1
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Staehlke S, Mahajan S, Thieme D, Trosan P, Fuchsluger TA. Suppressing Pro-Apoptotic Proteins by siRNA in Corneal Endothelial Cells Protects against Cell Death. Biomedicines 2024; 12:1439. [PMID: 39062012 PMCID: PMC11274739 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12071439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Corneal endothelial cells (CE) are critical for the cornea's transparency. For severe corneal damage, corneal tissue transplantation is the most promising option for restoring vision. However, CE apoptotic cell death occurs during the storage of donor corneas for transplantation. This study used small interfering (si)RNA-mediated silencing of pro-apoptotic proteins as a novel strategy to protect CE against apoptosis. Therefore, the pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and Bak were silenced in the human corneal endothelial cell line (HCEC-12) by transfection with Accell™siRNA without any adverse effects on cell viability. When apoptosis was induced, e.g., etoposide, the caspase-3 activity and Annexin V-FITC/PI assay indicated a significantly reduced apoptosis rate in Bax+Bak-siRNA transfected HCECs compared to control (w/o siRNA). TUNEL assay in HCECs exposed also significantly lower cell death in Bax+Bak-siRNA (7.5%) compared to control (w/o siRNA: 32.8%). In ex vivo donor corneas, a significant reduction of TUNEL-positive CEs in Bax+Bak-siRNA corneas (8.1%) was detectable compared to control-treated corneas (w/o siRNA: 27.9%). In this study, we demonstrated that suppressing pro-apoptotic siRNA leads to inhibiting CE apoptosis. Gene therapy with siRNA may open a new translational approach for corneal tissue treatment in the eye bank before transplantation, leading to graft protection and prolonged graft survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Staehlke
- Department of Ophthalmology, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany;
- Institute for Cell Biology, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Siddharth Mahajan
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Daniel Thieme
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
- Institute of Polymer Materials, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Peter Trosan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany;
| | - Thomas A. Fuchsluger
- Department of Ophthalmology, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany;
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
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2
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Zhang Y, Shi Y, Khan MM, Xiao F, Chen W, Tao W, Yao K, Kong N. Ocular RNA nanomedicine: engineered delivery nanoplatforms in treating eye diseases. Trends Biotechnol 2024:S0167-7799(24)00121-5. [PMID: 38821834 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.05.002] [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: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Ocular disorders remain a major global health challenge with unmet medical needs. RNA nanomedicine has shown significant therapeutic benefits and safety profiles in patients with complex eye disorders, already benefiting numerous patients with gene-related eye disorders. The effective delivery of RNA to the unique structure of the eye is challenging owing to RNA instability, off-target effects, and ocular physiological barriers. Specifically tailored RNA medication, coupled with sophisticated engineered delivery platforms, is crucial to guide and advance developments in treatments for oculopathy. Herein we review recent advances in RNA-based nanomedicine, innovative delivery strategies, and current clinical progress and present challenges in ocular disease therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiming Zhang
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center and Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab of Ophthalmology, Eye Center of The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yesi Shi
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Muhammad M Khan
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Fan Xiao
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center and Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab of Ophthalmology, Eye Center of The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Wei Chen
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Wei Tao
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Ke Yao
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center and Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab of Ophthalmology, Eye Center of The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Na Kong
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center and Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab of Ophthalmology, Eye Center of The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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3
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Won Lee J, Kyu Shim M, Kim H, Jang H, Lee Y, Hwa Kim S. RNAi therapies: Expanding applications for extrahepatic diseases and overcoming delivery challenges. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2023; 201:115073. [PMID: 37657644 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2023.115073] [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: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
The era of RNA medicine has become a reality with the success of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines against COVID-19 and the approval of several RNA interference (RNAi) agents in recent years. Particularly, therapeutics based on RNAi offer the promise of targeting intractable and previously undruggable disease genes. Recent advances have focused in developing delivery systems to enhance the poor cellular uptake and insufficient pharmacokinetic properties of RNAi therapeutics and thereby improve its efficacy and safety. However, such approach has been mainly achieved via lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) or chemical conjugation with N-Acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc), thus current RNAi therapy has been limited to liver diseases, most likely to encounter liver-targeting limitations. Hence, there is a huge unmet medical need for intense evolution of RNAi therapeutics delivery systems to target extrahepatic tissues and ultimately extend their indications for treating various intractable diseases. In this review, challenges of delivering RNAi therapeutics to tumors and major organs are discussed, as well as their transition to clinical trials. This review also highlights innovative and promising preclinical RNAi-based delivery platforms for the treatment of extrahepatic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jong Won Lee
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea; Medicinal Materials Research Center, Biomedical Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Man Kyu Shim
- Medicinal Materials Research Center, Biomedical Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyosuk Kim
- Medicinal Materials Research Center, Biomedical Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Hochung Jang
- Medicinal Materials Research Center, Biomedical Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea; Division of Bio-Medical Science and Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
| | - Yuhan Lee
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine, Center for Accelerated Medical Innovation & Center for Nanomedicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Sun Hwa Kim
- KU-KIST Graduate School of Converging Science and Technology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea; Medicinal Materials Research Center, Biomedical Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea.
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4
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Klipp A, Burger M, Leroux JC. Get out or die trying: Peptide- and protein-based endosomal escape of RNA therapeutics. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2023; 200:115047. [PMID: 37536508 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2023.115047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
RNA therapeutics offer great potential to transform the biomedical landscape, encompassing the treatment of hereditary conditions and the development of better vaccines. However, the delivery of RNAs into the cell is hampered, among others, by poor endosomal escape. This major hurdle is often tackled using special lipids, polymers, or protein-based delivery vectors. In this review, we will focus on the most prominent peptide- and protein-based endosomal escape strategies with focus on RNA drugs. We discuss cell penetrating peptides, which are still incorporated into novel transfection systems today to promote endosomal escape. However, direct evidence for enhanced endosomal escape by the action of such peptides is missing and their transfection efficiency, even in permissive cell culture conditions, is rather low. Endosomal escape by the help of pore forming proteins or phospholipases, on the other hand, allowed to generate more efficient transfection systems. These are, however, often hampered by considerable toxicity and immunogenicity. We conclude that the perfect enhancer of endosomal escape has yet to be devised. To increase the chances of success, any new transfection system should be tested under relevant conditions and guided by assays that allow direct quantification of endosomal escape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Klipp
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Michael Burger
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Jean-Christophe Leroux
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, Switzerland.
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5
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Rohira H, Arora A, Kaur P, Chugh A. Peptide cargo administration: current state and applications. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 107:3153-3181. [PMID: 37052636 PMCID: PMC10099029 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-023-12512-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Effective delivery of drug molecules to the target site is a challenging task. In the last decade, several innovations in the drug delivery system (DDS) have tremendously improved the therapeutic efficacy of drug molecules. Among various DDS, cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) based DDS have gathered notable attention owing to their safety, efficacy, selectivity, specificity, and ease of synthesis. CPPs are emerging as an efficient and effective pharmaceutical nanocarriers-based platforms for successful management of various important human health disorders. Failure of several current chemotherapeutic strategies is attributed to low solubility, reduced bioavailability, and off-target delivery of several anti-cancer drugs. Similarly, development of therapeutics for vision-threatening disorders is challenged by the anatomical as well as physiological complexity of the eye. Such therapeutic challenges in cancer and ocular disease management can be overcome by developing cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) based peptide drug conjugates (PDCs). CPPs can be used to deliver various types of cargo molecules including nucleic acids, small molecules, and peptides/proteinaceous agents. In this review, we have briefly introduced CPPs and the linker strategies employed for the development of PDCs. Furthermore, recent studies employing CPP-based PDCs for cancer and ocular disease management have been discussed in detail highlighting their significance over conventional DDS. Later sections of the review are focused on the current status of clinical trials and future implications of CPP-based PDCs in vaccine development. KEY POINTS: • Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) can deliver a variety of cargo macromolecules via covalent and non-covalent conjugation. • CPP-based peptide drug conjugates (PDCs) can overcome drawbacks of conventional drug delivery methods such as biocompatibility, solubility, stability, and specificity. • Various PDCs are in clinical trial phase for cancer and ocular therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harsha Rohira
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, 110016, India
- Genohelex Care Pvt. Ltd, ASPIRE BioNEST, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500046, India
| | - Aditi Arora
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, 110016, India
| | - Prasanjeet Kaur
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, 110016, India
| | - Archana Chugh
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, 110016, India.
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6
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Sahingoz D, Akturk O, Cagdas Tunali B, Turk M, Celebi Keskin A. Synthesis and characterization of polyethyleneimine/silk fibroin/gold nanoparticle nanocomposites: Potential application as a gene carrier in breast cancer cell lines. Eur Polym J 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2023.112042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
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7
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Yang GN, Roberts PK, Gardner-Russell J, Shah MH, Couper TA, Zhu Z, Pollock GA, Dusting GJ, Daniell M. From bench to clinic: Emerging therapies for corneal scarring. Pharmacol Ther 2023; 242:108349. [PMID: 36682466 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2023.108349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Corneal diseases are one of the leading causes of moderate-to-severe visual impairment and blindness worldwide, after glaucoma, cataract, and retinal disease in overall importance. Given its tendency to affect people at a younger age than other blinding conditions such as cataract and glaucoma, corneal scarring poses a huge burden both on the individuals and society. Furthermore, corneal scarring and fibrosis disproportionately affects people in poorer and remote areas, making it a significant ophthalmic public health problem. Traditional medical strategies, such as topical corticosteroids, are not effective in preventing fibrosis or scars. Corneal transplantation, the only effective sight-restoring treatment for corneal scars, is curbed by challenges including a severe shortage of tissue, graft rejection, secondary conditions, cultural barriers, the lack of well-trained surgeons, operating rooms, and well-equipped infrastructures. Thanks to tremendous research efforts, emerging therapeutic options including gene therapy, protein therapy, cell therapy and novel molecules are in development to prevent the progression of corneal scarring and compliment the surgical options currently available for treating established corneal scars in clinics. In this article, we summarise the most relevant preclinical and clinical studies on emerging therapies for corneal scarring in recent years, showing how these approaches may prevent scarring in its early development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gink N Yang
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, level 7, Peter Howson Wing, 32 Gisborne Street, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002, Australia; Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne and Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne 3002, Australia.
| | - Philippe Ke Roberts
- Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University Vienna, 18-20 Währinger Gürtel, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Jesse Gardner-Russell
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, level 7, Peter Howson Wing, 32 Gisborne Street, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002, Australia; Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne and Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne 3002, Australia
| | - Manisha H Shah
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, level 7, Peter Howson Wing, 32 Gisborne Street, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002, Australia; Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne and Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne 3002, Australia
| | - Terry A Couper
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, level 7, Peter Howson Wing, 32 Gisborne Street, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002, Australia; Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne and Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne 3002, Australia; Lions Eye Donation Service, level 7, Smorgon Family Wing, 32 Gisborne Street, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002, Australia
| | - Zhuoting Zhu
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, level 7, Peter Howson Wing, 32 Gisborne Street, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002, Australia; Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne and Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne 3002, Australia
| | - Graeme A Pollock
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, level 7, Peter Howson Wing, 32 Gisborne Street, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002, Australia; Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne and Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne 3002, Australia; Lions Eye Donation Service, level 7, Smorgon Family Wing, 32 Gisborne Street, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002, Australia
| | - Gregory J Dusting
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, level 7, Peter Howson Wing, 32 Gisborne Street, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002, Australia; Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne and Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne 3002, Australia
| | - Mark Daniell
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, level 7, Peter Howson Wing, 32 Gisborne Street, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002, Australia; Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne and Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne 3002, Australia; Lions Eye Donation Service, level 7, Smorgon Family Wing, 32 Gisborne Street, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002, Australia
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8
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Karamali F, Behtaj S, Babaei-Abraki S, Hadady H, Atefi A, Savoj S, Soroushzadeh S, Najafian S, Nasr Esfahani MH, Klassen H. Potential therapeutic strategies for photoreceptor degeneration: the path to restore vision. J Transl Med 2022; 20:572. [PMID: 36476500 PMCID: PMC9727916 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-022-03738-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Photoreceptors (PRs), as the most abundant and light-sensing cells of the neuroretina, are responsible for converting light into electrical signals that can be interpreted by the brain. PR degeneration, including morphological and functional impairment of these cells, causes significant diminution of the retina's ability to detect light, with consequent loss of vision. Recent findings in ocular regenerative medicine have opened promising avenues to apply neuroprotective therapy, gene therapy, cell replacement therapy, and visual prostheses to the challenge of restoring vision. However, successful visual restoration in the clinical setting requires application of these therapeutic approaches at the appropriate stage of the retinal degeneration. In this review, firstly, we discuss the mechanisms of PR degeneration by focusing on the molecular mechanisms underlying cell death. Subsequently, innovations, recent developments, and promising treatments based on the stage of disorder progression are further explored. Then, the challenges to be addressed before implementation of these therapies in clinical practice are considered. Finally, potential solutions to overcome the current limitations of this growing research area are suggested. Overall, the majority of current treatment modalities are still at an early stage of development and require extensive additional studies, both pre-clinical and clinical, before full restoration of visual function in PR degeneration diseases can be realized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fereshteh Karamali
- grid.417689.5Department of Animal Biotechnology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Sanaz Behtaj
- grid.1022.10000 0004 0437 5432Clem Jones Centre for Neurobiology and Stem Cell Research, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia ,grid.1022.10000 0004 0437 5432Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222 Australia
| | - Shahnaz Babaei-Abraki
- grid.417689.5Department of Animal Biotechnology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Hanieh Hadady
- grid.417689.5Department of Animal Biotechnology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Atefeh Atefi
- grid.417689.5Department of Animal Biotechnology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Soraya Savoj
- grid.417689.5Department of Animal Biotechnology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Sareh Soroushzadeh
- grid.417689.5Department of Animal Biotechnology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Samaneh Najafian
- grid.417689.5Department of Animal Biotechnology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hossein Nasr Esfahani
- grid.417689.5Department of Animal Biotechnology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Henry Klassen
- grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, Irvine, CA USA
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9
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González-Cruz AO, Hernández-Juárez J, Ramírez-Cabrera MA, Balderas-Rentería I, Arredondo-Espinoza E. Peptide-based drug-delivery systems: A new hope for improving cancer therapy. J Drug Deliv Sci Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jddst.2022.103362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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10
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Wang J, Chen G, Liu N, Han X, Zhao F, Zhang L, Chen P. Strategies for improving the safety and RNAi efficacy of noncovalent peptide/siRNA nanocomplexes. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2022; 302:102638. [PMID: 35299136 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2022.102638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In the past decades, the striking development of cationic polypeptides and cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) tailored for small interfering RNA (siRNA) delivery has been fuelled by the conception of nuclear acid therapy and precision medicine. Owing to their amino acid compositions, inherent secondary structures as well as diverse geometrical shapes, peptides or peptide-containing polymers exhibit good biodegradability, high flexibility, and bio-functional diversity as nonviral siRNA vectors. Also, a variety of noncovalent nanocomplexes could be built via self-assembling and electrostatic interactions between cationic peptides and siRNAs. Although the peptide/siRNA nanocomplex-based RNAi therapies, STP705 and MIR-19, are under clinical trials, a guideline addressing the current bottlenecks of peptide/siRNA nanocomplex delivery is in high demand for future research and development. In this review, we present strategies for improving the safety and RNAi efficacy of noncovalent peptide/siRNA nanocomplexes in the treatment of genetic disorders. Through thorough analysis of those RNAi formulations using different delivery strategies, we seek to shed light on the rationale of peptide design and modification in constructing robust siRNA delivery systems, including targeted and co-delivery systems. Based on this, we provide a timely and comprehensive understanding of how to engineer biocompatible and efficient peptide-based siRNA vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Wang
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Guang Chen
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada; Key Laboratory of Chemical Additives for China National Light Industry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an 710021, China.
| | - Nan Liu
- Advanced Materials Institute, Qilu University of Technology, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Xiaoxia Han
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Feng Zhao
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - P Chen
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada; Advanced Materials Institute, Qilu University of Technology, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan 250014, China.
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11
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Van de Vyver T, De Smedt SC, Raemdonck K. Modulating intracellular pathways to improve non-viral delivery of RNA therapeutics. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2022; 181:114041. [PMID: 34763002 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.114041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
RNA therapeutics (e.g. siRNA, oligonucleotides, mRNA, etc.) show great potential for the treatment of a myriad of diseases. However, to reach their site of action in the cytosol or nucleus of target cells, multiple intra- and extracellular barriers have to be surmounted. Several non-viral delivery systems, such as nanoparticles and conjugates, have been successfully developed to meet this requirement. Unfortunately, despite these clear advances, state-of-the-art delivery agents still suffer from relatively low intracellular delivery efficiencies. Notably, our current understanding of the intracellular delivery process is largely oversimplified. Gaining mechanistic insight into how RNA formulations are processed by cells will fuel rational design of the next generation of delivery carriers. In addition, identifying which intracellular pathways contribute to productive RNA delivery could provide opportunities to boost the delivery performance of existing nanoformulations. In this review, we discuss both established as well as emerging techniques that can be used to assess the impact of different intracellular barriers on RNA transfection performance. Next, we highlight how several modulators, including small molecules but also genetic perturbation technologies, can boost RNA delivery by intervening at differing stages of the intracellular delivery process, such as cellular uptake, intracellular trafficking, endosomal escape, autophagy and exocytosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thijs Van de Vyver
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Stefaan C De Smedt
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Koen Raemdonck
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
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12
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Aubets E, Chillon M, Ciudad CJ, Noé V. PolyPurine Reverse Hoogsteen Hairpins Work as RNA Species for Gene Silencing. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:10025. [PMID: 34576188 PMCID: PMC8466063 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221810025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
PolyPurine Reverse Hoogsteen Hairpins (PPRHs) are gene-silencing DNA-oligonucleotides developed in our laboratory that are formed by two antiparallel polypurine mirror repeat domains bound intramolecularly by Hoogsteen bonds. The aim of this work was to explore the feasibility of using viral vectors to deliver PPRHs as a gene therapy tool. After treatment with synthetic RNA, plasmid transfection, or viral infection targeting the survivin gene, viability was determined by the MTT assay, mRNA was determined by RT-qPCR, and protein levels were determined by Western blot. We showed that the RNA-PPRH induced a decrease in cell viability in a dose-dependent manner and an increase in apoptosis in PC-3 and HeLa cells. Both synthetic RNA-PPRH and RNA-PPRH intracellularly generated upon the transfection of a plasmid vector were able to reduce survivin mRNA and protein levels in PC-3 cells. An adenovirus type-5 vector encoding the PPRH against survivin was also able to decrease survivin mRNA and protein levels, leading to a reduction in HeLa cell viability. In this work, we demonstrated that PPRHs can also work as RNA species, either chemically synthesized, transcribed from a plasmid construct, or transcribed from viral vectors. Therefore, all these results are the proof of principle that viral vectors could be considered as a delivery system for PPRHs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Aubets
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, School of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Institute, IN2UB, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (E.A.); (C.J.C.)
| | - Miguel Chillon
- ICREA, Institute of Neurosciences at UAB, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain;
- Vall d’Hebron Institute of Research (VHIR), 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carlos J. Ciudad
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, School of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Institute, IN2UB, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (E.A.); (C.J.C.)
| | - Véronique Noé
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, School of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Institute, IN2UB, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (E.A.); (C.J.C.)
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Deshmukh M, Liu YC, Rim TH, Venkatraman A, Davidson M, Yu M, Kim HS, Lee G, Jun I, Mehta JS, Kim EK. Automatic segmentation of corneal deposits from corneal stromal dystrophy images via deep learning. Comput Biol Med 2021; 137:104675. [PMID: 34425417 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.104675] [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: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Granular dystrophy is the most common stromal dystrophy. To perform automated segmentation of corneal stromal deposits, we trained and tested a deep learning (DL) algorithm from patients with corneal stromal dystrophy and compared its performance with human segmentation. METHODS In this retrospective cross-sectional study, we included slit-lamp photographs by sclerotic scatter from patients with corneal stromal dystrophy and real-world slit-lamp photographs via various techniques (diffuse illumination, tangential illumination, and sclerotic scatter). Our data set included 1007 slit-lamp photographs of semi-automatically generated handcraft masks on granular and linear lesions from corneal stromal dystrophy patients (806 for the training set and 201 for test set). For external test (140 photographs), we applied the DL algorithm and compared between automated and human segmentation. For performance, we estimated the intersection of union (IoU), global accuracy, and boundary F1 (BF) score for segmentation. RESULTS In 201 internal test set, IoU, global accuracy, and BF score with 95 % confidence Interval were 0.81 (0.79-0.82), 0.99 (0.98-0.99), and 0.93 (0.92-0.95), respectively. In 140 heterogenous external test set as a real-world data, those were 0.64 (0.61-0.67), 0.95 (0.94-0.96), and 0.70 (0.64-0.76) via DL algorithm and 0.56 (0.51-0.61), 0.95 (0.94-0.96), and 0.70 (0.65-0.74) via human rater, respectively. CONCLUSIONS We developed an automated segmentation DL algorithm for corneal stromal deposits in patients with corneal stromal dystrophy. Segmentation on corneal deposits was accurate via the DL algorithm in the well-controlled dataset and showed reasonable performance in a real-world setting. We suggest this automatic segmentation of corneal deposits helps to monitor the disease and can evaluate possible new treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yu-Chi Liu
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore; Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore; Duke-NUS Medical School, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Tyler Hyungtaek Rim
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore; Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore; Duke-NUS Medical School, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | | | | | - Marco Yu
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore
| | | | | | - Ikhyun Jun
- Department of Ophthalmology, Severance Hospital, Institute of Vision Research, Corneal Dystrophy Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea; Corneal Dystrophy Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jodhbir S Mehta
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore; Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore; Duke-NUS Medical School, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Eung Kweon Kim
- Corneal Dystrophy Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Saevit Eye Hospital, Goyang-Si, Gyeonggi-Do, South Korea.
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14
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Yu AM, Tu MJ. Deliver the promise: RNAs as a new class of molecular entities for therapy and vaccination. Pharmacol Ther 2021; 230:107967. [PMID: 34403681 PMCID: PMC9477512 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2021.107967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The concepts of developing RNAs as new molecular entities for therapies have arisen again and again since the discoveries of antisense RNAs, direct RNA-protein interactions, functional noncoding RNAs, and RNA-directed gene editing. The feasibility was demonstrated with the development and utilization of synthetic RNA agents to selectively control target gene expression, modulate protein functions or alter the genome to manage diseases. Rather, RNAs are labile to degradation and cannot cross cell membrane barriers, making it hard to develop RNA medications. With the development of viable RNA technologies, such as chemistry and pharmaceutics, eight antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) (fomivirsen, mipomersen, eteplirsen, nusinersen, inotersen, golodirsen, viltolarsen and casimersen), one aptamer (pegaptanib), and three small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) (patisiran, givosiran and lumasiran) have been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for therapies, and two mRNA vaccines (BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273) under Emergency Use Authorization for the prevention of COVID-19. Therefore, RNAs have become a great addition to small molecules, proteins/antibodies, and cell-based modalities to improve the public health. In this article, we first summarize the general characteristics of therapeutic RNA agents, including chemistry, common delivery strategies, mechanisms of actions, and safety. By overviewing individual RNA medications and vaccines approved by the FDA and some agents under development, we illustrate the unique compositions and pharmacological actions of RNA products. A new era of RNA research and development will likely lead to commercialization of more RNA agents for medical use, expanding the range of therapeutic targets and increasing the diversity of molecular modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ai-Ming Yu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, UC Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA.
| | - Mei-Juan Tu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, UC Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
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15
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Moreno-Montañés J, Bleau AM, Martínez T, Vargas B, González MV, Jiménez AI. siRNA Therapeutics in Ocular Diseases. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2282:417-442. [PMID: 33928588 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1298-9_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
The field of RNAi therapeutics has quickly adapted to the treatment of ocular diseases. Although the eye provides a unique system for the delivery of siRNAs, its complex structure and composition fostered the development of novel strategies for efficient gene silencing in the target compartment. Moreover, anterior and posterior segments differ in their multiple drug barriers and clearance mechanisms. This chapter summarizes the recent achievements in terms of routes of administration, chemical modifications, and delivery systems for siRNAs that specifically apply to eye disorders. Methods employed for siRNA detection/quantitation in ocular tissues are also described, together with safety concerns that need to be addressed to fulfill regulatory requirements of new drug approval. Even though RNAi therapies for ocular diseases have not yet translated into patient care, we document herein the rising number of candidate drugs currently under preclinical or clinical development.
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Delivery of siRNA to the Eye: Protocol for a Feasibility Study to Assess Novel Delivery System for Topical Delivery of siRNA Therapeutics to the Ocular Surface. Methods Mol Biol 2021. [PMID: 33928589 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1298-9_24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
Drug delivery to the eye remains a real challenge due to the presence of ocular anatomical barriers and physiological protective mechanisms. The lack of effective siRNA delivery mechanism has hampered the real potential of RNAi therapy, but recent literature suggests that nanocarrier systems show great promise in enhancing siRNA bioavailability and reducing the need for repeated intraocular injections. A diverse range of materials are under exploration worldwide, including natural and synthetic polymers, liposomes, peptides, and dendrimeric nanomaterials. This chapter describes a simple workflow for feasibility assessment of a proposed ocular surface siRNA delivery system. Gel retardation assay is used for investigation of optimal siRNA to carrier loading ratio. Fluorescent siRNA allows for initial in vitro testing of cellular uptake to corneal epithelial cells and investigation of in vivo siRNA delivery into mouse cornea by live animal imaging and fluorescence microscopy.
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17
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Amador C, Shah R, Ghiam S, Kramerov AA, Ljubimov AV. Gene therapy in the anterior eye segment. Curr Gene Ther 2021; 22:104-131. [PMID: 33902406 DOI: 10.2174/1566523221666210423084233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
This review provides comprehensive information about the advances in gene therapy in the anterior segment of the eye including cornea, conjunctiva, lacrimal gland, and trabecular meshwork. We discuss gene delivery systems including viral and non-viral vectors as well as gene editing techniques, mainly CRISPR-Cas9, and epigenetic treatments including antisense and siRNA therapeutics. We also provide a detailed analysis of various anterior segment diseases where gene therapy has been tested with corresponding outcomes. Disease conditions include corneal and conjunctival fibrosis and scarring, corneal epithelial wound healing, corneal graft survival, corneal neovascularization, genetic corneal dystrophies, herpetic keratitis, glaucoma, dry eye disease, and other ocular surface diseases. Although most of the analyzed results on the use and validity of gene therapy at the ocular surface have been obtained in vitro or using animal models, we also discuss the available human studies. Gene therapy approaches are currently considered very promising as emerging future treatments of various diseases, and this field is rapidly expanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Amador
- Eye Program, Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute and Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Ruchi Shah
- Eye Program, Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute and Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Sean Ghiam
- Sackler School of Medicine, New York State/American Program of Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Andrei A Kramerov
- Eye Program, Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute and Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Alexander V Ljubimov
- Eye Program, Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute and Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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18
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Challenges and strategies for the delivery of biologics to the cornea. J Control Release 2021; 333:560-578. [PMID: 33857565 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2021.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Biologics, like peptides, proteins and nucleic acids, have proven to be promising drugs for the treatment of numerous diseases. However, besides the off label use of the monoclonal antibody bevacizumab for the treatment of corneal neovascularization, to date no other biologics for corneal diseases have reached the market. Indeed, delivering biologics in the eye remains a challenge, especially at the level of the cornea. While it appears to be a rather accessible tissue for the administration of drugs, the cornea in fact presents several anatomical barriers to delivery. In addition, also intracellular delivery barriers need to be overcome to achieve a promising therapeutic outcome with biologics. This review outlines efforts that have been reported to successfully deliver biologics into the cornea. Biochemical and physical methods for achieving delivery of biologics in the cornea are discussed, with a critical view on their efficacy in overcoming corneal barriers.
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Peptidomimetics Therapeutics for Retinal Disease. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11030339. [PMID: 33668179 PMCID: PMC7995992 DOI: 10.3390/biom11030339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Ocular disorders originating in the retina can result in a partial or total loss of vision, making drug delivery to the retina of vital importance. However, effectively delivering drugs to the retina remains a challenge for ophthalmologists due to various anatomical and physicochemical barriers in the eye. This review introduces diverse administration routes and the accordant pharmacokinetic profiles of ocular drugs to aid in the development of safe and efficient drug delivery systems to the retina with a focus on peptidomimetics as a growing class of retinal drugs, which have great therapeutic potential and a high degree of specificity. We also discuss the pharmacokinetic profiles of small molecule drugs due to their structural similarity to small peptidomimetics. Lastly, various formulation strategies are suggested to overcome pharmacokinetic hurdles such as solubility, retention time, enzymatic degradation, tissue targeting, and membrane permeability. This knowledge can be used to help design ocular delivery platforms for peptidomimetics, not only for the treatment of various retinal diseases, but also for the selection of potential peptidomimetic drug targets.
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20
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Mustfa SA, Maurizi E, McGrath J, Chiappini C. Nanomedicine Approaches to Negotiate Local Biobarriers for Topical Drug Delivery. ADVANCED THERAPEUTICS 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/adtp.202000160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Salman Ahmad Mustfa
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology King's College London London SE1 9RT UK
| | - Eleonora Maurizi
- Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia Università di Parma Parma 43121 Italy
| | - John McGrath
- St John's Institute of Dermatology King's College London London SE1 9RT UK
| | - Ciro Chiappini
- Centre for Craniofacial and Regenerative Biology King's College London London SE1 9RT UK
- London Centre for Nanotechnology King's College London London WC2R 2LS UK
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21
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Wang J, Dey A, Kramer AH, Miao Y, Liu J, Baker L, Friedman JM, Nacharaju P, Chuck RS, Zhang C, Sharp DJ. A Novel Therapeutic Approach to Corneal Alkaline Burn Model by Targeting Fidgetin-Like 2, a Microtubule Regulator. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2021; 10:17. [PMID: 33510956 PMCID: PMC7804583 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.10.1.17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of nanoparticle-encapsulated Fidgetin-like 2 (FL2) siRNA (FL2-NPsi), a novel therapeutic agent targeting the FL2 gene, for the treatment of corneal alkaline chemical injury. Methods Eighty 12-week-old, male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided evenly into 8 treatment groups: prednisolone, empty nanoparticles, control-NPsi (1 µM, 10 µM, and 20 µM) and FL2-NPsi (1 µM, 10 µM, and 20 µM). An alkaline burn was induced onto the cornea of each rat, which was then treated for 14 days according to group assignment. Clinical, histopathologic, and immunohistochemical analyses were conducted to assess for wound healing. FL2-NPsi-mediated knockdown of FL2 was confirmed by in vitro quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Toxicity assays were performed to assess for apoptosis (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling [TUNEL] assay) and nerve damage (whole mount immunochemical staining). Statistical analyses were performed using Student's t-test and ANOVA. Results Compared with controls, FL2-NPsi-treated groups demonstrated enhanced corneal wound healing, with the 10 and 20 µM FL2-NPsi-treated groups demonstrating maximum rates of corneal re-epithelialization as assessed by ImageJ software, enhanced corneal transparency, and improved stromal organization on histology. Immunohistochemical analysis of vascular endothelial cells, macrophages, and neutrophils did not show significant differences between treatment groups. FL2-NPsi was not found to be toxic to nerves or induce apoptosis (p = 0.917). Conclusions Dose-response studies found both 10 and 20 µM FL2-NPsi to be efficacious in this rat model. FL2-NPsi may offer a novel treatment for corneal alkaline chemical injuries. Translational Relevance Basic cell biology findings about the microtubule cytoskeleton were used to design a therapeutic to enhance corneal cell migration, highlighting the promise of targeting microtubules to regulate corneal wound healing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessie Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- MicroCures, Inc., Bronx, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Yuan Miao
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Juan Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | | | - Joel M. Friedman
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Parimala Nacharaju
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Roy S. Chuck
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Cheng Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - David J. Sharp
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- MicroCures, Inc., Bronx, NY, USA
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
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22
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Noé V, Aubets E, Félix AJ, Ciudad CJ. Nucleic acids therapeutics using PolyPurine Reverse Hoogsteen hairpins. Biochem Pharmacol 2020; 189:114371. [PMID: 33338475 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2020.114371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
PolyPurine Reverse Hoogsteen hairpins (PPRHs) are DNA hairpins formed by intramolecular reverse Hoogsteen bonds which can bind to polypyrimidine stretches in dsDNA by Watson:Crick bonds, thus forming a triplex and displacing the fourth strand of the DNA complex. PPRHs were first described as a gene silencing tool in vitro for DHFR, telomerase and survivin genes. Then, the effect of PPRHs directed against the survivin gene was also determined in vivo using a xenograft model of prostate cancer cells (PC3). Since then, the ability of PPRHs to inhibit gene expression has been explored in other genes involved in cancer (BCL-2, mTOR, topoisomerase, C-MYC and MDM2), in immunotherapy (SIRPα/CD47 and PD-1/PD-L1 tandem) or in replication stress (WEE1 and CHK1). Furthermore, PPRHs have the ability to target the complementary strand of a G-quadruplex motif as a regulatory element of the TYMS gene. PPRHs have also the potential to correct point mutations in the DNA as shown in two collections of CHO cell lines bearing mutations in either the dhfr or aprt loci. Finally, based on the capability of PPRHs to form triplexes, they have been incorporated as probes in biosensors for the determination of the DNA methylation status of PAX-5 in cancer and the detection of mtLSU rRNA for the diagnosis of Pneumocystis jirovecii. Of note, PPRHs have high stability and do not present immunogenicity, hepatotoxicity or nephrotoxicity in vitro. Overall, PPRHs constitute a new economical biotechnological tool with multiple biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Véronique Noé
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, School of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, & IN2UB, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eva Aubets
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, School of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, & IN2UB, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alex J Félix
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, School of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, & IN2UB, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carlos J Ciudad
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, School of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, & IN2UB, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
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Kurrikoff K, Vunk B, Langel Ü. Status update in the use of cell-penetrating peptides for the delivery of macromolecular therapeutics. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2020; 21:361-370. [PMID: 32938243 DOI: 10.1080/14712598.2021.1823368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In this review, recent developments and applications with cell-penetrating peptides (CPP) are discussed. CPPs are widely used tools for the delivery of various macromolecular therapeutics, such as proteins and nucleic acids. AREAS COVERED The current review focuses on recent important advances and reports that demonstrate high clinical and translational potential. Most important clinical developments have occurred with the CPP-drug conjugate approaches that target various protein-protein interactions, and these have been highlighted subsequently. Most of the applications are targeting cancer, but recently, noteworthy advances have taken place in the field of antisense oligonucleotides and muscular dystrophies, lung targeting, and trans-BBB targeting. EXPERT OPINION Successful applications and clinical development with the drug conjugate approaches are discussed. On the other hand, the reasons of why the nanoparticle approaches are not as far in development are analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaido Kurrikoff
- University of Tartu, Institute of Technology, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Birgit Vunk
- University of Tartu, Institute of Technology, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Ülo Langel
- University of Tartu, Institute of Technology, Tartu, Estonia.,Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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24
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Boumil EF, Castro N, Phillips AT, Chatterton JE, McCauley SM, Wolfson AD, Shmushkovich T, Ridilla M, Bernstein AM. USP10 Targeted Self-Deliverable siRNA to Prevent Scarring in the Cornea. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2020; 21:1029-1043. [PMID: 32829179 PMCID: PMC7452140 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2020.07.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Ocular scarring after surgery, trauma, or infection leads to vision loss. The transparent cornea is an excellent model system to test anti-scarring therapies. Cholesterol-conjugated fully modified asymmetric small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) (self-deliverable siRNAs [sdRNAs]) are a novel modality for in vivo gene knockdown, transfecting cells and tissues without any additional formulations. Myofibroblasts are a main contributor to scarring and fibrosis. αv integrins play a central role in myofibroblast pathological adhesion, overcontraction, and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) activation. Previously, we demonstrated that αv integrins are protected from intracellular degradation after wounding by upregulation of the deubiquitinase (DUB) ubiquitin-specific protease 10 (USP10), leading to integrin cell surface accumulation. In this study, we tested whether knockdown of USP10 with a USP10-targeting sdRNA (termed US09) will reduce scarring after wounding a rabbit cornea in vivo. The wounded corneal stroma was treated once with US09 or non-targeting control (NTC) sdRNA. At 6 weeks US09 treatment resulted in faster wound closure, limited scarring, and suppression of fibrotic markers and immune response. Specifically, fibronectin-extra domain A (EDA), collagen III, and a-smooth muscle actin (p < 0.05), CD45+ cell infiltration (p < 0.01), and apoptosis at 24 (p < 0.01) and 48 h (p < 0.05) were reduced post-wounding. Corneal thickness and cell proliferation were restored to unwounded parameters. Targeting the DUB, USP10 is a novel strategy to reduce scarring. This study indicates that ubiquitin-mediated pathways should be considered in the pathogenesis of fibrotic healing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward F Boumil
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, SUNY Upstate Medical University, 750 East Adams Street, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Nileyma Castro
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, SUNY Upstate Medical University, 750 East Adams Street, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Andrew T Phillips
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, SUNY Upstate Medical University, 750 East Adams Street, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Marc Ridilla
- Repair Biotechnologies, 841 East Fayette Street, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Audrey M Bernstein
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, SUNY Upstate Medical University, 750 East Adams Street, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA.
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25
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Baran-Rachwalska P, Torabi-Pour N, Sutera FM, Ahmed M, Thomas K, Nesbit MA, Welsh M, Moore CBT, Saffie-Siebert SR. Topical siRNA delivery to the cornea and anterior eye by hybrid silicon-lipid nanoparticles. J Control Release 2020; 326:192-202. [PMID: 32653503 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2020.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The major unmet need and crucial challenge hampering the exciting potential of RNAi therapeutics in ophthalmology is to find an effective, safe and non-invasive means of delivering siRNA to the cornea. Although all tissues of the eye are accessible by injection, topical application is preferable for the frequent treatment regimen that would be necessary for siRNA-induced gene silencing. However, the ocular surface is one of the more complex biological barriers for drug delivery due to the combined effect of short contact time, tear dilution and poor corneal cell penetration. Using nanotechnology to overcome the challenges, we developed a unique silicon-based delivery platform for ocular delivery of siRNA. This biocompatible hybrid of porous silicon nanoparticles and lipids has demonstrated an ability to bind nucleic acid and deliver functional siRNA to corneal cells both in vitro and in vivo. Potent transfection of human corneal epithelial cells with siRNA-ProSilic® formulation was followed by a successful downregulation of reporter protein expression. Moreover, siRNA complexed with this silicon-based hybrid and applied in vivo topically to mice eyes penetrated across all cornea layers and resulted in a significant reduction of the targeted protein expression in corneal epithelium. In terms of siRNA loading capacity, system versatility, and potency of action, ProSilic provides unique attributes as a biodegradable delivery platform for therapeutic oligonucleotides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Baran-Rachwalska
- SiSaf Ltd, Surrey Research Park, Guildford GU2 7RE, United Kingdom; Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, University of Ulster, Coleraine BT52 1SA, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Mukhtar Ahmed
- SiSaf Ltd, Surrey Research Park, Guildford GU2 7RE, United Kingdom
| | - Keith Thomas
- Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, University of Ulster, Coleraine BT52 1SA, United Kingdom
| | - M Andrew Nesbit
- Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, University of Ulster, Coleraine BT52 1SA, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Welsh
- SiSaf Ltd, Surrey Research Park, Guildford GU2 7RE, United Kingdom
| | - C B Tara Moore
- SiSaf Ltd, Surrey Research Park, Guildford GU2 7RE, United Kingdom; Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, University of Ulster, Coleraine BT52 1SA, United Kingdom.
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Van de Vyver T, Bogaert B, De Backer L, Joris F, Guagliardo R, Van Hoeck J, Merckx P, Van Calenbergh S, Ramishetti S, Peer D, Remaut K, De Smedt SC, Raemdonck K. Cationic Amphiphilic Drugs Boost the Lysosomal Escape of Small Nucleic Acid Therapeutics in a Nanocarrier-Dependent Manner. ACS NANO 2020; 14:4774-4791. [PMID: 32250113 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c00666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Small nucleic acid (NA) therapeutics, such as small interfering RNA (siRNA), are generally formulated in nanoparticles (NPs) to overcome the multiple extra- and intracellular barriers upon in vivo administration. Interaction with target cells typically triggers endocytosis and sequesters the NPs in endosomes, thus hampering the pharmacological activity of the encapsulated siRNAs that occurs in the cytosol. Unfortunately, for most state-of-the-art NPs, endosomal escape is largely inefficient. As a result, the bulk of the endocytosed NA drug is rapidly trafficked toward the degradative lysosomes that are considered as a dead end for siRNA nanomedicines. In contrast to this paradigm, we recently reported that cationic amphiphilic drugs (CADs) could strongly promote functional siRNA delivery from the endolysosomal compartment via transient induction of lysosomal membrane permeabilization. However, many questions still remain regarding the broader applicability of such a CAD adjuvant effect on NA delivery. Here, we report a drug repurposing screen (National Institutes of Health Clinical Collection) that allowed identification of 56 CAD adjuvants. We furthermore demonstrate that the CAD adjuvant effect is dependent on the type of nanocarrier, with NPs that generate an appropriate pool of decomplexed siRNA in the endolysosomal compartment being most susceptible to CAD-promoted gene silencing. Finally, the CAD adjuvant effect was verified on human ovarian cancer cells and for antisense oligonucleotides. In conclusion, this study strongly expands our current knowledge on how CADs increase the cytosolic release of small NAs, providing relevant insights to more rationally combine CAD adjuvants with NA-loaded NPs for future therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thijs Van de Vyver
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Bram Bogaert
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lynn De Backer
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Freya Joris
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Roberta Guagliardo
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jelter Van Hoeck
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Pieterjan Merckx
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Serge Van Calenbergh
- Laboratory for Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | | | | | - Katrien Remaut
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Stefaan C De Smedt
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Koen Raemdonck
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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Affiliation(s)
- John Howl
- Research Institute in Healthcare Science, University of Wolverhampton Wolverhampton UK
| | - Sarah Jones
- Research Institute in Healthcare Science, University of Wolverhampton Wolverhampton UK
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28
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Maruelli S, Besio R, Rousseau J, Garibaldi N, Amiaud J, Brulin B, Layrolle P, Escriou V, Rossi A, Trichet V, Forlino A. Osteoblasts mineralization and collagen matrix are conserved upon specific Col1a2 silencing. Matrix Biol Plus 2020; 6-7:100028. [PMID: 33543025 PMCID: PMC7852305 DOI: 10.1016/j.mbplus.2020.100028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Revised: 01/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Classical osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is an inherited rare brittle bone disease caused by dominant mutations in the COL1A1 or COL1A2 genes, encoding for the α chains of collagen type I. The definitive cure for the disease will require a gene therapy approach, aimed to correct or suppress the mutant allele. Interestingly, individuals lacking α2(I) chain and synthetizing collagen α1(I)3 homotrimers do not show bone phenotype, making appealing a bone specific COL1A2 silencing approach for OI therapy. To this aim, three different Col1a2-silencing RNAs (siRNAs), −3554, −3825 and −4125, selected at the 3′-end of the murine Col1a2 transcript were tested in vitro and in vivo. In murine embryonic fibroblasts Col1a2-siRNA-3554 was able to efficiently and specifically target the Col1a2 mRNA and to strongly reduce α2(I) chain expression. Its efficiency and specificity were also demonstrated in primary murine osteoblasts, whose mineralization was preserved. The efficiency of Col1a2-siRNA-3554 was proved also in vivo. Biphasic calcium phosphate implants loaded with murine mesenchymal stem cells were intramuscularly transplanted in nude mice and injected with Col1a2-siRNA-3554 three times a week for three weeks. Collagen α2 silencing was demonstrated both at mRNA and protein level and Masson's Trichrome staining confirmed the presence of newly formed collagen matrix. Our data pave the way for further investigation of Col1a2 silencing and siRNA delivery to the bone tissue as a possible strategy for OI therapy. Identification of a specific and efficient Col1a2 siRNA Silencing of Col1a2 allows osteoblasts mineralization. Col1a2 silencing is not impairing matrix deposition in vivo.
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Key Words
- BCP, biphasic calcium phosphate
- Collagen
- D-MEM, Dulbecco-modified Eagle's medium
- EDS, Ehlers Danlos syndrome
- EGFP, enhanced green fluorescent protein
- FBS, fetal bovine serum
- Gene therapy
- MEF, murine embryonic fibroblast
- MSC, mesenchymal stem cell
- NMD, nonsense mediated RNA decay
- OI, osteogenesis imperfecta
- Osteogenesis imperfecta
- PBS, phosphate buffered saline
- RNAi, RNA interference
- SDS, sodium dodecyl sulphate
- Silencing
- TRAP, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase
- shRNA, short hairpin RNA
- siRNA
- siRNA, small interfering RNA
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Maruelli
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Biochemistry Unit, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Roberta Besio
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Biochemistry Unit, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Julie Rousseau
- INSERM, Université de Nantes, UMR1238, Phy-Os, Bone sarcomas and remodeling of calcified tissues, Faculty of Medicine, University of Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - Nadia Garibaldi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Biochemistry Unit, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Jérôme Amiaud
- INSERM, Université de Nantes, UMR1238, Phy-Os, Bone sarcomas and remodeling of calcified tissues, Faculty of Medicine, University of Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - Bénédicte Brulin
- INSERM, Université de Nantes, UMR1238, Phy-Os, Bone sarcomas and remodeling of calcified tissues, Faculty of Medicine, University of Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - Pierre Layrolle
- INSERM, Université de Nantes, UMR1238, Phy-Os, Bone sarcomas and remodeling of calcified tissues, Faculty of Medicine, University of Nantes, Nantes, France
| | | | - Antonio Rossi
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Biochemistry Unit, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Valerie Trichet
- INSERM, Université de Nantes, UMR1238, Phy-Os, Bone sarcomas and remodeling of calcified tissues, Faculty of Medicine, University of Nantes, Nantes, France
| | - Antonella Forlino
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Biochemistry Unit, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
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29
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Ruseska I, Zimmer A. Internalization mechanisms of cell-penetrating peptides. BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF NANOTECHNOLOGY 2020; 11:101-123. [PMID: 31976201 PMCID: PMC6964662 DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.11.10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 226] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
In today's modern era of medicine, macromolecular compounds such as proteins, peptides and nucleic acids are dethroning small molecules as leading therapeutics. Given their immense potential, they are highly sought after. However, their application is limited mostly due to their poor in vivo stability, limited cellular uptake and insufficient target specificity. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) represent a major breakthrough for the transport of macromolecules. They have been shown to successfully deliver proteins, peptides, siRNAs and pDNA in different cell types. In general, CPPs are basic peptides with a positive charge at physiological pH. They are able to translocate membranes and gain entry to the cell interior. Nevertheless, the mechanism they use to enter cells still remains an unsolved piece of the puzzle. Endocytosis and direct penetration have been suggested as the two major mechanisms used for internalization, however, it is not all black and white in the nanoworld. Studies have shown that several CPPs are able to induce and shift between different uptake mechanisms depending on their concentration, cargo or the cell line used. This review will focus on the major internalization pathways CPPs exploit, their characteristics and regulation, as well as some of the factors that influence the cellular uptake mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Ruseska
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Andreas Zimmer
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
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