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Sun X, Li A, Li N, Ji G, Song Z. Facile Preparation of Heteropolypeptides from Crude Mixtures of α-Amino Acid N-Carboxyanhydrides. Biomacromolecules 2024; 25:6093-6102. [PMID: 39167691 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.4c00746] [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: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
Heteropolypeptides bearing two or more functional side chains are promising polymeric materials for various biomedical applications. However, conventional preparation of heteropolypeptides relies on the synthesis and purification of each N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) monomer in a separate manner, which substantially increases the time and cost. Herein, we report the facile preparation of heteropolypeptides with up to 86% yield within several hours, which are obtained from a mixture of crude NCA monomers. The combination of n-hexane precipitation and biphasic segregation effectively removed >90% impurities from crude NCA mixtures, allowing for the successful polymerization process. Various heteropolypeptides with monomodal distribution and narrow dispersity were efficiently prepared, whose compositions were predetermined by the feeding ratios of amino acids. We believe that this work significantly simplifies the preparation of various heteropolypeptides, boosting the downstream studies of these promising materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Sun
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Aoting Li
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Ning Li
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Guonan Ji
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Ziyuan Song
- Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials (FUNSOM), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials & Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
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Sekar RP, Lawson JL, Wright ARE, McGrath C, Schadeck C, Kumar P, Tay JW, Dragavon J, Kumar R. Poly(l-glutamic acid) augments the transfection performance of lipophilic polycations by overcoming tradeoffs among cytotoxicity, pDNA delivery efficiency, and serum stability. RSC APPLIED POLYMERS 2024; 2:701-718. [PMID: 39035825 PMCID: PMC11255917 DOI: 10.1039/d4lp00085d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Polycations are scalable and affordable nanocarriers for delivering therapeutic nucleic acids. Yet, cationicity-dependent tradeoffs between nucleic acid delivery efficiency, cytotoxicity, and serum stability hinder clinical translation. Typically, the most efficient polycationic vehicles also tend to be the most toxic. For lipophilic polycations-which recruit hydrophobic interactions in addition to electrostatic interactions to bind and deliver nucleic acids-extensive chemical or architectural modifications sometimes fail to resolve intractable toxicity-efficiency tradeoffs. Here, we employ a facile post-synthetic polyplex surface modification strategy wherein poly(l-glutamic acid) (PGA) rescues toxicity, inhibits hemolysis, and prevents serum inhibition of lipophilic polycation-mediated plasmid (pDNA) delivery. Importantly, the sequence in which polycations, pDNA, and PGA are combined dictates pDNA conformations and spatial distribution. Circular dichroism spectroscopy reveals that PGA must be added last to polyplexes assembled from lipophilic polycations and pDNA; else, PGA will disrupt polycation-mediated pDNA condensation. Although PGA did not mitigate toxicity caused by hydrophilic PEI-based polycations, PGA tripled the population of transfected viable cells for lipophilic polycations. Non-specific adsorption of serum proteins abrogated pDNA delivery mediated by lipophilic polycations; however, PGA-coated polyplexes proved more serum-tolerant than uncoated polyplexes. Despite lower cellular uptake than uncoated polyplexes, PGA-coated polyplexes were imported into nuclei at higher rates. PGA also silenced the hemolytic activity of lipophilic polycations. Our work provides fundamental insights into how polyanionic coatings such as PGA transform intermolecular interactions between lipophilic polycations, nucleic acids, and serum proteins, and facilitate gentle yet efficient transgene delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ram Prasad Sekar
- Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines Golden CO 80401 USA
| | | | - Aryelle R E Wright
- Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering, Colorado School of Mines Golden CO 80401 USA
| | - Caleb McGrath
- Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering, Colorado School of Mines Golden CO 80401 USA
| | - Cesar Schadeck
- Materials Science, Colorado School of Mines Golden CO 80401 USA
| | - Praveen Kumar
- Shared Instrumentation Facility, Colorado School of Mines Golden CO USA
| | - Jian Wei Tay
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder CO 80303 USA
| | - Joseph Dragavon
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder CO 80303 USA
| | - Ramya Kumar
- Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines Golden CO 80401 USA
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Dunnington EL, Wong BS, Fu D. Innovative Approaches for Drug Discovery: Quantifying Drug Distribution and Response with Raman Imaging. Anal Chem 2024; 96:7926-7944. [PMID: 38625100 PMCID: PMC11108735 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.4c01413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Dan Fu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
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Mapfumo PP, Reichel LS, Hoeppener S, Traeger A. Improving Gene Delivery: Synergy between Alkyl Chain Length and Lipoic Acid for PDMAEMA Hydrophobic Copolymers. Macromol Rapid Commun 2024; 45:e2300649. [PMID: 38195002 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202300649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
In the field of gene delivery, hydrophobic cationic copolymers hold great promise. They exhibit improved performance by effectively protecting genetic material from serum interactions while facilitating interactions with cellular membranes. However, managing cytotoxicity remains a significant challenge, prompting an investigation into suitable hydrophobic components. A particularly encouraging approach involves integrating nutrient components, like lipoic acid, which is known for its antioxidant properties and diverse cellular benefits such as cellular metabolism and growth. In this study, a copolymer library comprising 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) and lipoic acid methacrylate (LAMA), combined with either n-butyl methacrylate (nBMA), ethyl methacrylate (EMA), or methyl methacrylate (MMA), is synthesized. This enables to probe the impact of lipoic acid incorporation while simultaneously exploring the influence of pendant acyclic alkyl chain length. The inclusion of lipoic acid results in a notable boost in transfection efficiency while maintaining low cytotoxicity. Interestingly, higher levels of transfection efficiency are achieved in the presence of nBMA, EMA, or MMA. However, a positive correlation between pendant acyclic alkyl chain length and cytotoxicity is observed. Consequently, P(DMAEMA-co-LAMA-co-MMA), emerges as a promising candidate. This is attributed to the optimal combination of low cytotoxic MMA and transfection-boosting LAMA, highlighting the crucial synergy between LAMA and MMA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prosper P Mapfumo
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstrasse 10, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Liên S Reichel
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstrasse 10, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Stephanie Hoeppener
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstrasse 10, 07743, Jena, Germany
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Anja Traeger
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstrasse 10, 07743, Jena, Germany
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743, Jena, Germany
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Dzhuzha A, Gandalipov E, Korzhikov-Vlakh V, Katernyuk E, Zakharova N, Silonov S, Tennikova T, Korzhikova-Vlakh E. Amphiphilic Polypeptides Obtained by Post-Polymerization Modification of Poly-l-Lysine as Systems for Combined Delivery of Paclitaxel and siRNA. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15041308. [PMID: 37111793 PMCID: PMC10143851 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15041308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of effective anti-cancer therapeutics remains one of the current pharmaceutical challenges. The joint delivery of chemotherapeutic agents and biopharmaceuticals is a cutting-edge approach to creating therapeutic agents of enhanced efficacy. In this study, amphiphilic polypeptide delivery systems capable of loading both hydrophobic drug and small interfering RNA (siRNA) were developed. The synthesis of amphiphilic polypeptides included two steps: (i) synthesis of poly-αl-lysine by ring-opening polymerization and (ii) its post-polymerization modification with hydrophobic l-amino acid and l-arginine/l-histidine. The obtained polymers were used for the preparation of single and dual delivery systems of PTX and short double-stranded nucleic acid. The obtained double component systems were quite compact and had a hydrodynamic diameter in the range of 90-200 nm depending on the polypeptide. The release of PTX from the formulations was studied, and the release profiles were approximated using a number of mathematical dissolution models to establish the most probable release mechanism. A determination of the cytotoxicity in normal (HEK 293T) and cancer (HeLa and A549) cells revealed the higher toxicity of the polypeptide particles to cancer cells. The separate evaluation of the biological activity of PTX and anti-GFP siRNA formulations testified the inhibitory efficiency of PTX formulations based on all polypeptides (IC50 4.5-6.2 ng/mL), while gene silencing was effective only for the Tyr-Arg-containing polypeptide (56-70% GFP knockdown).
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Affiliation(s)
- Apollinariia Dzhuzha
- Institute of Chemistry, Saint-Petersburg State University, Universitetsky Pr. 26, St. Petersburg 198504, Russia
- Institute of Macromolecular Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, Bolshoy Pr. 31, St. Petersburg 199004, Russia
| | - Erik Gandalipov
- International Institute of Solution Chemistry and Advanced Materials Technologies, ITMO University, Lomonosov Street 9, St. Petersburg 191002, Russia
| | - Viktor Korzhikov-Vlakh
- Institute of Chemistry, Saint-Petersburg State University, Universitetsky Pr. 26, St. Petersburg 198504, Russia
| | - Elena Katernyuk
- Institute of Chemistry, Saint-Petersburg State University, Universitetsky Pr. 26, St. Petersburg 198504, Russia
- Institute of Macromolecular Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, Bolshoy Pr. 31, St. Petersburg 199004, Russia
| | - Natalia Zakharova
- Institute of Macromolecular Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, Bolshoy Pr. 31, St. Petersburg 199004, Russia
| | - Sergey Silonov
- Institute of Chemistry, Saint-Petersburg State University, Universitetsky Pr. 26, St. Petersburg 198504, Russia
- Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tihkorezky Pr. 4, St. Petersburg 194064, Russia
| | - Tatiana Tennikova
- Institute of Chemistry, Saint-Petersburg State University, Universitetsky Pr. 26, St. Petersburg 198504, Russia
| | - Evgenia Korzhikova-Vlakh
- Institute of Chemistry, Saint-Petersburg State University, Universitetsky Pr. 26, St. Petersburg 198504, Russia
- Institute of Macromolecular Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, Bolshoy Pr. 31, St. Petersburg 199004, Russia
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Dzhuzha AY, Tarasenko II, Atanase LI, Lavrentieva A, Korzhikova-Vlakh EG. Amphiphilic Polypeptides Obtained by the Post-Polymerization Modification of Poly(Glutamic Acid) and Their Evaluation as Delivery Systems for Hydrophobic Drugs. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021049. [PMID: 36674566 PMCID: PMC9864831 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Synthetic poly(amino acids) are a unique class of macromolecules imitating natural polypeptides and are widely considered as carriers for drug and gene delivery. In this work, we synthesized, characterized and studied the properties of amphiphilic copolymers obtained by the post-polymerization modification of poly(α,L-glutamic acid) with various hydrophobic and basic L-amino acids and D-glucosamine. The resulting glycopolypeptides were capable of forming nanoparticles that exhibited reduced macrophage uptake and were non-toxic to human lung epithelial cells (BEAS-2B). Moreover, the developed nanoparticles were suitable for loading hydrophobic cargo. In particular, paclitaxel nanoformulations had a size of 170-330 nm and demonstrated a high cytostatic efficacy against human lung adenocarcinoma (A549). In general, the obtained nanoparticles were comparable in terms of their characteristics and properties to those based on amphiphilic (glyco)polypeptides obtained by copolymerization methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apollinariia Yu. Dzhuzha
- Institute of Chemistry, Saint-Petersburg State University, 198504 St. Petersburg, Russia
- Institute of Macromolecular Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, 199004 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Irina I. Tarasenko
- Institute of Macromolecular Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, 199004 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | | | - Antonina Lavrentieva
- Institute of Technical Chemistry, Gottfried-Wilhelm-Leibniz University, 30167 Hannover, Germany
| | - Evgenia G. Korzhikova-Vlakh
- Institute of Macromolecular Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, 199004 St. Petersburg, Russia
- Correspondence:
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