1
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Leyden MC, Oviedo F, Saxena S, Kumar R, Le N, Reineke TM. Synergistic Polymer Blending Informs Efficient Terpolymer Design and Machine Learning Discerns Performance Trends for pDNA Delivery. Bioconjug Chem 2024. [PMID: 38924453 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.4c00028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Cationic polymers offer an alternative to viral vectors in nucleic acid delivery. However, the development of polymer vehicles capable of high transfection efficiency and minimal toxicity has remained elusive, and continued exploration of the vast design space is required. Traditional single polymer syntheses with large monomer bases are very time-intensive, limiting the speed at which new formulations are identified. In this work, we present an experimental method for the quick probing of the design space, utilizing a combinatorial set of 90 polymer blends, derived from 6 statistical copolymers, to deliver pDNA. This workflow facilitated rapid screening of polyplex compositions, successfully tailoring polyplex hydrophobicity, particle size, and payload binding affinity. This workflow identified blended polyplexes with high levels of transfection efficiency and cell viability relative to single copolymer controls and commercial JetPEI, indicating synergistic benefits from copolymer blending. Polyplex composition was coupled with biological outputs to guide the synthesis of single terpolymer vehicles, with high-performing polymers P10 and M20, providing superior transfection of HEK293T cells in serum-free and serum-containing media, respectively. Machine learning coupled with SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) was used to identify polymer/polyplex attributes that most impact transfection efficiency, viability, and overall effective efficiency. Subsequent transfections on ARPE-19 and HDFn cells found that P10 and M20 were surpassed in performance by M10, contrasting with results in HEK293T cells. This cell type dependency reinforced the need to evaluate transfection conditions with multiple cell models to potentially identify moieties more beneficial to delivery in certain tissues. Overall, the workflow employed can be used to expedite the exploration of the polymer design space, bypassing extensive synthesis, and to develop improved polymer delivery vehicles more readily for nucleic acid therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C Leyden
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Felipe Oviedo
- Nanite Inc., Boston, Massachusetts 02109, United States
| | - Sonashree Saxena
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Ramya Kumar
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
| | - Ngoc Le
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Theresa M Reineke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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2
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Kim YH, Jeon N, Park S, Choi SQ, Lee E, Li S. Complexation of Poly(ethylene glycol)-(ds)OligoDNA Conjugates with Ionic Liquids. ACS Macro Lett 2024; 13:528-536. [PMID: 38629344 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.4c00028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
We report the complexation of poly(ethylene glycol) conjugated double-stranded oligoDNA (PEG-(ds)oligoDNA) with imidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) to form polyelectrolyte complex aggregates (PCAs). The PEG-(ds)oligoDNA conjugates are prepared following a solution-phase coupling reaction. The binding of PEG-(ds)oligoDNA with either 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([BMIM][BF4]) or 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([HMIM][BF4]) is confirmed by a fluorescence displacement assay. Both ILs show stronger binding affinity to PEG-(ds)oligoDNA than bare (ds)oligoDNA due to the PEG-assisted increase in IL cation concentration in the vicinity of (ds)oligoDNA. The complex morphology formed at various amine (N) to phosphate (P) ratios is also examined. At high N/P ratios above 4, nanosized PCAs are formed, driven by a counterion-mediated attraction among the IL-bound (ds)oligoDNA segments and stabilized by the conjugated PEG segments. The PCAs exhibit near-neutral surface charges and resistance to DNase degradation, suggesting their potential use in gene delivery applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Hun Kim
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Nayeong Jeon
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Sujin Park
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Siyoung Q Choi
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunji Lee
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Sheng Li
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
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3
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Espuche B, Moya SE, Calderón M. Nanogels: Smart tools to enlarge the therapeutic window of gene therapy. Int J Pharm 2024; 653:123864. [PMID: 38309484 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2024.123864] [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: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Gene therapy can potentially treat a great number of diseases, from cancer to rare genetic disorders. Very recently, the development and emergency approval of nucleic acid-based COVID-19 vaccines confirmed its strength and versatility. However, gene therapy encounters limitations due to the lack of suitable carriers to vectorize therapeutic genetic material inside target cells. Nanogels are highly hydrated nano-size crosslinked polymeric networks that have been used in many biomedical applications, from drug delivery to tissue engineering and diagnostics. Due to their easy production, tunability, and swelling properties they have called the attention as promising vectors for gene delivery. In this review, nanogels are discussed as vectors for nucleic acid delivery aiming to enlarge gene therapy's therapeutic window. Recent works highlighting the optimization of inherent transfection efficiency and biocompatibility are reviewed here. The importance of the monomer choice, along with the internal structure, surface decoration, and responsive features are outlined for the different transfection modalities. The possible sources of toxicological endpoints in nanogels are analyzed, and the strategies to limit them are compared. Finally, perspectives are discussed to identify the remining challenges for the nanogels before their translation to the market as transfection agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Espuche
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Paseo de Miramon 194, 20014 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain; POLYMAT, Applied Chemistry Department, Faculty of Chemistry, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 3, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Sergio E Moya
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Paseo de Miramon 194, 20014 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain.
| | - Marcelo Calderón
- POLYMAT, Applied Chemistry Department, Faculty of Chemistry, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 3, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain; IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Plaza Euskadi 5, 48009 Bilbao, Spain.
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4
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Liu Y, Zhou L, Xu X, Cheng Z, Chen Y, Mei XA, Zheng N, Zhang C, Bai Y. Combination of Backbone Rigidity and Richness in Aryl Structures Enables Direct Membrane Translocation of Polymer Scaffolds for Efficient Gene Delivery. Biomacromolecules 2023; 24:5698-5706. [PMID: 37945526 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c00682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
The development of cell-penetrating polymers with endocytosis-independent cell uptake pathways has emerged as a prominent strategy to enhance the transfection efficiency. Inspired by the rigid α-helical structure that endows polypeptides with cell-penetrating ability, we propose that a rigid backbone can facilitate the corresponding polymer vector's performance in gene delivery by bypassing the difficult endosomal escape process. Meanwhile, the installation of aromatic domains, as a way to promote gene transfection efficiency, is employed through the construction of a poly(benzyl ether) (PBE)-based scaffold in this work. We demonstrate that the direct membrane translocation capability of the synthesized PBE contributes to its enhanced transfection performance and excellent biocompatibility profile, rendering the imidazolium-functionalized PBE scaffold with higher activity and biocompatibility. Molecular details of the PBE-lipid interaction are also revealed in molecular dynamics simulations, indicating the important roles of individual structural elements on the polymeric scaffold in the membrane penetration process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo-/Bio-Sensing and Chemometrics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Leyue Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo-/Bio-Sensing and Chemometrics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
- Department of Food and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shijiazhuang College of Applied Technology, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050081, China
| | - Xiang Xu
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning 116024, China
| | - Zehong Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo-/Bio-Sensing and Chemometrics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Yajie Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo-/Bio-Sensing and Chemometrics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Xue-Ao Mei
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo-/Bio-Sensing and Chemometrics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Nan Zheng
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning 116024, China
| | - Chunhui Zhang
- School of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
| | - Yugang Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo-/Bio-Sensing and Chemometrics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan 410082, China
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5
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Lembke HK, Espinasse A, Hanson MG, Grimme CJ, Tan Z, Reineke TM, Carlson EE. Cationic Polymers Enable Internalization of Negatively Charged Chemical Probes into Bacteria. ACS Chem Biol 2023; 18:2063-2072. [PMID: 37671702 PMCID: PMC10947785 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00351] [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] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
The bacterial cell envelope provides a protective barrier that is challenging for small molecules and biomolecules to cross. Given the anionic nature of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial cell envelopes, negatively charged molecules are particularly difficult to deliver into these organisms. Many strategies have been employed to penetrate bacteria, ranging from reagents such as cell-penetrating peptides, enzymes, and metal-chelating compounds to physical perturbations. While cationic polymers are known antimicrobial agents, polymers that promote the permeabilization of bacterial cells without causing high levels of toxicity and cell lysis have not yet been described. Here, we investigate four polymers that display a cationic poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (D) block for the internalization of an anionic adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-based chemical probe into Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. We evaluated two polymer architectures, linear and micellar, to determine how shape and hydrophobicity affect internalization efficiency. We found that, in addition to these reagents successfully promoting probe internalization, the probe-labeled cells were able to continue to grow and divide. The micellar structures in particular were highly effective for the delivery of the negatively charged chemical probe. Finally, we demonstrated that these cationic polymers could act as general permeabilization reagents, promoting the entry of other molecules, such as antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah K Lembke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Adeline Espinasse
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Mckenna G Hanson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Christian J Grimme
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Zhe Tan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Theresa M Reineke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Erin E Carlson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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6
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Li Y, Zheng H, Lu H, Duan M, Li C, Li M, Li J, Wang L, Li Q, Chen J, Shen J. Noncanonical Condensation of Nucleic Acid Chains by Hydrophobic Gold Nanocrystals. JACS AU 2023; 3:2206-2215. [PMID: 37654586 PMCID: PMC10466341 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.3c00252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Nucleic acid condensates are essential for various biological processes and have numerous applications in nucleic acid nanotechnology, gene therapy, and mRNA vaccines. However, unlike the in vivo condensation that is dependent on motor proteins, the in vitro condensation efficiency remains to be improved. Here, we proposed a hydrophobic interaction-driven mechanism for condensing long nucleic acid chains using atomically precise hydrophobic gold nanoclusters (Au NCs). We found that hydrophobic Au NCs could condense long single-stranded DNA or RNA to form composites of spherical nanostructures, which further assembled into bead-shaped suprastructures in the presence of excessive Au NCs. Thus, suprastructures displayed gel-like behaviors, and Au NCs could diffuse freely inside the condensates, which resemble the collective motions of condensin complexes inside chromosomes. The dynamic hydrophobic interactions between Au NCs and bases allow for the reversible release of nucleic acids in the presence of mild triggering agents. Our method represents a significant advancement toward the development of more efficient and versatile nucleic acid condensation techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Li
- Division
of Physical Biology, CAS Key Laboratory of Interfacial Physics and
Technology, Shanghai Institute of Applied
Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, China
- Department
of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Translational Medicine Research
Center, Naval Medical University, 800, Xiangyin Road, Shanghai 200433 ,China
| | - Haoran Zheng
- School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory,
Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Zhangjiang
Institute for Advanced Study and National Center for Translational
Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Hui Lu
- Zhangjiang
Laboratory, 100 Haike
Road, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Mulin Duan
- School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory,
Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Zhangjiang
Institute for Advanced Study and National Center for Translational
Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Cong Li
- School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory,
Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Zhangjiang
Institute for Advanced Study and National Center for Translational
Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Mingqiang Li
- School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory,
Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Zhangjiang
Institute for Advanced Study and National Center for Translational
Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jiang Li
- Institute
of Materiobiology, Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Lihua Wang
- Zhangjiang
Laboratory, 100 Haike
Road, Shanghai 201210, China
- Institute
of Materiobiology, Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Qian Li
- School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory,
Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Zhangjiang
Institute for Advanced Study and National Center for Translational
Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jing Chen
- Institute
of Materiobiology, Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Jianlei Shen
- School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, New Cornerstone Science Laboratory,
Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Zhangjiang
Institute for Advanced Study and National Center for Translational
Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
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7
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Nie X, You W, Zhang Z, Gao F, Zhou XH, Wang HL, Wang LH, Chen G, Wang CH, Hong CY, Shao Q, Wang F, Xia L, Li Y, You YZ. DPA-Zinc around Polyplexes Acts Like PEG to Reduce Protein Binding While Targeting Cancer Cells. Adv Healthc Mater 2023; 12:e2203252. [PMID: 37154112 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202203252] [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: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Gene therapy holds great promise as an effective treatment for many diseases of genetic origin. Gene therapy works by employing cationic polymers, liposomes, and nanoparticles to condense DNA into polyplexes via electronic interactions. Then, a therapeutic gene is introduced into target cells, thereby restoring or changing cellular function. However, gene transfection efficiency remains low in vivo due to high protein binding, poor targeting ability, and substantial endosomal entrapment. Artificial sheaths containing PEG, anions, or zwitterions can be introduced onto the surface of gene carriers to prevent interaction with proteins; however, they reduce the cellular uptake efficacy, endosomal escape, targeting ability, thereby, lowering gene transfection. Here, it is reported that linking dipicolylamine-zinc (DPA-Zn) ions onto polyplex nanoparticles can produce a strong hydration water layer around the polyplex, mimicking the function of PEGylation to reduce protein binding while targeting cancer cells, augmenting cellular uptake and endosomal escape. The polyplexes with a strong hydration water layer on the surface can achieve a high gene transfection even in a 50% serum environment. This strategy provides a new solution for preventing protein adsorption while improving cellular uptake and endosomal escape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Nie
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Wei You
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Ze Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Fan Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Xiao-Hong Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Hai-Li Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Long-Hai Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Guang Chen
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Chang-Hui Wang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, 230022, China
| | - Chun-Yan Hong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Qi Shao
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Fei Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Lei Xia
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Yang Li
- Laboratory for Biomaterials and Drug Delivery, Department of Anesthesiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Ye-Zi You
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
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8
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Hanson MG, Grimme CJ, Santa Chalarca CF, Reineke TM. Cationic Micelles Outperform Linear Polymers for Delivery of Antisense Oligonucleotides in Serum: An Exploration of Polymer Architecture, Cationic Moieties, and Cell Addition Order. Bioconjug Chem 2022; 33:2121-2131. [PMID: 36265078 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.2c00379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are an important emerging therapeutic; however, they struggle to enter cells without a delivery vehicle, such as a cationic polymer. To understand the role of polymer architecture for ASO delivery, five linear polymers and five diblock polymers (capable of self-assembly into micelles) were synthesized with varying cationic groups. After complexation of each polymer/micelle with ASO, it was found that less bulky cationic moieties transfected the ASO more effectively. Interestingly, however the ASO internalization trend was the opposite of the transfection trend for cationic moiety, indicating internalization is not the major factor in determining transfection efficiency for this series. Micelleplexes (micelle-ASO complexes) generally enable higher transfection efficacy as compared to polyplexes (linear polymer-ASO complexes). Additionally, the order of addition of cells and complexes was explored. Linear polyplexes showed better transfection efficiency in adhered cells, whereas micelleplexes delivered the ASO more efficiently when the cells and micelleplexes were added simultaneously. This phenomenon may be due to increased cell-complex interactions as micelleplexes have increased colloidal stability compared to polyplexes. These findings emphasize the importance of polymer composition and architecture in governing the cellular interactions necessary for transfection, thus allowing advancement in the design principles for nonviral nucleic acid delivery formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mckenna G Hanson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Christian J Grimme
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, University of Minnesota, 421Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Cristiam F Santa Chalarca
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Theresa M Reineke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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9
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A Biophysical Study of DNA Condensation Mediated by Histones and Protamines. J Mol Liq 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2022.120745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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10
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Cheng D, Theivendran S, Tang J, Cai L, Zhang J, Song H, Yu C. Surface chemistry of spiky silica nanoparticles tailors polyethyleneimine binding and intracellular DNA delivery. J Colloid Interface Sci 2022; 628:297-305. [PMID: 35998455 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.08.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Cellular delivery of DNA using silica nanoparticles has attracted great attention. Typically, polyethyleneimine (PEI) is used to form a silica/PEI composite vector. Understanding the interactions at the silica and PEI interface is important for successful DNA delivery and transfection, especially for silica with different surface functionality. Herein, we report that a higher content of hydrogen boning formed between PEI molecules and phosphonate modified silica nanoparticles could slow down the PEI dissolution from the freeze-dried solid composites into aqueous solution than the bare silica counterpart. The pronounced PEI retention ability through phosphonation of silica nanoparticles effectively improves the transfection efficiency due to the high DNA binding affinity extracellularly, effective lysosome escape and high nuclear entry of both PEI and DNA intracellularly. Our study provides a fundamental understanding on designing effective silica-PEI-based nano-vectors for DNA delivery applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Cheng
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Shevanuja Theivendran
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Jie Tang
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Larry Cai
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Jun Zhang
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Hao Song
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Chengzhong Yu
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
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11
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Huang J, Song W, Meng L, Shen Y, Zhou R. Role of polyplex charge density in lipopolyplexes. NANOSCALE 2022; 14:7174-7180. [PMID: 35535595 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr07897f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Lipopolyplexes have received extensive attention lately in gene therapy delivery. However, the interactions between the polyplex and the liposome and their underlying molecular mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Here, we adopted a simple model, mainly to illustrate the impact of polyplex charge density on the self-assembly of liposomes (containing DOPE and CHEMS lipids) using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. Our simulation results show that when the charge density increases in the polyplex, more lipids, especially CHEMS (a negatively charged helper lipid) lipids, are attracted to the polyplex (positively charged) surface, and meanwhile nearby water molecules are driven away from the polyplex, resulting in a less spherical liposome. Energy decomposition analyses further reveal that, at higher charge densities, the polyplex exhibits much stronger interactions with CHEMS lipids than with water molecules, with the majority contribution from electrostatic interactions. In addition, the mobility of lipids, especially CHEMS, is reduced as the polyplex charge density increases, indicating a more rigid liposome. Overall, our molecular dynamics simulations elucidate the influence of polyplex charge density on the liposome self-assembly process at the atomic level, which provides a complementary approach to experiments for a better understanding of this promising gene therapy delivery system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianxiang Huang
- Institute of Quantitative Biology, College of Life Sciences, and Department of Physics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
| | - Wei Song
- Institute of Quantitative Biology, College of Life Sciences, and Department of Physics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
| | - Lijun Meng
- Institute of Quantitative Biology, College of Life Sciences, and Department of Physics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
| | - Youqing Shen
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Ruhong Zhou
- Institute of Quantitative Biology, College of Life Sciences, and Department of Physics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY10027, USA
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12
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Effect of FLOT2 Gene Expression on Invasion and Metastasis of Colorectal Cancer and Its Molecular Mechanism under Nanotechnology and RNA Interference. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 2022:2897338. [PMID: 35419458 PMCID: PMC9001092 DOI: 10.1155/2022/2897338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The study is aimed at investigating the effect of the FLOT2 gene on invasion and metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells and the corresponding molecular mechanism by preparing polylysine-silicon nanoparticles. Specifically, polylysine was used to modify the silica nanoparticles prepared by the emulsification method to obtain polylysine-silicon nanoparticles. The characterization of polylysine-silicon nanoparticles was completed by nanoparticle size analyzer, laser particle size potentiometer, and transmission microscope. The influence of polylysine-silicon nanoparticles on the survival rate of CRC cell line HT-29 was detected using the method of 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT). The FLOT2-siRNA expression vector was constructed and transfected with HT-29. The HT-29 transfected with empty plasmid was used as the negative control (NC). Western Blot (WB) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to detect expression levels of FLOT2 gene and epithelial-mesenchymal transition- (EMT-) related genes. Transwell invasion assay, Transwell migration assay, and CCK8 assay were used to detect the cell invasion, migration, and proliferation. The results showed that the average particle size of polylysine-silicon nanoparticles was 30 nm, the potential was 19.65 mV, the particle size was 65.8 nm, and the dispersion coefficient was 0.103. At the same concentration, the toxicity of silicon nanoparticles to HT-29 was significantly lower than that of liposome reagent, and the transfection efficiency was 60%, higher than that of liposome reagent (40%). The mRNA level and protein expression of the FLOT2 gene in the FLOT2-siRNA group were significantly lower than those in the NC group (P < 0.01). The optical density (OD) value of the NC group and the blank control (CK) group were significantly higher than that of FLOT2-siRNA cells (P < 0.01). The OD value of FLOT2-siRNA cells was lower than that of NC cells at 48 h, 72 h, and 96 h (P < 0.01). The mRNA levels and protein expressions of MMP2 and vimentin in the FLOT2-siRNA group were significantly lower than those in the NC group and CK group (P < 0.01). The mRNA level and protein expression of the E-cadherin gene in the FLOT2-siRNA group were significantly higher than those in the NC group and CK group (P < 0.01). In conclusion, an RNA interference plasmid with high transfection efficiency and low cytotoxicity was established based on nanotechnology. siRNA-mediated FLOT2 protein inhibits the invasion, migration, and proliferation of CRC cells by regulating the expression changes of EMT-related genes, which provides a scientific basis for clinical treatment of CRC.
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Batasheva S, Fakhrullin R. Sequence Does Not Matter: The Biomedical Applications of DNA-Based Coatings and Cores. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222312884. [PMID: 34884687 PMCID: PMC8658021 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Biomedical applications of DNA are diverse but are usually associated with specific recognition of target nucleotide sequences or proteins and with gene delivery for therapeutic or biotechnological purposes. However, other aspects of DNA functionalities, like its nontoxicity, biodegradability, polyelectrolyte nature, stability, thermo-responsivity and charge transfer ability that are rather independent of its sequence, have recently become highly appreciated in material science and biomedicine. Whereas the latest achievements in structural DNA nanotechnology associated with DNA sequence recognition and Watson–Crick base pairing between complementary nucleotides are regularly reviewed, the recent uses of DNA as a raw material in biomedicine have not been summarized. This review paper describes the main biomedical applications of DNA that do not involve any synthesis or extraction of oligo- or polynucleotides with specified sequences. These sequence-independent applications currently include some types of drug delivery systems, biocompatible coatings, fire retardant and antimicrobial coatings and biosensors. The reinforcement of DNA properties by DNA complexation with nanoparticles is also described as a field of further research.
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14
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Martins I, Tomás H, Lahoz F, Rodrigues J. Engineered Fluorescent Carbon Dots and G4-G6 PAMAM Dendrimer Nanohybrids for Bioimaging and Gene Delivery. Biomacromolecules 2021. [DOI: https:/doi.org/10.1021/acs.biomac.1c00232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ivo Martins
- CQM - Centro de Química da Madeira, MMRG, Universidade da Madeira, Campus da Penteada, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal
| | - Helena Tomás
- CQM - Centro de Química da Madeira, MMRG, Universidade da Madeira, Campus da Penteada, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal
| | - Fernando Lahoz
- Departamento de Física, IUdEA, Universidad de La Laguna, 38200 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - João Rodrigues
- CQM - Centro de Química da Madeira, MMRG, Universidade da Madeira, Campus da Penteada, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal
- School of Materials Science and Engineering/Center for Nano Energy Materials, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 710072 Xi’an, China
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15
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Martins I, Tomás H, Lahoz F, Rodrigues J. Engineered Fluorescent Carbon Dots and G4-G6 PAMAM Dendrimer Nanohybrids for Bioimaging and Gene Delivery. Biomacromolecules 2021; 22:2436-2450. [PMID: 34009977 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.1c00232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Carbon dots (CDs) and G4-G6 (polyamidoamine)PAMAM-NH2 dendrimers were self-assembled to produce CDs@PAMAM nanohybrids for transfection and bioimaging purposes. CDs were synthesized by the hydrothermal method, using ascorbic acid as a starting precursor and characterized by transmission electron microscopy, UV-Vis, and fluorescence (in solution and solid-state) techniques. CDs were electrostatically combined with PAMAM dendrimers at room temperature, and the UV-Vis, fluorescence, and NMR spectroscopies were used to confirm the self-assembly. When compared to pristine CDs, nanohybrids were more photostable, resisting high acidic and basic pH. Moreover, they were considerably internalized by cells, as assessed by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy, and, when excited, displayed multi-color emission easily quantified and visualized. These nanoscale hybrids, coined hybridplexes, can condense pDNA and transfecting cells successfully, particularly the G5 CDs@PAMAM nanohybrids. In summary, CDs prepared in mild and smooth lab conditions, showing good optical properties, were used to prepare elegantly CDs@PAMAM nanohybrids with promising biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivo Martins
- CQM - Centro de Química da Madeira, MMRG, Universidade da Madeira, Campus da Penteada, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal
| | - Helena Tomás
- CQM - Centro de Química da Madeira, MMRG, Universidade da Madeira, Campus da Penteada, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal
| | - Fernando Lahoz
- Departamento de Física, IUdEA, Universidad de La Laguna, 38200 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - João Rodrigues
- CQM - Centro de Química da Madeira, MMRG, Universidade da Madeira, Campus da Penteada, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal
- School of Materials Science and Engineering/Center for Nano Energy Materials, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 710072 Xi'an, China
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16
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Franck CO, Fanslau L, Bistrovic Popov A, Tyagi P, Fruk L. Biopolymer-based Carriers for DNA Vaccine Design. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:13225-13243. [PMID: 32893932 PMCID: PMC8247987 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202010282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Over the last 30 years, genetically engineered DNA has been tested as novel vaccination strategy against various diseases, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B, several parasites, and cancers. However, the clinical breakthrough of the technique is confined by the low transfection efficacy and immunogenicity of the employed vaccines. Therefore, carrier materials were designed to prevent the rapid degradation and systemic clearance of DNA in the body. In this context, biopolymers are a particularly promising DNA vaccine carrier platform due to their beneficial biochemical and physical characteristics, including biocompatibility, stability, and low toxicity. This article reviews the applications, fabrication, and modification of biopolymers as carrier medium for genetic vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph O. Franck
- Department of Chemical Engineering and BiotechnologyUniversity of CambridgePhillipa Fawcett DriveCambridgeCB3 0ASUK
| | - Luise Fanslau
- Department of Chemical Engineering and BiotechnologyUniversity of CambridgePhillipa Fawcett DriveCambridgeCB3 0ASUK
| | - Andrea Bistrovic Popov
- Department of Chemical Engineering and BiotechnologyUniversity of CambridgePhillipa Fawcett DriveCambridgeCB3 0ASUK
| | - Puneet Tyagi
- Dosage Form Design and DevelopmentBioPharmaceuticals DevelopmentR&DAstra ZenecaGaithersburgMD20878USA
| | - Ljiljana Fruk
- Department of Chemical Engineering and BiotechnologyUniversity of CambridgePhillipa Fawcett DriveCambridgeCB3 0ASUK
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17
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Martins I, Tomás H, Lahoz F, Rodrigues J. Engineered Fluorescent Carbon Dots and G4-G6 PAMAM Dendrimer Nanohybrids for Bioimaging and Gene Delivery. Biomacromolecules 2021. [DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.biomac.1c00232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ivo Martins
- CQM - Centro de Química da Madeira, MMRG, Universidade da Madeira, Campus da Penteada, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal
| | - Helena Tomás
- CQM - Centro de Química da Madeira, MMRG, Universidade da Madeira, Campus da Penteada, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal
| | - Fernando Lahoz
- Departamento de Física, IUdEA, Universidad de La Laguna, 38200 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - João Rodrigues
- CQM - Centro de Química da Madeira, MMRG, Universidade da Madeira, Campus da Penteada, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal
- School of Materials Science and Engineering/Center for Nano Energy Materials, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 710072 Xi’an, China
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18
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Kumar R, Santa Chalarca CF, Bockman MR, Bruggen CV, Grimme CJ, Dalal RJ, Hanson MG, Hexum JK, Reineke TM. Polymeric Delivery of Therapeutic Nucleic Acids. Chem Rev 2021; 121:11527-11652. [PMID: 33939409 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c00997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The advent of genome editing has transformed the therapeutic landscape for several debilitating diseases, and the clinical outlook for gene therapeutics has never been more promising. The therapeutic potential of nucleic acids has been limited by a reliance on engineered viral vectors for delivery. Chemically defined polymers can remediate technological, regulatory, and clinical challenges associated with viral modes of gene delivery. Because of their scalability, versatility, and exquisite tunability, polymers are ideal biomaterial platforms for delivering nucleic acid payloads efficiently while minimizing immune response and cellular toxicity. While polymeric gene delivery has progressed significantly in the past four decades, clinical translation of polymeric vehicles faces several formidable challenges. The aim of our Account is to illustrate diverse concepts in designing polymeric vectors towards meeting therapeutic goals of in vivo and ex vivo gene therapy. Here, we highlight several classes of polymers employed in gene delivery and summarize the recent work on understanding the contributions of chemical and architectural design parameters. We touch upon characterization methods used to visualize and understand events transpiring at the interfaces between polymer, nucleic acids, and the physiological environment. We conclude that interdisciplinary approaches and methodologies motivated by fundamental questions are key to designing high-performing polymeric vehicles for gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramya Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | | | - Matthew R Bockman
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Craig Van Bruggen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Christian J Grimme
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Rishad J Dalal
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Mckenna G Hanson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Joseph K Hexum
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Theresa M Reineke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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19
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Sizikov AA, Kharlamova MV, Nikitin MP, Nikitin PI, Kolychev EL. Nonviral Locally Injected Magnetic Vectors for In Vivo Gene Delivery: A Review of Studies on Magnetofection. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 11:1078. [PMID: 33922066 PMCID: PMC8143545 DOI: 10.3390/nano11051078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Magnetic nanoparticles have been widely used in nanobiomedicine for diagnostics and the treatment of diseases, and as carriers for various drugs. The unique magnetic properties of "magnetic" drugs allow their delivery in a targeted tumor or tissue upon application of a magnetic field. The approach of combining magnetic drug targeting and gene delivery is called magnetofection, and it is very promising. This method is simple and efficient for the delivery of genetic material to cells using magnetic nanoparticles controlled by an external magnetic field. However, magnetofection in vivo has been studied insufficiently both for local and systemic routes of magnetic vector injection, and the relevant data available in the literature are often merely descriptive and contradictory. In this review, we collected and systematized the data on the efficiency of the local injections of magnetic nanoparticles that carry genetic information upon application of external magnetic fields. We also investigated the efficiency of magnetofection in vivo, depending on the structure and coverage of magnetic vectors. The perspectives of the development of the method were also considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artem A. Sizikov
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia; (A.A.S.); (M.V.K.); (M.P.N.)
| | - Marianna V. Kharlamova
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia; (A.A.S.); (M.V.K.); (M.P.N.)
| | - Maxim P. Nikitin
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia; (A.A.S.); (M.V.K.); (M.P.N.)
- Sirius University of Science and Technology, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Petr I. Nikitin
- Prokhorov General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 117942 Moscow, Russia
| | - Eugene L. Kolychev
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia; (A.A.S.); (M.V.K.); (M.P.N.)
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20
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Chen Z, Wang X, Liu S, Li Y, Zhou H, Guo T. Zn(ii)-Dipicolylamine analogues with amphiphilic side chains endow low molecular weight PEI with high transfection performance. Biomater Sci 2021; 9:3090-3099. [PMID: 33751016 DOI: 10.1039/d0bm02181d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
To investigate the effect of amphiphilic balance of Zn(ii)-dipicolylamine analogues on the transfection process, we fabricated a series of Zn(ii)-dipicolylamine functional modules (DDAC-Rs) with different hydrophilic-phobic side chains to modify low molecular weight PEI (Zn-DP-Rs) by the Michael addition reaction. Zn-DP-Rs with hydrophilic terminal hydroxy group side chains demonstrate superior overall performance compared to those of hydrophobic alkyl side chains. In terms of the influence of the chain lengths in DDAC-Rs, from Zn-DP-A/OH-3 to Zn-DP-A/OH-5, the corresponding transfection efficiency shows an upward trend as the lengths increase. However, decreasing efficacy is observed with further increase in the length of side chains. In addition, the Zn-DP-Rs with amphiphilic side chains show prominent performance in every respect, highlighting the significance of balance in the amphipathy of side chains in DDAC-Rs. This work is of great significance for the development of polycationic gene carrier materials with excellent performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoming Chen
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Ministry of Education, Institute of Polymer Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Weijin Road, No. 94, Tianjin, 300071, China.
| | - Xindong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Ministry of Education, Institute of Polymer Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Weijin Road, No. 94, Tianjin, 300071, China.
| | - Shuai Liu
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Ministry of Education, Institute of Polymer Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Weijin Road, No. 94, Tianjin, 300071, China.
| | - Yumeng Li
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Ministry of Education, Institute of Polymer Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Weijin Road, No. 94, Tianjin, 300071, China.
| | - Hao Zhou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Tianying Guo
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, Ministry of Education, Institute of Polymer Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Weijin Road, No. 94, Tianjin, 300071, China.
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21
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Yu Z, Zhang Z, Yan J, Zhao Z, Ge C, Song Z, Yin L, Tang H. Guanidine-rich helical polypeptides bearing hydrophobic amino acid pendants for efficient gene delivery. Biomater Sci 2021; 9:2670-2678. [PMID: 33605949 DOI: 10.1039/d0bm02188a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Non-viral gene delivery vectors with high transfection efficiency both in vitro and in vivo and low cytotoxicity are highly desirable for clinical applications. Herein, a series of guanidine-rich polypeptides bearing hydrophobic amino acid pendants was efficiently prepared via the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition between azido decorated polypeptide and propargyl functionalized guanidinium and N-acetylamino acids. CD analysis indicated α-helical conformations of all resulting polypeptides in aqueous solution. The guanidine-rich polypeptide/DNA complexes showed significantly enhanced cellular internalization and high cell viability (>90%) in different mammalian cell lines (i.e., HeLa and RAW 264.7) at concentrations of the best performance. The top-performing guanidine-rich polypeptide containing 10% N-acetyl-l-valine pendants outperformed the commercial transfection reagent PEI by 400 times in vitro and 6 times in vivo. This study provides a new guidance for future molecular design of non-viral gene vectors with high delivery efficiency and low cytotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zikun Yu
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.
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22
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Pennetta C, Bono N, Ponti F, Bellucci MC, Viani F, Candiani G, Volonterio A. Multifunctional Neomycin-Triazine-Based Cationic Lipids for Gene Delivery with Antibacterial Properties. Bioconjug Chem 2021; 32:690-701. [PMID: 33470802 PMCID: PMC8154203 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.0c00616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Cationic
lipids (CLs) have gained significant attention among nonviral
gene delivery vectors due to their ease of synthesis and functionalization
with multivalent moieties. In particular, there is an increasing request
for multifunctional CLs having gene delivery capacity and antibacterial
activity. Herein, we describe the design and synthesis of a novel
class of aminoglycoside (AG)-based multifunctional vectors with high
transfection efficiency and noticeable antibacterial properties. Specifically,
cationic amphiphiles were built on a triazine scaffold, allowing for
an easy derivatization with up to three potentially different substituents,
such as neomycin (Neo) that serves as the polar head and one or two
lipophilic tails, namely stearyl (ST) and oleyl (OL) alkyl chains
and cholesteryl (Chol) tail. With the aim to shed more light on the
effect of different types and numbers of lipophilic moieties on the
ability of CLs to condense and transfect cells, the performance of
Neo–triazine-based derivatives as gene delivery vectors was
evaluated and compared. The ability of Neo–triazine-based derivatives
to act as antimicrobial agents was evaluated as well. Neo–triazine-based
CLs invariably exhibited excellent DNA condensation ability, even
at a low charge ratio (CR, +/−). Besides, each derivative showed
very good transfection performance at its optimal CR on two different
cell lines, along with negligible cytotoxicity. CLs bearing symmetric
two-tailed OL proved to be the most effective in transfection. Interestingly,
Neo–triazine-based derivatives, used as either free lipids
or lipoplexes, exhibited strong antibacterial activity against Gram-negative
bacteria, especially in the case of CLs bearing one or two aliphatic
chains. Altogether, these results highlight the potential of Neo–triazine-based
derivatives as effective multifunctional nonviral gene delivery vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Pennetta
- Department of Chemistry, Materials, and Chemical Engineering "G. Natta", Politecnico di Milano, Via Mancinelli 7, Milan 20131, Italy
| | - Nina Bono
- Department of Chemistry, Materials, and Chemical Engineering "G. Natta", Politecnico di Milano, Via Mancinelli 7, Milan 20131, Italy
| | - Federica Ponti
- Department of Chemistry, Materials, and Chemical Engineering "G. Natta", Politecnico di Milano, Via Mancinelli 7, Milan 20131, Italy.,Laboratory for Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Canada Research Chair I in Biomaterials and Bioengineering for the Innovation in Surgery, Department of Min-Met-Materials Engineering & Research Center of CHU de Quebec, Division of Regenerative Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec G1 V 0A6, Canada
| | - Maria Cristina Bellucci
- Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, Milan 20133, Italy
| | - Fiorenza Viani
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche "G. Natta" (SCITEC), Via Mario Bianco 9, Milan 20131, Italy
| | - Gabriele Candiani
- Department of Chemistry, Materials, and Chemical Engineering "G. Natta", Politecnico di Milano, Via Mancinelli 7, Milan 20131, Italy
| | - Alessandro Volonterio
- Department of Chemistry, Materials, and Chemical Engineering "G. Natta", Politecnico di Milano, Via Mancinelli 7, Milan 20131, Italy.,Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche "G. Natta" (SCITEC), Via Mario Bianco 9, Milan 20131, Italy
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23
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Franck CO, Fanslau L, Bistrovic Popov A, Tyagi P, Fruk L. Biopolymer‐based Carriers for DNA Vaccine Design. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202010282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christoph O. Franck
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology University of Cambridge Phillipa Fawcett Drive Cambridge CB3 0AS UK
| | - Luise Fanslau
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology University of Cambridge Phillipa Fawcett Drive Cambridge CB3 0AS UK
| | - Andrea Bistrovic Popov
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology University of Cambridge Phillipa Fawcett Drive Cambridge CB3 0AS UK
| | - Puneet Tyagi
- Dosage Form Design and Development BioPharmaceuticals Development R&D Astra Zeneca Gaithersburg MD 20878 USA
| | - Ljiljana Fruk
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology University of Cambridge Phillipa Fawcett Drive Cambridge CB3 0AS UK
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24
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Som M, Lal R, Ruiz-Velasco V. Lipid-Encapsulated Silica Nanobowls as an Efficient and Versatile DNA Delivery System. Bioconjug Chem 2020; 31:2697-2711. [PMID: 33232129 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.0c00493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Nonmesoporous Janus silica nanobowls (NBs) are unique in that they possess two different nonporous surfaces per particle for loading biological molecules and can thus be designed with multifunctional properties. Although silica NBs have been successfully employed for both targeted therapeutic and diagnostic applications, their ability to deliver DNA has not yet been fully explored. The purpose of this study was to design and develop an in vitro transfection agent that would exploit the distinct characteristics of the silica NB. First, we determined that the NB surface can be linked to either supercoiled cDNA plasmids or vectorless, linear cDNA constructs. Additionally, the linearized cDNA can be functionalized and chemisorbed on NBs to obtain a controlled release. Second, the successful transfection of cells studied was dependent on lipid coating of the NB (LNBs). Although both NBs and LNBs were capable of undergoing endocytosis, NBs appeared to remain within vesicles as shown by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Third, fluorescence microscopy and Western blotting assays revealed that transfection of four different cell lines and acutely isolated rat sensory neurons with LNBs loaded with either linear or supercoiled cDNA constructs coding for the fluorescent protein, clover and tdTomato, resulted in protein expression. Fourth, two separate opioid receptor-ion channel signaling pathways were functionally reconstituted in HEK cells transfected with LNBs loaded with three separate cDNA constructs. Overall, these results lay the foundation for the use and further development of LNBs as in vitro transfection agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhura Som
- Department of Nanoengineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Ratnesh Lal
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States.,Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Victor Ruiz-Velasco
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033, United States
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25
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Yuan Y, Ma Y, Huo D, Mills MJL, Wei J, Su W, Zhang R. Multipolar Description of Atom-Atom Electrostatic Interaction Energies in Single/Double-Stranded DNAs. J Phys Chem B 2020; 124:10089-10103. [PMID: 33138384 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c06757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Molecular force field simulation is an effective method to explore the properties of DNA molecules in depth. Almost all current popular force fields calculate atom-atom electrostatic interaction energies for DNAs based on the atomic charge and dipole or quadrupole moments, without considering high-rank atomic multipole moments for more accurate electrostatics. Actually, the distribution of electrons around atomic nuclei is not spherically symmetric but is geometry dependent. In this work, a multipole expansion method that allows us to combine polarizability and anisotropy was applied. One single-stranded DNA and one double-stranded DNA were selected as pilot systems. Deoxynucleotides were cut out from pilot systems and capped by mimicking the original DNA environment. Atomic multipole moments were integrated instead of fixed-point charges to calculate atom-atom electrostatic energies to improve the accuracy of force fields for DNA simulations. Also, the applicability of modeling the behavior of both single-stranded and double-stranded DNAs was investigated. The calculation results indicated that the models can be transferred from pilot systems to test systems, which is of great significance for the development of future DNA force fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongna Yuan
- School of Information Science & Engineering, Lanzhou University, No. 222 South Tianshui Road, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Yan Ma
- School of Information Science & Engineering, Lanzhou University, No. 222 South Tianshui Road, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Dongxu Huo
- School of Information Science & Engineering, Lanzhou University, No. 222 South Tianshui Road, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Matthew J L Mills
- 3M Corporate Research Analytical Laboratory, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55114, United States
| | - Jiaxuan Wei
- School of Information Science & Engineering, Lanzhou University, No. 222 South Tianshui Road, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Wei Su
- School of Information Science & Engineering, Lanzhou University, No. 222 South Tianshui Road, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Ruisheng Zhang
- School of Information Science & Engineering, Lanzhou University, No. 222 South Tianshui Road, Lanzhou 730000, China
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26
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Xiao F, Chen Z, Wei Z, Tian L. Hydrophobic Interaction: A Promising Driving Force for the Biomedical Applications of Nucleic Acids. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2020; 7:2001048. [PMID: 32832360 PMCID: PMC7435255 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202001048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The comprehensive understanding and proper use of supramolecular interactions have become critical for the development of functional materials, and so is the biomedical application of nucleic acids (NAs). Relatively rare attention has been paid to hydrophobic interaction compared with hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interaction of NAs. However, hydrophobic interaction shows some unique properties, such as high tunability for application interest, minimal effect on NA functionality, and sensitivity to external stimuli. Therefore, the widespread use of hydrophobic interaction has promoted the evolution of NA-based biomaterials in higher-order self-assembly, drug/gene-delivery systems, and stimuli-responsive systems. Herein, the recent progress of NA-based biomaterials whose fabrications or properties are highly determined by hydrophobic interactions is summarized. 1) The hydrophobic interaction of NA itself comes from the accumulation of base-stacking forces, by which the NAs with certain base compositions and chain lengths show properties similar to thermal-responsive polymers. 2) In conjugation with hydrophobic molecules, NA amphiphiles show interesting self-assembly structures with unique properties in many new biosensing and therapeutic strategies. 3) The working-mechanisms of some NA-based complex materials are also dependent on hydrophobic interactions. Moreover, in recent attempts, NA amphiphiles have been applied in organizing macroscopic self-assembly of DNA origami and controlling the cell-cell interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Xiao
- Department of Materials Science and EngineeringSouthern University of Science and Technology1088 Xueyuan Blvd.Nanshan DistrictShenzhenGuangdong518055P. R. China
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringHarbin Institute of TechnologyNangang DistrictHarbin150001P. R. China
| | - Zhe Chen
- Department of Materials Science and EngineeringSouthern University of Science and Technology1088 Xueyuan Blvd.Nanshan DistrictShenzhenGuangdong518055P. R. China
- Cancer Centre and Centre of ReproductionDevelopment and AgingFaculty of Health SciencesUniversity of MacauTaipaMacau999078P. R. China
| | - Zixiang Wei
- Department of Materials Science and EngineeringSouthern University of Science and Technology1088 Xueyuan Blvd.Nanshan DistrictShenzhenGuangdong518055P. R. China
- Cancer Centre and Centre of ReproductionDevelopment and AgingFaculty of Health SciencesUniversity of MacauTaipaMacau999078P. R. China
| | - Leilei Tian
- Department of Materials Science and EngineeringSouthern University of Science and Technology1088 Xueyuan Blvd.Nanshan DistrictShenzhenGuangdong518055P. R. China
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Chen P, Zhang J, He X, Liu YH, Yu XQ. Hydrophobically modified carbon dots as a multifunctional platform for serum-resistant gene delivery and cell imaging. Biomater Sci 2020; 8:3730-3740. [PMID: 32501458 DOI: 10.1039/d0bm00651c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The development of novel multifunctional gene delivery systems with high efficiency is significant. Herein, due to the unique physical and optical properties of carbon dots (CDs), CDs prepared from polyethyleneimine (PEI) were modified with various hydrophobic chains and different degrees of substitution via an epoxide ring-opening reaction. The modification and substitution degree were confirmed using several analytical methods including 1H NMR spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, TEM, and XPS. These CDs were utilized as multifunctional, safe and efficient non-viral gene vectors. The results showed that these materials possessed capability for dual-channel imaging, which enabled the intracellular tracking of the delivered DNA. Both the type and substitution degree of the hydrophobic chain have a large influence on their transfection efficiency. Among the prepared CDs, Ole1.5-CD gave the highest transfection efficiency, which was up to 200 times higher than that of PEI 25 kDa in the presence of serum in A549 cells. Meanwhile, these CD materials showed much less cytotoxicity and better serum tolerance than the traditional cationic polymeric gene vector. The cellular uptake assay further confirmed the good serum tolerance and structure-activity relationship of the CD materials. Thus, these CDs with good biocompatibility, self-imaging and high gene transfection efficiency may serve as a promising platform for both gene delivery and bio-imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Chen
- Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Technology (Ministry of Education), College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, P. R. China.
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28
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Zheng M, Liu Y, Wang Y, Zhang D, Zou Y, Ruan W, Yin J, Tao W, Park JB, Shi B. ROS-Responsive Polymeric siRNA Nanomedicine Stabilized by Triple Interactions for the Robust Glioblastoma Combinational RNAi Therapy. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2019; 31:e1903277. [PMID: 31348581 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201903277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 144] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Revised: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Small interfering RNA (siRNA) holds inherent advantages and great potential for treating refractory diseases. However, lack of suitable siRNA delivery systems that demonstrate excellent circulation stability and effective at-site delivery ability is currently impeding siRNA therapeutic performance. Here, a polymeric siRNA nanomedicine (3I-NM@siRNA) stabilized by triple interactions (electrostatic, hydrogen bond, and hydrophobic) is constructed. Incorporating extra hydrogen and hydrophobic interactions significantly improves the physiological stability compared to an siRNA nanomedicine analog that solely relies on the electrostatic interaction for stability. The developed 3I-NM@siRNA nanomedicine demonstrates effective at-site siRNA release resulting from tumoral reactive oxygen species (ROS)-triggered sequential destabilization. Furthermore, the utility of 3I-NM@siRNA for treating glioblastoma (GBM) by functionalizing 3I-NM@siRNA nanomedicine with angiopep-2 peptide is enhanced. The targeted Ang-3I-NM@siRNA exhibits superb blood-brain barrier penetration and potent tumor accumulation. Moreover, by cotargeting polo-like kinase 1 and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2, Ang-3I-NM@siRNA shows effective suppression of tumor growth and significantly improved survival time of nude mice bearing orthotopic GBM brain tumors. New siRNA nanomedicines featuring triple-interaction stabilization together with inbuilt self-destruct delivery ability provide a robust and potent platform for targeted GBM siRNA therapy, which may have utility for RNA interference therapy of other tumors or brain diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Zheng
- Henan-Macquarie University Joint Centre for Biomedical Innovation, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan, 475004, China
| | - Yuanyuan Liu
- Henan-Macquarie University Joint Centre for Biomedical Innovation, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan, 475004, China
| | - Yibin Wang
- Henan-Macquarie University Joint Centre for Biomedical Innovation, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan, 475004, China
| | - Dongya Zhang
- Henan-Macquarie University Joint Centre for Biomedical Innovation, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan, 475004, China
| | - Yan Zou
- Henan-Macquarie University Joint Centre for Biomedical Innovation, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan, 475004, China
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Weimin Ruan
- Henan-Macquarie University Joint Centre for Biomedical Innovation, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan, 475004, China
| | - Jinlong Yin
- Henan-Macquarie University Joint Centre for Biomedical Innovation, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan, 475004, China
| | - Wei Tao
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jong Bae Park
- Department of Cancer Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Cancer Science and Policy, National Cancer Center, Goyang, 10408, South Korea
| | - Bingyang Shi
- Henan-Macquarie University Joint Centre for Biomedical Innovation, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan, 475004, China
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
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29
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Wang S, Huang R. Non-viral nucleic acid delivery to the central nervous system and brain tumors. J Gene Med 2019; 21:e3091. [PMID: 30980444 DOI: 10.1002/jgm.3091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Revised: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene therapy is a rapidly emerging remedial route for many serious incurable diseases, such as central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Currently, nucleic acid medicines, including DNAs encoding therapeutic or destructive proteins, small interfering RNAs or microRNAs, have been successfully delivered to the CNS with gene delivery vectors using various routes of administration and have subsequently exhibited remarkable therapeutic efficiency. Among these vectors, non-viral vectors are favorable for delivering genes into the CNS as a result of their many special characteristics, such as low toxicity and pre-existing immunogenicity, high gene loading efficiency and easy surface modification. In this review, we highlight the main types of therapeutic genes that have been applied in the therapy of CNS diseases and then outline non-viral gene delivery vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhongshan Hospital, and School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Rongqin Huang
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhongshan Hospital, and School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Santo D, Mendonça PV, Lima MS, Cordeiro RA, Cabanas L, Serra A, Coelho JFJ, Faneca H. Poly(ethylene glycol)- block-poly(2-aminoethyl methacrylate hydrochloride)-Based Polyplexes as Serum-Tolerant Nanosystems for Enhanced Gene Delivery. Mol Pharm 2019; 16:2129-2141. [PMID: 30986077 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.9b00101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Incorporation of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) into polyplexes has been used as a promising approach to enhance their stability and reduce unwanted interactions with biomolecules. However, this strategy generally has a negative influence on cellular uptake and, consequently, on transfection of target cells. In this work, we explore the effect of PEGylation on biological and physicochemical properties of poly(2-aminoethyl methacrylate) (PAMA)-based polyplexes. For this purpose, different tailor-made PEG- b-PAMA block copolymers, and the respective homopolymers, were synthesized using the controlled/"living" radical polymerization method based on activators regenerated by electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization. The obtained data show that PEG- b-PAMA-based polyplexes exhibited a much better transfection activity/cytotoxicity relationship than the corresponding non-PEGylated nanocarriers. The best formulation, prepared with the largest block copolymer (PEG45- b-PAMA168) at a 25:1 N/P ratio, presented a 350-fold higher transfection activity in the presence of serum than that obtained with polyplexes generated with the gold standard bPEI. This higher transfection activity was associated to an improved capability to overcome the intracellular barriers, namely the release from the endolysosomal pathway and the vector unpacking and consequent DNA release from the nanosystem inside cells. Moreover, these nanocarriers exhibit suitable physicochemical properties for gene delivery, namely reduced sizes, high DNA protection, and colloidal stability. Overall, these findings demonstrate the high potential of the PEG45- b-PAMA168 block copolymer as a gene delivery system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Santo
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology , University of Coimbra , 3004-504 Coimbra , Portugal
| | - Patrícia V Mendonça
- CEMMPRE, Department of Chemical Engineering , University of Coimbra , 3030-790 Coimbra , Portugal
| | - Mafalda S Lima
- CEMMPRE, Department of Chemical Engineering , University of Coimbra , 3030-790 Coimbra , Portugal
| | - Rosemeyre A Cordeiro
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology , University of Coimbra , 3004-504 Coimbra , Portugal
| | - Luis Cabanas
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology , University of Coimbra , 3004-504 Coimbra , Portugal
| | - Arménio Serra
- CEMMPRE, Department of Chemical Engineering , University of Coimbra , 3030-790 Coimbra , Portugal
| | - Jorge F J Coelho
- CEMMPRE, Department of Chemical Engineering , University of Coimbra , 3030-790 Coimbra , Portugal
| | - Henrique Faneca
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology , University of Coimbra , 3004-504 Coimbra , Portugal
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