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Mucha M, Štach M, Kaštánková I, Rychlá J, Vydra J, Lesný P, Otáhal P. Good manufacturing practice-grade generation of CD19 and CD123-specific CAR-T cells using piggyBac transposon and allogeneic feeder cells in patients diagnosed with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma and acute myeloid leukemia. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1415328. [PMID: 39192973 PMCID: PMC11347927 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1415328] [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: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The non-viral production of CAR-T cells through electroporation of transposon DNA plasmids is an alternative approach to lentiviral/retroviral methods. This method is particularly suitable for early-phase clinical trials involving novel types of CAR-T cells. The primary disadvantage of non-viral methods is the lower production efficiency compared to viral-based methods, which becomes a limiting factor for CAR-T production, especially in chemotherapy-pretreated lymphopenic patients. Methods We describe a good manufacturing practice (GMP)-compliant protocol for producing CD19 and CD123-specific CAR-T cells based on the electroporation of transposon vectors. The lymphocytes were purified from the blood of patients undergoing chemotherapy for B-NHL or AML and were electroporated with piggyBac transposon encoding CAR19 or CAR123, respectively. Electroporated cells were then polyclonally activated by anti-CD3/CD28 antibodies and a combination of cytokines (IL-4, IL-7, IL-21). The expansion was carried out in the presence of irradiated allogeneic blood-derived mononuclear cells (i.e., the feeder) for up to 21 days. Results Expansion in the presence of the feeder enhanced CAR-T production yield (4.5-fold in CAR19 and 9.3-fold in CAR123). Detailed flow-cytometric analysis revealed the persistence of early-memory CAR-T cells and a low vector-copy number after production in the presence of the feeder, with no negative impact on the cytotoxicity of feeder-produced CAR19 and CAR123 T cells. Furthermore, large-scale manufacturing of CAR19 carried out under GMP conditions using PBMCs obtained from B-NHL patients (starting number=200x10e6 cells) enabled the production of >50x10e6 CAR19 in 7 out of 8 cases in the presence of the feeder while only in 2 out of 8 cases without the feeder. Conclusions The described approach enables GMP-compatible production of sufficient numbers of CAR19 and CAR123 T cells for clinical application and provides the basis for non-viral manufacturing of novel experimental CAR-T cells that can be tested in early-phase clinical trials. This manufacturing approach can complement and advance novel experimental immunotherapeutic strategies against human hematologic malignancies.
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MESH Headings
- Humans
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive/methods
- Antigens, CD19/immunology
- Antigens, CD19/genetics
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/genetics
- Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/immunology
- DNA Transposable Elements
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/therapy
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/immunology
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/genetics
- Feeder Cells
- Lymphoma, B-Cell/therapy
- Lymphoma, B-Cell/immunology
- Lymphoma, B-Cell/genetics
- T-Lymphocytes/immunology
- T-Lymphocytes/metabolism
- Electroporation
- Allogeneic Cells/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Mucha
- Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Prague, Czechia
- Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Martin Štach
- Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Prague, Czechia
- Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Iva Kaštánková
- Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Prague, Czechia
| | - Jana Rychlá
- Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Prague, Czechia
| | - Jan Vydra
- Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Prague, Czechia
| | - Petr Lesný
- Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Prague, Czechia
| | - Pavel Otáhal
- Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Prague, Czechia
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Tao XN, Liu HT, Xiang XW, Zhu CH, Qiu J, Zhao H, Liu KF. Regulating the Distribution and Accumulation of Charged Molecules by Progressive Electroporation for Improved Intracellular Delivery. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:36063-36076. [PMID: 38958208 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c05340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
The cell membrane separates the intracellular compartment from the extracellular environment, constraining exogenous molecules to enter the cell. Conventional electroporation typically employs high-voltage and short-duration pulses to facilitate the transmembrane transport of molecules impermeable to the membrane under natural conditions by creating temporary hydrophilic pores on the membrane. Electroporation not only enables the entry of exogenous molecules but also directs the intracellular distribution of the electric field. Recent advancements have markedly enhanced the efficiency of intracellular molecule delivery, achieved through the utilization of microstructures, microelectrodes, and surface modifications. However, little attention is paid to regulating the motion of molecules during and after passing through the membrane to improve delivery efficiency, resulting in an unsatisfactory delivery efficiency and high dose demand. Here, we proposed the strategy of regulating the motion of charged molecules during the delivery process by progressive electroporation (PEP), utilizing modulated electric fields. Efficient delivery of charged molecules with an expanded distribution and increased accumulation by PEP was demonstrated through numerical simulations and experimental results. The dose demand can be reduced by 10-40% depending on the size and charge of the molecules. We confirmed the safety of PEP for intracellular delivery in both short and long terms through cytotoxicity assays and transcriptome analysis. Overall, this work not only reveals the mechanism and effectiveness of PEP-enhanced intracellular delivery of charged molecules but also suggests the potential integration of field manipulation of molecular motion with surface modification techniques for biomedical applications such as cell engineering and sensitive cellular monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Nan Tao
- School of Information Science and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Hao-Tian Liu
- Academy for Engineering & Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Xiao-Wei Xiang
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310030, China
| | - Cai-Hui Zhu
- School of Information Science and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Jian Qiu
- School of Information Science and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Hui Zhao
- School of Information Science and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Ke-Fu Liu
- School of Information Science and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
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Wang C, Yuan F. A comprehensive comparison of DNA and RNA vaccines. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2024; 210:115340. [PMID: 38810703 PMCID: PMC11181159 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2024.115340] [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: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Nucleic acid technology has revolutionized vaccine development, enabling rapid design and production of RNA and DNA vaccines for prevention and treatment of diseases. The successful deployment of mRNA and plasmid DNA vaccines against COVID-19 has further validated the technology. At present, mRNA platform is prevailing due to its higher efficacy, while DNA platform is undergoing rapid evolution because it possesses unique advantages that can potentially overcome the problems associated with the mRNA platform. To help understand the recent performances of the two vaccine platforms and recognize their clinical potentials in the future, this review compares the advantages and drawbacks of mRNA and DNA vaccines that are currently known in the literature, in terms of development timeline, financial cost, ease of distribution, efficacy, safety, and regulatory approval of products. Additionally, the review discusses the ongoing clinical trials, strategies for improvement, and alternative designs of RNA and DNA platforms for vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunxi Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27705, United States
| | - Fan Yuan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27705, United States.
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Kulbacka J, Rembiałkowska N, Radzevičiūtė-Valčiukė E, Szewczyk A, Novickij V. Cardiomyocytes Permeabilization and Electrotransfection by Unipolar and Bipolar Asymmetric Electric Field Pulses. Bioelectricity 2024; 6:91-96. [PMID: 39119571 PMCID: PMC11304875 DOI: 10.1089/bioe.2024.0001] [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: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Short electric field pulses represent a novel potential approach for achieving uniform electroporation within tissue containing elongated cells oriented in various directions, such as electroporation-based cardiac ablation procedures. In this study, we investigated how electroporation with nanosecond pulses with respect to different pulse shapes (unipolar, bipolar, and asymmetric) influences cardiomyocyte permeabilization and gene transfer. For this purpose, rat cardiomyocytes (H9c2) were used. The efficacy of the pulsed electric field protocols was assessed by flow cytometry and electrogene transfer by fluorescent and holotomographic microscopy. The response of the cells was assessed by the metabolic activity (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide [MTT] assay), F-actin distribution in cells by confocal microscopy, and muscle atrophy F-box (MAFbx) marker. We show nano- and microsecond pulse protocols, which are not cytotoxic for cardiac muscle cells and can be efficiently used for gene electrotransfection. Asymmetric nanosecond pulsed electric fields were similarly efficient in plasmid delivery as microsecond and millisecond protocols. However, the millisecond protocol induced a higher MAFbx expression in H9c2 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julita Kulbacka
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
- Department of Immunology and Bioelectrochemistry, State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Nina Rembiałkowska
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Eivina Radzevičiūtė-Valčiukė
- Department of Immunology and Bioelectrochemistry, State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Institute of High Magnetic Fields, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Anna Szewczyk
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Vitalij Novickij
- Department of Immunology and Bioelectrochemistry, State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Institute of High Magnetic Fields, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Vilnius, Lithuania
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Sales Conniff A, Tur J, Kohena K, Zhang M, Gibbons J, Heller LC. DNA Electrotransfer Regulates Molecular Functions in Skeletal Muscle. Bioelectricity 2024; 6:80-90. [PMID: 39119567 PMCID: PMC11304878 DOI: 10.1089/bioe.2022.0041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Tissues, such as skeletal muscle, have been targeted for the delivery of plasmid DNA (pDNA) encoding vaccines and therapeutics. The application of electric pulses (electroporation or electrotransfer) increases cell membrane permeability to enhance plasmid delivery and expression. However, the molecular effects of DNA electrotransfer on the muscle tissue are poorly characterized. Materials and Methods Four hours after intramuscular plasmid electrotransfer, we evaluated gene expression changes by RNA sequencing. Differentially expressed genes were analyzed by gene ontology (GO) pathway enrichment analysis. Results GO analysis highlighted many enriched molecular functions. The terms regulated by pulse application were related to muscle stress, the cytoskeleton and inflammation. The terms regulated by pDNA injection were related to a DNA-directed response and its control. Several terms regulated by pDNA electrotransfer were similar to those regulated by pulse application. However, the terms related to pDNA injection differed, focusing on entry of the plasmid into the cells and intracellular trafficking. Conclusion Each muscle stimulus resulted in specific regulated molecular functions. Identifying the unique intrinsic molecular changes driven by intramuscular DNA electrotransfer will aid in the design of preventative and therapeutic gene therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Sales Conniff
- Department of Medical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Jared Tur
- Department of Medical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Kristopher Kohena
- Department of Medical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Min Zhang
- USF Genomics Core, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Justin Gibbons
- USF Omics Hub, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Loree C. Heller
- Department of Medical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
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Wang C, Chang CC, Chi JT, Yuan F. Sucrose Treatment Enhances the Electrotransfer of DNA by Activating Phospholipase A2. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:475. [PMID: 38675136 PMCID: PMC11054232 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16040475] [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: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Our previous study discovered that sucrose and other non-reducing sugars (e.g., trehalose and raffinose) could be used to improve the electrotransfer (ET) of molecular cargo, including DNA, mRNA, and ribonucleoprotein in various cell lines and primary human cells in vitro and in vivo. To understand the molecular mechanisms of this improvement, we used RNA sequencing technology to analyze changes in the cell transcriptome after sucrose treatment. The results from our analysis demonstrated that the sucrose treatment upregulated phospholipase A2 and V-ATPase gene families, which could potentially influence the acidity of intracellular vesicles through augmenting vesicle fusion and the influx of proton, respectively. To determine how this upregulation affects ET efficiency, we treated cells with pharmaceutical inhibitors of phospholipase A2 and V-ATPase. The data demonstrated that the treatment with the phospholipase A2 inhibitor could reverse the ET improvement elicited by the sucrose treatment. The V-ATPase inhibitor treatment either had little influence or further enhanced the effect of the sucrose treatment on the ET efficiency. These observations provide a molecular explanation for our previous findings, demonstrating that the sucrose treatment primarily enhanced the ET efficiency by promoting vesicle trafficking and fusion through the activation of phospholipase A2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunxi Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Chun-Chi Chang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Jen-Tsan Chi
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Fan Yuan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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Kim D, Min D, Kim J, Kim MJ, Seo Y, Jung BH, Kwon SH, Ro H, Lee S, Sa JK, Lee JY. Nutlin-3a induces KRAS mutant/p53 wild type lung cancer specific methuosis-like cell death that is dependent on GFPT2. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:338. [PMID: 38093368 PMCID: PMC10720203 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02922-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oncogenic KRAS mutation, the most frequent mutation in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), is an aggressiveness risk factor and leads to the metabolic reprogramming of cancer cells by promoting glucose, glutamine, and fatty acid absorption and glycolysis. Lately, sotorasib was approved by the FDA as a first-in-class KRAS-G12C inhibitor. However, sotorasib still has a derivative barrier, which is not effective for other KRAS mutation types, except for G12C. Additionally, resistance to sotorasib is likely to develop, demanding the need for alternative therapeutic strategies. METHODS KRAS mutant, and wildtype NSCLC cells were used in vitro cell analyses. Cell viability, proliferation, and death were measured by MTT, cell counting, colony analyses, and annexin V staining for FACS. Cell tracker dyes were used to investigate cell morphology, which was examined by holotomograpy, and confocal microscopes. RNA sequencing was performed to identify key target molecule or pathway, which was confirmed by qRT-PCR, western blotting, and metabolite analyses by UHPLC-MS/MS. Zebrafish and mouse xenograft model were used for in vivo analysis. RESULTS In this study, we found that nutlin-3a, an MDM2 antagonist, inhibited the KRAS-PI3K/Akt-mTOR pathway and disrupted the fusion of both autophagosomes and macropinosomes with lysosomes. This further elucidated non-apoptotic and catastrophic macropinocytosis associated methuosis-like cell death, which was found to be dependent on GFPT2 of the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway, specifically in KRAS mutant /p53 wild type NSCLC cells. CONCLUSION These results indicate the potential of nutlin-3a as an alternative agent for treating KRAS mutant/p53 wild type NSCLC cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dasom Kim
- Department of Pathology, Korea University College of Medicine, 73, Goryeodae-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, South Korea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Dongwha Min
- Department of Pathology, Korea University College of Medicine, 73, Goryeodae-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, South Korea
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Joohee Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Min Jung Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yerim Seo
- Center for Advanced Biomolecular Recognition, Korea Instiute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, Korea
| | - Byung Hwa Jung
- Center for Advanced Biomolecular Recognition, Korea Instiute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 02792, Korea
- Division of Bio-Medical Science and Technology, KIST School, University of Science and Technology (UST), Seoul, 02792, South Korea
| | - Seung-Hae Kwon
- Korea Basic Science Institute, Seoul Center, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hyunju Ro
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Korea
| | - Seoee Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Korea
| | - Jason K Sa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ji-Yun Lee
- Department of Pathology, Korea University College of Medicine, 73, Goryeodae-Ro, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 02841, South Korea.
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Wang C, Karlsson A, Oguin TH, Macintyre AN, Sempowski GD, McCarthy KR, Wang Y, Moody MA, Yuan F. Transient inhibition of lysosomal functions potentiates nucleic acid vaccines. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2306465120. [PMID: 37871214 PMCID: PMC10622924 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2306465120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid vaccines have shown promising results in the clinic against infectious diseases and cancers. To robustly improve the vaccine efficacy and safety, we developed an approach to increase the intracellular stability of nucleic acids by transiently inhibiting lysosomal function in targeted tissues using sucrose. To achieve efficient and localized delivery of sucrose in animals, we designed a biomimetic lipid nanoparticle (LNP) to target the delivery of sucrose into mouse muscle cells. Using this approach, viral antigen expression in mouse muscle after DNA vaccination was substantially increased and prolonged without inducing local or systemic inflammation or toxicity. The same change in antigen expression would be achieved if the vaccine dose could be increased by 3,000 folds, which is experimentally and clinically impractical due to material restrictions and severe toxicity that will be induced by such a high dose of nucleic acids. The increase in antigen expression augmented the infiltration and activation of antigen-presenting cells, significantly improved vaccine-elicited humoral and T cell responses, and fully protected mice against the viral challenge at a low dose of vaccine. Based on these observations, we conclude that transient inhibition of lysosome function in target tissue by sucrose LNPs is a safe and potent approach to substantially improve nucleic acid-based vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunxi Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - Amelia Karlsson
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - Thomas H. Oguin
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - Andrew N. Macintyre
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC27708
| | - Gregory D. Sempowski
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC27708
| | - Kevin R. McCarthy
- Center for vaccine research, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA15261
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA15261
| | - Yifei Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - M. Anthony Moody
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC27708
| | - Fan Yuan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
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Wang Y, Chang CC, Yuan F. Copy number of naked DNA delivered into nucleus of mammalian cells by electrotransfection. Bioelectrochemistry 2023; 153:108491. [PMID: 37356265 PMCID: PMC10527462 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2023.108491] [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: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
Electrotransfection is a non-viral method for delivery of nucleic acids into cells. In our previous study, we have determined the minimal copy number of plasmid DNA (pDNA) per cell required for transgene expression post electrotransfection, and developed a statistical framework to predict the pDNA copy number in the nucleus. To experimentally verify the prediction, the current study was designed to quantify the average copy number of pDNA per nucleus post electrotransfection. To achieve it, we developed a novel approach to effectively obtain isolated nuclei with minimal contamination by extranuclear pDNA. This sample preparation method enabled us to accurately measure intranuclear pDNA using quantitative real-time PCR. The data showed that the copy number of pDNA per nucleus was dependent on the period of cell culture post pulsing and the pDNA dose for electrotransfection. Additionally, the data were used to improve the statistical framework for understanding kinetics of pDNA transport in cells, and predicting how the kinetics depended on different factors. It is expected that the framework and the methodology developed in the current study will be useful for evaluating factors that may affect kinetics and mechanisms of pDNA transport in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifei Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Chun-Chi Chang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Fan Yuan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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Kumar P, Mehta D, Bissler JJ. Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling of Extracellular Vesicles. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1178. [PMID: 37759578 PMCID: PMC10525702 DOI: 10.3390/biology12091178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid membrane bound-cell-derived structures that are a key player in intercellular communication and facilitate numerous cellular functions such as tumor growth, metastasis, immunosuppression, and angiogenesis. They can be used as a drug delivery platform because they can protect drugs from degradation and target specific cells or tissues. With the advancement in the technologies and methods in EV research, EV-therapeutics are one of the fast-growing domains in the human health sector. Therapeutic translation of EVs in clinics requires assessing the quality, safety, and efficacy of the EVs, in which pharmacokinetics is very crucial. We report here the application of physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling as a principal tool for the prediction of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of EVs. To create a PBPK model of EVs, researchers would need to gather data on the size, shape, and composition of the EVs, as well as the physiological processes that affect their behavior in the body. The PBPK model would then be used to predict the pharmacokinetics of drugs delivered via EVs, such as the rate at which the drug is absorbed and distributed throughout the body, the rate at which it is metabolized and eliminated, and the maximum concentration of the drug in the body. This information can be used to optimize the design of EV-based drug delivery systems, including the size and composition of the EVs, the route of administration, and the dose of the drug. There has not been any dedicated review article that describes the PBPK modeling of EV. This review provides an overview of the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) phenomena of EVs. In addition, we will briefly describe the different computer-based modeling approaches that may help in the future of EV-based therapeutic research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prashant Kumar
- Division of Biochemical Toxicology, National Center for Toxicological Research, United States Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA;
| | - Darshan Mehta
- Division of Biochemical Toxicology, National Center for Toxicological Research, United States Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA;
| | - John J. Bissler
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatrics Nephrology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA;
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Liu F, Yang Z, Yao R, Li H, Cheng J, Guo M. Bulk Electroporation for Intracellular Delivery Directly Driven by Mechanical Stimulus. ACS NANO 2022; 16:19363-19372. [PMID: 36350673 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c08945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Electroporation (EP) is an effective and widely accepted intracellular delivery method for fundamental research and medical applications. Existing electroporation methods usually require a commercially available EP system or tailor-made high-voltage (HV, up to kV) power source and are complicated, expensive, harmful to the cells, and even dangerous to the operators. A triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is a highly studied device that can generate HV output with limited charges and ultrahigh internal impedance. Here, we developed a Bulk Electroporation System based on TENG (BEST). To maximize the load voltage of the TENG, a flowing EP unit with a capillary was designed as a resistive load to realize impedance matching. A low conductivity buffer was used to further match and assist cell electroporation. Besides, the electrical model and experiments on cells transfected with the BEST showed that the bulk electric field of the cell medium could reach up to 1 kV/cm, therefore resulting in a nearly 30 times increase of trans-membrane potential, thus largely improving transfection efficiency. Finally, using 40 kDa FITC-dextran, we showed that a delivery efficiency above 50% with a cell viability maintained over 90% can be achieved in HeLa cells. This work demonstrated the potential of TENG in the biomedical field as a naturally safe HV power source. It also provided a simple, alternative, and low-cost solution for EP research and related biomedicine applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts02139, United States
| | - Ze Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Tribology in Advanced Equipment, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, P. R. China
- School of Engineering and Technology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing100083, P. R. China
| | - Rui Yao
- Biomanufacturing and Rapid Forming Technology Key Laboratory of Beijing, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, P.R. China
| | - Hui Li
- School of Systems Science and Institute of Nonequilibrium Systems, Beijing Normal University, Beijing100875, P.R. China
| | - Jia Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Tribology in Advanced Equipment, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084, P. R. China
| | - Ming Guo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts02139, United States
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Bhandary M, Sales Conniff A, Miranda K, Heller LC. Acute Effects of Intratumor DNA Electrotransfer. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14102097. [PMID: 36297532 PMCID: PMC9611921 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14102097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Intratumor therapeutic DNA electroporation or electrotransfer is in clinical trials in the United States and is under development in many other countries. Acute changes in endogenous gene expression in response to DNA or to pulse application may significantly modulate the therapeutic efficacy of the expressed proteins. Oligonucleotide arrays were used in this study to quantify changes in mRNA expression in B16-F10 mouse melanoma tumors four hours after DNA electrotransfer. The data were subjected to the DAVID v6.8 web server for functional annotation to reveal regulated genes and genetic pathways. Gene ontology analysis revealed several molecular functions related to cytoskeletal remodeling and inflammatory signaling. In B16-F10 cells, F-actin remodeling was confirmed by phalloidin staining in cells that received pulse application alone or in the presence of DNA. Chemokine secretion was confirmed in cells receiving DNA electrotransfer. These results indicate that pulse application alone or in the presence of DNA may modulate the therapeutic efficacy of therapeutic DNA electrotransfer.
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13
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Su L, Sun Z, Qi F, Su H, Qian L, Li J, Zuo L, Huang J, Yu Z, Li J, Chen Z, Zhang S. GRP75-driven, cell-cycle-dependent macropinocytosis of Tat/pDNA-Ca 2+ nanoparticles underlies distinct gene therapy effect in ovarian cancer. J Nanobiotechnology 2022; 20:340. [PMID: 35858873 PMCID: PMC9301890 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-022-01530-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Practice of tumor-targeted suicide gene therapy is hampered by unsafe and low efficient delivery of plasmid DNA (pDNA). Using HIV-Tat-derived peptide (Tat) to non-covalently form Tat/pDNA complexes advances the delivery performance. However, this innovative approach is still limited by intracellular delivery efficiency and cell-cycle status. In this study, Tat/pDNA complexes were further condensed into smaller, nontoxic nanoparticles by Ca2+ addition. Formulated Tat/pDNA-Ca2+ nanoparticles mainly use macropinocytosis for intercellular delivery, and their macropinocytic uptake was persisted in mitosis (M-) phase and highly activated in DNA synthesis (S-) phase of cell-cycle. Over-expression or phosphorylation of a mitochondrial chaperone, 75-kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP75), promoted monopolar spindle kinase 1 (MPS1)-controlled centrosome duplication and cell-cycle progress, but also driven cell-cycle-dependent macropinocytosis of Tat/pDNA-Ca2+ nanoparticles. Further in vivo molecular imaging based on DF (Fluc-eGFP)-TF (RFP-Rluc-HSV-ttk) system showed that Tat/pDNA-Ca2+ nanoparticles exhibited highly suicide gene therapy efficiency in mouse model xenografted with human ovarian cancer. Furthermore, arresting cell-cycle at S-phase markedly enhanced delivery performance of Tat/pDNA-Ca2+ nanoparticles, whereas targeting GRP75 reduced their macropinocytic delivery. More importantly, in vivo targeting GRP75 combined with cell-cycle or macropinocytosis inhibitors exhibited distinct suicide gene therapy efficiency. In summary, our data highlight that mitochondrial chaperone GRP75 moonlights as a biphasic driver underlying cell-cycle-dependent macropinocytosis of Tat/pDNA-Ca2+ nanoparticles in ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linjia Su
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Nankai University, Nankai District, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin, 300071, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhe Sun
- School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Weijin Road 92, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Fangzheng Qi
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Nankai University, Nankai District, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin, 300071, People's Republic of China
| | - Huishan Su
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Nankai University, Nankai District, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin, 300071, People's Republic of China
| | - Luomeng Qian
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Nankai University, Nankai District, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin, 300071, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Li
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Nankai University, Nankai District, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin, 300071, People's Republic of China
| | - Liang Zuo
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Nankai University, Nankai District, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin, 300071, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinhai Huang
- School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Weijin Road 92, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Zhilin Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Weijin Road 94, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Jinping Li
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, 75123, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Zhinan Chen
- National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China
| | - Sihe Zhang
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Nankai University, Nankai District, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin, 300071, People's Republic of China.
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14
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Lallow EO, Jhumur NC, Ahmed I, Kudchodkar SB, Roberts CC, Jeong M, Melnik JM, Park SH, Muthumani K, Shan JW, Zahn JD, Shreiber DI, Singer JP, Park YK, Maslow JN, Lin H. Novel suction-based in vivo cutaneous DNA transfection platform. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabj0611. [PMID: 34739313 PMCID: PMC8570601 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj0611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
This work reports a suction-based cutaneous delivery method for in vivo DNA transfection. Following intradermal Mantoux injection of plasmid DNA in a rat model, a moderate negative pressure is applied to the injection site, a technique similar to Chinese báguàn and Middle Eastern hijama cupping therapies. Strong GFP expression was demonstrated with pEGFP-N1 plasmids where fluorescence was observed as early as 1 hour after dosing. Modeling indicates a strong correlation between focal strain/stress and expression patterns. The absence of visible and/or histological tissue injury contrasts with current in vivo transfection systems such as electroporation. Specific utility was demonstrated with a synthetic SARS-CoV-2 DNA vaccine, which generated host humoral immune response in rats with notable antibody production. This method enables an easy-to-use, cost-effective, and highly scalable platform for both laboratorial transfection needs and clinical applications for nucleic acid–based therapeutics and vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emran O. Lallow
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Nandita C. Jhumur
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Ijaz Ahmed
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | | | | | | | - Juliet M. Melnik
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Sarah H. Park
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | | | - Jerry W. Shan
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Jeffrey D. Zahn
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - David I. Shreiber
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Jonathan P. Singer
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | | | - Joel N. Maslow
- GeneOne Life Science, Seoul, South Korea
- Corresponding author. (J.N.M.); (H.L.)
| | - Hao Lin
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Corresponding author. (J.N.M.); (H.L.)
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15
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Tesse A, André FM, Ragot T. Aluminum particles generated during millisecond electric pulse application enhance adenovirus-mediated gene transfer in L929 cells. Sci Rep 2021; 11:17725. [PMID: 34489497 PMCID: PMC8421418 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-96781-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene electrotransfer is an attractive method of non-viral gene delivery. However, the mechanism of DNA penetration across the plasma membrane is widely discussed. To explore this process for even larger structures, like viruses, we applied various combinations of short/long and high/low-amplitude electric pulses to L929 cells, mixed with a human adenovirus vector expressing GFP. We observed a transgene expression increase, both in the number of GFP-converted cells and GFP levels, when we added a low-voltage/millisecond-pulse treatment to the adenovirus/cell mixture. This increase, reflecting enhanced virus penetration, was proportional to the applied electric field amplitude and pulse number, but was not associated with membrane permeabilization, nor to direct cell modifications. We demonstrated that this effect is mainly due to adenovirus particle interactions with aggregated aluminum particles released from energized electrodes. Indeed, after centrifugation of the pulsed viral suspension and later on addition to cells, the activity was found mainly associated with the aluminum aggregates concentrated in the lower fraction and was proportional to generated quantities. Overall, this work focused on the use of electrotransfer to facilitate the adenovirus entry into cell, demonstrating that modifications of the penetrating agent can be more important than modifications of the target cell for transfer efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Tesse
- Université de Nantes, CNRS, INSERM, l'institut du thorax, 8 quai Moncousu, F-44000, Nantes, France
| | - Franck M André
- CNRS, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Saclay, Aspects métaboliques et systémiques de l'oncogenèse pour de nouvelles approches thérapeutiques, UMR 9018, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, F-94805, Villejuif, France
| | - Thierry Ragot
- CNRS, Institut Gustave Roussy, Université Paris-Saclay, Aspects métaboliques et systémiques de l'oncogenèse pour de nouvelles approches thérapeutiques, UMR 9018, 114 rue Edouard Vaillant, F-94805, Villejuif, France.
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16
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Kranjc M, Kranjc Brezar S, Serša G, Miklavčič D. Contactless delivery of plasmid encoding EGFP in vivo by high-intensity pulsed electromagnetic field. Bioelectrochemistry 2021; 141:107847. [PMID: 34058542 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2021.107847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
High-Intensity Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields (HI-PEMF) treatment is an emerging noninvasive and contactless alternative to conventional electroporation, since the electric field inside the tissue is induced remotely by external pulsed magnetic field. Recently, HI-PEMF was applied for delivering siRNA molecules to silence enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in tumors in vivo. Still, delivered siRNA molecules were 21 base pairs long, which is 200-times smaller compared to nucleic acids such as plasmid DNA (pDNA) that are delivered in gene therapies to various targets to generate therapeutic effect. In our study, we demonstrate the use HI-PEMF treatment as a feasible noninvasive approach to achieve in vivo transfection by enabling the transport of larger molecules such as pDNA encoding EGFP into muscle and skin. We obtained a long-term expression of EGFP in the muscle and skin after HI-PEMF, in some mice even up to 230 days and up to 190 days, respectively. Histological analysis showed significantly less infiltration of inflammatory mononuclear cells in muscle tissue after the delivery of pEGFP using HI-PEMF compared to conventional gene electrotransfer. Furthermore, the antitumor effectiveness using HI-PEMF for electrotransfer of therapeutic plasmid, i.e., silencing MCAM was demonstrated. In conclusion, feasibility of HI-PEMF was demonstrated for transfection of different tissues (muscle, skin, tumor) and could have great potential in gene therapy and in DNA vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matej Kranjc
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Trzaska 25, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Simona Kranjc Brezar
- Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Department of Experimental Oncology, Zaloska 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Vrazov trg 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Gregor Serša
- Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Department of Experimental Oncology, Zaloska 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Health Sciences, Zdravstvena pot 5, SI - 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Damijan Miklavčič
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Trzaska 25, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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17
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Savarin M, Kamensek U, Znidar K, Todorovic V, Sersa G, Cemazar M. Evaluation of a Novel Plasmid for Simultaneous Gene Electrotransfer-Mediated Silencing of CD105 and CD146 in Combination with Irradiation. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22063069. [PMID: 33802812 PMCID: PMC8002395 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22063069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeting tumor vasculature through specific endothelial cell markers represents a promising approach for cancer treatment. Here our aim was to construct an antibiotic resistance gene-free plasmid encoding shRNAs to simultaneously target two endothelial cell markers, CD105 and CD146, and to test its functionality and therapeutic potential in vitro when delivered by gene electrotransfer (GET) and combined with irradiation (IR). Functionality of the plasmid was evaluated by determining the silencing of the targeted genes using qRT-PCR. Antiproliferative and antiangiogenic effects were determined by the cytotoxicity assay tube formation assay and wound healing assay in murine endothelial cells 2H-11. The functionality of the plasmid construct was also evaluated in malignant melanoma tumor cell line B16F10. Additionally, potential activation of immune response was measured by induction of DNA sensor STING and proinflammatory cytokines by qRT-PCR in endothelial cells 2H-11. We demonstrated that the plasmid construction was successful and can efficiently silence the expression of the two targeted genes. As a consequence of silencing, reduced migration rate and angiogenic potential was confirmed in 2H-11 endothelial cells. Furthermore, induction of DNA sensor STING and proinflammatory cytokines were determined, which could add to the therapeutic effectiveness when used in vivo. To conclude, we successfully constructed a novel plasmid DNA with two shRNAs, which holds a great promise for further in vivo testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Savarin
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (U.K.); (K.Z.); (V.T.); (G.S.)
- Correspondence: (M.S.); (M.C.)
| | - Urska Kamensek
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (U.K.); (K.Z.); (V.T.); (G.S.)
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Katarina Znidar
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (U.K.); (K.Z.); (V.T.); (G.S.)
| | - Vesna Todorovic
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (U.K.); (K.Z.); (V.T.); (G.S.)
| | - Gregor Sersa
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (U.K.); (K.Z.); (V.T.); (G.S.)
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Maja Cemazar
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (U.K.); (K.Z.); (V.T.); (G.S.)
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Primorska, 6310 Izola, Slovenia
- Correspondence: (M.S.); (M.C.)
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18
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Wang L, Chang CC, Sylvers J, Yuan F. A statistical framework for determination of minimal plasmid copy number required for transgene expression in mammalian cells. Bioelectrochemistry 2020; 138:107731. [PMID: 33434786 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2020.107731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Plasmid DNA (pDNA) has been widely used for non-viral gene delivery. After pDNA molecules enter a mammalian cell, they may be trapped in subcellular structures or degraded by nucleases. Only a fraction of them can function as templates for transcription in the nucleus. Thus, an important question is, what is the minimal amount of pDNA molecules that need to be delivered into a cell for transgene expression? At present, it is technically a challenge to experimentally answer the question. To this end, we developed a statistical framework to establish the relationship between two experimentally quantifiable factors - average copy number of pDNA per cell among a group of cells after transfection and percent of the cells with transgene expression. The framework was applied to the analysis of electrotransfection under different experimental conditions in vitro. We experimentally varied the average copy number per cell and the electrotransfection efficiency through changes in extracellular pDNA dose, electric field strength, and pulse number. The experimental data could be explained or predicted quantitatively by the statistical framework. Based on the data and the framework, we could predict that the minimal number of pDNA molecules in the nucleus for transgene expression was on the order of 10. Although the prediction was dependent on the cell and experimental conditions used in the study, the framework may be generally applied to analysis of non-viral gene delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liangli Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Chun-Chi Chang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Justin Sylvers
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Fan Yuan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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19
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Kurita H, Nihonyanagi H, Watanabe Y, Sugano K, Shinozaki R, Kishikawa K, Numano R, Takashima K. Mechanistic studies of gene delivery into mammalian cells by electrical short-circuiting via an aqueous droplet in dielectric oil. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0243361. [PMID: 33275626 PMCID: PMC7717561 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We have developed a novel methodology for the delivery of cell-impermeable molecules, based on electrical short-circuiting via a water droplet in dielectric oil. When a cell suspension droplet is placed between a pair of electrodes with an intense DC electric field, droplet bouncing and droplet deformation, which results in an instantaneous short-circuit, can be induced, depending on the electric field strength. We have demonstrated successful transfection of various mammalian cells using the short-circuiting; however, the molecular mechanism remains to be elucidated. In this study, flow cytometric assays were performed with Jurkat cells. An aqueous droplet containing Jurkat cells and plasmids carrying fluorescent proteins was treated with droplet bouncing or short-circuiting. The short-circuiting resulted in sufficient cell viability and fluorescent protein expression after 24 hours’ incubation. In contrast, droplet bouncing did not result in successful gene transfection. Transient membrane pore formation was investigated by uptake of a cell-impermeable fluorescence dye YO-PRO-1 and the influx of calcium ions. As a result, short-circuiting increased YO-PRO-1 fluorescence intensity and intracellular calcium ion concentration, but droplet bouncing did not. We also investigated the contribution of endocytosis to the transfection. The pre-treatment of cells with endocytosis inhibitors decreased the efficiency of gene transfection in a concentration-dependent manner. Besides, the use of pH-sensitive dye conjugates indicated the formation of an acidic environment in the endosomes after the short-circuiting. Endocytosis is a possible mechanism for the intracellular delivery of exogenous DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirofumi Kurita
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Life Science, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Hirohito Nihonyanagi
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Life Science, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yuki Watanabe
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Life Science, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan
| | - Kenta Sugano
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Life Science, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan
| | - Ryuto Shinozaki
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Life Science, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan
| | - Kenta Kishikawa
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Life Science, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan
| | - Rika Numano
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Life Science, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan
| | - Kazunori Takashima
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Life Science, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Aichi, Japan
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20
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Lissandrello CA, Santos JA, Hsi P, Welch M, Mott VL, Kim ES, Chesin J, Haroutunian NJ, Stoddard AG, Czarnecki A, Coppeta JR, Freeman DK, Flusberg DA, Balestrini JL, Tandon V. High-throughput continuous-flow microfluidic electroporation of mRNA into primary human T cells for applications in cellular therapy manufacturing. Sci Rep 2020; 10:18045. [PMID: 33093518 PMCID: PMC7582186 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73755-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Implementation of gene editing technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9 in the manufacture of novel cell-based therapeutics has the potential to enable highly-targeted, stable, and persistent genome modifications without the use of viral vectors. Electroporation has emerged as a preferred method for delivering gene-editing machinery to target cells, but a major challenge remaining is that most commercial electroporation machines are built for research and process development rather than for large-scale, automated cellular therapy manufacturing. Here we present a microfluidic continuous-flow electrotransfection device designed for precise, consistent, and high-throughput genetic modification of target cells in cellular therapy manufacturing applications. We optimized our device for delivery of mRNA into primary human T cells and demonstrated up to 95% transfection efficiency with minimum impact on cell viability and expansion potential. We additionally demonstrated processing of samples comprising up to 500 million T cells at a rate of 20 million cells/min. We anticipate that our device will help to streamline the production of autologous therapies requiring on the order of 10[Formula: see text]-10[Formula: see text] cells, and that it is well-suited to scale for production of trillions of cells to support emerging allogeneic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jose A Santos
- The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc., Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Peter Hsi
- The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc., Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Michaela Welch
- The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc., Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Vienna L Mott
- The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc., Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Ernest S Kim
- The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc., Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Jordan Chesin
- The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc., Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | | | - Aaron G Stoddard
- The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc., Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Andrew Czarnecki
- The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc., Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | | | - Daniel K Freeman
- The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc., Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | | | | | - Vishal Tandon
- The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc., Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
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21
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Wang C, Chang CC, Wang L, Yuan F. Inhibition of Caspases Improves Non-Viral T Cell Receptor Editing. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E2603. [PMID: 32933048 PMCID: PMC7565551 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12092603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
T cell receptor (TCR) knockout is a critical step in producing universal chimeric antigen receptor T cells for cancer immunotherapy. A promising approach to achieving the knockout is to deliver the CRISPR/Cas9 system into cells using electrotransfer technology. However, clinical applications of the technology are currently limited by the low cell viability. In this study, we attempt to solve the problem by screening small molecule drugs with an immortalized human T cell line, Jurkat clone E6-1, for inhibition of apoptosis. The study identifies a few caspase inhibitors that could be used to simultaneously enhance the cell viability and the efficiency of plasmid DNA electrotransfer. Additionally, we show that the enhancement could be achieved through knockdown of caspase 3 expression in siRNA treated cells, suggesting that the cell death in electrotransfer experiments was caused mainly by caspase 3-dependent apoptosis. Finally, we investigated if the caspase inhibitors could improve TCR gene-editing with electrotransferred ribonucleoprotein, a complex of Cas9 protein and a T cell receptor-α constant (TRAC)-targeting single guide RNA (sgRNA). Our data showed that inhibition of caspases post electrotransfer could significantly increase cell viability without compromising the TCR disruption efficiency. These new findings can be used to improve non-viral T cell engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Fan Yuan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA; (C.W.); (C.-C.C.); or (L.W.)
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22
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Mao M, Chang CC, Pickar-Oliver A, Cervia LD, Wang L, Ji J, Liton PB, Gersbach CA, Yuan F. Redirecting Vesicular Transport to Improve Nonviral Delivery of Molecular Cargo. ADVANCED BIOSYSTEMS 2020; 4:e2000059. [PMID: 33179869 PMCID: PMC7747957 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202000059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Revised: 06/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Cell engineering relies heavily on viral vectors for the delivery of molecular cargo into cells due to their superior efficiency compared to nonviral ones. However, viruses are immunogenic and expensive to manufacture, and have limited delivery capacity. Nonviral delivery approaches avoid these limitations but are currently inefficient for clinical applications. This work demonstrates that the efficiency of nonviral delivery of plasmid DNA, mRNA, Sleeping Beauty transposon, and ribonucleoprotein can be significantly enhanced through pretreatment of cells with the nondegradable sugars (NDS), such as sucrose, trehalose, and raffinose. The enhancement is mediated by the incorporation of the NDS into cell membranes, causing enlargement of lysosomes and formation of large (>500 nm) amphisome-like bodies (ALBs). The changes in subcellular structures redirect transport of cargo to ALBs rather than to lysosomes, reducing cargo degradation in cells. The data indicate that pretreatment of cells with NDS is a promising approach to improve nonviral cargo delivery in biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mao Mao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Chun-Chi Chang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Adrian Pickar-Oliver
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Lisa D Cervia
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Liangli Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Jing Ji
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Paloma B Liton
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Charles A Gersbach
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Fan Yuan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
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23
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Wang Y, Chang CC, Wang L, Yuan F. Enhancing Cell Viability and Efficiency of Plasmid DNA Electrotransfer Through Reducing Plasma Membrane Permeabilization. Bioelectricity 2020; 2:251-257. [PMID: 33344914 DOI: 10.1089/bioe.2020.0007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Pulsed electric field has been widely used to facilitate molecular cargo transfer into cells. However, the cell viability is often decreased when trying to increase the electrotransfer efficiency. We hypothesize that the decrease is due to electropermeabilization of cell membrane that disrupts homeostasis of intracellular microenvironment. Thus, a reduction in the membrane permeabilization may increase the cell viability. Materials and Methods Different compounds were supplemented into the pulsing buffer prior to electrotransfer for reduction of cell membrane damage. Extent of the damage was quantified by leakiness of the membrane to a fluorescent dye, calcein, preloaded into cells. At 24 hours post electrotransfer, cell viability and electrotransfer efficiency were quantified with flow cytometry. Results The cell viability could be substantially increased by supplementation of either type B gelatin or bovine serum albumin (BSA), without compromising the electrotransfer efficiency. The supplementation also decreased the amount of calcein leaking out of the cells, suggesting that the improvement in cell viability was due to the reduction in electrotransfer-induced membrane damage. Conclusion Data from the study demonstrate that type B gelatin and BSA can be used as inexpensive supplements for improving cell viability in electrotransfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanhua Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Chun-Chi Chang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Liangli Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Fan Yuan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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24
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Sherba JJ, Hogquist S, Lin H, Shan JW, Shreiber DI, Zahn JD. The effects of electroporation buffer composition on cell viability and electro-transfection efficiency. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3053. [PMID: 32080269 PMCID: PMC7033148 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59790-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Electroporation is an electro-physical, non-viral approach to perform DNA, RNA, and protein transfections of cells. Upon application of an electric field, the cell membrane is compromised, allowing the delivery of exogenous materials into cells. Cell viability and electro-transfection efficiency (eTE) are dependent on various experimental factors, including pulse waveform, vector concentration, cell type/density, and electroporation buffer properties. In this work, the effects of buffer composition on cell viability and eTE were systematically explored for plasmid DNA encoding green fluorescent protein following electroporation of 3T3 fibroblasts. A HEPES-based buffer was used in conjunction with various salts and sugars to modulate conductivity and osmolality, respectively. Pulse applications were chosen to maintain constant applied electrical energy (J) or total charge flux (C/m2). The energy of the pulse application primarily dictated cell viability, with Mg2+-based buffers expanding the reversible electroporation range. The enhancement of viability with Mg2+-based buffers led to the hypothesis that this enhancement is due to ATPase activation via re-establishing ionic homeostasis. We show preliminary evidence for this mechanism by demonstrating that the enhanced viability is eliminated by introducing lidocaine, an ATPase inhibitor. However, Mg2+ also hinders eTE compared to K+-based buffers. Collectively, the results demonstrate that the rational selection of pulsing conditions and buffer compositions are critical for the design of electroporation protocols to maximize viability and eTE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph J Sherba
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Piscataway, 08854, United States
| | - Stephen Hogquist
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Piscataway, 08854, United States
| | - Hao Lin
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Piscataway, 08854, United States
| | - Jerry W Shan
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Piscataway, 08854, United States
| | - David I Shreiber
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Piscataway, 08854, United States
| | - Jeffrey D Zahn
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Piscataway, 08854, United States.
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25
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Sachdev S, Feijoo Moreira S, Keehnen Y, Rems L, Kreutzer MT, Boukany PE. DNA-membrane complex formation during electroporation is DNA size-dependent. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2020; 1862:183089. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2019.183089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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26
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Kranjc Brezar S, Kranjc M, Čemažar M, Buček S, Serša G, Miklavčič D. Electrotransfer of siRNA to Silence Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein in Tumor Mediated by a High Intensity Pulsed Electromagnetic Field. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 8:E49. [PMID: 32012775 PMCID: PMC7157195 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8010049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The contactless high intensity pulsed electromagnetic field (HI-PEMF)-induced increase of cell membrane permeability is similar to conventional electroporation, with the important difference of inducing an electric field non-invasively by exposing a treated tissue to a time-varying magnetic field. Due to the limited number of studies in the field of electroporation induced by HI-PEMF, we designed experiments to explore the feasibility of such a contactless delivery technique for the gene electrotransfer of nucleic acids in tissues in vivo. By using HI-PEMF for gene electrotransfer, we silenced enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) with siRNA molecules against EGFP in B16F10-EGFP tumors. Six days after the transfer, the fluorescent tumor area decreased by up to 39% as determined by fluorescence imaging in vivo. In addition, the silencing of EGFP to the same extent was confirmed at the mRNA and protein level. The results obtained in the in vivo mouse model demonstrate the potential use of HI-PEMF-induced cell permeabilization for gene therapy and DNA vaccination. Further studies are thus warranted to improve the equipment, optimize the protocols for gene transfer and the HI-PEMF parameters, and demonstrate the effects of HI-PEMF on a broader range of different normal and tumor tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Kranjc Brezar
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloška 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (S.K.B.); (M.Č.); (G.S.)
| | - Matej Kranjc
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Tržaška 25, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
| | - Maja Čemažar
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloška 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (S.K.B.); (M.Č.); (G.S.)
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Primorska, Polje 42, 6310 Izola, Slovenia
| | - Simon Buček
- Department of Cytopathology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloška 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
| | - Gregor Serša
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloška 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (S.K.B.); (M.Č.); (G.S.)
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Zdravstvena pot 5, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Damijan Miklavčič
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Tržaška 25, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
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27
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Semenova N, Bosnjak M, Markelc B, Znidar K, Cemazar M, Heller L. Multiple cytosolic DNA sensors bind plasmid DNA after transfection. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:10235-10246. [PMID: 31495892 PMCID: PMC6821305 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian cells express a variety of nucleic acid sensors as one of the first lines of defense against infection. Despite extensive progress in the study of sensor signaling pathways during the last decade, the detailed mechanisms remain unclear. In our previous studies, we reported increased type I interferon expression and the upregulation of several proposed cytosolic DNA sensors after transfection of several tumor cell types with plasmid DNA (pDNA). In the present study, we sought to reveal the early events in the cytosolic sensing of this nucleic acid in a myoblast cell line. We demonstrated that DNA-dependent activator of interferon regulatory factors/Z-DNA binding protein 1 (DAI/ZBP1) bound plasmid DNA in the cytosol within 15 minutes of transfection and at consistent levels for 4 h. Interferon activated gene 204 protein (p204) and DEAH box helicase 9 (DHX9) also bound pDNA, peaking 15 and 30 min respectively. Plasmid DNA was not detectably bound by DEAD box helicase 60 (DDX60) protein, despite a similar level of mRNA upregulation to DAI/ZBP1, or by cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS), despite its presence in the cell cytosol. Taken together, these results indicate several DNA sensors may participate and cooperate in the complex process of cytosolic DNA sensing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Semenova
- Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA
| | - Masa Bosnjak
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Bostjan Markelc
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Katarina Znidar
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Primorska, Izola, Slovenia
| | - Maja Cemazar
- Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Primorska, Izola, Slovenia
| | - Loree Heller
- Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA.,School of Medical Diagnostic and Translational Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA
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28
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Low Electric Treatment activates Rho GTPase via Heat Shock Protein 90 and Protein Kinase C for Intracellular Delivery of siRNA. Sci Rep 2019; 9:4114. [PMID: 30858501 PMCID: PMC6412017 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40904-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Low electric treatment (LET) promotes intracellular delivery of naked siRNA by altering cellular physiology. However, which signaling molecules and cellular events contribute to LET-mediated siRNA uptake are unclear. Here, we used isobaric tags in relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) proteomic analysis to identify changes in the levels of phosphorylated proteins that occur during cellular uptake of siRNA promoted by LET. iTRAQ analysis revealed that heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90)α and myristoylated alanine-rich C-kinase substrate (Marcks) were highly phosphorylated following LET of NIH 3T3 cells, but not untreated cells. Furthermore, the levels of phosphorylated Hsp90α and protein kinase C (PKC)γ were increased by LET both with siRNA and liposomes having various physicochemical properties used as model macromolecules, suggesting that PKCγ activated partly by Ca2+ influx as well as Hsp90 chaperone function were involved in LET-mediated cellular siRNA uptake. Furthermore, LET with siRNA induced activation of Rho GTPase via Hsp90 and PKC, which could contribute to cellular siRNA uptake accompanied by actin cytoskeleton remodeling. Collectively, our results suggested that LET-induced Rho GTPase activation via Hsp90 and PKC would participate in actin-dependent cellular uptake of siRNA.
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29
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Wang L, Miller SE, Yuan F. Ultrastructural Analysis of Vesicular Transport in Electrotransfection. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2018; 24:553-563. [PMID: 30334512 PMCID: PMC6196718 DOI: 10.1017/s143192761801509x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Emerging evidence from various studies indicates that plasmid DNA (pDNA) is internalized by cells through an endocytosis-like process when it is used for electrotransfection. To provide morphological evidence of the process, we investigated ultrastructures in cells that were associated with the electrotransfected pDNA, using immunoelectron microscopy. The results demonstrate that four endocytic pathways are involved in the uptake of the pDNA, including caveolae- and clathrin-mediated endocytosis, macropinocytosis, and the clathrin-independent carrier/glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored protein-enriched early endosomal compartment (CLIC/GEEC) pathway. Among them, macropinocytosis is the most common pathway utilized by cells having various pDNA uptake capacities, and the CLIC/GEEC pathway is observed primarily in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Quantitatively, the endocytic pathways are more active in easy-to-transfect cells than in hard-to-transfect ones. Taken together, our data provide ultrastructural evidence showing that endocytosis plays an important role in cellular uptake and intracellular transport of electrotransfected pDNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liangli Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Sara E. Miller
- Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical School, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - Fan Yuan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
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30
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Abstract
Electrotransfection (ET) is a nonviral method for delivery of various types of molecules into cells both in vitro and in vivo. Close to 90 clinical trials that involve the use of ET have been performed, and approximately half of them are related to cancer treatment. Particularly, ET is an attractive technique for cancer immunogene therapy because treatment of cells with electric pulses alone can induce immune responses to solid tumors, and the responses can be further enhanced by ET of plasmid DNA (pDNA) encoding therapeutic genes. Compared to other gene delivery methods, ET has several unique advantages. It is relatively inexpensive, flexible, and safe in clinical applications, and introduces only naked pDNA into cells without the use of additional chemicals or viruses. However, the efficiency of ET is still low, partly because biological mechanisms of ET in cells remain elusive. In previous studies, it was believed that pDNA entered the cells through transient pores created by electric pulses. As a result, the technique is commonly referred to as electroporation. However, recent discoveries have suggested that endocytosis plays an important role in cellular uptake and intracellular transport of electrotransfected pDNA. This review will discuss current progresses in the study of biological mechanisms underlying ET and future directions of research in this area. Understanding the mechanisms of pDNA transport in cells is critical for the development of new strategies for improving the efficiency of gene delivery in tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa D Cervia
- Department of Biomedical Engineering , Duke University , Durham , North Carolina 27708 , United States
| | - Fan Yuan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering , Duke University , Durham , North Carolina 27708 , United States
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31
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Tumor cell death after electrotransfer of plasmid DNA is associated with cytosolic DNA sensor upregulation. Oncotarget 2018; 9:18665-18681. [PMID: 29721152 PMCID: PMC5922346 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.24816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytosolic DNA sensors are a subgroup of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and are activated by the abnormal presence of the DNA in the cytosol. Their activation leads to the upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines and can also induce cell death. The presence of cytosolic DNA sensors and inflammatory cytokines in TS/A murine mammary adenocarcinoma and WEHI 164 fibrosarcoma cells was demonstrated using real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). After electrotransfer of plasmid DNA (pDNA) using two pulse protocols, the upregulation of DNA-depended activator of interferon regulatory factor or Z-DNA binding protein 1 (DAI/ZBP1), DEAD (Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp) box polypeptide 60 (DDX60) and interferon-inducible protein 204 (p204) mRNAs was observed in both tumor cell lines, but their expression was pulse protocol dependent. A decrease in cell survival was also observed; it was cell type, DNA concentration and pulse protocol dependent. Furthermore, the different protocols of electrotransfer led to different cell death outcomes, necrosis and apoptosis, as indicated by an annexin V and 7AAD assays. The obtained data provide new insights on the presence of cytosolic DNA sensors in tumor cells and the activation of different types of cells death after electrotransfer of pDNA. These observations have important implications on the planning of gene therapy or DNA vaccination protocols.
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32
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Gonzalez Porras MA, Durfee P, Giambini S, Sieck GC, Brinker CJ, Mantilla CB. Uptake and intracellular fate of cholera toxin subunit b-modified mesoporous silica nanoparticle-supported lipid bilayers (aka protocells) in motoneurons. NANOMEDICINE-NANOTECHNOLOGY BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2018; 14:661-672. [PMID: 29339186 DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2018.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Revised: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 01/02/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Cholera toxin B (CTB) modified mesoporous silica nanoparticle supported lipid bilayers (CTB-protocells) are a promising, customizable approach for targeting therapeutic cargo to motoneurons. In the present study, the endocytic mechanism and intracellular fate of CTB-protocells in motoneurons were examined to provide information for the development of therapeutic application and cargo delivery. Pharmacological inhibitors elucidated CTB-protocells endocytosis to be dependent on the integrity of lipid rafts and macropinocytosis. Using immunofluorescence techniques, live confocal and transmission electron microscopy, CTB-protocells were primarily found in the cytosol, membrane lipid domains and Golgi. There was no difference in the amount of motoneuron activity dependent uptake of CTB-protocells in neuromuscular junctions, consistent with clathrin activation at the axon terminals during low frequency activity. In conclusion, CTB-protocells uptake is mediated principally by lipid rafts and macropinocytosis. Once internalized, CTB-protocells escape lysosomal degradation, and engage biological pathways that are not readily accessible by untargeted delivery methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A Gonzalez Porras
- Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Paul Durfee
- Center for Micro-Engineered Materials, University of New, Mexico
| | - Sebastian Giambini
- Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Gary C Sieck
- Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States; Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - C Jeffrey Brinker
- Center for Micro-Engineered Materials, University of New, Mexico; Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering University of New, Mexico; Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology University of New, Mexico; Self-Assembled Materials Department, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New, Mexico
| | - Carlos B Mantilla
- Department of Physiology & Biomedical Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States; Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States.
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33
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Cervia LD, Chang CC, Wang L, Yuan F. Distinct effects of endosomal escape and inhibition of endosomal trafficking on gene delivery via electrotransfection. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0171699. [PMID: 28182739 PMCID: PMC5300164 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0171699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2016] [Accepted: 01/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A recent theory suggests that endocytosis is involved in uptake and intracellular transport of electrotransfected plasmid DNA (pDNA). The goal of the current study was to understand if approaches used previously to improve endocytosis of gene delivery vectors could be applied to enhancing electrotransfection efficiency (eTE). Results from the study showed that photochemically induced endosomal escape, which could increase poly-L-lysine (PLL)-mediated gene delivery, decreased eTE. The decrease could not be blocked by treatment of cells with endonuclease inhibitors (aurintricarboxylic acid and zinc ion) or antioxidants (L-glutamine and ascorbic acid). Chemical treatment of cells with an endosomal trafficking inhibitor that blocks endosome progression, bafilomycin A1, resulted in a significant decrease in eTE. However, treatment of cells with lysosomotropic agents (chloroquine and ammonium chloride) had little effects on eTE. These data suggested that endosomes played important roles in protecting and intracellular trafficking of electrotransfected pDNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa D. Cervia
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Chun-Chi Chang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Liangli Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Fan Yuan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
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