1
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Waheed S, Huang G, Shekh M, Wang F, Li Z, Wu J. A magnetic mucus-penetrating nanoagent boosting phlegm elimination for inhalation injury treatment. Biomater Sci 2024; 12:4713-4726. [PMID: 39082607 DOI: 10.1039/d4bm00640b] [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: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
Inhalation injuries arising from exposure to toxic gases or smoke in fires or industrial accidents pose grave risks and significant respiratory complications. The limited efficacy of current treatment strategies stems from challenges in delivering therapeutic agents across the mucus barrier to the damaged trachea and bronchus. This research explores the reparative potential and underlying mechanisms of sputum-penetrable magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) coated with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM), combined with polyethylene glycol (PEG), and loaded with ambroxol hydrochloride (AH) (MNPs@PNIPAM-AH@PEG) as an innovative therapeutic approach for inhalation injuries. The PNIPAM coating, a thermo-responsive polymer, aims to enhance targeted drug release under an external stimulus. The PEG component is designed to mitigate hydrophobic repulsion and electrostatic forces, facilitating nanoagent penetration of the mucus barrier-an obstacle in inhalation injury treatment. PEG's hydrophilicity, combined with the magnetically attracted NPs, enables deep penetration through the mucus layer adhering to the mucus epithelium. Thermal effects break the outer thermal shell of MNPs, accelerating drug release, resolving sputum, and reducing inflammation. The results showed improved therapeutic impact by significantly reducing inflammation, enhancing mucociliary clearance, and promoting tissue repair. Moreover, the MNPs@PNIPAM-AH@PEG NPs showed good biocompatibility and biosafety both in vitro and in vivo. This research underscores the potential of MNPs@PNIPAM-AH@PEG NPs as a novel therapeutic strategy for inhalation injuries, paving the way for innovative treatments in emergency medicine and respiratory care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saquib Waheed
- Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518035, China.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Guangtao Huang
- Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518035, China.
| | - Mehdihasan Shekh
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Feng Wang
- Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518035, China.
| | - Zhibin Li
- Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518035, China.
| | - Jun Wu
- Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, 518035, China.
- Human Histology & Embryology Section, Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Paediatrics & Gynaecology, University of Verona Medical School, 37134, Verona, Venetia, Italy
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2
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Zou H, Boboltz A, Cheema Y, Song D, Cahn D, Duncan GA. Synthetic mucus barrier arrays as a nanoparticle formulation screening platform. RSC PHARMACEUTICS 2024; 1:218-226. [PMID: 38899149 PMCID: PMC11185047 DOI: 10.1039/d3pm00057e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
A mucus gel layer lines the luminal surface of tissues throughout the body to protect them from infectious agents and particulates. As a result, nanoparticle drug delivery systems delivered to these sites may become trapped in mucus and subsequently cleared before they can reach target cells. As such, optimizing the properties of nanoparticle delivery vehicles, such as their surface chemistry and size, is essential to improving their penetration through the mucus barrier. In previous work, we developed a mucin-based hydrogel that has viscoelastic properties like that of native mucus which can be further tailored to mimic specific mucosal tissues and disease states. Using this biomimetic hydrogel system, a 3D-printed array containing synthetic mucus barriers was created that is compatible with a 96-well plate enabling its use as a high-throughput screening platform for nanoparticle drug delivery applications. To validate this system, we evaluated several established design parameters to determine their impact on nanoparticle penetration through synthetic mucus barriers. Consistent with the literature, we found nanoparticles of smaller size and coated with a protective PEG layer more efficiently penetrated through synthetic mucus barriers. In addition, we evaluated a mucolytic (tris(2-carboxyethyl) phosphine, TCEP) for use as a permeation enhancer for mucosal drug delivery. In comparison to N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), we found TCEP significantly improved nanoparticle penetration through a disease-like synthetic mucus barrier. Overall, our results establish a new high-throughput screening approach using synthetic mucus barrier arrays to identify promising nanoparticle formulation strategies for drug delivery to mucosal tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry Zou
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland College Park MD 20742 USA
| | - Allison Boboltz
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland College Park MD 20742 USA
| | - Yahya Cheema
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland College Park MD 20742 USA
| | - Daniel Song
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland College Park MD 20742 USA
| | - Devorah Cahn
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland College Park MD 20742 USA
| | - Gregg A Duncan
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland College Park MD 20742 USA
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3
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Kaler L, Engle EM, Iverson E, Boboltz A, Ignacio MA, Rife M, Scull MA, Duncan G. Mucus physically restricts influenza A viral particle access to the epithelium. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.08.14.553271. [PMID: 37645821 PMCID: PMC10462089 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.14.553271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Prior work suggests influenza A virus (IAV) crosses the airway mucus barrier in a sialic acid-dependent manner through the actions of the viral envelope proteins, hemagglutinin and neuraminidase. However, host and viral factors that influence how efficiently mucus traps IAV remain poorly defined. In this work, we assessed how the physicochemical properties of mucus influence its ability to effectively capture IAV with altered sialic acid preference using fluorescence video microscopy and multiple particle tracking. We found an airway mucus gel layer must be produced with pores on the order of size of the virus to physically constrain IAV. Sialic acid binding by IAV also improves mucus trapping efficiency, but interestingly, sialic acid preferences had little impact on the fraction of IAV particles expected to penetrate the mucus barrier. Together, this work provides new insights on mucus barrier function toward IAV with important implications on innate host defense and interspecies transmission.
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4
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Arenhoevel J, Schmitt AC, Kerkhoff Y, Ahmadi V, Quaas E, Ludwig K, Achazi K, Nie C, Bej R, Haag R. Mucin-Inspired Polymeric Fibers for Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Inhibition. Macromol Biosci 2024:e2400120. [PMID: 38801012 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202400120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Mucus lines the epithelial cells at the biological interface and is the first line of defense against multiple viral infections. Mucins, the gel-forming components of mucus, are high molecular weight glycoproteins and crucial for preventing infections by binding pathogens. Consequently, mimicking mucins is a promising strategy for new synthetic virus inhibitors. In this work, synthetic mucin-inspired polymers (MIPs) as potential inhibitors of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) are investigated. By using a telechelic reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerization technique, a new dendronized polysulfate p(G1AAm-OSO3)PDS with an amide-backbone similar to the native mucin glycoproteins is synthesized. p(G1AAm-OSO3)PDS shows mucin-like elongated fiber structure, as revealed in cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) imaging, and its HSV-1 inhibition activity together with its previously reported methacrylate analogue p(G1MA-OSO3)PDS is tested. Both of the sulfated MIPs show strong HSV-1 inhibition in plaque reduction assays with IC50 values in lower nanomolar range (<3 × 10-9 m) and demonstrate a high cell compatibility (CC50 > 1.0 mg mL-1) with lower anticoagulant activity than heparin. In addition, the prophylactic and therapeutic activity of both MIPs is assessed in pre- and post-infection inhibition assays and clearly visualize their high potential for application using fluorescent microscopy imaging of infected cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Arenhoevel
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ann-Cathrin Schmitt
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Yannic Kerkhoff
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Vahid Ahmadi
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Elisa Quaas
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kai Ludwig
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katharina Achazi
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Chuanxiong Nie
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Raju Bej
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Rainer Haag
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, 14195, Berlin, Germany
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5
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Huitsing K, Tritsch T, Arias FJC, Collado F, Aenlle KK, Nathason L, Fletcher MA, Klimas NG, Craddock TJA. The potential role of ocular and otolaryngological mucus proteins in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. Mol Med 2024; 30:1. [PMID: 38172662 PMCID: PMC10763106 DOI: 10.1186/s10020-023-00766-8] [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: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a debilitating illness associated with a constellation of other symptoms. While the most common symptom is unrelenting fatigue, many individuals also report suffering from rhinitis, dry eyes and a sore throat. Mucin proteins are responsible for contributing to the formation of mucosal membranes throughout the body. These mucosal pathways contribute to the body's defense mechanisms involving pathogenic onset. When compromised by pathogens the epithelium releases numerous cytokines and enters a prolonged state of inflammation to eradicate any particular infection. Based on genetic analysis, and computational theory and modeling we hypothesize that mucin protein dysfunction may contribute to ME/CFS symptoms due to the inability to form adequate mucosal layers throughout the body, especially in the ocular and otolaryngological pathways leading to low grade chronic inflammation and the exacerbation of symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaylin Huitsing
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Psychology, Nova Southeastern University, 3300 S. University Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33328-2004, USA
| | - Tara Tritsch
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Psychology, Nova Southeastern University, 3300 S. University Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33328-2004, USA
| | - Francisco Javier Carrera Arias
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Psychology, Nova Southeastern University, 3300 S. University Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33328-2004, USA
- Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, 3300 S. University Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33328-2004, USA
| | - Fanny Collado
- Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, 3300 S. University Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33328-2004, USA
- Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 1201 NW 16th St, Miami, FL, 33125-1624, USA
| | - Kristina K Aenlle
- Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, 3300 S. University Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33328-2004, USA
- Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 1201 NW 16th St, Miami, FL, 33125-1624, USA
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, 3300 S. University Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33328-2004, USA
| | - Lubov Nathason
- Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, 3300 S. University Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33328-2004, USA
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, 3300 S. University Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33328-2004, USA
| | - Mary Ann Fletcher
- Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, 3300 S. University Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33328-2004, USA
- Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 1201 NW 16th St, Miami, FL, 33125-1624, USA
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, 3300 S. University Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33328-2004, USA
| | - Nancy G Klimas
- Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, 3300 S. University Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33328-2004, USA
- Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 1201 NW 16th St, Miami, FL, 33125-1624, USA
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, 3300 S. University Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33328-2004, USA
| | - Travis J A Craddock
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Psychology, Nova Southeastern University, 3300 S. University Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33328-2004, USA.
- Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, 3300 S. University Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33328-2004, USA.
- Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 1201 NW 16th St, Miami, FL, 33125-1624, USA.
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, 3300 S. University Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33328-2004, USA.
- Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering and Computing, Nova Southeastern University, 3300 S. University Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33328-2004, USA.
- Center for Collaborative Research, Room 440, Nova Southeastern University, 3300 S. University Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33328-2004, USA.
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6
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Datki Z, Darula Z, Vedelek V, Hunyadi-Gulyas E, Dingmann BJ, Vedelek B, Kalman J, Urban P, Gyenesei A, Galik-Olah Z, Galik B, Sinka R. Biofilm formation initiating rotifer-specific biopolymer and its predicted components. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 253:127157. [PMID: 37778576 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127157] [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: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
The rotifer-specific biopolymer, namely Rotimer, is a recently discovered group of the biomolecule family. Rotimer has an active role in the biofilm formation initiated by rotifers (e.g., Euchlanis dilatata or Adineta vaga) or in the female-male sexual interaction of monogononts. To understand the Ca2+- and polarity-dependent formation of this multifunctional viscoelastic material, it is essential to explore its molecular composition. The investigation of the rotifer-enhanced biofilm and Rotimer-inductor conglomerate (RIC) formation yielded several protein candidates to predict the Rotimer-specific main components. The exudate of E. dilatata males was primarily applied from different biopolimer-containing samples (biofilm or RIC). The advantage of males over females lies in their degenerated digestive system and simple anatomy. Thus, their exudate is less contaminated with food and endosymbiont elements. The sequenced and annotated genome and transcriptome of this species opened the way for identifying Rotimer proteins by mass spectrometry. The predicted rotifer-biopolymer forming components are SCO-spondins and 14-3-3 protein. The characteristics of Rotimer are similar to Reissner's fiber, which is found in the central nervous system of vertebrates and is mainly formed from SCO-spondins. This molecular information serves as a starting point for its interdisciplinary investigation and application in biotechnology, biomedicine, or neurodegeneration-related drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsolt Datki
- Micro-In Vivo Biomolecule Research Laboratory, Competence Centre of the Life Sciences Cluster of the Centre of Excellence for Interdisciplinary Research, Development and Innovation of the University of Szeged. Dugonics ter 13. H-6720, Szeged, Hungary.
| | - Zsuzsanna Darula
- Single Cell Omics Advanced Core Facility, Hungarian Centre of Excellence for Molecular Medicine, Szeged, Hungary; Proteomics Research Group, Core Facilities, Biological Research Centre, ELKH, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Viktor Vedelek
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Kozep fasor 52, H-6726, Hungary
| | - Eva Hunyadi-Gulyas
- Proteomics Research Group, Core Facilities, Biological Research Centre, ELKH, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Brian J Dingmann
- Department of Math Science and Technology, University of Minnesota Crookston, 2900 University Avenue, Crookston, MN 56716, United States of America
| | - Balazs Vedelek
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Kozep fasor 52, H-6726, Hungary
| | - Janos Kalman
- Department of Psychiatry, Albert Szent-Gyorgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, Koranyi Fasor 8-10, H-6725 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Peter Urban
- Szentagothai Research Center, Genomic and Bioinformatic Core Facility, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Attila Gyenesei
- Szentagothai Research Center, Genomic and Bioinformatic Core Facility, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Zita Galik-Olah
- Micro-In Vivo Biomolecule Research Laboratory, Competence Centre of the Life Sciences Cluster of the Centre of Excellence for Interdisciplinary Research, Development and Innovation of the University of Szeged. Dugonics ter 13. H-6720, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Bence Galik
- Szentagothai Research Center, Genomic and Bioinformatic Core Facility, Pecs, Hungary
| | - Rita Sinka
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Kozep fasor 52, H-6726, Hungary
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7
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Zou H, Boboltz A, Cheema Y, Song D, Duncan GA. Synthetic mucus barrier arrays as a nanoparticle formulation screening platform. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.29.569212. [PMID: 38076819 PMCID: PMC10705391 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.29.569212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
A mucus gel layer lines the luminal surface of tissues throughout the body to protect them from infectious agents and particulates. As a result, nanoparticle drug delivery systems delivered to these sites may become trapped in mucus and subsequently cleared before they can reach target cells. As such, optimizing the properties of nanoparticle delivery vehicles, such as their surface chemistry and size, is essential to improving their penetration through the mucus barrier. In previous work, we developed a mucin-based hydrogel that has viscoelastic properties like that of native mucus which can be further tailored to mimic specific mucosal tissues and disease states. Using this biomimetic hydrogel system, a 3D-printed array containing synthetic mucus barriers was created that is compatible with a 96-well plate enabling its use as a high-throughput screening platform for nanoparticle drug delivery applications. To validate this system, we evaluated several established design parameters to determine their impact on nanoparticle penetration through synthetic mucus barriers. Consistent with the literature, we found nanoparticles of smaller size and coated with a protective PEG layer more efficiently penetrated through synthetic mucus barriers. In addition, we evaluated a mucolytic (tris (2-carboxyethyl) phosphine, TCEP) for use as a permeation enhancer for mucosal drug delivery. In comparison to N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), we found TCEP significantly improved nanoparticle penetration through a disease-like synthetic mucus barrier. Overall, our results establish a new high-throughput screening approach using synthetic mucus barrier arrays to identify promising nanoparticle formulation strategies for drug delivery to mucosal tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry Zou
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Allison Boboltz
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Yahya Cheema
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Daniel Song
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Gregg A. Duncan
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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8
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Yan X, Sha X. Nanoparticle-Mediated Strategies for Enhanced Drug Penetration and Retention in the Airway Mucosa. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2457. [PMID: 37896217 PMCID: PMC10610050 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15102457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Airway mucus is a complex viscoelastic gel composed mainly of water, glycoproteins, lipids, enzymes, minerals, etc. Among them, glycoproteins are the main factors determining mucus's gel-like rheology. Airway mucus forms a protective barrier by secreting mucin, which represents a barrier for absorption, especially for more lipophilic drugs. It rapidly removes drugs from the airway through the physiological mucus clearance mechanism so drugs cannot remain in the lungs or reach the airway epithelial tissue for a long time. Significant progress has been made in enhancing drug lung deposition recently, but strategies are still needed to help drugs break through the lung mucosal barrier. Based on the physiopathological mechanisms of airway mucus, this paper reviews and summarizes strategies to enhance drug penetration and retention in the airway mucosa mediated by nano-delivery systems, including mucosal permeation systems, mucosal adhesion systems, and enzyme-modified delivery systems. On this basis, the potential and challenges of nano-delivery systems for improving airway mucus clearance are revealed. New ideas and approaches are provided for designing novel nano-delivery systems that effectively improve drug retention and penetration in the airway mucus layer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Yan
- Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai 201203, China;
| | - Xianyi Sha
- Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Ministry of Education, Shanghai 201203, China;
- The Institutes of Integrative Medicine of Fudan University, 120 Urumqi Middle Road, Shanghai 200040, China
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9
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Boboltz A, Yang S, Duncan GA. Engineering in vitro models of cystic fibrosis lung disease using neutrophil extracellular trap inspired biomaterials. J Mater Chem B 2023; 11:9419-9430. [PMID: 37701932 PMCID: PMC10591795 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb01489d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a muco-obstructive lung disease where inflammatory responses due to chronic infection result in the accumulation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in the airways. NETs are web-like complexes comprised mainly of decondensed chromatin that function to capture and kill bacteria. Prior studies have established excess release of NETs in CF airways increases viscoelasticity of mucus secretions and reduces mucociliary clearance. Despite the pivotal role of NETs in CF disease pathogenesis, current in vitro models of this disease do not account for their contribution. Motivated by this, we developed a new approach to study the pathobiological effects of NETs in CF by combining synthetic NET-like biomaterials, composed of DNA and histones, with an in vitro human airway epithelial cell culture model. To determine the impact of synthetic NETs on airway clearance function, we incorporated synthetic NETs into mucin hydrogels and cell culture derived airway mucus to assess their rheological and transport properties. We found that the addition of synthetic NETs significantly increases mucin hydrogel viscoelasticity. As a result, mucociliary transport in vitro was significantly reduced with the addition of mucus containing synthetic NETs. Given the prevalence of bacterial infection in the CF lung, we also evaluated the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in mucus with or without synthetic NETs. We found mucus containing synthetic NETs promoted microcolony growth and prolonged bacterial survival. Together, this work establishes a new biomaterial enabled approach to study innate immunity mediated airway dysfunction in CF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Boboltz
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
| | - Sydney Yang
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
| | - Gregg A Duncan
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
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10
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Fan Q, Li Z, Yin J, Xie M, Cui M, Fan C, Wang L, Chao J. Inhalable pH-responsive DNA tetrahedron nanoplatform for boosting anti-tumor immune responses against metastatic lung cancer. Biomaterials 2023; 301:122283. [PMID: 37639977 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2023.122283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Despite advancements in the treatment of pulmonary cancer, the existence of mucosal barriers in lung still hampered the penetration and diffusion of therapeutic agents and greatly limited the therapeutic benefits. In this work, we reported a novel inhalable pH-responsive tetrahedral DNA nanomachines with simultaneous delivery of immunomodulatory CpG oligonucleotide and PD-L1-targeting antagonistic DNA aptamer (CP@TDN) for efficient treatment of pulmonary metastatic cancer. By precisely controlling the ratios of CpG and PD-L1 aptamer, the obtained CP@TDN could specifically release PD-L1 aptamer to block PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint axis in acidic tumor microenvironment, followed by endocytosis by antigen-presenting cells to generate anti-tumor immune activation and secretion of anti-tumor cytokines. Moreover, inhalation delivery of CP@TDN showed highly-efficient lung deposition with greatly enhanced intratumoral accumulation, ascribing to the DNA tetrahedron-mediated penetration of pulmonary mucosa. Resultantly, CP@TDN could significantly inhibit the growth of metastatic orthotopic lung tumors via the induction of robust antitumor responses. Therefore, our work presents an attractive approach by virtue of biocompatible DNA tetrahedron as the inhalation delivery system for effective treatment of metastatic lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Fan
- State Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics & Information Displays (KLOEID), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM) and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, Nanjing 210000, China
| | - Zhihao Li
- State Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics & Information Displays (KLOEID), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM) and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, Nanjing 210000, China
| | - Jue Yin
- State Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics & Information Displays (KLOEID), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM) and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, Nanjing 210000, China
| | - Mo Xie
- State Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics & Information Displays (KLOEID), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM) and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, Nanjing 210000, China
| | - Meirong Cui
- State Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics & Information Displays (KLOEID), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM) and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, Nanjing 210000, China
| | - Chunhai Fan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules and National Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Lianhui Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics & Information Displays (KLOEID), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM) and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, Nanjing 210000, China
| | - Jie Chao
- State Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics & Information Displays (KLOEID), Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM) and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, Nanjing 210000, China; Smart Health Big Data Analysis and Location Services Engineering Research Center of Jiangsu Province, School of Geographic and Biologic Information, Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, Nanjing 210000, China.
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11
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Ma Y, Guo Y, Liu S, Hu Y, Yang C, Cheng G, Xue C, Zuo YY, Sun B. pH-Mediated Mucus Penetration of Zwitterionic Polydopamine-Modified Silica Nanoparticles. NANO LETTERS 2023; 23:7552-7560. [PMID: 37494635 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c02128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Zwitterionic polymers have emerged as promising trans-mucus nanocarriers due to their superior antifouling properties. However, for pH-sensitive zwitterionic polymers, the effect of the pH microenvironment on their trans-mucus fate remains unclear. In this work, we prepared a library of zwitterionic polydopamine-modified silica nanoparticles (SiNPs-PDA) with an isoelectric point of 5.6. Multiple-particle tracking showed that diffusion of SiNPs-PDA in mucus with a pH value of 5.6 was 3 times faster than that in mucus with pH value 3.0 or 7.0. Biophysical analysis found that the trans-mucus behavior of SiNPs-PDA was mediated by hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding between mucin and the particles. Furthermore, the particle distribution in the stomach, intestine, and lung demonstrated the pH-mediated mucus penetration behavior of the SiNPs-PDA. This study reveals the pH-mediated mucus penetration behavior of zwitterionic nanomaterials, which provides rational design strategies for zwitterionic polymers as nanocarriers in various mucus microenvironments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yubin Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, 116024 Dalian, China
- School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, 116024 Dalian, China
- Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Yiyang Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, 116024 Dalian, China
- School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, 116024 Dalian, China
- Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Shan Liu
- School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, 116024 Dalian, China
| | - Yu Hu
- School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, 116024 Dalian, China
| | - Cheng Yang
- School of Chemistry, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, 116024 Dalian, China
| | - Gang Cheng
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
| | - Changying Xue
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, 116024 Dalian, China
| | - Yi Y Zuo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, United States
| | - Bingbing Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, 116024 Dalian, China
- School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, 116024 Dalian, China
- Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
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12
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Shriky B, Vigato AA, Sepulveda AF, Machado IP, de Araujo DR. Poloxamer-based nanogels as delivery systems: how structural requirements can drive their biological performance? Biophys Rev 2023; 15:475-496. [PMID: 37681104 PMCID: PMC10480380 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-023-01093-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Poloxamers or Pluronics®-based nanogels are one of the most used matrices for developing delivery systems. Due to their thermoresponsive and flexible mechanical properties, they allowed the incorporation of several molecules including drugs, biomacromolecules, lipid-derivatives, polymers, and metallic, polymeric, or lipid nanocarriers. The thermogelling mechanism is driven by micelles formation and their self-assembly as phase organizations (lamellar, hexagonal, cubic) in response to microenvironmental conditions such as temperature, osmolarity, and additives incorporated. Then, different biophysical techniques have been used for investigating those structural transitions from the mechanisms to the preferential component's orientation and organization. Since the design of PL-based pharmaceutical formulations is driven by the choice of the polymer type, considering its physico-chemical properties, it is also relevant to highlight that factors inherent to the polymeric matrix can be strongly influenced by the presence of additives and how they are able to determine the nanogels biopharmaceuticals properties such as bioadhesion, drug loading, surface interaction behavior, dissolution, and release rate control. In this review, we discuss the general applicability of three of the main biophysical techniques used to characterize those systems, scattering techniques (small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering), rheology and Fourier transform infrared absorption spectroscopy (FTIR), connecting their supramolecular structure and insights for formulating effective therapeutic delivery systems. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12551-023-01093-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bana Shriky
- Department of Mechanical and Energy Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Informatics, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK
| | - Aryane Alves Vigato
- Natural and Human Sciences Centre, Federal University of ABC, Av. dos Estados 5001, Bloco A, Torre 3, Lab 503-3, Bairro Bangu, Santo André, São Paulo, CEP 090210-580 Brazil
| | - Anderson Ferreira Sepulveda
- Natural and Human Sciences Centre, Federal University of ABC, Av. dos Estados 5001, Bloco A, Torre 3, Lab 503-3, Bairro Bangu, Santo André, São Paulo, CEP 090210-580 Brazil
| | | | - Daniele Ribeiro de Araujo
- Natural and Human Sciences Centre, Federal University of ABC, Av. dos Estados 5001, Bloco A, Torre 3, Lab 503-3, Bairro Bangu, Santo André, São Paulo, CEP 090210-580 Brazil
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13
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Boboltz A, Kumar S, Duncan GA. Inhaled drug delivery for the targeted treatment of asthma. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2023; 198:114858. [PMID: 37178928 PMCID: PMC10330872 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2023.114858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Asthma is a chronic lung disease affecting millions worldwide. While classically acknowledged to result from allergen-driven type 2 inflammatory responses leading to IgE and cytokine production and the influx of immune cells such as mast cells and eosinophils, the wide range in asthmatic pathobiological subtypes lead to highly variable responses to anti-inflammatory therapies. Thus, there is a need to develop patient-specific therapies capable of addressing the full spectrum of asthmatic lung disease. Moreover, delivery of targeted treatments for asthma directly to the lung may help to maximize therapeutic benefit, but challenges remain in design of effective formulations for the inhaled route. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of asthmatic disease progression as well as genetic and epigenetic disease modifiers associated with asthma severity and exacerbation of disease. We also overview the limitations of clinically available treatments for asthma and discuss pre-clinical models of asthma used to evaluate new therapies. Based on the shortcomings of existing treatments, we highlight recent advances and new approaches to treat asthma via inhalation for monoclonal antibody delivery, mucolytic therapy to target airway mucus hypersecretion and gene therapies to address underlying drivers of disease. Finally, we conclude with discussion on the prospects for an inhaled vaccine to prevent asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Boboltz
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States
| | - Sahana Kumar
- Biological Sciences Graduate Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States
| | - Gregg A Duncan
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States; Biological Sciences Graduate Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, United States.
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14
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Boboltz AM, Yang S, Duncan GA. Engineering in vitro models of cystic fibrosis lung disease using neutrophil extracellular trap inspired biomaterials. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.26.546583. [PMID: 37425779 PMCID: PMC10327088 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.26.546583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a muco-obstructive lung disease where inflammatory responses due to chronic infection result in the accumulation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in the airways. NETs are web-like complexes comprised mainly of decondensed chromatin that function to capture and kill bacteria. Prior studies have established excess release of NETs in CF airways increases viscoelasticity of mucus secretions and reduces mucociliary clearance. Despite the pivotal role of NETs in CF disease pathogenesis, current in vitro models of this disease do not account for their contribution. Motivated by this, we developed a new approach to study the pathobiological effects of NETs in CF by combining synthetic NET-like biomaterials, composed of DNA and histones, with an in vitro human airway epithelial cell culture model. To determine the impact of synthetic NETs on airway clearance function, we incorporated synthetic NETs into mucin hydrogels and cell culture derived airway mucus to assess their rheological and transport properties. We found that the addition of synthetic NETs significantly increases mucin hydrogel and native mucus viscoelasticity. As a result, mucociliary transport in vitro was significantly reduced with the addition of mucus containing synthetic NETs. Given the prevalence of bacterial infection in the CF lung, we also evaluated the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in mucus with or without synthetic NETs. We found mucus containing synthetic NETs promoted microcolony growth and prolonged bacterial survival. Together, this work establishes a new biomaterial enabled approach to study innate immunity mediated airway dysfunction in CF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison M Boboltz
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Sydney Yang
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Gregg A Duncan
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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15
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Pereira R, Barbosa T, Cardoso AL, Sá R, Sousa M. Cystic fibrosis and primary ciliary dyskinesia: Similarities and differences. Respir Med 2023; 209:107169. [PMID: 36828173 DOI: 10.1016/j.rmed.2023.107169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Cystic fibrosis (CF) and Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) are both rare chronic diseases, inherited disorders associated with multiple complications, namely respiratory complications, due to impaired mucociliary clearance that affect severely patients' lives. Although both are classified as rare diseases, PCD has a much lower prevalence than CF, particularly among Caucasians. As a result, CF is well studied, better recognized by clinicians, and with some therapeutic approaches already available. Whereas PCD is still largely unknown, and thus the approach is based on consensus guidelines, expert opinion, and extrapolation from the larger evidence base available for patients with CF. Both diseases have some clinical similarities but are very different, necessitating different treatment by specialists who are familiar with the complexities of each disease.This review aims to provide an overview of the knowledge about the two diseases with a focus on the similarities and differences between both in terms of disease mechanisms, common clinical manifestations, genetics and the most relevant therapeutic options. We hoped to raise clinical awareness about PCD, what it is, how it differs from CF, and how much information is still lacking. Furthermore, this review emphasises the fact that both diseases require ongoing research to find better treatments and, in particular for PCD, to fill the medical and scientific gaps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rute Pereira
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Department of Microscopy, ICBAS-School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; UMIB-Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine, ICBAS-UP/ ITR-Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health, UP, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Telma Barbosa
- UMIB-Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine, ICBAS-UP/ ITR-Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health, UP, Porto, Portugal; Department of Pediatrics, Maternal Child Centre of the North (CMIN), University Hospital Centre of Porto (CHUP), Largo da Maternidade, 4050-371, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Ana Lúcia Cardoso
- UMIB-Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine, ICBAS-UP/ ITR-Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health, UP, Porto, Portugal; Department of Pediatrics, Maternal Child Centre of the North (CMIN), University Hospital Centre of Porto (CHUP), Largo da Maternidade, 4050-371, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Rosália Sá
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Department of Microscopy, ICBAS-School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; UMIB-Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine, ICBAS-UP/ ITR-Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health, UP, Porto, Portugal.
| | - Mário Sousa
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Department of Microscopy, ICBAS-School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; UMIB-Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine, ICBAS-UP/ ITR-Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health, UP, Porto, Portugal.
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16
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Yang Z, Sarkar AK, Amdursky N. Glycoproteins as a Platform for Making Proton-Conductive Free-Standing Biopolymers. Biomacromolecules 2023; 24:1111-1120. [PMID: 36787188 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c01007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
Biopolymers are an attractive environmentally friendly alternative to common synthetic polymers, whereas primarily proteins and polysaccharides are the biomacromolecules that are used for making the biopolymer. Due to the breadth of side chains of such biomacromolecules capable of participating in hydrogen bonding, proteins and polysaccharide biopolymers were also used for the making of proton-conductive biopolymers. Here, we introduce a new platform for combining the merits of both proteins and polysaccharides while using a glycosylated protein for making the biopolymer. We use mucin as our starting point, whereas being a waste of the food industry, it is a highly available and low-cost glycoprotein. We show how we can use different chemical strategies to target either the glycan part or specific amino acids for both crosslinking between the different glycoproteins, thus making a free-standing biopolymer, as well as for introducing superior proton conductivity properties to the formed biopolymer. The resultant proton-conductive soft biopolymer is an appealing candidate for any soft bioelectronic application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyu Yang
- Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, Technion─Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Amit Kumar Sarkar
- Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, Technion─Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Nadav Amdursky
- Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, Technion─Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
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17
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Edwards DA, Chung KF. Mouth breathing, dry air, and low water permeation promote inflammation, and activate neural pathways, by osmotic stresses acting on airway lining mucus. QRB DISCOVERY 2023; 4:e3. [PMID: 37529032 PMCID: PMC10392678 DOI: 10.1017/qrd.2023.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Respiratory disease and breathing abnormalities worsen with dehydration of the upper airways. We find that humidification of inhaled air occurs by evaporation of water over mucus lining the upper airways in such a way as to deliver an osmotic force on mucus, displacing it towards the epithelium. This displacement thins the periciliary layer of water beneath mucus while thickening topical water that is partially condensed from humid air on exhalation. With the rapid mouth breathing of dry air, this condensation layer, not previously reported while common to transpiring hydrogels in nature, can deliver an osmotic compressive force of up to around 100 cm H2O on underlying cilia, promoting adenosine triphosphate secretion and activating neural pathways. We derive expressions for the evolution of the thickness of the condensation layer, and its impact on cough frequency, inflammatory marker secretion, cilia beat frequency and respiratory droplet generation. We compare our predictions with human clinical data from multiple published sources and highlight the damaging impact of mouth breathing, dry, dirty air and high minute volume on upper airway function. We predict the hypertonic (or hypotonic) saline mass required to reduce (or amplify) dysfunction by restoration (or deterioration) of the structure of ciliated and condensation water layers in the upper airways and compare these predictions with published human clinical data. Preserving water balance in the upper airways appears critical in light of contemporary respiratory health challenges posed by the breathing of dirty and dry air.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A. Edwards
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kian Fan Chung
- Experimental Studies Unit, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
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18
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Guo Y, Ma Y, Chen X, Li M, Ma X, Cheng G, Xue C, Zuo YY, Sun B. Mucus Penetration of Surface-Engineered Nanoparticles in Various pH Microenvironments. ACS NANO 2023; 17:2813-2828. [PMID: 36719858 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c11147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The penetration behavior of nanoparticles in mucous depends on physicochemical properties of the nanoparticles and the mucus microenvironment, due to particle-mucin interactions and the presence of the mucin mesh space filtration effect. To date, it is still unclear how the surface properties of nanoparticles influence their mucus penetration behaviors in various physiological and pathophysiological conditions. In this study, we have prepared a comprehensive library of amine-, carboxyl-, and PEG-modified silica nanoparticles (SNPs) with controlled surface ligand densities. Using multiple particle tracking, we have studied the mechanism responsible for the mucus penetration behaviors of these SNPs. It was found that PEG- and amine-modified SNPs exhibited pH-independent immobilization under iso-density conditions, while carboxyl-modified SNPs exhibited enhanced movement only in weakly alkaline mucus. Biophysical characterizations demonstrated that amine- and carboxyl-modified SNPs were trapped in mucus due to electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding with mucin. In contrast, high-density PEGylated surface formed a brush conformation that shields particle-mucin interactions. We have further investigated the surface property-dependent mucus penetration behavior using a murine airway distribution model. This study provides insights for designing efficient transmucosal nanocarriers for prevention and treatment of pulmonary diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiyang Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, 116024, Dalian, China
- School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, 116024, Dalian, China
| | - Yubin Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, 116024, Dalian, China
- School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, 116024, Dalian, China
| | - Xin Chen
- School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, 116024, Dalian, China
| | - Min Li
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, 116024, Dalian, China
- School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, 116024, Dalian, China
| | - Xuehu Ma
- School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, 116024, Dalian, China
| | - Gang Cheng
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois60607, United States
| | - Changying Xue
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, 116024, Dalian, China
| | - Yi Y Zuo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii96822, United States
| | - Bingbing Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, 116024, Dalian, China
- School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, 2 Linggong Road, 116024, Dalian, China
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19
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Wang H, Qin L, Zhang X, Guan J, Mao S. Mechanisms and challenges of nanocarriers as non-viral vectors of therapeutic genes for enhanced pulmonary delivery. J Control Release 2022; 352:970-993. [PMID: 36372386 PMCID: PMC9671523 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.10.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
With the rapid development of biopharmaceuticals and the outbreak of COVID-19, the world has ushered in a frenzy to develop gene therapy. Therefore, therapeutic genes have received enormous attention. However, due to the extreme instability and low intracellular gene expression of naked genes, specific vectors are required. Viral vectors are widely used attributed to their high transfection efficiency. However, due to the safety concerns of viral vectors, nanotechnology-based non-viral vectors have attracted extensive investigation. Still, issues of low transfection efficiency and poor tissue targeting of non-viral vectors need to be addressed. Especially, pulmonary gene delivery has obvious advantages for the treatment of inherited lung diseases, lung cancer, and viral pneumonia, which can not only enhance lung targeting and but also reduce enzymatic degradation. For systemic diseases therapy, pulmonary gene delivery can enhance vaccine efficacy via inducing not only cellular, humoral immunity but also mucosal immunity. This review provides a comprehensive overview of nanocarriers as non-viral vectors of therapeutic genes for enhanced pulmonary delivery. First of all, the characteristics and therapeutic mechanism of DNA, mRNA, and siRNA are provided. Thereafter, the advantages and challenges of pulmonary gene delivery in exerting local and systemic effects are discussed. Then, the inhalation dosage forms for nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems are introduced. Moreover, a series of materials used as nanocarriers for pulmonary gene delivery are presented, and the endosomal escape mechanisms of nanocarriers based on different materials are explored. The application of various non-viral vectors for pulmonary gene delivery are summarized in detail, with the perspectives of nano-vectors for pulmonary gene delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Xin Zhang
- Corresponding authors at: School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, 110016 Shenyang, China
| | | | - Shirui Mao
- Corresponding authors at: School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, 110016 Shenyang, China
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20
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Song D, Iverson E, Kaler L, Boboltz A, Scull MA, Duncan GA. MUC5B mobilizes and MUC5AC spatially aligns mucociliary transport on human airway epithelium. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabq5049. [PMID: 36427316 PMCID: PMC9699686 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abq5049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Secreted mucus is a frontline defense against respiratory infection, enabling the capture and swift removal of infectious or irritating agents from the lungs. Airway mucus is composed of two mucins: mucin 5B (MUC5B) and 5AC (MUC5AC). Together, they form a hydrogel that can be actively transported by cilia along the airway surface. In chronic respiratory diseases, abnormal expression of these mucins is directly implicated in dysfunctional mucus clearance. Yet, the role of each mucin in supporting normal mucus transport remains unclear. Here, we generate human airway epithelial tissue cultures deficient in either MUC5B or MUC5AC to understand their individual contributions to mucus transport. We find that MUC5B and MUC5AC deficiency results in impaired and discoordinated mucociliary transport, respectively, demonstrating the importance of each mucin to airway clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Song
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Ethan Iverson
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Logan Kaler
- Biophysics Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Allison Boboltz
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Margaret A. Scull
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Gregg A. Duncan
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- Biophysics Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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21
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Bej R, Haag R. Mucus-Inspired Dynamic Hydrogels: Synthesis and Future Perspectives. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:20137-20152. [PMID: 36074739 PMCID: PMC9650700 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c13547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Mucus hydrogels at biointerfaces are crucial for protecting against foreign pathogens and for the biological functions of the underlying cells. Since mucus can bind to and host both viruses and bacteria, establishing a synthetic model system that can emulate the properties and functions of native mucus and can be synthesized at large scale would revolutionize the mucus-related research that is essential for understanding the pathways of many infectious diseases. The synthesis of such biofunctional hydrogels in the laboratory is highly challenging, owing to their complex chemical compositions and the specific chemical interactions that occur throughout the gel network. In this perspective, we discuss the basic chemical structures and diverse physicochemical interactions responsible for the unique properties and functions of mucus hydrogels. We scrutinize the different approaches for preparing mucus-inspired hydrogels, with specific examples. We also discuss recent research and what it reveals about the challenges that must be addressed and the opportunities to be considered to achieve desirable de novo synthetic mucus hydrogels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raju Bej
- Institute for Chemistry and
Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Rainer Haag
- Institute for Chemistry and
Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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22
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Chen H, Feng S, Zhou W, Li Z, Richard-Greenblatt M, Wang P. Pretreatment Methods for Human Nasopharyngeal Swabs to Increase the Signal to Noise Ratio of High Sensitivity Immunoassays. ACS MEASUREMENT SCIENCE AU 2022; 2:414-421. [PMID: 36785662 PMCID: PMC9885992 DOI: 10.1021/acsmeasuresciau.2c00024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Mucous samples collected through nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs are considered gold standard specimens for the detection of respiratory pathogens. Matrices of these highly viscous samples often cause significant background noises in immunoassays, especially immunoassays with high sensitivity. We demonstrated such nonspecific background signals in both a chemiluminescence enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a novel highly sensitive immunoassay called Microbubbling SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Assay (MSAA). We developed and demonstrated the effectiveness of two quick sample pretreatment methods, filtration and preadsorption, to decrease nonspecific signals and increase the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Using these pretreatment methods, the SNR (at 3.6 × 104 copies/mL of inactivated SARS-CoV-2) was increased by 42.4-fold (95% CI 41.0-43.8) and 67.1-fold (95% CI 57.9-76.3) in the MSAA, and 1.3-fold (95% CI 0.9-1.7) and 1.8-fold (95% CI 1.6-2.0) in the chemiluminescence ELISA assay. Sample pretreatment methods developed in this study are broadly adaptable for the development of immunoassays for highly viscous samples.
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23
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Kaur J, Gulati M, Corrie L, Awasthi A, Jha NK, Chellappan DK, Gupta G, MacLoughlin R, Oliver BG, Dua K, Singh SK. Role of nucleic acid-based polymeric micelles in treating lung diseases. Nanomedicine (Lond) 2022; 17:1951-1960. [PMID: 36606499 DOI: 10.2217/nnm-2022-0260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of lung diseases is increasing year by year and existing drug therapies only provide symptomatic relief rather than targeting the actual cause. Nucleic acids can be used as an alternative therapeutic approach owing to their potential to reform a homeostatic balance by upregulating protective genes or downregulating damaging genes. However, their inherent properties, such as poor stability, ineffective cellular uptake, negative charge and so on, hinder their clinical utility. Such limitations can be overcome by exploiting the functional chemistry of polymeric micelles (PMs) for site-specific delivery, transfection efficiency and improved stability. With this objective, the present work describes the advancements made in designing nucleic acid-based PMs for treating lung diseases followed by approaches requiring consideration for clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaskiran Kaur
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, 144411, India
| | - Monica Gulati
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, 144411, India.,Australian Research Centre in Complementary & Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Leander Corrie
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, 144411, India
| | - Ankit Awasthi
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, 144411, India
| | - Niraj Kumar Jha
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering & Technology (SET), Sharda University, Plot No.32-34, Knowledge Park III, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201310, India
| | - Dinesh Kumar Chellappan
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Pharmacy, International Medical University, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, 57000, Malaysia
| | - Gaurav Gupta
- School of Pharmacy, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Mahal Road, Jagatpura, Jaipur, India.,Department of Pharmacology, Saveetha Dental College & Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical & Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, India.,Uttaranchal Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, India
| | - Ronan MacLoughlin
- Research and Development, Science & Emerging Technologies, Aerogen Limited, Galway Business Park, Galway, H91 HE94, Ireland.,School of Pharmacy & Biomolecular Sciences, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Leinster, D02 YN77, Ireland.,School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity College, Dublin, Leinster, D02 PN40, Ireland
| | - Brian G Oliver
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia.,Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kamal Dua
- Australian Research Centre in Complementary & Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia.,Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Sachin Kumar Singh
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, 144411, India
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24
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High-Density Branched PEGylation for Nanoparticle Drug Delivery. Cell Mol Bioeng 2022; 15:355-366. [DOI: 10.1007/s12195-022-00727-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
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25
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Kaler L, Joyner K, Duncan GA. Machine learning-informed predictions of nanoparticle mobility and fate in the mucus barrier. APL Bioeng 2022; 6:026103. [PMID: 35757278 PMCID: PMC9217165 DOI: 10.1063/5.0091025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Nanomaterial diffusion through mucus is important to basic and applied areas of research such as drug delivery. However, it is often challenging to interpret nanoparticle dynamics within the mucus gel due to its heterogeneous microstructure and biochemistry. In this study, we measured the diffusion of polyethylene glycolylated nanoparticles (NPs) in human airway mucus ex vivo using multiple particle tracking and utilized machine learning to classify diffusive vs sub-diffusive NP movement. Using mathematic models that account for the mode of NP diffusion, we calculate the percentage of NPs that would cross the mucus barrier over time in airway mucus with varied total solids concentration. From this analysis, we predict rapidly diffusing NPs will cross the mucus barrier in a physiological timespan. Although less efficient, sub-diffusive "hopping" motion, a characteristic of a continuous time random walk, may also enable NPs to cross the mucus barrier. However, NPs exhibiting fractional Brownian sub-diffusion would be rapidly removed from the airways via mucociliary clearance. In samples with increased solids concentration (>5% w/v), we predict up to threefold reductions in the number of nanoparticles capable of crossing the mucus barrier. We also apply this approach to explore diffusion and to predict the fate of influenza A virus within human mucus. We predict only a small fraction of influenza virions will cross the mucus barrier presumably due to physical obstruction and adhesive interactions with mucin-associated glycans. These results provide new tools to evaluate the extent of synthetic and viral nanoparticle penetration through mucus in the lung and other tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan Kaler
- Biophysics Program, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
| | - Katherine Joyner
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
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26
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Models using native tracheobronchial mucus in the context of pulmonary drug delivery research: Composition, structure and barrier properties. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2022; 183:114141. [PMID: 35149123 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2022.114141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Mucus covers all wet epithelia and acts as a protective barrier. In the airways of the lungs, the viscoelastic mucus meshwork entraps and clears inhaled materials and efficiently removes them by mucociliary escalation. In addition to physical and chemical interaction mechanisms, the role of macromolecular glycoproteins (mucins) and antimicrobial constituents in innate immune defense are receiving increasing attention. Collectively, mucus displays a major barrier for inhaled aerosols, also including therapeutics. This review discusses the origin and composition of tracheobronchial mucus in relation to its (barrier) function, as well as some pathophysiological changes in the context of pulmonary diseases. Mucus models that contemplate key features such as elastic-dominant rheology, composition, filtering mechanisms and microbial interactions are critically reviewed in the context of health and disease considering different collection methods of native human pulmonary mucus. Finally, the prerequisites towards a standardization of mucus models in a regulatory context and their role in drug delivery research are addressed.
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27
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George CE, Scheuch G, Seifart U, Inbaraj LR, Chandrasingh S, Nair IK, Hickey AJ, Barer MR, Fletcher E, Field RD, Salzman J, Moelis N, Ausiello D, Edwards DA. COVID-19 symptoms are reduced by targeted hydration of the nose, larynx and trachea. Sci Rep 2022; 12:4599. [PMID: 35351914 PMCID: PMC8964810 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08609-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Dehydration of the upper airways increases risks of respiratory diseases from COVID-19 to asthma and COPD. We find in human volunteer studies involving 464 human subjects in Germany, the US, and India that respiratory droplet generation increases by up to 4 orders of magnitude in dehydration-associated states of advanced age (n = 357), elevated BMI-age (n = 148), strenuous exercise (n = 20) and SARS-CoV-2 infection (n = 87), and falls with hydration of the nose, larynx and trachea by calcium-rich hypertonic salts. We also find in a protocol of exercise-induced airway dehydration that hydration of the airways by calcium-rich salts increases oxygenation relative to a non-treatment control (P < 0.05). In a random control study of COVID-19 positive subjects (n = 40), thrice-a-day delivery of the calcium-rich hypertonic salts (active) suppressed respiratory droplet generation by 51% ± 11% and increased oxygen saturation over three days of treatment by 48.08% ± 9.61% (P < 0.001), while no changes were observed in the nasal-saline control group. Self-reported symptoms significantly declined in the active group and did not decline in the control group. Hydration of the upper airways appears promising as a non-drug approach for reducing risks of respiratory diseases such as COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Indu K Nair
- Bangalore Baptist Hospital, Bangalore, India
| | | | - Michael R Barer
- Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Eve Fletcher
- Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Rachel D Field
- School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Nathan Moelis
- School of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - David A Edwards
- Sensory Cloud, 650 East Kendall St, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- John A Paulson School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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28
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Chen H, Li Z, Feng S, Richard-Greenblatt M, Hutson E, Andrianus S, Glaser LJ, Rodino KG, Qian J, Jayaraman D, Collman RG, Glascock A, Bushman FD, Lee JS, Cherry S, Fausto A, Weiss SR, Koo H, Corby PM, Oceguera A, O’Doherty U, Garfall AL, Vogl DT, Stadtmauer EA, Wang P. Femtomolar SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Detection Using the Microbubbling Digital Assay with Smartphone Readout Enables Antigen Burden Quantitation and Tracking. Clin Chem 2021; 68:230-239. [PMID: 34383886 PMCID: PMC8436368 DOI: 10.1093/clinchem/hvab158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND High-sensitivity severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antigen assays are desirable to mitigate false negative results. Limited data are available to quantify and track SARS-CoV-2 antigen burden in respiratory samples from different populations. METHODS We developed the Microbubbling SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Assay (MSAA) with smartphone readout, with a limit of detection of 0.5 pg/mL (10.6 fmol/L) nucleocapsid antigen or 4000 copies/mL inactivated SARS-CoV-2 virus in nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs. We developed a computer vision and machine learning-based automatic microbubble image classifier to accurately identify positives and negatives and quantified and tracked antigen dynamics in intensive care unit coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) inpatients and immunocompromised COVID-19 patients. RESULTS Compared to qualitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction methods, the MSAA demonstrated a positive percentage agreement of 97% (95% CI 92%-99%) and a negative percentage agreement of 97% (95% CI 94%-100%) in a clinical validation study with 372 residual clinical NP swabs. In immunocompetent individuals, the antigen positivity rate in swabs decreased as days-after-symptom-onset increased, despite persistent nucleic acid positivity. Antigen was detected for longer and variable periods of time in immunocompromised patients with hematologic malignancies. Total microbubble volume, a quantitative marker of antigen burden, correlated inversely with cycle threshold values and days-after-symptom-onset. Viral sequence variations were detected in patients with long duration of high antigen burden. CONCLUSIONS The MSAA enables sensitive and specific detection of acute infections and quantification and tracking of antigen burden and may serve as a screening method in longitudinal studies to identify patients who are likely experiencing active rounds of ongoing replication and warrant close viral sequence monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Chen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Zhao Li
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sheng Feng
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Emily Hutson
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Stefen Andrianus
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Laurel J Glaser
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kyle G Rodino
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jianing Qian
- Department of Computer and Information Science and GRASP Lab, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Dinesh Jayaraman
- Department of Computer and Information Science and GRASP Lab, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ronald G Collman
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Abigail Glascock
- Department of Microbiology and Penn Center for Research on Coronavirus and Other Emerging Pathogens, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Frederic D Bushman
- Department of Microbiology and Penn Center for Research on Coronavirus and Other Emerging Pathogens, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jae Seung Lee
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sara Cherry
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Alejandra Fausto
- Department of Microbiology and Penn Center for Research on Coronavirus and Other Emerging Pathogens, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Susan R Weiss
- Department of Microbiology and Penn Center for Research on Coronavirus and Other Emerging Pathogens, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hyun Koo
- Department of Orthodontics, Divisions of Pediatric Dentistry and Community of Oral Health, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry, School of Dental Medicine and School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Patricia M Corby
- Department of Orthodontics, Divisions of Pediatric Dentistry and Community of Oral Health, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry, School of Dental Medicine and School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Oral Medicine, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA, Center for Clinical and Translational Research, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Alfonso Oceguera
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Una O’Doherty
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Alfred L Garfall
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Dan T Vogl
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Ping Wang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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29
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Marczynski M, Kimna C, Lieleg O. Purified mucins in drug delivery research. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2021; 178:113845. [PMID: 34166760 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.113845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
One of the main challenges in the field of drug delivery remains the development of strategies to efficiently transport pharmaceuticals across mucus barriers, which regulate the passage and retention of molecules and particles in all luminal spaces of the body. A thorough understanding of the molecular mechanisms, which govern such selective permeability, is key for achieving efficient translocation of drugs and drug carriers. For this purpose, model systems based on purified mucins can contribute valuable information. In this review, we summarize advances that were made in the field of drug delivery research with such mucin-based model systems: First, we give an overview of mucin purification procedures and discuss the suitability of model systems reconstituted from purified mucins to mimic native mucus. Then, we summarize techniques to study mucin binding. Finally, we highlight approaches that made use of mucins as building blocks for drug delivery platforms or employ mucins as active compounds.
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30
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Marczynski M, Lieleg O. Forgotten but not gone: Particulate matter as contaminations of mucosal systems. BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS 2021; 2:031302. [PMID: 38505633 PMCID: PMC10903497 DOI: 10.1063/5.0054075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
A decade ago, environmental issues, such as air pollution and the contamination of the oceans with microplastic, were prominently communicated in the media. However, these days, political topics, as well as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, have clearly taken over. In spite of this shift in focus regarding media representation, researchers have made progress in evaluating the possible health risks associated with particulate contaminations present in water and air. In this review article, we summarize recent efforts that establish a clear link between the increasing occurrence of certain pathological conditions and the exposure of humans (or animals) to airborne or waterborne particulate matter. First, we give an overview of the physiological functions mucus has to fulfill in humans and animals, and we discuss different sources of particulate matter. We then highlight parameters that govern particle toxicity and summarize our current knowledge of how an exposure to particulate matter can be related to dysfunctions of mucosal systems. Last, we outline how biophysical tools and methods can help researchers to obtain a better understanding of how particulate matter may affect human health. As we discuss here, recent research has made it quite clear that the structure and functions of those mucosal systems are sensitive toward particulate contaminations. Yet, our mechanistic understanding of how (and which) nano- and microparticles can compromise human health via interacting with mucosal barriers is far from complete.
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31
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Sharma A, Thongrom B, Bhatia S, von Lospichl B, Addante A, Graeber SY, Lauster D, Mall MA, Gradzielski M, Haag R. Polyglycerol-Based Mucus-Inspired Hydrogels. Macromol Rapid Commun 2021; 42:e2100303. [PMID: 34418212 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202100303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The mucus layer is a hydrogel network that covers mucosal surfaces of the human body. Mucus has important protective properties that are related to its unique rheological properties, which are based on mucins being the main glycoprotein constituents. Mucin macromolecules entangle with one another and form a physical network that is instrumental for many important defense functions. Mucus derived from various human or animal sources is poorly defined and thus not suitable for many application purposes. Herein, a synthetic route is fabricated to afford a library of compositionally defined mucus-inspired hydrogels (MIHs). MIHs are synthesized by thiol oxidation to render disulfide bonds between the crosslinker ethoxylated trimethylolpropane tri(3-mercaptopropionate) (THIOCURE ETTMP 1300) and the linear precursors, dithiolated linear polyglycerol (LPG(SH)2 ) or polyethylene glycol (PEG(SH)2 ) of different molecular weights. The mixing ratio of linear polymers versus crosslinker and the length of the linear polymer are varied, thus delivering a library of compositionally defined mucin-inspired constructs. Their viscoelastic properties are determined by frequency sweeps at 25 and 37 °C and compared to the corresponding behavior of native human mucus. Here, MIHs composed of a 10:1 ratio of LPG(SH)2 and ETTMP 1300 are proved to be the best comparable to human airway mucus rheology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antara Sharma
- Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, Berlin, 14195, Germany
| | - Boonya Thongrom
- Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, Berlin, 14195, Germany
| | - Sumati Bhatia
- Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, Berlin, 14195, Germany
| | - Benjamin von Lospichl
- Institut für Chemie, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 124, Berlin, 10623, Germany
| | - Annalisa Addante
- Department of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine, Immunology and Critical Care Medicine, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, 13353, Germany.,Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, 10178, Germany.,associated partner site, Deutsches Zentrum für Lungenforschung e. V., Aulweg 130, Gießen, 35392, Germany
| | - Simon Y Graeber
- Department of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine, Immunology and Critical Care Medicine, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, 13353, Germany.,Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, 10178, Germany.,associated partner site, Deutsches Zentrum für Lungenforschung e. V., Aulweg 130, Gießen, 35392, Germany
| | - Daniel Lauster
- Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, Fachbereich Biologie, Chemie, Pharmazie, Freie Universität Berlin, Arnimallee 22, Berlin, 14195, Germany
| | - Marcus A Mall
- Department of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine, Immunology and Critical Care Medicine, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, 13353, Germany.,Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, 10178, Germany.,associated partner site, Deutsches Zentrum für Lungenforschung e. V., Aulweg 130, Gießen, 35392, Germany
| | - Michael Gradzielski
- Institut für Chemie, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 124, Berlin, 10623, Germany
| | - Rainer Haag
- Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustraße 3, Berlin, 14195, Germany
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32
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Song D, Iverson E, Kaler L, Bader S, Scull MA, Duncan GA. Modeling Airway Dysfunction in Asthma Using Synthetic Mucus Biomaterials. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2021; 7:2723-2733. [PMID: 33871978 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.0c01728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
As asthma worsens, occlusion of airways with mucus significantly contributes to airflow obstruction and reduced lung function. Recent evidence from clinical studies has shown mucus obtained from adults and children with asthma possesses altered mucin composition. However, how these changes alter the functional properties of the mucus gel is not yet fully understood. To study this, we have engineered a synthetic mucus biomaterial to closely mimic the properties of native mucus in health and disease. We demonstrate that this model possesses comparable biophysical and transport properties to native mucus ex vivo collected from human subjects and in vitro isolated from human airway epithelial (HAE) tissue cultures. We found by systematically varying mucin composition that mucus gel viscoelasticity is enhanced when predominantly composed of mucin 5AC (MUC5AC), as is observed in asthma. As a result, asthma-like synthetic mucus gels are more slowly transported on the surface of HAE tissue cultures and at a similar rate to native mucus produced by HAE cultures stimulated with type 2 cytokine IL-13, known to contribute to airway inflammation and MUC5AC hypersecretion in asthma. We also discovered that the barrier function of asthma-like synthetic mucus toward influenza A virus was impaired as evidenced by the increased frequency of infection in MUC5AC-rich hydrogel-coated HAE cultures. Together, this work establishes a biomaterial-based approach to understand airway dysfunction in asthma and related muco-obstructive lung diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Song
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Ethan Iverson
- Department of Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Logan Kaler
- Biophysics Program, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Shahed Bader
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Margaret A Scull
- Department of Cell Biology & Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Gregg A Duncan
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States.,Biophysics Program, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
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33
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Schepler H, Wang X, Neufurth M, Wang S, Schröder HC, Müller WEG. The therapeutic potential of inorganic polyphosphate: A versatile physiological polymer to control coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Theranostics 2021; 11:6193-6213. [PMID: 33995653 PMCID: PMC8120197 DOI: 10.7150/thno.59535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Rationale: The pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is advancing rapidly. In particular, the number of severe courses of the disease is still dramatically high. An efficient drug therapy that helps to improve significantly the fatal combination of damages in the airway epithelia, in the extensive pulmonary microvascularization and finally multiorgan failure, is missing. The physiological, inorganic polymer, polyphosphate (polyP) is a molecule which could prevent the initial phase of the virus life cycle, the attachment of the virus to the target cells, and improve the epithelial integrity as well as the mucus barrier. Results: Surprisingly, polyP matches perfectly with the cationic groove on the RBD. Subsequent binding studies disclosed that polyP, with a physiological chain length of 40 phosphate residues, abolishes the binding propensity of the RBD to the ACE2 receptor. In addition to this first mode of action of polyP, this polymer causes in epithelial cells an increased gene expression of the major mucins in the airways, of MUC5AC and MUC1, as well as a subsequent glycoprotein production. MUC5AC forms a gel-like mucus layer trapping inhaled particles which are then transported out of the airways, while MUC1 constitutes the periciliary liquid layer and supports ciliary beating. As a third mode of action, polyP undergoes enzymatic hydrolysis of the anhydride bonds in the airway system by alkaline phosphatase, releasing metabolic energy. Conclusions: This review summarizes the state of the art of the biotherapeutic potential of the polymer polyP and the findings from basic research and outlines future biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadrian Schepler
- Department of Dermatology, University Clinic Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Xiaohong Wang
- ERC Advanced Investigator Grant Research Group at the Institute for Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Meik Neufurth
- ERC Advanced Investigator Grant Research Group at the Institute for Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Shunfeng Wang
- ERC Advanced Investigator Grant Research Group at the Institute for Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Heinz C. Schröder
- ERC Advanced Investigator Grant Research Group at the Institute for Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Werner E. G. Müller
- ERC Advanced Investigator Grant Research Group at the Institute for Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, 55128 Mainz, Germany
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34
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Sepahzad A, Morris-Rosendahl DJ, Davies JC. Cystic Fibrosis Lung Disease Modifiers and Their Relevance in the New Era of Precision Medicine. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12040562. [PMID: 33924524 PMCID: PMC8069009 DOI: 10.3390/genes12040562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Our understanding of cystic fibrosis (CF) has grown exponentially since the discovery of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene in 1989. With evolving genetic and genomic tools, we have come to better understand the role of CFTR genotypes in the pathophysiology of the disease. This, in turn, has paved the way for the development of modulator therapies targeted at mutations in the CFTR, which are arguably one of the greatest advances in the treatment of CF. These modulator therapies, however, do not target all the mutations in CFTR that are seen in patients with CF and, furthermore, a variation in response is seen in patients with the same genotype who are taking modulator therapies. There is growing evidence to support the role of non-CFTR modifiers, both genetic and environmental, in determining the variation seen in CF morbidity and mortality and also in the response to existing therapies. This review focusses on key findings from studies using candidate gene and genome-wide approaches to identify CF modifier genes of lung disease in cystic fibrosis and considers the interaction between modifiers and the response to modulator therapies. As the use of modulator therapies expands and we gain data around outcomes, it will be of great interest to investigate this interaction further. Going forward, it will also be crucial to better understand the relative influence of genomic versus environmental factors. With this understanding, we can truly begin to deliver personalised care by better profiling the likely disease phenotype for each patient and their response to treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afsoon Sepahzad
- Department of Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, London SW3 6NP, UK;
| | | | - Jane C. Davies
- Department of Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, London SW3 6NP, UK;
- National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, Emmanuel Kay Building, 1b Manresa Rd, London SW3 6LR, UK
- Correspondence:
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Chen H, Li Z, Feng S, Wang A, Richard-Greenblatt M, Hutson E, Andrianus S, Glaser LJ, Rodino KG, Qian J, Jayaraman D, Collman RG, Glascock A, Bushman FD, Lee JS, Cherry S, Fausto A, Weiss SR, Koo H, Corby PM, O’Doherty U, Garfall AL, Vogl DT, Stadtmauer EA, Wang P. Femtomolar SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Detection Using the Microbubbling Digital Assay with Smartphone Readout Enables Antigen Burden Quantitation and Dynamics Tracking. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2021:2021.03.17.21253847. [PMID: 33791710 PMCID: PMC8010739 DOI: 10.1101/2021.03.17.21253847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Background Little is known about the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 antigen burden in respiratory samples in different patient populations at different stages of infection. Current rapid antigen tests cannot quantitate and track antigen dynamics with high sensitivity and specificity in respiratory samples. Methods We developed and validated an ultra-sensitive SARS-CoV-2 antigen assay with smartphone readout using the Microbubbling Digital Assay previously developed by our group, which is a platform that enables highly sensitive detection and quantitation of protein biomarkers. A computer vision-based algorithm was developed for microbubble smartphone image recognition and quantitation. A machine learning-based classifier was developed to classify the smartphone images based on detected microbubbles. Using this assay, we tracked antigen dynamics in serial swab samples from COVID patients hospitalized in ICU and immunocompromised COVID patients. Results The limit of detection (LOD) of the Microbubbling SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Assay was 0.5 pg/mL (10.6 fM) recombinant nucleocapsid (N) antigen or 4000 copies/mL inactivated SARS-CoV-2 virus in nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs, comparable to many rRT-PCR methods. The assay had high analytical specificity towards SARS-CoV-2. Compared to EUA-approved rRT-PCR methods, the Microbubbling Antigen Assay demonstrated a positive percent agreement (PPA) of 97% (95% confidence interval (CI), 92-99%) in symptomatic individuals within 7 days of symptom onset and positive SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid results, and a negative percent agreement (NPA) of 97% (95% CI, 94-100%) in symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals with negative nucleic acid results. Antigen positivity rate in NP swabs gradually decreased as days-after-symptom-onset increased, despite persistent nucleic acid positivity of the same samples. The computer vision and machine learning-based automatic microbubble image classifier could accurately identify positives and negatives, based on microbubble counts and sizes. Total microbubble volume, a potential marker of antigen burden, correlated inversely with Ct values and days-after-symptom-onset. Antigen was detected for longer periods of time in immunocompromised patients with hematologic malignancies, compared to immunocompetent individuals. Simultaneous detectable antigens and nucleic acids may indicate the presence of replicating viruses in patients with persistent infections. Conclusions The Microbubbling SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Assay enables sensitive and specific detection of acute infections, and quantitation and tracking of antigen dynamics in different patient populations at various stages of infection. With smartphone compatibility and automated image processing, the assay is well-positioned to be adapted for point-of-care diagnosis and to explore the clinical implications of antigen dynamics in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Chen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Zhao Li
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Sheng Feng
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Anni Wang
- Bioengineering Graduate Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | | | - Emily Hutson
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Stefen Andrianus
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Laurel J. Glaser
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Kyle G. Rodino
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Jianing Qian
- Department of Computer and Information Science and GRASP Lab, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Dinesh Jayaraman
- Department of Computer and Information Science and GRASP Lab, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Ronald G. Collman
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Abigail Glascock
- Department of Microbiology and Penn Center for Research on Coronavirus and Other Emerging Pathogens, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Frederic D. Bushman
- Department of Microbiology and Penn Center for Research on Coronavirus and Other Emerging Pathogens, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Jae Seung Lee
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Sara Cherry
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Alejandra Fausto
- Department of Microbiology and Penn Center for Research on Coronavirus and Other Emerging Pathogens, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Susan R. Weiss
- Department of Microbiology and Penn Center for Research on Coronavirus and Other Emerging Pathogens, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Hyun Koo
- Department of Orthodontics, Divisions of Pediatric Dentistry and Community of Oral Health, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry, School of Dental Medicine and School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Patricia M. Corby
- Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry, School of Dental Medicine and School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Oral Medicine, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Center for Clinical and Translational Research, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Una O’Doherty
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Alfred L. Garfall
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Dan T. Vogl
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | | | - Ping Wang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Bioengineering Graduate Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
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Meziu E, Koch M, Fleddermann J, Schwarzkopf K, Schneider M, Kraegeloh A. Visualization of the structure of native human pulmonary mucus. Int J Pharm 2021; 597:120238. [PMID: 33540010 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2021.120238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Human respiratory mucus lining the airway epithelium forms a challenging barrier to inhalation therapeutics. Therefore, structural elucidation of hydrated mucus is essential for an efficient drug delivery development. The structure of mucus has been primarily investigated by conventional electron microscopy techniques, which operate under vacuum conditions and require sample preparation steps that might alter the structure of mucus. In this study we investigated the impact of dehydration on mucus and analyzed the structure of mucus in its hydrated state. Cryo-scanning electron microscopy (Cryo-SEM) analysis of mucus showed, that during the process of sublimation, non-porous structure of mucus is transformed into a porous network. Similarly, images acquired by environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), revealed a non-porous structure of hydrated mucus, while further observation at decreasing pressure demonstrated the strong influence of dehydration on mucus structure. We could successfully visualize the structural organization of the major gel forming mucin MUC5B in its hydrated state by employing stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy, which allowed resolving the nano-scale patterns of mucin macromolecules within the essentially pore-free mucus structure. The general structural organization of mucus components was addressed by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), which revealed the heterogeneous and composite structure of mucus. These results provide a novel view on the native structure of mucus and will affect drug delivery development.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Meziu
- INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany; Department of Pharmacy, Biopharmaceutics & Pharmaceutical Technology, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - M Koch
- INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - J Fleddermann
- INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - K Schwarzkopf
- Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Clinics Saarbrücken, Winterberg 1, 66119 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - M Schneider
- Department of Pharmacy, Biopharmaceutics & Pharmaceutical Technology, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.
| | - A Kraegeloh
- INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.
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