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Chen J, Liu Z, Fang H, Su Q, Fan Y, Song L, He S. Therapeutic efficacy of a novel self-assembled immunostimulatory siRNA combining apoptosis promotion with RIG-I activation in gliomas. J Transl Med 2024; 22:395. [PMID: 38685028 PMCID: PMC11057130 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-05151-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Current cancer therapies often fall short in addressing the complexities of malignancies, underscoring the urgent need for innovative treatment strategies. RNA interference technology, which specifically suppresses gene expression, offers a promising new approach in the fight against tumors. Recent studies have identified a novel immunostimulatory small-interfering RNA (siRNA) with a unique sequence (sense strand, 5'-C; antisense strand, 3'-GGG) capable of activating the RIG-I/IRF3 signaling pathway. This activation induces the release of type I and III interferons, leading to an effective antiviral immune response. However, this class of immunostimulatory siRNA has not yet been explored in cancer therapy. METHODS IsiBCL-2, an innovative immunostimulatory siRNA designed to suppress the levels of B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2), contains a distinctive motif (sense strand, 5'-C; antisense strand, 3'-GGG). Glioblastoma cells were subjected to 100 nM isiBCL-2 treatment in vitro for 48 h. Morphological changes, cell viability (CCK-8 assay), proliferation (colony formation assay), migration/invasion (scratch test and Transwell assay), apoptosis rate, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were evaluated. Western blotting and immunofluorescence analyses were performed to assess RIG-I and MHC-I molecule levels, and ELISA was utilized to measure the levels of cytokines (IFN-β and CXCL10). In vivo heterogeneous tumor models were established, and the anti-tumor effect of isiBCL-2 was confirmed through intratumoral injection. RESULTS IsiBCL-2 exhibited significant inhibitory effects on glioblastoma cell growth and induced apoptosis. BCL-2 mRNA levels were significantly decreased by 67.52%. IsiBCL-2 treatment resulted in an apoptotic rate of approximately 51.96%, accompanied by a 71.76% reduction in MMP and a 41.87% increase in ROS accumulation. Western blotting and immunofluorescence analyses demonstrated increased levels of RIG-I, MAVS, and MHC-I following isiBCL-2 treatment. ELISA tests indicated a significant increase in IFN-β and CXCL10 levels. In vivo studies using nude mice confirmed that isiBCL-2 effectively impeded the growth and progression of glioblastoma tumors. CONCLUSIONS This study introduces an innovative method to induce innate signaling by incorporating an immunostimulatory sequence (sense strand, 5'-C; antisense strand, 3'-GGG) into siRNA, resulting in the formation of RNA dimers through Hoogsteen base-pairing. This activation triggers the RIG-I signaling pathway in tumor cells, causing further damage and inducing a potent immune response. This inventive design and application of immunostimulatory siRNA offer a novel perspective on tumor immunotherapy, holding significant implications for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junxiao Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, Guangdong, China
| | - Ziyuan Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, Guangdong, China
| | - Haiting Fang
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, Guangdong, China
| | - Qing Su
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, Guangdong, China
| | - Yiqi Fan
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, Guangdong, China
| | - Luyao Song
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, Guangdong, China.
| | - Shuai He
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, Guangdong, China.
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Gao J, Xia Z, Vohidova D, Joseph J, Luo JN, Joshi N. Progress in non-viral localized delivery of siRNA therapeutics for pulmonary diseases. Acta Pharm Sin B 2022; 13:1400-1428. [PMID: 37139423 PMCID: PMC10150162 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging therapies based on localized delivery of siRNA to lungs have opened up exciting possibilities for treatment of different lung diseases. Localized delivery of siRNA to lungs has shown to result in severalfold higher lung accumulation than systemic route, while minimizing non-specific distribution in other organs. However, to date, only 2 clinical trials have explored localized delivery of siRNA for pulmonary diseases. Here we systematically reviewed recent advances in the field of pulmonary delivery of siRNA using non-viral approaches. We firstly introduce the routes of local administration and analyze the anatomical and physiological barriers towards effective local delivery of siRNA in lungs. We then discuss current progress in pulmonary delivery of siRNA for respiratory tract infections, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, acute lung injury, and lung cancer, list outstanding questions, and highlight directions for future research. We expect this review to provide a comprehensive understanding of current advances in pulmonary delivery of siRNA.
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Liao L, Cen B, Li G, Wei Y, Wang Z, Huang W, He S, Yuan Y, Ji A. A bivalent cyclic RGD-siRNA conjugate enhances the antitumor effect of apatinib via co-inhibiting VEGFR2 in non-small cell lung cancer xenografts. Drug Deliv 2021; 28:1432-1442. [PMID: 34236267 PMCID: PMC8274511 DOI: 10.1080/10717544.2021.1937381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) is considered to be a pivotal target for anti-tumor therapy against angiogenesis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, effective and low-toxicity targeted therapies to inhibit VEGFR2 are still lacking. Here, biRGD–siVEGFR2 conjugate comprising murine VEGFR2 siRNA and [cyclo(Arg-Gly-Asp-D-Phe-Lys)-Ahx]2-Glu-PEG-MAL (biRGD) peptide which selectively binds to integrin αvβ3 receptors expressing on neovascularization endothelial cell was synthesized. The anti-tumor activity and renal toxicity of biRGD–siVEGFR2 or its combination therapy with low-dose apatinib were investigated on NSCLC xenografts. The immunogenicity of biRGD–siVEGFR2 was also evaluated in C57BL/6J mice. In vivo, intravenously injected biRGD–siVEGFR2 substantially inhibited NSCLC growth with a marked reduction of vessels and a down-regulation of VEGFR2 in tumor tissue. Furthermore, biRGD–siVEGFR2 in combination with low-dose apatinib achieved powerful anti-tumor effect with less nephrotoxicity compared with the regular dose of apatinib. Besides, no obvious immunogenicity of biRGD–siVEGFR2 was found. These findings demonstrate that biRGD–siVEGFR2 conjugate can be used as a new candidate for the treatment of NSCLC and its combination therapy with apatinib may also provide a novel strategy for cancer treatment in clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lumin Liao
- Department of Pharmacy, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Foshan, Guangdong, China
| | - Bohong Cen
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Guoxian Li
- Department of Pharmacy, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Foshan, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuanyi Wei
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Wen Huang
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Shuai He
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yawei Yuan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Aimin Ji
- Department of Pharmacy, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Foshan, Guangdong, China
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Fu D, Senouthai S, Wang J, You Y. FKN Facilitates HK-2 Cell EMT and Tubulointerstitial Lesions via the Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway in a Murine Model of Lupus Nephritis. Front Immunol 2019; 10:784. [PMID: 31134047 PMCID: PMC6524725 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Fractalkine (FKN), also known as chemokine (C-X3-C motif) ligand 1, constitutes an intriguing chemokine with a documented role in the development of numerous inflammatory diseases including autoimmune disease. Specifically, it has been reported that FKN is involved in the disease progression of lupus nephritis (LN). The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a significant role in the formation of tubulointerstitial lesions (TIL), which are increasingly recognized as a hallmark of tissue fibrogenesis after injury. However, the correlation between FKN and EMT or TIL in LN has not been determined. To investigate the potential role of FKN in EMT and TIL, MRL lymphoproliferation (MRL/lpr) strain mice were treated with an anti-FKN antibody, recombinant-FKN chemokine domain, or isotype antibody. Our results revealed that treatment with the anti-FKN antibody improved EMT, TIL, and renal function in MRL/lpr mice, along with inhibiting activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. In contrast, administration of the recombinant-FKN chemokine domain had the opposite effect. Furthermore, to further explore the roles of FKN in EMT, we assessed the levels of EMT markers in FKN-depleted or overexpressing human proximal tubule epithelial HK-2 cells. Our results provide the first evidence that the E-cadherin level was upregulated, whereas α-SMA and vimentin expression was downregulated in FKN-depleted HK-2 cells. In contrast, overexpression of FKN in HK-2 cells enhanced EMT. In addition, inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by XAV939 negated the effect of FKN overexpression, whereas activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by Ang II impaired the effect of the FKN knockout on EMT in HK-2 cells. Together, our data indicate that FKN plays essential roles in the EMT progression and development of TIL in MRL/lpr mice, most likely through activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongdong Fu
- Department of Nephrology, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Soulixay Senouthai
- Department of Nephrology, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Junjie Wang
- Department of Nephrology, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
| | - Yanwu You
- Department of Nephrology, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities, Baise, China
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Cen B, Wei Y, Huang W, Teng M, He S, Li J, Wang W, He G, Bai X, Liu X, Yuan Y, Pan X, Ji A. An Efficient Bivalent Cyclic RGD-PIK3CB siRNA Conjugate for Specific Targeted Therapy against Glioblastoma In Vitro and In Vivo. MOLECULAR THERAPY-NUCLEIC ACIDS 2018; 13:220-232. [PMID: 30312846 PMCID: PMC6178240 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2018.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 09/04/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The PI3K-AKT-mTOR-signaling pathway is frequently activated in glioblastoma (GBM). Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit beta (PIK3CB)/p110β (a PI3K catalytic isoform) by RNAi substantially suppresses GBM growth with less toxicity to normal astrocytes. However, insufficient and non-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) delivery may limit the efficacy of RNAi-based therapies against GBM. Here we prepared a novel methoxy-modified PIK3CB siRNA molecule (siPIK3CB) that was covalently conjugated to a [cyclo(Arg-Gly-Asp-D-Phe-Lys)-Ahx]2-Glu-PEG-MAL (biRGD) peptide, which selectively binds to integrin αvβ3 receptors. The αvβ3-positive U87MG cell line was selected as a representative for GBM. An orthotopic GBM xenograft model based on luciferase-expressing U87MG was established and validated in vivo to investigate bio-distribution and anti-tumor efficacy of biRGD-siPIK3CB. In vitro, biRGD-siPIK3CB specifically entered and silenced PIK3CB expression in GBM cells in an αvβ3 receptor-dependent manner, thus inhibiting cell cycle progression and migration and enhancing apoptosis. In vivo, intravenously injected biRGD-siPIK3CB substantially slowed GBM growth and prolonged survival by reducing tumor viability with silencing PIK3CB expression. Furthermore, biRGD-siPIK3CB led to mild tubulointerstitial injury in the treatment of GBM without obvious hepatotoxicity, whereas co-infusion of Gelofusine obviously alleviated this injury without compromising anti-tumor efficacy. These findings revealed a great translational potential of biRGD-siPIK3CB conjugate as a novel molecule for GBM therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bohong Cen
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, Guangdong, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong, China; Department of Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510095, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Single Cell Technology and Application, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuanyi Wei
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, Guangdong, China
| | - Wen Huang
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, Guangdong, China
| | - Muzhou Teng
- Cancer Research Institute, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Shuai He
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, Guangdong, China
| | - Jianlong Li
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Guangzhou RiboBio Co., Guangzhou 510663, Guangdong, China
| | - Guolin He
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, Guangdong, China
| | - Xin Bai
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong, China; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaoxia Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, Guangdong, China; Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou 510275, Guangdong, China
| | - Yawei Yuan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510095, Guangdong, China.
| | - Xinghua Pan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Single Cell Technology and Application, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong, China; Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
| | - Aimin Ji
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, Guangdong, China; Department of Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510095, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong, China.
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