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Greitens C, Leroux JC, Burger M. The intracellular visualization of exogenous DNA in fluorescence microscopy. Drug Deliv Transl Res 2024; 14:2242-2261. [PMID: 38526634 DOI: 10.1007/s13346-024-01563-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
In the development of non-viral gene delivery vectors, it is essential to reliably localize and quantify transfected DNA inside the cell. To track DNA, fluorescence microscopy methods are commonly applied. These mostly rely on fluorescently labeled DNA, DNA binding proteins fused to a fluorescent protein, or fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). In addition, co-stainings are often used to determine the colocalization of the DNA in specific cellular compartments, such as the endolysosomes or the nucleus. We provide an overview of these DNA tracking methods, advice on how they should be combined, and indicate which co-stainings or additional methods are required to draw precise conclusions from a DNA tracking experiment. Some emphasis is given to the localization of exogenous DNA inside the nucleus, which is the last step of DNA delivery. We argue that suitable tools which allow for the nuclear detection of faint signals are still missing, hampering the rational development of more efficient non-viral transfection systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Greitens
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Christophe Leroux
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Michael Burger
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland.
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2
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Din SRU, Saeed S, Khan SU, Arbi FM, Xuefang G, Zhong M. Bacteria-driven cancer therapy: Exploring advancements and challenges. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2023; 191:104141. [PMID: 37742883 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2023.104141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer, a serious fatal disease caused by the uncontrolled growth of cells, is the biggest challenge flagging around medicine and health fields. Conventionally, various treatments-based strategies such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and alternative cancer therapies possess drugs that cannot reach the cancerous tissues and make them toxic to noncancerous cells. Cancer immunotherapy has made outstanding achievements in reducing the chances of cancer. Our considerable attention towards cancer-directed immune responses and the mechanisms behind which immune cells kill cancer cells have progressively been helpful in the advancement of new therapies. Among them, bacteria-based cancer immunotherapy has achieved much more attention due to smart and robust mechanisms in activating the host anti-tumor response. Moreover, bacterial-based therapy can be utilized as a single monotherapy or in combination with multiple anticancer immunotherapies to accelerate productive clinical results. Herein, we comprehensively reviewed recent advancements, challenges, and future perspectives in developing bacterial-based cancer immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syed Riaz Ud Din
- Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Sumbul Saeed
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Shahid Ullah Khan
- Integrative Science Center of Germplasm Creation in Western China (CHONGQING) Science City and Southwest University, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China; Engineering Research Center of South Upland Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China; Women Medical and Dental College, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, KPK 22020, Pakistan
| | - Fawad Mueen Arbi
- Quaid-e-Azam Medical College, Bahawalpur, Punjab 63100, Pakistan
| | - Guo Xuefang
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Mintao Zhong
- Department of Microbiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China.
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3
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Recent Advances in DNA Vaccines against Lung Cancer: A Mini Review. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10101586. [PMID: 36298450 PMCID: PMC9612219 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10101586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is regarded as the major causes of patient death around the world. Although the novel tumor immunotherapy has made great progress in the past decades, such as utilizing immune checkpoint inhibitors or oncolytic viruses, the overall 5-year survival of patients with lung cancers is still low. Thus, development of effective vaccines to treat lung cancer is urgently required. In this regard, DNA vaccines are now considered as a promising immunotherapy strategy to activate the host immune system against lung cancer. DNA vaccines are able to induce both effective humoral and cellular immune responses, and they possess several potential advantages such as greater stability, higher safety, and being easier to manufacture compared to conventional vaccination. In the present review, we provide a global overview of the mechanism of cancer DNA vaccines and summarize the innovative neoantigens, delivery platforms, and adjuvants in lung cancer that have been investigated or approved. Importantly, we highlight the recent advance of clinical studies in the field of lung cancer DNA vaccine, focusing on their safety and efficacy, which might accelerate the personalized design of DNA vaccine against lung cancer.
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4
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Shih TY, Najibi AJ, Bartlett AL, Li AW, Mooney DJ. Ultrasound-triggered release reveals optimal timing of CpG-ODN delivery from a cryogel cancer vaccine. Biomaterials 2021; 279:121240. [PMID: 34753036 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2021.121240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Recently, several injectable scaffold-based cancer vaccines have been developed that can recruit and activate host dendritic cells (DCs) and generate potent antitumor responses. However, the optimal timing of adjuvant delivery, particularly of the commonly used cytosine-phosphodiester-guanine-oligonucleotide (CpG-ODN), for scaffold-based cancer vaccines remains unknown. We hypothesized that optimally timed CpG-ODN delivery will lead to enhanced immune responses, and designed a cryogel vaccine system where CpG-ODN release can be triggered on-demand by ultrasound. CpG-ODN was first condensed with polyethylenimine and then adsorbed to cryogels. Little adsorbed CpG-ODN was released in vitro. Ultrasound stimulation triggered continuous CpG-ODN release, at an enhanced rate even after ultrasound was turned off, with minimal burst release. In vivo, ultrasound stimulation four days post-vaccination induced a significantly higher antigen-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) response compared to control mice. Furthermore, ultrasound stimulation at this time point generated a significantly higher IgG2a/c antibody titer than all the groups except ultrasound stimulation eight days post-vaccination. This optimal timing of ultrasound-triggered release coincided with peak DC accumulation in the cryogels. By enabling temporal control of vaccine components through release on-demand, this system is a promising platform to study the optimal timing of delivery of immunomodulatory agents for cancer vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting-Yu Shih
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Alexander J Najibi
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Alexandra L Bartlett
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Aileen W Li
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - David J Mooney
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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6
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Yu C, Li L, Hu P, Yang Y, Wei W, Deng X, Wang L, Tay FR, Ma J. Recent Advances in Stimulus-Responsive Nanocarriers for Gene Therapy. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2021; 8:2100540. [PMID: 34306980 PMCID: PMC8292848 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202100540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Gene therapy provides a promising strategy for curing monogenetic disorders and complex diseases. However, there are challenges associated with the use of viral delivery vectors. The advent of nanomedicine represents a quantum leap in the application of gene therapy. Recent advances in stimulus-responsive nonviral nanocarriers indicate that they are efficient delivery systems for loading and unloading of therapeutic nucleic acids. Some nanocarriers are responsive to cues derived from the internal environment, such as changes in pH, redox potential, enzyme activity, reactive oxygen species, adenosine triphosphate, and hypoxia. Others are responsive to external stimulations, including temperature gradients, light irradiation, ultrasonic energy, and magnetic field. Multiple stimuli-responsive strategies have also been investigated recently for experimental gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Yu
- Department of StomatologyTongji HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei Province430030China
| | - Long Li
- Department of OncologyTongji HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei Province430030China
| | - Pei Hu
- Department of StomatologyTongji HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei Province430030China
| | - Yan Yang
- Department of StomatologyTongji HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei Province430030China
| | - Wei Wei
- Department of StomatologyTongji HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei Province430030China
| | - Xin Deng
- Department of StomatologyTongji HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei Province430030China
| | - Lu Wang
- Department of OncologyTongji HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei Province430030China
| | | | - Jingzhi Ma
- Department of StomatologyTongji HospitalTongji Medical CollegeHuazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhanHubei Province430030China
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A novel UTMD system facilitating nucleic acid delivery into MDA-MB-231 cells. Biosci Rep 2021; 40:221955. [PMID: 31990029 PMCID: PMC7029150 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20192573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 12/26/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene therapy is emerging as a promising method for the treatment of various diseases. The safe and efficient delivery of therapeutic nucleic acids is a gene therapy prerequisite. Ultrasound, particularly in combination with microbubbles composed of biocompatible materials such as lipid, PLGA and chitosan, is a novel non-viral tool for gene transportation. Under ultrasound irradiation, microbubbles explode and generate pores in the cell membrane. Hence, genes can enter cells more easily. In order to transfect nucleic acids into MDA-MB-231 cells in a low-cost and non-viral manner for further breast cancer gene therapy studies, we explored ultrasound targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) technology and evaluated the efficiency and safety of the delivery of plasmid encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein (pEGFP) and a microRNA-34a (miR-34a) mimic by UTMD. Sonovitro ultrasonic apparatus was employed to generate ultrasonic field, which was developed by our group. Ultrasonic parameters, including acoustic intensity (AI), exposure time (ET) and duty cycle (DC), were optimized at 0.6 W/cm2 AI, 20 s ET and 20% DC, the cell viability was not obviously impaired. Under these conditions, the UTMD-mediated transfection efficiency of pEGFP was greater than 40%. In addition to plasmid DNA, an miR-34a mimic was also successfully introduced into the cytoplasm by UTMD and found to inhibit proliferation, induce apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 cells and regulate downstream molecules. The present study indicates that further in vivo UTMD-mediated gene therapy studies are warranted.
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Gao C, Li Z, Zou J, Cheng J, Jiang K, Liu C, Gu G, Tao W, Song J. Mechanical Effect on Gene Transfection Based on Dielectric Elastomer Actuator. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2020; 3:2617-2625. [PMID: 35025395 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.9b01199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Gene transfection has been widely applied in genome function and gene therapy. Although many efforts have been focused on designing carrier materials and transfection methods, the influence of mechanical stimulation on gene transfection efficiency has rarely been studied. Herein, dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA)-based stimulation bioreactors are designed to generate tensile and contractile stress on cells simultaneously. With the example of the EGFP transfection, cells with high membrane tension in the stretching stimulation regions had lower transfection efficiency, while the transfection efficiency of cells in the compressing regions tended to increase. Besides, the duty cycle and loading frequency of the applied stress on cells were also important factors that affect gene transfection efficiency. Furthermore, the pathways of cell endocytosis with the effect of mechanical stimulation were explored on the mechanism for the change of EGFP transfection efficiency. This design of the DEA-based bioreactor, as a strategy to study gene transfection efficiency, could be helpful for developing efficient transfection methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Gao
- Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhichao Li
- Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiang Zou
- Robotics Institute, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
| | - Jin Cheng
- Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
| | - Kai Jiang
- Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
| | - Changrun Liu
- Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
| | - Guoying Gu
- Robotics Institute, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Tao
- Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Song
- Institute of Nano Biomedicine and Engineering, Department of Instrument Science and Engineering, School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China.,Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine (ICBM), Chinese Academy of Sciences; The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, People's Republic of China
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9
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Wu CY, Huang RY, Liao EC, Lin YC, Ho YJ, Chang CW, Chan HL, Huang YZ, Hsieh TH, Fan CH, Yeh CK. A preliminary study of Parkinson's gene therapy via sono-magnetic sensing gene vector for conquering extra/intracellular barriers in mice. Brain Stimul 2020; 13:786-799. [PMID: 32289709 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2020.02.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Non-virus genetic treatment for Parkinson's disease (PD) via plasmid glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor (pGDNF) has shown potential for repairing damaged dopaminergic neurons. However, development of this gene therapy is largely hampered by the insufficient transfection efficiency as a result of the cell membrane, lysosome, and cytoskeleton meshwork. METHODS In this study, we propose the use of polyethylenimine (PEI)-superparamagnetic iron oxide-plasmid DNA (pDNA)-loaded microbubbles (PSp-MBs) in conjunction with focused ultrasound (FUS) and two-step magnetic navigation to provide cavitation, proton sponge effect and magnetic effects to increase the efficiency of gene delivery. RESULTS The gene transfection rate in the proposed system was 2.2-fold higher than that of the commercial agent (TransIT®-LT1). The transfection rate could be boosted ∼11%, ∼10%, and 6% by cavitation-magnetic hybrid enhanced cell membrane permeabilization, proton sponge effect, and magnetic-assisted cytoskeleton-reorganization, respectively. In vivo data suggested that effective gene delivery with this system results in a 3.2-fold increase in recovery of dopaminergic neurons and a 3.9-fold improvement in the motor behavior when compared to untreated genetic PD mice. CONCLUSIONS We proposed that this novel FUS-magnetic hybrid gene delivery platform could be integrated with a variety of therapeutic genes for treating neurodegenerative diseases in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Yao Wu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Rih-Yang Huang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - En-Chi Liao
- Department of Medical Science, Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chun Lin
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan; Department of Molecular Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ju Ho
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Wen Chang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Hong-Lin Chan
- Department of Medical Science, Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Ying-Zu Huang
- Neuroscience Research Center, Healthy Aging Research Center and Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tsung-Hsun Hsieh
- School of Physical Therapy & Neuroscience Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Hsiang Fan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.
| | - Chih-Kuang Yeh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan; Institute of Nuclear Engineering and Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan.
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10
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Bacteria and cancer: Different sides of the same coin. Life Sci 2020; 246:117398. [PMID: 32032647 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2020.117398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Conventional cancer therapies such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy due to the complexity of cancer have been unsuccessful in the complete eradication of tumor cells. Thus, there is a need for new therapeutic strategies toward cancer. Recently, the therapeutic role of bacteria in different fields of medicine and pharmaceutical research has attracted attention in recent decades. Although several bacteria are notorious as cancer-causing agents, recent research revealed intriguing results suggesting the bacterial potential in cancer therapy. Thus, bacterial cancer therapy is an alternative anticancer approach that has promising results on tumor cells in-vivo. Moreover, with the aid of genetic engineering, some natural or genetically modified bacterial strains can directly target hypoxic regions of tumors and secrete therapeutic molecules leading to cancer cell death. Additionally, stimulation of immune cells by bacteria, bacterial cancer DNA vaccine and antitumor bacterial metabolites are other therapeutic applications of bacteria in cancer therapy. The present study is a comprehensive review of different aspects of bacterial cancer therapy alone and in combination with conventional methods, for improving cancer therapy.
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Zhang H, Chen Z, Du M, Li Y, Chen Y. Enhanced gene transfection efficiency by low-dose 25 kDa polyethylenimine by the assistance of 1.8 kDa polyethylenimine. Drug Deliv 2019; 25:1740-1745. [PMID: 30241446 PMCID: PMC6161618 DOI: 10.1080/10717544.2018.1510065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene therapy is a promising strategy for treatments of various diseases. Efficient and safe introduction of therapeutic genes into targeted cells is essential to realize functions of the genes. High-molecular-weight polyethylenimines (HMW PEIs) including 25 kDa branched PEI and 22 kDa linear PEI are widely used for in vitro gene transfection. However, high-gene transfection efficiency is usually accompanied with high cytotoxicity, which hampers their further clinical study. On the contrary, low-molecular-weight polyethylenimines (LMW PEIs) such as 1.8 kDa PEI and 800 Da PEI show good biocompatibility but their applications are limited by the poor DNA condensation capability. In this study, we find that 1.8 kDa PEI, but not 800 Da PEI combined with low-dose 25 kDa PEI could significantly promote gene transfection with low cytotoxicity. Plasmids encoding enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) were delivered by the combined PEI and gene transfection efficiency was evaluated by microscopic observation and flow cytometry. Parameters including concentrations of 25 kDa PEI and 1.8 kDa PEI and preparation ways were further optimized. This study presents an efficient and safe combined PEI-based non-viral gene delivery strategy with potential for in vivo applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Zhang
- a Laboratory of Ultrasound Molecular Imaging, Department of Ultrasound Medicine , The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University , Guangzhou , China
| | - Zhiyi Chen
- a Laboratory of Ultrasound Molecular Imaging, Department of Ultrasound Medicine , The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University , Guangzhou , China
| | - Meng Du
- a Laboratory of Ultrasound Molecular Imaging, Department of Ultrasound Medicine , The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University , Guangzhou , China
| | - Yue Li
- a Laboratory of Ultrasound Molecular Imaging, Department of Ultrasound Medicine , The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University , Guangzhou , China
| | - Yuhao Chen
- a Laboratory of Ultrasound Molecular Imaging, Department of Ultrasound Medicine , The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University , Guangzhou , China
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12
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Microbubble-facilitated ultrasound pulsation promotes direct α-synuclein gene delivery. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2019; 517:77-83. [PMID: 31327496 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Intra-neuronal α-synuclein (αSNCA) aggregation are the leading cause of dopaminergic neuron degeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD). Most PD patients is linked with αSNCA gene mutations. Gene therapy shows therapeutic potential by packing gene into viral vectors to improve gene expression through stereotactic brain injections. However, through intracranial injection, the gene expression is typically limited with tissue distribution tightly adjacent to the injection track, when expressing therapeutic genes for a wider CNS region is preferable. We use microbubble-facilitated ultrasound pulsations (MB-USP) as a new gene delivering tool to enhance the limit gene delivery of local injection in brain and evaluate the feasibility using αSNCA as model gene. We demonstrate that MB-USP can transfect naked constructs DNA of αSNCA gene into two types of neuron cells and enhance the gene expression. We confirm α-synuclein fusion protein functionality, showing that α-synuclein fusion protein significantly reduce the mitochondrial activity. We show MB-USP improves in vivo gene transfer in the brain with naked construct local injection, significantly enhances α-synuclein expression level to 1.68-fold, and broaden its distribution to 25-fold. In vivo fused α-synuclein protein aggregation is also found in gene-injected mice brains by MB-USP. MB-USP provides an alternative to α-synuclein over expression in vitro and in vivo model for investigation of α-synuclein related PD therapeutic strategies.
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13
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Lopes A, Vandermeulen G, Préat V. Cancer DNA vaccines: current preclinical and clinical developments and future perspectives. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2019; 38:146. [PMID: 30953535 PMCID: PMC6449928 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-019-1154-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 202] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The recent developments in immuno-oncology have opened an unprecedented avenue for the emergence of vaccine strategies. Therapeutic DNA cancer vaccines are now considered a very promising strategy to activate the immune system against cancer. In the past, several clinical trials using plasmid DNA vaccines demonstrated a good safety profile and the activation of a broad and specific immune response. However, these vaccines often demonstrated only modest therapeutic effects in clinical trials due to the immunosuppressive mechanisms developed by the tumor. To enhance the vaccine-induced immune response and the treatment efficacy, DNA vaccines could be improved by using two different strategies. The first is to increase their immunogenicity by selecting and optimizing the best antigen(s) to be inserted into the plasmid DNA. The second strategy is to combine DNA vaccines with other complementary therapies that could improve their activity by attenuating immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment or by increasing the activity/number of immune cells. A growing number of preclinical and clinical studies are adopting these two strategies to better exploit the potential of DNA vaccination. In this review, we analyze the last 5-year preclinical studies and 10-year clinical trials using plasmid DNA vaccines for cancer therapy. We also investigate the strategies that are being developed to overcome the limitations in cancer DNA vaccination, revisiting the rationale for different combinations of therapy and the different possibilities in antigen choice. Finally, we highlight the most promising developments and critical points that need to be addressed to move towards the approval of therapeutic cancer DNA vaccines as part of the standard of cancer care in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Lopes
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Avenue Mounier, 73, B1.73.12, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Gaëlle Vandermeulen
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Avenue Mounier, 73, B1.73.12, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Véronique Préat
- Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Avenue Mounier, 73, B1.73.12, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium
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14
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Stewart MP, Langer R, Jensen KF. Intracellular Delivery by Membrane Disruption: Mechanisms, Strategies, and Concepts. Chem Rev 2018; 118:7409-7531. [PMID: 30052023 PMCID: PMC6763210 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.7b00678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 382] [Impact Index Per Article: 63.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Intracellular delivery is a key step in biological research and has enabled decades of biomedical discoveries. It is also becoming increasingly important in industrial and medical applications ranging from biomanufacture to cell-based therapies. Here, we review techniques for membrane disruption-based intracellular delivery from 1911 until the present. These methods achieve rapid, direct, and universal delivery of almost any cargo molecule or material that can be dispersed in solution. We start by covering the motivations for intracellular delivery and the challenges associated with the different cargo types-small molecules, proteins/peptides, nucleic acids, synthetic nanomaterials, and large cargo. The review then presents a broad comparison of delivery strategies followed by an analysis of membrane disruption mechanisms and the biology of the cell response. We cover mechanical, electrical, thermal, optical, and chemical strategies of membrane disruption with a particular emphasis on their applications and challenges to implementation. Throughout, we highlight specific mechanisms of membrane disruption and suggest areas in need of further experimentation. We hope the concepts discussed in our review inspire scientists and engineers with further ideas to improve intracellular delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin P. Stewart
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, Cambridge, USA
- The Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA
| | - Robert Langer
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, Cambridge, USA
- The Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA
| | - Klavs F. Jensen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, Cambridge, USA
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Yu J, Chen Z, Yan F. Advances in mechanism studies on ultrasonic gene delivery at cellular level. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 142:1-9. [PMID: 30031881 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2018.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Revised: 07/15/2018] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Ultrasound provides a means for intracellular gene delivery, contributing to a noninvasive and spatiotemporally controllable strategy suitable for clinical applications. Many studies have been done to provide mechanisms of ultrasound-mediated gene delivery at the cellular level. This review summarizes the studies on the important aspects of the mechanisms, providing an overview of recent progress in cellular experiment of ultrasound-mediated gene delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinsui Yu
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Laboratory of Ultrasound Molecular Imaging, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, PR China
| | - Zhiyi Chen
- Department of Ultrasound Medicine, Laboratory of Ultrasound Molecular Imaging, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, PR China.
| | - Fei Yan
- Paul C. Lauterbur Research Center for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, PR China.
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Rong N, Zhou H, Liu R, Wang Y, Fan Z. Ultrasound and microbubble mediated plasmid DNA uptake: A fast, global and multi-mechanisms involved process. J Control Release 2018; 273:40-50. [PMID: 29407677 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2018.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2017] [Revised: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Ultrasound application combined with microbubbles has shown great potential for intracellular gene delivery. However, the fundamental mechanistic question of how plasmid DNA enters the intracellular space mediated by ultrasound and microbubble has not been fully explored and understood. The goal of this study is to unveil the detailed intracellular uptake process of plasmid DNA stimulated by ultrasound and microbubbles, uniquely highlighting the role of microbubbles play in this process. The usage of targeted microbubbles pinpointed the subcellular membrane site, where ultrasound exerted acoustic force onto the cell membrane. With the combination of high-speed video microscopy and 3D confocal fluorescence microscopy, we show the spatiotemporal correlation between the microbubble dynamics and intracellular plasmid DNA distribution. Two ultrasound modes (high pressure short pulse and low pressure long pulse) were chosen to trigger different plasmid DNA uptake routes. We found that reversible cell membrane disruption, induced by high pressure short pulse ultrasound, permitted plasmid DNA passage across cell membrane, but not in an exclusive way. Under both ultrasound modes, with or without cell membrane disruption, global plasmid DNA internalization, even nuclear-localization, was observed immediately post ultrasound application. Our results show that plasmid DNA uptake evoked by localized acoustically excited microbubbles is a fast (<2min), global (not limited to the site where microbubbles were attached), and multi-mechanisms involved process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Rong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Hao Zhou
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Ruming Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Zhenzhen Fan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; State Key Laboratory of Acoustics, Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
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17
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Cationic gas-filled microbubbles for ultrasound-based nucleic acids delivery. Biosci Rep 2017; 37:BSR20160619. [PMID: 29180378 PMCID: PMC5741830 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20160619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2017] [Revised: 11/23/2017] [Accepted: 11/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of ultrasound has gained great interest for nucleic acids delivery. Ultrasound can reach deep tissues in non-invasive manner. The process of sonoporation is based on the use of low-frequency ultrasound combined with gas-filled microbubbles (MBs) allowing an improved delivery of molecules including nucleic acids in the insonified tissue. For in vivo gene transfer, the engineering of cationic MBs is essential for creating strong electrostatic interactions between MBs and nucleic acids leading to their protection against nucleases degradation and high concentration within the target tissue. Cationic MBs must be stable enough to withstand nucleic acids interaction, have a good size distribution for in vivo administration, and enough acoustic activity to be detected by echography. This review aims to summarize the basic principles of ultrasound-based delivery and new knowledge acquired in these recent years about this method. A focus is made on gene delivery by discussing reported studies made with cationic MBs including ours. They have the ability for efficient delivery of plasmid DNA (pDNA), mRNA or siRNA. Last, we discuss about the key challenges that have to be faced for a fine use of this delivery system.
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Fan CH, Lin CY, Liu HL, Yeh CK. Ultrasound targeted CNS gene delivery for Parkinson's disease treatment. J Control Release 2017; 261:246-262. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2017.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2017] [Revised: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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