1
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Rocha Tapia A, Abgottspon F, Nilvebrant J, Nygren PÅ, Duclos Ivetich S, Bello Hernandez AJ, Thanasi IA, Szijj PA, Sekkat G, Cuenot FM, Chudasama V, Aceto N, deMello AJ, Richards DA. Site-directed conjugation of single-stranded DNA to affinity proteins: quantifying the importance of conjugation strategy. Chem Sci 2024; 15:8982-8992. [PMID: 38873052 PMCID: PMC11168188 DOI: 10.1039/d4sc01838a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Affinity protein-oligonucleotide conjugates are increasingly being explored as diagnostic and therapeutic tools. Despite growing interest, these probes are typically constructed using outdated, non-selective chemistries, and little has been done to investigate how conjugation to oligonucleotides influences the function of affinity proteins. Herein, we report a novel site-selective conjugation method for furnishing affinity protein-oligonucleotide conjugates in a 93% yield within fifteen minutes. Using SPR, we explore how the choice of affinity protein, conjugation strategy, and DNA length impact target binding and reveal the deleterious effects of non-specific conjugation methods. Furthermore, we show that these adverse effects can be minimised by employing our site-selective conjugation strategy, leading to improved performance in an immuno-PCR assay. Finally, we investigate the interactions between affinity protein-oligonucleotide conjugates and live cells, demonstrating the benefits of site-selective conjugation. This work provides critical insight into the importance of conjugation strategy when constructing affinity protein-oligonucleotide conjugates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andres Rocha Tapia
- Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1 8093 Zürich Switzerland
| | - Fabrice Abgottspon
- Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1 8093 Zürich Switzerland
| | - Johan Nilvebrant
- Department of Protein Science, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center 106 91 Stockholm Sweden
| | - Per-Åke Nygren
- Department of Protein Science, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center 106 91 Stockholm Sweden
| | - Sarah Duclos Ivetich
- Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1 8093 Zürich Switzerland
| | | | - Ioanna A Thanasi
- Department of Chemistry, University College London 20 Gordon Street WC1H 0AJ London UK
| | - Peter A Szijj
- Department of Chemistry, University College London 20 Gordon Street WC1H 0AJ London UK
| | - Ghali Sekkat
- Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1 8093 Zürich Switzerland
| | - François M Cuenot
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH Zurich Otto-Stern-Weg 7 8093 Zürich Switzerland
| | - Vijay Chudasama
- Department of Chemistry, University College London 20 Gordon Street WC1H 0AJ London UK
| | - Nicola Aceto
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH Zurich Otto-Stern-Weg 7 8093 Zürich Switzerland
| | - Andrew J deMello
- Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1 8093 Zürich Switzerland
| | - Daniel A Richards
- Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1 8093 Zürich Switzerland
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2
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Dhaouadi S, Bouhaouala-Zahar B, Orend G. Tenascin-C targeting strategies in cancer. Matrix Biol 2024; 130:1-19. [PMID: 38642843 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2024.04.002] [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: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
Tenascin-C (TNC) is a matricellular and multimodular glycoprotein highly expressed under pathological conditions, especially in cancer and chronic inflammatory diseases. Since a long time TNC is considered as a promising target for diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in anti-cancer treatments and was already extensively targeted in clinical trials on cancer patients. This review provides an overview of the current most advanced strategies used for TNC detection and anti-TNC theranostic approaches including some advanced clinical strategies. We also discuss novel treatment protocols, where targeting immune modulating functions of TNC could be center stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayda Dhaouadi
- Laboratoire des Venins et Biomolécules Thérapeutiques, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Balkiss Bouhaouala-Zahar
- Laboratoire des Venins et Biomolécules Thérapeutiques, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia; Faculté de Médecine de Tunis, Université Tunis el Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Gertraud Orend
- INSERM U1109, The Tumor Microenvironment laboratory, Université Strasbourg, Hôpital Civil, Institut d'Hématologie et d'Immunologie, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg (FMTS), Strasbourg, France.
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3
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Guo F, Li Y, Yu W, Fu Y, Zhang J, Cao H. Recent Progress of Small Interfering RNA Delivery on the Market and Clinical Stage. Mol Pharm 2024; 21:2081-2096. [PMID: 38630656 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c01158] [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] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are promising therapeutic strategies, and five siRNA drugs have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Commission (EC). This marks a significant milestone in the development of siRNA for clinical applications. The approved siRNA agents can effectively deliver siRNAs to the liver and treat liver-related diseases. Currently, researchers have developed diverse delivery platforms for transporting siRNAs to different tissues such as the brain, lung, muscle, and others, and a large number of siRNA drugs are undergoing clinical trials. Here, these delivery technologies and the latest advancements in clinical applications are summarized, and this Review provides a concise overview of the strategies employed for siRNA delivery to both hepatic and extrahepatic tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Guo
- School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Shandong 264003, China
- Yantai Key Laboratory of Nanomedicine & Advanced Preparations, Yantai Institute of Materia Medica, Shandong 264000, China
| | - Yan Li
- Yantai Key Laboratory of Nanomedicine & Advanced Preparations, Yantai Institute of Materia Medica, Shandong 264000, China
- Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai, Shandong 264117, China
| | - Wenjun Yu
- Yantai Key Laboratory of Nanomedicine & Advanced Preparations, Yantai Institute of Materia Medica, Shandong 264000, China
- Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai, Shandong 264117, China
| | - Yuanlei Fu
- Yantai Key Laboratory of Nanomedicine & Advanced Preparations, Yantai Institute of Materia Medica, Shandong 264000, China
- Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai, Shandong 264117, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Shandong 264003, China
| | - Haiqiang Cao
- Yantai Key Laboratory of Nanomedicine & Advanced Preparations, Yantai Institute of Materia Medica, Shandong 264000, China
- Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai, Shandong 264117, China
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
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4
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Tang Q, Khvorova A. RNAi-based drug design: considerations and future directions. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2024; 23:341-364. [PMID: 38570694 PMCID: PMC11144061 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-024-00912-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
More than 25 years after its discovery, the post-transcriptional gene regulation mechanism termed RNAi is now transforming pharmaceutical development, proved by the recent FDA approval of multiple small interfering RNA (siRNA) drugs that target the liver. Synthetic siRNAs that trigger RNAi have the potential to specifically silence virtually any therapeutic target with unprecedented potency and durability. Bringing this innovative class of medicines to patients, however, has been riddled with substantial challenges, with delivery issues at the forefront. Several classes of siRNA drug are under clinical evaluation, but their utility in treating extrahepatic diseases remains limited, demanding continued innovation. In this Review, we discuss principal considerations and future directions in the design of therapeutic siRNAs, with a particular emphasis on chemistry, the application of informatics, delivery strategies and the importance of careful target selection, which together influence therapeutic success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Tang
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
- Department of Dermatology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Anastasia Khvorova
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA.
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5
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Kim J, Eygeris Y, Ryals RC, Jozić A, Sahay G. Strategies for non-viral vectors targeting organs beyond the liver. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 19:428-447. [PMID: 38151642 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-023-01563-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, nanoparticles have evolved to a clinical modality to deliver diverse nucleic acids. Rising interest in nanomedicines comes from proven safety and efficacy profiles established by continuous efforts to optimize physicochemical properties and endosomal escape. However, despite their transformative impact on the pharmaceutical industry, the clinical use of non-viral nucleic acid delivery is limited to hepatic diseases and vaccines due to liver accumulation. Overcoming liver tropism of nanoparticles is vital to meet clinical needs in other organs. Understanding the anatomical structure and physiological features of various organs would help to identify potential strategies for fine-tuning nanoparticle characteristics. In this Review, we discuss the source of liver tropism of non-viral vectors, present a brief overview of biological structure, processes and barriers in select organs, highlight approaches available to reach non-liver targets, and discuss techniques to accelerate the discovery of non-hepatic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeonghwan Kim
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Portland, OR, USA
- College of Pharmacy, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, South Korea
| | - Yulia Eygeris
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Renee C Ryals
- Department of Ophthalmology, Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Antony Jozić
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Gaurav Sahay
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, Portland, OR, USA.
- Department of Ophthalmology, Casey Eye Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Robertson Life Sciences Building, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
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6
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Belgrad J, Fakih HH, Khvorova A. Nucleic Acid Therapeutics: Successes, Milestones, and Upcoming Innovation. Nucleic Acid Ther 2024; 34:52-72. [PMID: 38507678 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2023.0068] [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] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid-based therapies have become the third major drug class after small molecules and antibodies. The role of nucleic acid-based therapies has been strengthened by recent regulatory approvals and tremendous clinical success. In this review, we look at the major obstacles that have hindered the field, the historical milestones that have been achieved, and what is yet to be resolved and anticipated soon. This review provides a view of the key innovations that are expanding nucleic acid capabilities, setting the stage for the future of nucleic acid therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian Belgrad
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hassan H Fakih
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anastasia Khvorova
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
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7
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Nappi F. Non-Coding RNA-Targeted Therapy: A State-of-the-Art Review. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3630. [PMID: 38612441 PMCID: PMC11011542 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073630] [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: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The use of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) as drug targets is being researched due to their discovery and their role in disease. Targeting ncRNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), is an attractive approach for treating various diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. This seminar discusses the current status of ncRNAs as therapeutic targets in different pathological conditions. Regarding miRNA-based drugs, this approach has made significant progress in preclinical and clinical testing for cardiovascular diseases, where the limitations of conventional pharmacotherapy are evident. The challenges of miRNA-based drugs, including specificity, delivery, and tolerability, will be discussed. New approaches to improve their success will be explored. Furthermore, it extensively discusses the potential development of targeted therapies for cardiovascular disease. Finally, this document reports on the recent advances in identifying and characterizing microRNAs, manipulating them, and translating them into clinical applications. It also addresses the challenges and perspectives towards clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Nappi
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Centre Cardiologique du Nord, 93200 Saint-Denis, France
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8
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Tang Q, Gross KY, Fakih HH, Jackson SO, Zain U.I. Abideen M, Monopoli KR, Blanchard C, Bouix-Peter C, Portal T, Harris JE, Khvorova A, Alterman JF. Multispecies-targeting siRNAs for the modulation of JAK1 in the skin. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2024; 35:102117. [PMID: 38304729 PMCID: PMC10831156 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Identifying therapeutic oligonucleotides that are cross-reactive to experimental animal species can dramatically accelerate the process of preclinical development and clinical translation. Here, we identify fully chemically-modified small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) that are cross-reactive to Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) in humans and a large variety of other species. We validated the identified siRNAs in silencing JAK1 in cell lines and skin tissues of multiple species. JAK1 is one of the four members of the JAK family of tyrosine kinases that mediate the signaling transduction of many inflammatory cytokine pathways. Dysregulation of these pathways is often involved in the pathogenesis of various immune disorders, and modulation of JAK family enzymes is an effective strategy in the clinic. Thus, this work may open up unprecedented opportunities for evaluating the modulation of JAK1 in many animal models of human inflammatory skin diseases. Further chemical engineering of the optimized JAK1 siRNAs may expand the utility of these compounds for treating immune disorders in additional tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Tang
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Department of Dermatology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Katherine Y. Gross
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Hassan H. Fakih
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Samuel O. Jackson
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | | | - Kathryn R. Monopoli
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Program, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA 01609, USA
| | | | | | | | - John E. Harris
- Department of Dermatology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Anastasia Khvorova
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Julia F. Alterman
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
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9
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Hoogenboezem EN, Patel SS, Lo JH, Cavnar AB, Babb LM, Francini N, Gbur EF, Patil P, Colazo JM, Michell DL, Sanchez VM, McCune JT, Ma J, DeJulius CR, Lee LH, Rosch JC, Allen RM, Stokes LD, Hill JL, Vickers KC, Cook RS, Duvall CL. Structural optimization of siRNA conjugates for albumin binding achieves effective MCL1-directed cancer therapy. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1581. [PMID: 38383524 PMCID: PMC10881965 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45609-0] [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: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The high potential of siRNAs to silence oncogenic drivers remains largely untapped due to the challenges of tumor cell delivery. Here, divalent lipid-conjugated siRNAs are optimized for in situ binding to albumin to improve pharmacokinetics and tumor delivery. Systematic variation of the siRNA conjugate structure reveals that the location of the linker branching site dictates tendency toward albumin association versus self-assembly, while the lipid hydrophobicity and reversibility of albumin binding also contribute to siRNA intracellular delivery. The lead structure increases tumor siRNA accumulation 12-fold in orthotopic triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) tumors over the parent siRNA. This structure achieves approximately 80% silencing of the anti-apoptotic oncogene MCL1 and yields better survival outcomes in three TNBC models than an MCL-1 small molecule inhibitor. These studies provide new structure-function insights on siRNA-lipid conjugate structures that are intravenously injected, associate in situ with serum albumin, and improve pharmacokinetics and tumor treatment efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ella N Hoogenboezem
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Shrusti S Patel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Justin H Lo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Ashley B Cavnar
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Lauren M Babb
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Nora Francini
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Eva F Gbur
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Prarthana Patil
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Juan M Colazo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Danielle L Michell
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Violeta M Sanchez
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Joshua T McCune
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Jinqi Ma
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Carlisle R DeJulius
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Linus H Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Jonah C Rosch
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Ryan M Allen
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Larry D Stokes
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Jordan L Hill
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Kasey C Vickers
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Rebecca S Cook
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Craig L Duvall
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
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10
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Guo S, Zhang M, Huang Y. Three 'E' challenges for siRNA drug development. Trends Mol Med 2024; 30:13-24. [PMID: 37951790 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2023.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
siRNA therapeutics have gained extensive attention, and to date six siRNAs are approved for clinical use. Despite being investigated for the treatment of metabolic, cardiovascular, infectious, and rare genetic diseases, cancer, and central nervous system (CNS) disorders, there exist several druggability challenges. Here, we provide insightful discussions concerning these challenges, comprising targeted accumulation and cellular uptake ('entry'), endolysosomal escape ('escape'), and in vivo pharmaceutical performance ('efficacy') - the three 'E' challenges - while also shedding light on siRNA drug development. Moreover, we propose several promising strategies that hold great potential in facilitating the clinical translation of siRNA therapeutics, including the exploration of diverse ligand-siRNA conjugates, expansion of potential disease targets, and excavation of novel modification geometries, as well as the development of combination therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Guo
- School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Mengjie Zhang
- School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Yuanyu Huang
- School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutics Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China; Rigerna Therapeutics, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215127, China; Rigerna Therapeutics, Beijing 102629, China.
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11
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Hoogenboezem EN, Patel SS, Cavnar AB, Lo JH, Babb LM, Francini N, Patil P, Colazo JM, Michell DL, Sanchez VM, McCune JT, Ma J, DeJulius CR, Lee LH, Rosch JC, Allen RM, Stokes LD, Hill JL, Vickers KC, Cook RS, Duvall CL. Structural Optimization of siRNA Conjugates for Albumin Binding Achieves Effective MCL1-Targeted Cancer Therapy. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.14.528574. [PMID: 36824780 PMCID: PMC9948981 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.14.528574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
The high potential for therapeutic application of siRNAs to silence traditionally undruggable oncogenic drivers remains largely untapped due to the challenges of tumor cell delivery. Here, siRNAs were optimized for in situ binding to albumin through C18 lipid modifications to improve pharmacokinetics and tumor delivery. Systematic variation of siRNA conjugates revealed a lead structure with divalent C18 lipids each linked through three repeats of hexaethylene glycol connected by phosphorothioate bonds. Importantly, we discovered that locating the branch site of the divalent lipid structure proximally (adjacent to the RNA) rather than at a more distal site (after the linker segment) promotes association with albumin, while minimizing self-assembly and lipoprotein association. Comparison to higher albumin affinity (diacid) lipid variants and siRNA directly conjugated to albumin underscored the importance of conjugate hydrophobicity and reversibility of albumin binding for siRNA delivery and bioactivity in tumors. The lead conjugate increased tumor siRNA accumulation 12-fold in orthotopic mouse models of triple negative breast cancer over the parent siRNA. When applied for silencing of the anti-apoptotic oncogene MCL-1, this structure achieved approximately 80% MCL1 silencing in orthotopic breast tumors. Furthermore, application of the lead conjugate structure to target MCL1 yielded better survival outcomes in three independent, orthotopic, triple negative breast cancer models than an MCL1 small molecule inhibitor. These studies provide new structure-function insights on optimally leveraging siRNA-lipid conjugate structures that associate in situ with plasma albumin for molecular-targeted cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shrusti S. Patel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
| | - Ashley B. Cavnar
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Justin H. Lo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Lauren M. Babb
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
| | - Nora Francini
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
| | - Prarthana Patil
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
| | - Juan M. Colazo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
| | | | - Violeta M. Sanchez
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Joshua T. McCune
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
| | - Jinqi Ma
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
| | | | | | - Jonah C. Rosch
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
| | - Ryan M. Allen
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Larry D. Stokes
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
| | - Jordan L. Hill
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
| | - Kasey C. Vickers
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
| | - Rebecca S. Cook
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
| | - Craig L. Duvall
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
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12
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Fàbrega C, Aviñó A, Navarro N, Jorge AF, Grijalvo S, Eritja R. Lipid and Peptide-Oligonucleotide Conjugates for Therapeutic Purposes: From Simple Hybrids to Complex Multifunctional Assemblies. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15020320. [PMID: 36839642 PMCID: PMC9959333 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15020320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Antisense and small interfering RNA (siRNA) oligonucleotides have been recognized as powerful therapeutic compounds for targeting mRNAs and inducing their degradation. However, a major obstacle is that unmodified oligonucleotides are not readily taken up into tissues and are susceptible to degradation by nucleases. For these reasons, the design and preparation of modified DNA/RNA derivatives with better stability and an ability to be produced at large scale with enhanced uptake properties is of vital importance to improve current limitations. In the present study, we review the conjugation of oligonucleotides with lipids and peptides in order to produce oligonucleotide conjugates for therapeutics aiming to develop novel compounds with favorable pharmacokinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carme Fàbrega
- Nucleic Acids Chemistry Group, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
- Networking Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Aviñó
- Nucleic Acids Chemistry Group, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
- Networking Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Natalia Navarro
- Nucleic Acids Chemistry Group, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
- Networking Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andreia F. Jorge
- Department of Chemistry, Coimbra Chemistry Centre (CQC), University of Coimbra, Rua Larga, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Santiago Grijalvo
- Networking Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
- Colloidal and Interfacial Chemistry Group, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ramon Eritja
- Nucleic Acids Chemistry Group, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
- Networking Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-934006145
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13
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Hokanson CA, Zacco E, Cappuccilli G, Odineca T, Crea R. AXL-Receptor Targeted 14FN3 Based Single Domain Proteins (Pronectins™) from 3 Synthetic Human Libraries as Components for Exploring Novel Bispecific Constructs against Solid Tumors. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10123184. [PMID: 36551940 PMCID: PMC9775294 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10123184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A highly specific AXL-receptor targeted family of non-immunoglobulin, single domain protein binders (Pronectins™) have been isolated from three (3) synthetic libraries that employ the human scaffold of the 14th domain of Fibronectin III (14FN3) and evolutionary CDRs diversity of over 25 billion loop sequences. The three libraries, each containing diversity in two loops, were designed to expand upon a human database of more than 6000 natural scaffold sequences and approximately 3000 human loop sequences. We used a bioinformatic-based approach to maximize "human" amino acid loop diversity and minimize or prevent altogether CDR immunogenicity created by the use of mutagenesis processes to generate diversity. A combination of phage display and yeast display was used to isolate 59 AXL receptor targeted Pronectins with KD ranging between 2 and 100 nM. FACS analysis with tumor cells over-expressing AXL and the use of an AXL knock-out cell line allowed us to identify Pronectin candidates with exquisite specificity for AXL receptor. Based upon several in vitro cell-based tests, we selected the best candidate, AXL54, to further characterize its in vitro cancer cells killing activity. Finally, AXL54 was used to produce the first bi-specific T cell engager protein (AXL54 [Pronectin]-linker-scFV CD3), a "new in class" protein for further testing of its anti-tumor activity in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig A. Hokanson
- Protelica, Inc., 26225 Eden Landing Road, Suite C, Hayward, CA 94545, USA
| | | | | | - Tatjana Odineca
- Protelica, Inc., 26225 Eden Landing Road, Suite C, Hayward, CA 94545, USA
| | - Roberto Crea
- Protelica, Inc., 26225 Eden Landing Road, Suite C, Hayward, CA 94545, USA
- Correspondence:
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14
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Lee JW, Choi J, Choi Y, Kim K, Yang Y, Kim SH, Yoon HY, Kwon IC. Molecularly engineered siRNA conjugates for tumor-targeted RNAi therapy. J Control Release 2022; 351:713-726. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.09.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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15
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McCann J, Sosa‐Miranda CD, Guo H, Reshke R, Savard A, Zardini Buzatto A, Taylor JA, Li L, Gibbings DJ. Contaminating transfection complexes can masquerade as small extracellular vesicles and impair their delivery of RNA. J Extracell Vesicles 2022; 11:e12220. [PMID: 36214496 PMCID: PMC9549735 DOI: 10.1002/jev2.12220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the functions of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) which has received the most attention is their capacity to deliver RNA into the cytoplasm of target cells. These studies have often been performed by transfecting RNAs into sEV-producing cells, to later purify and study sEV delivery of RNA. Transfection complexes and other delivery vehicles accumulate in late endosomes where sEV are formed and over 50% of transfection complexes or delivery vehicles administered to cells are released again to the extracellular space by exocytosis. This raises the possibility that transfection complexes could alter sEVs and contaminate sEV preparations. We found that widely used transfection reagents including RNAiMax and INTERFERin accumulated in late endosomes. These transfection complexes had a size similar to sEV and were purified by ultracentrifugation like sEV. Focusing on the lipid-based transfection reagent RNAiMax, we found that preparations of sEV from transfected cells contained lipids from transfection complexes and transfected siRNA was predominantly in particles with the density of transfection complexes, rather than sEV. This suggests that transfection complexes, such as lipid-based RNAiMax, may frequently contaminate sEV preparations and could account for some reports of sEV-mediated delivery of nucleic acids. Transfection of cells also impaired the capacity of sEVs to deliver stably-expressed siRNAs, suggesting that transfection of cells may alter sEVs and prevent the study of their endogenous capacity to deliver RNA to target cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna McCann
- Department of Cellular and Molecular MedicineUniversity of OttawaOttawaOntarioCanada
| | | | - Huishan Guo
- Department of Cellular and Molecular MedicineUniversity of OttawaOttawaOntarioCanada
| | - Ryan Reshke
- Department of Cellular and Molecular MedicineUniversity of OttawaOttawaOntarioCanada
| | - Alexandre Savard
- Department of Cellular and Molecular MedicineUniversity of OttawaOttawaOntarioCanada
| | | | - James A. Taylor
- Department of Cellular and Molecular MedicineUniversity of OttawaOttawaOntarioCanada
| | - Liang Li
- The Metabolomics Innovation CentreUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada,Department of ChemistryUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
| | - Derrick J. Gibbings
- Department of Cellular and Molecular MedicineUniversity of OttawaOttawaOntarioCanada,Institute for Systems BiologyUniversity of OttawaOttawaOntarioCanada,Faculty of MedicineEric Poulin Centre for Neuromuscular DiseaseUniversity of OttawaOttawaOntarioCanada
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16
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Cano-Garrido O, Serna N, Unzueta U, Parladé E, Mangues R, Villaverde A, Vázquez E. Protein scaffolds in human clinics. Biotechnol Adv 2022; 61:108032. [PMID: 36089254 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2022.108032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Fundamental clinical areas such as drug delivery and regenerative medicine require biocompatible materials as mechanically stable scaffolds or as nanoscale drug carriers. Among the wide set of emerging biomaterials, polypeptides offer enticing properties over alternative polymers, including full biocompatibility, biodegradability, precise interactivity, structural stability and conformational and functional versatility, all of them tunable by conventional protein engineering. However, proteins from non-human sources elicit immunotoxicities that might bottleneck further development and narrow their clinical applicability. In this context, selecting human proteins or developing humanized protein versions as building blocks is a strict demand to design non-immunogenic protein materials. We review here the expanding catalogue of human or humanized proteins tailored to execute different levels of scaffolding functions and how they can be engineered as self-assembling materials in form of oligomers, polymers or complex networks. In particular, we emphasize those that are under clinical development, revising their fields of applicability and how they have been adapted to offer, apart from mere mechanical support, highly refined functions and precise molecular interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Cano-Garrido
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Naroa Serna
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain; CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Ugutz Unzueta
- CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain; Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain; Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), 08025 Barcelona, Spain; Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, 08916 Badalona (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Eloi Parladé
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain; CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Ramón Mangues
- Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), 08025 Barcelona, Spain; Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, 08916 Badalona (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Antonio Villaverde
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain; CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain; Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain.
| | - Esther Vázquez
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain; CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain; Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain.
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17
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Biopolymeric Prodrug Systems as Potential Antineoplastic Therapy. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14091773. [PMID: 36145522 PMCID: PMC9505808 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14091773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Nowadays, cancer represents a major public health issue, a substantial economic issue, and a burden for society. Limited by numerous disadvantages, conventional chemotherapy is being replaced by new strategies targeting tumor cells. In this context, therapies based on biopolymer prodrug systems represent a promising alternative for improving the pharmacokinetic and pharmacologic properties of drugs and reducing their toxicity. The polymer-directed enzyme prodrug therapy is based on tumor cell targeting and release of the drug using polymer–drug and polymer–enzyme conjugates. In addition, current trends are oriented towards natural sources. They are biocompatible, biodegradable, and represent a valuable and renewable source. Therefore, numerous antitumor molecules have been conjugated with natural polymers. The present manuscript highlights the latest research focused on polymer–drug conjugates containing natural polymers such as chitosan, hyaluronic acid, dextran, pullulan, silk fibroin, heparin, and polysaccharides from Auricularia auricula.
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18
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Abstract
The discovery of microRNAs and their role in diseases was a breakthrough that inspired research into microRNAs as drug targets. Cardiovascular diseases are an area in which limitations of conventional pharmacotherapy are highly apparent and where microRNA-based drugs have appreciably progressed into preclinical and clinical testing. In this Review, we summarize the current state of microRNAs as therapeutic targets in the cardiovascular system. We report recent advances in the identification and characterization of microRNAs, their manipulation and clinical translation, and discuss challenges and perspectives toward clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernhard Laggerbauer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Engelhardt
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany.,DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany
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19
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Uehara K, Harumoto T, Makino A, Koda Y, Iwano J, Suzuki Y, Tanigawa M, Iwai H, Asano K, Kurihara K, Hamaguchi A, Kodaira H, Atsumi T, Yamada Y, Tomizuka K. Targeted delivery to macrophages and dendritic cells by chemically modified mannose ligand-conjugated siRNA. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:4840-4859. [PMID: 35524566 PMCID: PMC9122583 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Extrahepatic delivery of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) may have applications in the development of novel therapeutic approaches. However, reports on such approaches are limited, and the scarcity of reports concerning the systemically targeted delivery of siRNAs with effective gene silencing activity presents a challenge. We herein report for the first time the targeted delivery of CD206-targetable chemically modified mannose–siRNA (CMM–siRNA) conjugates to macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs). CMM–siRNA exhibited a strong binding ability to CD206 and selectively delivered contents to CD206-expressing macrophages and DCs. Furthermore, the conjugates demonstrated strong gene silencing ability with long-lasting effects and protein downregulation in CD206-expressing cells in vivo. These findings could broaden the use of siRNA technology, provide additional therapeutic opportunities, and establish a basis for further innovative approaches for the targeted delivery of siRNAs to not only macrophages and DCs but also other cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keiji Uehara
- Research Unit, R&D Division, Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., 3-6-6, Otemachi Financial City Grand Cube, 1-9-2 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
| | - Toshimasa Harumoto
- Research Unit, R&D Division, Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., 3-6-6, Otemachi Financial City Grand Cube, 1-9-2 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
| | - Asana Makino
- Research Unit, R&D Division, Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., 3-6-6, Otemachi Financial City Grand Cube, 1-9-2 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
| | - Yasuo Koda
- Research Unit, R&D Division, Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., 3-6-6, Otemachi Financial City Grand Cube, 1-9-2 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
| | - Junko Iwano
- Translational Research Unit, R&D Division, Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., 1188 Shimotogari, Nagaizumi-cho, Sunto-gun, Shizuoka 411-8731, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Suzuki
- Research Unit, R&D Division, Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., 3-6-6, Otemachi Financial City Grand Cube, 1-9-2 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
| | - Mari Tanigawa
- Research Unit, R&D Division, Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., 3-6-6, Otemachi Financial City Grand Cube, 1-9-2 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
| | - Hiroto Iwai
- Research Unit, R&D Division, Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., 3-6-6, Otemachi Financial City Grand Cube, 1-9-2 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
| | - Kana Asano
- Research Unit, R&D Division, Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., 3-6-6, Otemachi Financial City Grand Cube, 1-9-2 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
| | - Kana Kurihara
- Research Unit, R&D Division, Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., 3-6-6, Otemachi Financial City Grand Cube, 1-9-2 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
| | - Akinori Hamaguchi
- Research Unit, R&D Division, Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., 3-6-6, Otemachi Financial City Grand Cube, 1-9-2 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kodaira
- Translational Research Unit, R&D Division, Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., 1188 Shimotogari, Nagaizumi-cho, Sunto-gun, Shizuoka 411-8731, Japan
| | - Toshiyuki Atsumi
- Research Unit, R&D Division, Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., 3-6-6, Otemachi Financial City Grand Cube, 1-9-2 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
| | - Yoji Yamada
- Research Unit, R&D Division, Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., 3-6-6, Otemachi Financial City Grand Cube, 1-9-2 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
| | - Kazuma Tomizuka
- Research Unit, R&D Division, Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., 3-6-6, Otemachi Financial City Grand Cube, 1-9-2 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
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20
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Halloy F, Biscans A, Bujold KE, Debacker A, Hill AC, Lacroix A, Luige O, Strömberg R, Sundstrom L, Vogel J, Ghidini A. Innovative developments and emerging technologies in RNA therapeutics. RNA Biol 2022; 19:313-332. [PMID: 35188077 PMCID: PMC8865321 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2022.2027150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA-based therapeutics are emerging as a powerful platform for the treatment of multiple diseases. Currently, the two main categories of nucleic acid therapeutics, antisense oligonucleotides and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), achieve their therapeutic effect through either gene silencing, splicing modulation or microRNA binding, giving rise to versatile options to target pathogenic gene expression patterns. Moreover, ongoing research seeks to expand the scope of RNA-based drugs to include more complex nucleic acid templates, such as messenger RNA, as exemplified by the first approved mRNA-based vaccine in 2020. The increasing number of approved sequences and ongoing clinical trials has attracted considerable interest in the chemical development of oligonucleotides and nucleic acids as drugs, especially since the FDA approval of the first siRNA drug in 2018. As a result, a variety of innovative approaches is emerging, highlighting the potential of RNA as one of the most prominent therapeutic tools in the drug design and development pipeline. This review seeks to provide a comprehensive summary of current efforts in academia and industry aimed at fully realizing the potential of RNA-based therapeutics. Towards this, we introduce established and emerging RNA-based technologies, with a focus on their potential as biosensors and therapeutics. We then describe their mechanisms of action and their application in different disease contexts, along with the strengths and limitations of each strategy. Since the nucleic acid toolbox is rapidly expanding, we also introduce RNA minimal architectures, RNA/protein cleavers and viral RNA as promising modalities for new therapeutics and discuss future directions for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Halloy
- Department of Paediatrics, Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Annabelle Biscans
- Oligonucleotide Chemistry, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&d, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Katherine E. Bujold
- Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, McMaster University, (Ontario), Canada
| | | | - Alyssa C. Hill
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Eth Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Aurélie Lacroix
- Sixfold Bioscience, Translation & Innovation Hub, London, UK
| | - Olivia Luige
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
| | - Roger Strömberg
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
| | - Linda Sundstrom
- Mechanistic and Structural Biology, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&d, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jörg Vogel
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (Hiri), Helmholtz Center for Infection Research (Hzi), Würzburg, Germany
- RNA Biology Group, Institute for Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Alice Ghidini
- Mechanistic and Structural Biology, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&d, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
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21
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Buijsen RAM, Lacroix A, Ochaba J, O'Reilly D, Abdullahu L, McConnell EM. 17th Annual Meeting of the Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society: A Tribute to Bob Letsinger, Progress in N = 1 Treatments, and Successful First In-Humans CRISPR Trials. Nucleic Acid Ther 2022; 32:1-7. [PMID: 35073224 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2021.29004.ots] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ronald A M Buijsen
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Joseph Ochaba
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California, USA.,n-Lorem Foundation, Carlsbad, California, USA
| | - Daniel O'Reilly
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Leonora Abdullahu
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, Montréal, Canada.,Genetic Medicine, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
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22
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Wang X, Xiao X, Feng Y, Li J, Zhang Y. A photoresponsive antibody–siRNA conjugate for activatable immunogene therapy of cancer. Chem Sci 2022; 13:5345-5352. [PMID: 35655569 PMCID: PMC9093185 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc01672a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor-targeted delivery of small-interfering RNAs (siRNAs) for cancer therapy still remains a challenging task. While antibody–siRNA conjugates (ARCs) provide an alternative way to address this challenge, the uncontrollable siRNA release potentially leads to undesirable off-tumor side effects, limiting their in vivo therapeutic efficacy. Here, we report a photoresponsive ARC (PARC) for tumor-specific and photoinducible siRNA delivery as well as photoactivable immunogene therapy. PARC is composed of an anti-programmed death-ligand 1 antibody (αPD-L1) conjugated with a siRNA against intracellular PD-L1 mRNA through a photocleavable linker. After targeting cancer cells through the interaction between αPD-L1 and membrane PD-L1, PARC is internalized and it liberates siPD-L1 upon light irradiation to break the photocleavable linker. The released siPD-L1 then escapes from the lysosome into the cytoplasm to degrade intracellular PD-L1 mRNA, which combines the blockade of membrane PD-L1 by αPD-L1 to boost immune cell activity. Owing to these features, PARC causes effective cancer suppression both in vitro and in vivo. This study thus provides a useful conditional delivery platform for siRNAs and a novel means for activatable cancer immunogene therapy. A photoresponsive antibody–siRNA conjugate (PARC) enables tumor-targeted siRNA delivery and photoactivatable gene silencing for cancer immunotherapy.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingxing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Xiao Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yi Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jinbo Li
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
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23
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Zhou X, Pan Y, Yu L, Wu J, Li Z, Li H, Guan Z, Tang X, Yang Z. Feasibility of cRGD conjugation at 5'-antisense strand of siRNA by phosphodiester linkage extension. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2021; 25:603-612. [PMID: 34589281 PMCID: PMC8463321 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2021.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are widely studied for their highly specific gene silencing activity. However, obstacles remain to the clinical application of siRNAs. Attaching conjugates to siRNAs can improve their stability and broaden their application, and most functional conjugates of siRNAs locate at the 3'-terminus of the sense or antisense strand. In this work, we found that conjugating a group at the 5'-terminus of the antisense strand via phosphodiester was practicable, especially when the group was a flexible moiety such as an alkyl linker. When conjugating a bulky ligand, such as cRGD, the length of the 5'-phosphodiester linker between the ligand and the 5'-terminus of the antisense strand was the key in terms of RNA interference (RNAi). With a relative longer linker, the conjugates showed potency similar to siRNA. A highly efficient transfection system composed of a neutral cytidinyl lipid (DNCA) and a gemini-like cationic lipid (CLD) was employed to deliver siRNAs or their conjugates. The cRGD conjugates showed superior targeting delivery and antitumor efficacy in vivo and also selective cellular uptake in vitro. This unity of encapsulation and conjugation strategy may provide potential strategies for siRNA-based gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
- People’s Public Security University of China, Beijing 100038, China
| | - Yufei Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Lijia Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
- National Center for Occupational Safety and Health, NHC, Beijing 102308, China
| | - Jing Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Zheng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Huantong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Zhu Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Xinjing Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Zhenjun Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
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Abdelaal AM, Kasinski AL. Ligand-mediated delivery of RNAi-based therapeutics for the treatment of oncological diseases. NAR Cancer 2021; 3:zcab030. [PMID: 34316717 PMCID: PMC8291076 DOI: 10.1093/narcan/zcab030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi)-based therapeutics (miRNAs, siRNAs) have great potential for treating various human diseases through their ability to downregulate proteins associated with disease progression. However, the development of RNAi-based therapeutics is limited by lack of safe and specific delivery strategies. A great effort has been made to overcome some of these challenges resulting in development of N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) ligands that are being used for delivery of siRNAs for the treatment of diseases that affect the liver. The successes achieved using GalNAc-siRNAs have paved the way for developing RNAi-based delivery strategies that can target extrahepatic diseases including cancer. This includes targeting survival signals directly in the cancer cells and indirectly through targeting cancer-associated immunosuppressive cells. To achieve targeting specificity, RNAi molecules are being directly conjugated to a targeting ligand or being packaged into a delivery vehicle engineered to overexpress a targeting ligand on its surface. In both cases, the ligand binds to a cell surface receptor that is highly upregulated by the target cells, while not expressed, or expressed at low levels on normal cells. In this review, we summarize the most recent RNAi delivery strategies, including extracellular vesicles, that use a ligand-mediated approach for targeting various oncological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed M Abdelaal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47906, USA
| | - Andrea L Kasinski
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47906, USA
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Yang C, Ma D, Lu L, Yang X, Xi Z. Synthesis of KUE-siRNA Conjugates for Prostate Cancer Cell-Targeted Gene Silencing. Chembiochem 2021; 22:2888-2895. [PMID: 34263529 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202100243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The delivery of siRNAs to selectively target cells poses a great challenge in RNAi-based cancer therapy. The lack of suitable cell-targeting methods seriously restricts the advance in delivering siRNAs to extrahepatic tissues. Based on prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeting ligands, we have synthesized a series of lysine-urea-glutamate (KUE)-siRNA conjugates and verified their effective cell uptake and gene silencing properties in prostate cancers. The results indicated that the KUE-siRNA conjugates could selectively enter PSMA+ LNCaP cells, eventually down-regulating STAT3 expression. Based on post-synthesis modification and receptor-mediated endocytosis, this strategy of constructing ligand-siRNA conjugates might provide a general method of siRNA delivery for cell-targeted gene silencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Yang
- Department of Chemical Biology, State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, National Engineering Research Center of Pesticide (Tianjin), Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, P. R. China
| | - Dejun Ma
- Department of Chemical Biology, State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, National Engineering Research Center of Pesticide (Tianjin), Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, P. R. China
| | - Liqing Lu
- Department of Chemical Biology, State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, National Engineering Research Center of Pesticide (Tianjin), Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, P. R. China
| | - Xing Yang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, P. R. China
| | - Zhen Xi
- Department of Chemical Biology, State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, National Engineering Research Center of Pesticide (Tianjin), Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, P. R. China
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