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Targeting oncogenic KRAS with molecular brush-conjugated antisense oligonucleotides. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2113180119. [PMID: 35858356 PMCID: PMC9304022 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2113180119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The mutant form of the guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) KRAS is a key driver in human tumors but remains a challenging therapeutic target, making KRASMUT cancers a highly unmet clinical need. Here, we report a class of bottlebrush polyethylene glycol (PEG)-conjugated antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) for potent in vivo KRAS depletion. Owing to their highly branched architecture, these molecular nanoconstructs suppress nearly all side effects associated with DNA-protein interactions and substantially enhance the pharmacological properties of the ASO, such as plasma pharmacokinetics and tumor uptake. Systemic delivery to mice bearing human non-small-cell lung carcinoma xenografts results in a significant reduction in both KRAS levels and tumor growth, and the antitumor performance well exceeds that of current popular ASO paradigms, such as chemically modified oligonucleotides and PEGylation using linear or slightly branched PEG. Importantly, these conjugates relax the requirement on the ASO chemistry, allowing unmodified, natural phosphodiester ASOs to achieve efficacy comparable to that of chemically modified ones. Both the bottlebrush polymer and its ASO conjugates appear to be safe and well tolerated in mice. Together, these data indicate that the molecular brush-ASO conjugate is a promising therapeutic platform for the treatment of KRAS-driven human cancers and warrant further preclinical and clinical development.
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2
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Gulumkar V, Tähtinen V, Ali A, Rahkila J, Valle-Delgado JJ, Äärelä A, Österberg M, Yliperttula M, Virta P. Synthesis of an Azide- and Tetrazine-Functionalized [60]Fullerene and Its Controlled Decoration with Biomolecules. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:1329-1336. [PMID: 35036794 PMCID: PMC8757328 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c05955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Bingel cyclopropanation between Buckminster fullerene and a heteroarmed malonate was utilized to produce a hexakis-functionalized C60 core, with azide and tetrazine units. This orthogonally bifunctional C60 scaffold can be selectively one-pot functionalized by two pericyclic click reactions, that is, inverse electron-demand Diels-Alder and azide-alkyne cycloaddition, which with appropriate ligands (monosaccharides, a peptide and oligonucleotides tested) allows one to control the assembly of heteroantennary bioconjugates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijay Gulumkar
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Turku, FI-20500 Turku, Finland
| | - Ville Tähtinen
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Turku, FI-20500 Turku, Finland
| | - Aliaa Ali
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Turku, FI-20500 Turku, Finland
| | - Jani Rahkila
- Instrument
Centre, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, FI-20500 Åbo, Finland
| | | | - Antti Äärelä
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Turku, FI-20500 Turku, Finland
| | - Monika Österberg
- Department
of Bioproducts and Biosystems, Aalto University, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
| | - Marjo Yliperttula
- Division
of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Pasi Virta
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Turku, FI-20500 Turku, Finland
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3
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Panchal SS, Vasava DV. Fabricating approaches for synthesis of miktoarm star-shaped polymers having tailored biodegradability. INT J POLYM MATER PO 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/00914037.2021.1981319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Siddhi S. Panchal
- Department of Chemistry, School of Sciences, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, India
| | - Dilip V. Vasava
- Department of Chemistry, School of Sciences, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, India
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Li N, Chen F, Shen J, Zhang H, Wang T, Ye R, Li T, Loh TP, Yang YY, Zeng H. Buckyball-Based Spherical Display of Crown Ethers for De Novo Custom Design of Ion Transport Selectivity. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:21082-21090. [PMID: 33274928 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c09655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Searching for membrane-active synthetic analogues that are structurally simple yet functionally comparable to natural channel proteins has been of central research interest in the past four decades, yet custom design of the ion transport selectivity still remains a grand challenge. Here we report on a suite of buckyball-based molecular balls (MBs), enabling transmembrane ion transport selectivity to be custom designable. The modularly tunable MBm-Cn (m = 4-7; n = 6-12) structures consist of a C60-fullerene core, flexible alkyl linkers Cn (i.e., C6 for n-C6H12 group), and peripherally aligned benzo-3m-crown-m ethers (i.e., m = 4 for benzo-12-crown-4) as ion-transporting units. Screening a matrix of 16 such MBs, combinatorially derived from four different crown units and four different Cn linkers, intriguingly revealed that their transport selectivity well resembles the intrinsic ion binding affinity of the respective benzo-crown units present, making custom design of the transport selectivity possible. Specifically, MB4s, containing benzo-12-crown-4 units, all are Li+-selective in transmembrane ion transport, with the most active MB4-C10 exhibiting an EC50(Li+) value of 0.13 μM (corresponding to 0.13 mol % of the lipid present) while excluding all other monovalent alkali-metal ions. Likewise, the most Na+ selective MB5-C8 and K+ selective MB6-C8 demonstrate high Na+/K+ and K+/Na+ selectivity values of 13.7 and 7.8, respectively. For selectivity to Rb+ and Cs+ ions, the most active MB7-C8 displays exceptionally high transport efficiencies, with an EC50(Rb+) value of 105 nM (0.11 mol %) and an EC50(Cs+) value of 77 nM (0.079 mol %).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Li
- The NanoBio Lab, 31 Biopolis Way, The Nanos, Singapore 138669
| | - Feng Chen
- The NanoBio Lab, 31 Biopolis Way, The Nanos, Singapore 138669
| | - Jie Shen
- The NanoBio Lab, 31 Biopolis Way, The Nanos, Singapore 138669
| | - Hao Zhang
- Institute of Advanced Synthesis, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710072, People's Republic of China.,Yangtze River Delta Research Institute, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Taicang, Jiangsu 215400, People's Republic of China
| | - Tianxiang Wang
- School of Physical & Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371
| | - Ruijuan Ye
- Institute of Advanced Synthesis, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710072, People's Republic of China.,Yangtze River Delta Research Institute, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Taicang, Jiangsu 215400, People's Republic of China
| | - Tianhu Li
- Institute of Advanced Synthesis, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710072, People's Republic of China.,Yangtze River Delta Research Institute, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Taicang, Jiangsu 215400, People's Republic of China
| | - Teck Peng Loh
- Institute of Advanced Synthesis, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710072, People's Republic of China.,Yangtze River Delta Research Institute, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Taicang, Jiangsu 215400, People's Republic of China.,School of Physical & Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371
| | - Yi Yan Yang
- Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, 31 Biopolis Way, #07-01, The Nanos, Singapore 138669
| | - Huaqiang Zeng
- Institute of Advanced Synthesis, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710072, People's Republic of China.,Yangtze River Delta Research Institute, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Taicang, Jiangsu 215400, People's Republic of China
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5
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Lotocki V, Yazdani H, Zhang Q, Gran ER, Nyrko A, Maysinger D, Kakkar A. Miktoarm Star Polymers with Environment-Selective ROS/GSH Responsive Locations: From Modular Synthesis to Tuned Drug Release through Micellar Partial Corona Shedding and/or Core Disassembly. Macromol Biosci 2020; 21:e2000305. [PMID: 33620748 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202000305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Branched architectures with asymmetric polymeric arms provide an advantageous platform for the construction of tailored nanocarriers for therapeutic interventions. Simple and adaptable synthetic methodologies to amphiphilic miktoarm star polymers have been developed in which spatial location of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glutathione (GSH) responsive entities is articulated to be on the corona shell surface or inside the core. The design of such architectures is facilitated through versatile building blocks and selected combinations of ring-opening polymerization, Steglich esterification, and alkyne-azide click reactions. Soft nanoparticles from aqueous self-assembly of these stimuli responsive miktoarm stars have low critical micelle concentrations and high drug loading efficiencies. Partial corona shedding upon response to ROS is accompanied by an increase in drug release, without significant changes to overall micelle morphology. The location of the GSH responsive unit at the core leads to micelle disassembly and complete drug release. Curcumin loaded soft nanoparticles show higher efficiencies in preventing ROS generation in extracellular and cellular environments, and in ROS scavenging in human glioblastoma cells. The ease in synthetic elaboration and an understanding of structure-property relationships in stimuli responsive nanoparticles offer a facile venue for well-controlled drug delivery, based on the extra- and intracellular concentrations of ROS and GSH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Lotocki
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Hossein Yazdani
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 0B8, Canada.,Department of Chemistry, Shahid Beheshti University G.C., Tehran, 1983963113, Iran
| | - Qiaochu Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 0B8, Canada.,Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, 3655 Promenade Sir-William-Osler, Montreal, Quebec, H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Evan Rizzel Gran
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, 3655 Promenade Sir-William-Osler, Montreal, Quebec, H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Anastasiia Nyrko
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Dusica Maysinger
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, 3655 Promenade Sir-William-Osler, Montreal, Quebec, H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Ashok Kakkar
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 0B8, Canada
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Wang Y, Wang D, Jia F, Miller A, Tan X, Chen P, Zhang L, Lu H, Fang Y, Kang X, Cai J, Ren M, Zhang K. Self-Assembled DNA-PEG Bottlebrushes Enhance Antisense Activity and Pharmacokinetics of Oligonucleotides. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:45830-45837. [PMID: 32936615 PMCID: PMC8110734 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c13995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Herein, we report a novel strategy to enhance the antisense activity and the pharmacokinetics of therapeutic oligonucleotides. Through the DNA hybridization chain reaction, DNA hairpins modified with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) form a bottlebrush architecture consisting of a double-stranded DNA backbone, PEG side chains, and antisense overhangs. The assembled structure exhibits high PEG density on the surface, which suppresses unwanted interactions between the DNA and proteins (e.g., enzymatic degradation) while allowing the antisense overhangs to hybridize with the mRNA target and thereby deplete target protein expression. We show that these PEGylated bottlebrushes targeting oncogenic KRAS can achieve much higher antisense efficacy compared with unassembled hairpins with or without PEGylation and can inhibit the proliferation of lung cancer cells bearing the G12C mutant KRAS gene. Meanwhile, these structures exhibit elevated blood retention times in vivo due to the biological stealth properties of PEG and the high molecular weight of the overall assembly. Collectively, this self-assembly approach bears the characteristics of a simple, safe, yet highly translatable strategy to improve the biopharmaceutical properties of therapeutic oligonucleotides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuyan Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Dali Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Fei Jia
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Andrew Miller
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Xuyu Tan
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Peiru Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Hao Lu
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Yang Fang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Xi Kang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Jiansong Cai
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Mengqi Ren
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Ke Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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