some cell types, such as hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HuH-7) and mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), protein expression was decreased by mRNA modification. Further analyses revealed that mRNA modifications decreased translation efficiency but increased nuclease stability. Thus, mRNA modification is likely to exert both positive and negative effects on the efficiency of protein expression in transfected cells and optimal mRNA formulation should be determined based on target cell types and transfection purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Uchida
- Laboratory of Clinical Biotechnology, Center for Disease Biology and Integrative Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
| | - Kazunori Kataoka
- Laboratory of Clinical Biotechnology, Center for Disease Biology and Integrative Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
- Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
- Department of Materials Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
| | - Keiji Itaka
- Laboratory of Clinical Biotechnology, Center for Disease Biology and Integrative Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
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Di Gioia S, Trapani A, Castellani S, Carbone A, Belgiovine G, Craparo EF, Puglisi G, Cavallaro G, Trapani G, Conese M. Nanocomplexes for gene therapy of respiratory diseases: Targeting and overcoming the mucus barrier. Pulm Pharmacol Ther 2015; 34:8-24. [PMID: 26192479 DOI: 10.1016/j.pupt.2015.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2015] [Revised: 06/04/2015] [Accepted: 07/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Gene therapy, i.e. the delivery and expression of therapeutic genes, holds great promise for congenital and acquired respiratory diseases. Non-viral vectors are less toxic and immunogenic than viral vectors, although they are characterized by lower efficiency. However, they have to overcome many barriers, including inflammatory and immune mediators and cells. The respiratory and airway epithelial cells, the main target of these vectors, are coated with a layer of mucus, which hampers the effective reaching of gene therapy vectors carrying either plasmid DNA or small interfering RNA. This barrier is thicker in many lung diseases, such as cystic fibrosis. This review summarizes the most important advancements in the field of non-viral vectors that have been achieved with the use of nanoparticulate (NP) systems, composed either of polymers or lipids, in the lung gene delivery. In particular, different strategies of targeting of respiratory and airway lung cells will be described. Then, we will focus on the two approaches that attempt to overcome the mucus barrier: coating of the nanoparticulate system with poly(ethylene glycol) and treatment with mucolytics. Our conclusions are: 1) Ligand and physical targeting can direct therapeutic gene expression in specific cell types in the respiratory tract; 2) Mucopenetrating NPs are endowed with promising features to be useful in treating respiratory diseases and should be now advanced in pre-clinical trials. Finally, we discuss the development of such polymer- and lipid-based NPs in the context of in vitro and in vivo disease models, such as lung cancer, as well as in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sante Di Gioia
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Viale L. Pinto 1, 71122 Foggia, Italy
| | - Adriana Trapani
- Department of Pharmacy-Drug Sciences, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Via Orabona, 4, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Stefano Castellani
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Viale L. Pinto 1, 71122 Foggia, Italy
| | - Annalucia Carbone
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Viale L. Pinto 1, 71122 Foggia, Italy; Medical Genetics Laboratory, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via Commenda 12, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Giuliana Belgiovine
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Viale L. Pinto 1, 71122 Foggia, Italy
| | - Emanuela Fabiola Craparo
- Biological Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), Laboratory of Biocompatible Polymers, University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 32, 90123 Palermo, Italy
| | - Giovanni Puglisi
- Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Catania, Viale A. Doria, 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Gennara Cavallaro
- Biological Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), Laboratory of Biocompatible Polymers, University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 32, 90123 Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Trapani
- Department of Pharmacy-Drug Sciences, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Via Orabona, 4, 70125 Bari, Italy
| | - Massimo Conese
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Viale L. Pinto 1, 71122 Foggia, Italy.
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Andries O, Kitada T, Bodner K, Sanders NN, Weiss R. Synthetic biology devices and circuits for RNA-based ‘smart vaccines’: a propositional review. Expert Rev Vaccines 2015; 14:313-31. [DOI: 10.1586/14760584.2015.997714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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42
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Abstract
Use of mRNA-based vaccines for tumour immunotherapy has gained increasing attention in recent years. A growing number of studies applying nanomedicine concepts to mRNA tumour vaccination show that the mRNA delivered in nanoparticle format can generate a more robust immune response. Advances in the past decade have deepened our understanding of gene delivery barriers, mRNA's biological stability and immunological properties, and support the notion for engineering innovations tailored towards a more efficient mRNA nanoparticle vaccine delivery system. In this review we will first examine the suitability of mRNA for engineering manipulations, followed by discussion of a model framework that highlights the barriers to a robust anti-tumour immunity mediated by mRNA encapsulated in nanoparticles. Finally, by consolidating existing literature on mRNA nanoparticle tumour vaccination within the context of this framework, we aim to identify bottlenecks that can be addressed by future nanoengineering research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle K L Phua
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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