1
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Dalal RJ, Oviedo F, Leyden MC, Reineke TM. Polymer design via SHAP and Bayesian machine learning optimizes pDNA and CRISPR ribonucleoprotein delivery. Chem Sci 2024; 15:7219-7228. [PMID: 38756796 PMCID: PMC11095369 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc06920f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
We present the facile synthesis of a clickable polymer library with systematic variations in length, binary composition, pKa, and hydrophobicity (clog P) to optimize intracellular pDNA and CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoprotein (RNP) performance. We couple physicochemical characterization and machine learning to interpret quantitative structure-property relationships within the combinatorial design space. For the first time, we reveal unexpected disparate design parameters for nucleic acid carriers; via explainable machine learning on 432 formulations, we discover that lower polymer pKa and higher percentages of benzimidazole ethanethiol enhance pDNA delivery, yet polymer length and captamine cation identity improve RNP delivery. Closed-loop Bayesian optimization of 552 formulation ratios further enhances in vitro performance. The top three polymers yield a higher signal and stable transgene expression over 20 days in vivo, and a 1.7-fold enhancement over controls. Our facile coupling of synthesis, characterization, and machine analysis provides powerful tools to quantitate performance parameters accelerating next-generation vehicles for nucleic acid medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rishad J Dalal
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota Minneapolis Minnesota 55455 USA
| | | | - Michael C Leyden
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota Minneapolis Minnesota 55455 USA
| | - Theresa M Reineke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota Minneapolis Minnesota 55455 USA
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2
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Walther J, Porenta D, Wilbie D, Seinen C, Benne N, Yang Q, de Jong OG, Lei Z, Mastrobattista E. Comparative analysis of lipid Nanoparticle-Mediated delivery of CRISPR-Cas9 RNP versus mRNA/sgRNA for gene editing in vitro and in vivo. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2024; 196:114207. [PMID: 38325664 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2024.114207] [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: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
The discovery that the bacterial defense mechanism, CRISPR-Cas9, can be reprogrammed as a gene editing tool has revolutionized the field of gene editing. CRISPR-Cas9 can introduce a double-strand break at a specific targeted site within the genome. Subsequent intracellular repair mechanisms repair the double strand break that can either lead to gene knock-out (via the non-homologous end-joining pathway) or specific gene correction in the presence of a DNA template via homology-directed repair. With the latter, pathological mutations can be cut out and repaired. Advances are being made to utilize CRISPR-Cas9 in patients by incorporating its components into non-viral delivery vehicles that will protect them from premature degradation and deliver them to the targeted tissues. Herein, CRISPR-Cas9 can be delivered in the form of three different cargos: plasmid DNA, RNA or a ribonucleoprotein complex (RNP). We and others have recently shown that Cas9 RNP can be efficiently formulated in lipid-nanoparticles (LNP) leading to functional delivery in vitro. In this study, we compared LNP encapsulating the mRNA Cas9, sgRNA and HDR template against LNP containing Cas9-RNP and HDR template. Former showed smaller particle sizes, better protection against degrading enzymes and higher gene editing efficiencies on both reporter HEK293T cells and HEPA 1-6 cells in in vitro assays. Both formulations were additionally tested in female Ai9 mice on biodistribution and gene editing efficiency after systemic administration. LNP delivering mRNA Cas9 were retained mainly in the liver, with LNP delivering Cas9-RNPs additionally found in the spleen and lungs. Finally, gene editing in mice could only be concluded for LNP delivering mRNA Cas9 and sgRNA. These LNPs resulted in 60 % gene knock-out in hepatocytes. Delivery of mRNA Cas9 as cargo format was thereby concluded to surpass Cas9-RNP for application of CRISPR-Cas9 for gene editing in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Walther
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99 3584 CG, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Deja Porenta
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99 3584 CG, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Infectious Diseases and immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584 CL, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Danny Wilbie
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99 3584 CG, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Cornelis Seinen
- CDL Research, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Naomi Benne
- Department of Infectious Diseases and immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584 CL, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Qiangbing Yang
- Department of Cardiology, Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht, the Netherlands; CDL Research, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Olivier Gerrit de Jong
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99 3584 CG, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Zhiyong Lei
- Department of Cardiology, Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht, the Netherlands; CDL Research, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Enrico Mastrobattista
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99 3584 CG, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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3
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Pugsley CE, Isaac RE, Warren NJ, Stacey M, Ferguson CTJ, Cappelle K, Dominguez-Espinosa R, Cayre OJ. Effective delivery and selective insecticidal activity of double-stranded RNA via complexation with diblock copolymer varies with polymer block composition. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024; 80:669-677. [PMID: 37759365 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chemical insecticides are an important tool to control damaging pest infestations. However, lack of species specificity, the rise of resistance and the demand for biological alternatives with improved ecotoxicity profiles means that chemicals with new modes of action are required. RNA interference (RNAi)-based strategies using double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) as a species-specific bio-insecticide offer an exquisite solution that addresses these issues. Many species, such as the fruit pest Drosophila suzukii, do not exhibit RNAi when dsRNA is orally administered due to degradation by gut nucleases and slow cellular uptake pathways. Thus, delivery vehicles that protect and deliver dsRNA are highly desirable. RESULTS In this work, we demonstrate the complexation of D. suzukii-specific dsRNA for degradation of vha26 mRNA with bespoke diblock copolymers. We study the ex vivo protection of dsRNA against enzymatic degradation by gut enzymes, which demonstrates the efficiency of this system. Flow cytometry then investigates the cellular uptake of Cy3-labelled dsRNA, showing a 10-fold increase in the mean fluorescence intensity of cells treated with polyplexes. The polymer/dsRNA polyplexes induced a significant 87% decrease in the odds of survival of D. suzukii larvae following oral feeding only when formed with a diblock copolymer containing a long neutral block length (1:2 cationic block/neutral block). However, there was no toxicity when fed to the closely related Drosophila melanogaster. CONCLUSION We provide evidence that dsRNA complexation with diblock copolymers is a promising strategy for RNAi-based species-specific pest control, but optimisation of polymer composition is essential for RNAi success. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte E Pugsley
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - R Elwyn Isaac
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Nicholas J Warren
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Martin Stacey
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Calum T J Ferguson
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Kaat Cappelle
- Syngenta Ghent Innovation Center, Gent-Zwijnaarde, Belgium
| | | | - Olivier J Cayre
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
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4
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Madigan V, Zhang F, Dahlman JE. Drug delivery systems for CRISPR-based genome editors. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2023; 22:875-894. [PMID: 37723222 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-023-00762-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR-based drugs can theoretically manipulate any genetic target. In practice, however, these drugs must enter the desired cell without eliciting an unwanted immune response, so a delivery system is often required. Here, we review drug delivery systems for CRISPR-based genome editors, focusing on adeno-associated viruses and lipid nanoparticles. After describing how these systems are engineered and their subsequent characterization in preclinical animal models, we highlight data from recent clinical trials. Preclinical targeting mediated by polymers, proteins, including virus-like particles, and other vehicles that may deliver CRISPR systems in the future is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Madigan
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Feng Zhang
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - James E Dahlman
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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5
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Öktem M, Mastrobattista E, de Jong OG. Amphipathic Cell-Penetrating Peptide-Aided Delivery of Cas9 RNP for In Vitro Gene Editing and Correction. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2500. [PMID: 37896260 PMCID: PMC10609989 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15102500] [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: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The therapeutic potential of the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system in treating numerous genetic disorders is immense. To fully realize this potential, it is crucial to achieve safe and efficient delivery of CRISPR-Cas9 components into the nuclei of target cells. In this study, we investigated the applicability of the amphipathic cell-penetrating peptide LAH5, previously employed for DNA delivery, in the intracellular delivery of spCas9:sgRNA ribonucleoprotein (RNP) and the RNP/single-stranded homology-directed repair (HDR) template. Our findings reveal that the LAH5 peptide effectively formed nanocomplexes with both RNP and RNP/HDR cargo, and these nanocomplexes demonstrated successful cellular uptake and cargo delivery. The loading of all RNP/HDR components into LAH5 nanocomplexes was confirmed using an electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Functional screening of various ratios of peptide/RNP nanocomplexes was performed on fluorescent reporter cell lines to assess gene editing and HDR-mediated gene correction. Moreover, targeted gene editing of the CCR5 gene was successfully demonstrated across diverse cell lines. This LAH5-based delivery strategy represents a significant advancement toward the development of therapeutic delivery systems for CRISPR-Cas-based genetic engineering in in vitro and ex vivo applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Olivier G. de Jong
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands; (M.Ö.); (E.M.)
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6
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Lembke HK, Espinasse A, Hanson MG, Grimme CJ, Tan Z, Reineke TM, Carlson EE. Cationic Polymers Enable Internalization of Negatively Charged Chemical Probes into Bacteria. ACS Chem Biol 2023; 18:2063-2072. [PMID: 37671702 PMCID: PMC10947785 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
The bacterial cell envelope provides a protective barrier that is challenging for small molecules and biomolecules to cross. Given the anionic nature of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial cell envelopes, negatively charged molecules are particularly difficult to deliver into these organisms. Many strategies have been employed to penetrate bacteria, ranging from reagents such as cell-penetrating peptides, enzymes, and metal-chelating compounds to physical perturbations. While cationic polymers are known antimicrobial agents, polymers that promote the permeabilization of bacterial cells without causing high levels of toxicity and cell lysis have not yet been described. Here, we investigate four polymers that display a cationic poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (D) block for the internalization of an anionic adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-based chemical probe into Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. We evaluated two polymer architectures, linear and micellar, to determine how shape and hydrophobicity affect internalization efficiency. We found that, in addition to these reagents successfully promoting probe internalization, the probe-labeled cells were able to continue to grow and divide. The micellar structures in particular were highly effective for the delivery of the negatively charged chemical probe. Finally, we demonstrated that these cationic polymers could act as general permeabilization reagents, promoting the entry of other molecules, such as antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah K Lembke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Adeline Espinasse
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Mckenna G Hanson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Christian J Grimme
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Zhe Tan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Theresa M Reineke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Erin E Carlson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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7
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Hanson MG, Grimme CJ, Kreofsky NW, Panda S, Reineke TM. Blended Block Polycation Micelles Enhance Antisense Oligonucleotide Delivery. Bioconjug Chem 2023; 34:1418-1428. [PMID: 37437196 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.3c00186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Nucleic acid-based medicines and vaccines are becoming an important part of our therapeutic toolbox. One key genetic medicine is antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), which are short single-stranded nucleic acids that downregulate protein production by binding to mRNA. However, ASOs cannot enter the cell without a delivery vehicle. Diblock polymers containing cationic and hydrophobic blocks self-assemble into micelles that have shown improved delivery compared to linear nonmicelle variants. Yet synthetic and characterization bottlenecks have hindered rapid screening and optimization. In this study, we aim to develop a method to increase throughput and discovery of new micelle systems by mixing diblock polymers together to rapidly form new micelle formulations. We synthesized diblocks containing an n-butyl acrylate block chain extended with cationic moieties amino ethyl acrylamide (A), dimethyl amino ethyl acrylamide (D), or morpholino ethyl acrylamide (M). These diblocks were then self-assembled into homomicelles (A100, D100, and M100)), mixed micelles comprising 2 homomicelles (MixR%+R'%), and blended diblock micelles comprising 2 diblocks blended into one micelle (BldR%R'%) and tested for ASO delivery. Interestingly, we observed that mixing or blending M with A (BldA50M50 and MixA50+M50) did not improve transfection efficiency compared to A100; however, when M was mixed with D, there was a significant increase in transfection efficacy for the mixed micelle MixD50+M50 compared to D100. We further examined mixed and blended D systems at different ratios. We observed a large increase in transfection and minimal change in toxicity when M was mixed with D at a low percentage of D incorporation in mixed diblock micelles (i.e., BldD20M80) compared to D100 and MixD20+M80. To understand the cellular mechanisms that may result in these differences, we added proton pump inhibitor Bafilomycin-A1 (Baf-A1) to the transfection experiments. Formulations that contain D decreased in performance in the presence of Baf-A1, indicating that micelles with D rely on the proton sponge effect for endosomal escape more than micelles with A. This result supports our conclusion that M is able to modulate transfection of D, but not with A. This research shows that polymer blending in a manner similar to that of lipids can significantly boost transfection efficiency and is a facile way to increase throughput of testing, optimization, and successful formulation identification for polymeric nucleic acid delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mckenna G Hanson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Christian J Grimme
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, University of Minnesota, 421 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Nicholas W Kreofsky
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Sidharth Panda
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Theresa M Reineke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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8
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Grimme CJ, Hanson MG, Reineke TM. Enhanced ASO-Mediated Gene Silencing with Lipophilic pH-Responsive Micelles. Bioconjug Chem 2023. [PMID: 37384839 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.3c00133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Herein, we examine the ASO-mediated gene silencing efficiency of pH-responsive micelles, by incorporating 2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DIP) into the micelle core and comparing physical and biological properties with non-pH-responsive micelles. Additionally, the lipophilic effect of the micelle cores was examined in both types of micelles. Varying lipophilicity was achieved by varying alkyl monomer chain lengths─butyl (4), lauryl (12), and stearyl (18) methacrylate. Each of the micelles formed within our family offered the added benefit of well-defined and uniform templates for loading antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) payloads. Overall, the micelles followed previously established trends of outperforming their linear polymer (nonmicelle) analogs and ASO only control. More specifically, the highest performing micelles were the pH-responsive micelles with longer alkyl chains or higher lipophilicity─D-DIP+LMA and D-DIP+SMA (∼90% silencing). These two micelles demonstrated silencing efficiencies similar to Jet-PEI and Lipofectamine 2000 and caused lower toxicity than Lipofectamine 2000. The shortest alkyl chain pH-responsive micelle, D-DIP+BMA (64%), displayed strong gene silencing similar to that about that of its non-pH-responsive micelle, D-BMA (68%), and the pH-responsive micelle without an alkyl chain incorporated, D-DIP (59%). This work illuminates a minimum alkyl chain length dependence to allow gene silencing within our micelle family. However, including only longer alkyl chains into the micelle core without the pH-responsive unit DIP had a hindering effect, thus demonstrating the requirement of the DIP unit when including longer alkyl chain lengths. This work demonstrates the exemplary gene silencing efficiencies of polymeric micelles and uncovers the relationship between pH responsiveness and performance with lipophilic polymer micelles for enhancing ASO-mediated gene silencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian J Grimme
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, University of Minnesota, 421 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Mckenna G Hanson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Theresa M Reineke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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9
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Xiu K, Zhang J, Xu J, Chen YE, Ma PX. Recent progress in polymeric gene vectors: Delivery mechanisms, molecular designs, and applications. BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS 2023; 4:011313. [PMID: 37008888 PMCID: PMC10062053 DOI: 10.1063/5.0123664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Gene therapy and gene delivery have drawn extensive attention in recent years especially when the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines were developed to prevent severe symptoms caused by the corona virus. Delivering genes, such as DNA and RNA into cells, is the crucial step for successful gene therapy and remains a bottleneck. To address this issue, vehicles (vectors) that can load and deliver genes into cells are developed, including viral and non-viral vectors. Although viral gene vectors have considerable transfection efficiency and lipid-based gene vectors become popular since the application of COVID-19 vaccines, their potential issues including immunologic and biological safety concerns limited their applications. Alternatively, polymeric gene vectors are safer, cheaper, and more versatile compared to viral and lipid-based vectors. In recent years, various polymeric gene vectors with well-designed molecules were developed, achieving either high transfection efficiency or showing advantages in certain applications. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in polymeric gene vectors including the transfection mechanisms, molecular designs, and biomedical applications. Commercially available polymeric gene vectors/reagents are also introduced. Researchers in this field have never stopped seeking safe and efficient polymeric gene vectors via rational molecular designs and biomedical evaluations. The achievements in recent years have significantly accelerated the progress of polymeric gene vectors toward clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kemao Xiu
- Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences and Prosthodontics, School of Dentistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
| | | | | | | | - Peter X. Ma
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed:. Tel.: (734) 764-2209
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10
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Zika A, Agarwal M, Schweins R, Gröhn F. Joining Two Switches in One Nano-Object: Photoacidity and Photoisomerization in Electrostatic Self-Assembly. Chemistry 2023; 29:e202203373. [PMID: 36336659 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202203373] [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: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Multi-switchable supramolecular nano-objects that respond to irradiation of different wavelengths with changes in size and shape have been built from two different water-soluble molecular switches, joined by attachment to the same polyelectrolyte. Accordingly, two wavelength-specific reactions, namely the excited-state proton dissociation of a photoacid and the cis-trans isomerization of an azo dye, are combined in one supramolecular nano-object that is stable in aqueous solution. The concept has potential in the fields of sensors, molecular motors, and transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Zika
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy &, Interdisciplinary Center for Molecular Materials, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Egerlandstraße 3, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Mohit Agarwal
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy &, Interdisciplinary Center for Molecular Materials, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Egerlandstraße 3, 91058, Erlangen, Germany.,DS / LSS, Institut Laue-Langevin, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, CS 20 156, 38042, Grenoble Cedex 9, France
| | - Ralf Schweins
- DS / LSS, Institut Laue-Langevin, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, CS 20 156, 38042, Grenoble Cedex 9, France
| | - Franziska Gröhn
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy &, Interdisciplinary Center for Molecular Materials, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Egerlandstraße 3, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
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11
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Dalal RJ, Ohnsorg ML, Panda S, Reineke TM. Hydrophilic Surface Modification of Cationic Unimolecular Bottlebrush Vectors Moderate pDNA and RNP Bottleplex Stability and Delivery Efficacy. Biomacromolecules 2022; 23:5179-5192. [PMID: 36445696 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c00999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A cationic unimolecular bottlebrush polymer with chemically modified end-groups was synthesized to understand the impact of hydrophilicity on colloidal stability, nucleic acid delivery performance, and toxicity. The bottlebrush polymer template was synthesized using grafting-through techniques and was therefore composed of a polynorbornene backbone with poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) side chains with dodecyl trithiocarbonate end-groups. Postpolymerization modification was performed to fully remove the end-groups or install hydroxy and methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) functional groups on the bottlebrush exterior. The bottlebrush family was preformulated with biological payloads of pDNA and CRISPR-Cas9 RNP in both water and PBS to understand binding, aggregation kinetics, cytotoxicity, and delivery efficacy. Increasing end-group hydrophilicity and preformulation of bottleplexes in PBS increased colloidal stability and cellular viability; however, this did not always result in increased transfection efficiency. The bottlebrush family exemplifies how formulation conditions, polymer loading, and end-group functionality of bottlebrushes can be tuned to balance expression with cytotoxicity ratios and result in enhanced overall performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rishad J Dalal
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Monica L Ohnsorg
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Sidharth Panda
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Theresa M Reineke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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12
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Hanson MG, Grimme CJ, Santa Chalarca CF, Reineke TM. Cationic Micelles Outperform Linear Polymers for Delivery of Antisense Oligonucleotides in Serum: An Exploration of Polymer Architecture, Cationic Moieties, and Cell Addition Order. Bioconjug Chem 2022; 33:2121-2131. [PMID: 36265078 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.2c00379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are an important emerging therapeutic; however, they struggle to enter cells without a delivery vehicle, such as a cationic polymer. To understand the role of polymer architecture for ASO delivery, five linear polymers and five diblock polymers (capable of self-assembly into micelles) were synthesized with varying cationic groups. After complexation of each polymer/micelle with ASO, it was found that less bulky cationic moieties transfected the ASO more effectively. Interestingly, however the ASO internalization trend was the opposite of the transfection trend for cationic moiety, indicating internalization is not the major factor in determining transfection efficiency for this series. Micelleplexes (micelle-ASO complexes) generally enable higher transfection efficacy as compared to polyplexes (linear polymer-ASO complexes). Additionally, the order of addition of cells and complexes was explored. Linear polyplexes showed better transfection efficiency in adhered cells, whereas micelleplexes delivered the ASO more efficiently when the cells and micelleplexes were added simultaneously. This phenomenon may be due to increased cell-complex interactions as micelleplexes have increased colloidal stability compared to polyplexes. These findings emphasize the importance of polymer composition and architecture in governing the cellular interactions necessary for transfection, thus allowing advancement in the design principles for nonviral nucleic acid delivery formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mckenna G Hanson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Christian J Grimme
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, University of Minnesota, 421Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Cristiam F Santa Chalarca
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Theresa M Reineke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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13
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Grimme CJ, Hanson MG, Corcoran LG, Reineke TM. Polycation Architecture Affects Complexation and Delivery of Short Antisense Oligonucleotides: Micelleplexes Outperform Polyplexes. Biomacromolecules 2022; 23:3257-3271. [PMID: 35862267 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c00338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Herein, we examine the complexation and biological delivery of a short single-stranded antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) payload with four polymer derivatives that form two architectural variants (polyplexes and micelleplexes): a homopolymer poly(2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (D), a diblock polymer poly(ethylene glycol)methylether methacrylate-block-poly(2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (ObD), and two micelle-forming variants, poly(2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate)-block-poly(n-butyl methacrylate) (DB) and poly(ethylene glycol)methylether methacrylate-block-poly(2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate)-block-poly(n-butyl methacrylate) (ObDB). Both polyplexes and micelleplexes complexed ASOs, and the incorporation of an Ob brush enhances colloidal stability. Micellplexes are templated by the size and shape of the unloaded micelle and that micelle-ASO complexation is not sensitive to formulation/mixing order, allowing ease, versatility, and reproducibility in packaging short oligonucleotides. The DB micelleplexes promoted the largest gene silencing, internalization, and tolerable toxicity while the ObDB micelleplexes displayed enhanced colloidal stability and highly efficient payload trafficking despite having lower cellular uptake. Overall, this work demonstrates that cationic micelles are superior delivery vehicles for ASOs denoting the importance of vehicle architecture in biological performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian J Grimme
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, University of Minnesota, 421 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Mckenna G Hanson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Louis G Corcoran
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Theresa M Reineke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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14
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Kumar R. Materiomically Designed Polymeric Vehicles for Nucleic Acids: Quo Vadis? ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2022; 5:2507-2535. [PMID: 35642794 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.2c00346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Despite rapid advances in molecular biology, particularly in site-specific genome editing technologies, such as CRISPR/Cas9 and base editing, financial and logistical challenges hinder a broad population from accessing and benefiting from gene therapy. To improve the affordability and scalability of gene therapy, we need to deploy chemically defined, economical, and scalable materials, such as synthetic polymers. For polymers to deliver nucleic acids efficaciously to targeted cells, they must optimally combine design attributes, such as architecture, length, composition, spatial distribution of monomers, basicity, hydrophilic-hydrophobic phase balance, or protonation degree. Designing polymeric vectors for specific nucleic acid payloads is a multivariate optimization problem wherein even minuscule deviations from the optimum are poorly tolerated. To explore the multivariate polymer design space rapidly, efficiently, and fruitfully, we must integrate parallelized polymer synthesis, high-throughput biological screening, and statistical modeling. Although materiomics approaches promise to streamline polymeric vector development, several methodological ambiguities must be resolved. For instance, establishing a flexible polymer ontology that accommodates recent synthetic advances, enforcing uniform polymer characterization and data reporting standards, and implementing multiplexed in vitro and in vivo screening studies require considerable planning, coordination, and effort. This contribution will acquaint readers with the challenges associated with materiomics approaches to polymeric gene delivery and offers guidelines for overcoming these challenges. Here, we summarize recent developments in combinatorial polymer synthesis, high-throughput screening of polymeric vectors, omics-based approaches to polymer design, barcoding schemes for pooled in vitro and in vivo screening, and identify materiomics-inspired research directions that will realize the long-unfulfilled clinical potential of polymeric carriers in gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramya Kumar
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, 1613 Illinois St, Golden, Colorado 80401, United States
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15
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Zhang C, Ren H, Liu G, Li J, Wang X, Zhang Y. Effective Genome Editing Using CRISPR-Cas9 Nanoflowers. Adv Healthc Mater 2022; 11:e2102365. [PMID: 34989166 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202102365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas9 as a powerful gene-editing tool has tremendous potential for the treatment of genetic diseases. Herein, a new mesoporous nanoflower (NF)-like delivery nanoplatform termed Cas9-NF is reported by crosslinking Cas9 and polymeric micelles that enables efficient intracellular delivery and controlled release of Cas9 in response to reductive microenvironment in tumor cells. The flower morphology is flexibly tunable by the protein concentration and different types of crosslinkers. Cas9 protein, embedded between polymeric micelles and protected by Cas9-NF, remains stable even under extreme pH conditions. Responsive cleavage of crosslinkers in tumor cells, leads to the traceless release of Cas9 for efficient gene knockout in nucleus. This crosslinked nanoparticle exhibits excellent capability of downregulating oncogene expression and inhibiting tumor growth in a murine tumor model. Taken together, these findings pave a new pathway toward the application of the protein-micelle crosslinked nanoflower for protein delivery, which warrants further investigations for gene regulation and cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education) School of Chemical Engineering and Technology Tianjin University Tianjin 300350 P. R. China
| | - He Ren
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education) School of Chemical Engineering and Technology Tianjin University Tianjin 300350 P. R. China
| | - Gengqi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education) School of Chemical Engineering and Technology Tianjin University Tianjin 300350 P. R. China
| | - Jiexin Li
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education) School of Chemical Engineering and Technology Tianjin University Tianjin 300350 P. R. China
| | - Xiaojie Wang
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education) School of Chemical Engineering and Technology Tianjin University Tianjin 300350 P. R. China
| | - Yumiao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education) School of Chemical Engineering and Technology Tianjin University Tianjin 300350 P. R. China
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16
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Santa Chalarca CF, Dalal RJ, Chapa A, Hanson MG, Reineke TM. Cation Bulk and p Ka Modulate Diblock Polymer Micelle Binding to pDNA. ACS Macro Lett 2022; 11:588-594. [PMID: 35575319 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.2c00015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Polymer-based gene delivery relies on the binding, protection, and final release of nucleic acid cargo using polycations. Engineering polymeric vectors, by exploring novel topologies and cationic moieties, is a promising avenue to improve their performance, which hinges on the development of simple synthetic methods that allow facile preparation. In this work, we focus on cationic micelles formed from block polymers, which are examined as promising gene compaction agents and carriers. In this study, we report the synthesis and assembly of six amphiphilic poly(n-butyl acrylate)-b-poly(cationic acrylamide) diblock polymers with different types of cationic groups ((dialkyl)amine, morpholine, or imidazole) in their hydrophilic corona. The polycations were obtained through the parallel postpolymerization modification of a poly(n-butyl acrylate)-b-poly(pentafluorophenyl acrylate) reactive scaffold, which granted diblock polymers with equivalent degrees of polymerization and subsequent quantitative functionalization with cations of different pKa. Ultrasound-assisted direct dissolution of the polycations in different aqueous buffers (pH = 1-7) afforded micellar structures with low size dispersities and hydrodynamic radii below 100 nm. The formation and properties of micelle-DNA complexes ("micelleplexes") were explored via DLS, zeta potential, and dye-exclusion assays revealing that binding is influenced by the cation type present in the micelle corona where bulkiness and pKa are the drivers of micelleplex formation. Combining parallel synthesis strategies with simple direct dissolution formulation opens opportunities to optimize and expand the range of micelle delivery vehicles available by facile tuning of the composition of the cationic micelle corona.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rishad J. Dalal
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Alejandra Chapa
- Department of Biology, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, Texas 78539, United States
| | - Mckenna G. Hanson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Theresa M. Reineke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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17
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Xu Z, Wang Q, Zhong H, Jiang Y, Shi X, Yuan B, Yu N, Zhang S, Yuan X, Guo S, Yang Y. Carrier strategies boost the application of CRISPR/Cas system in gene therapy. EXPLORATION (BEIJING, CHINA) 2022; 2:20210081. [PMID: 37323878 PMCID: PMC10190933 DOI: 10.1002/exp.20210081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Emerging clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat/associated protein (CRISPR/Cas) genome editing technology shows great potential in gene therapy. However, proteins and nucleic acids suffer from enzymatic degradation in the physiological environment and low permeability into cells. Exploiting carriers to protect the CRISPR system from degradation, enhance its targeting of specific tissues and cells, and reduce its immunogenicity is essential to stimulate its clinical applications. Here, the authors review the state-of-the-art CRISPR delivery systems and their applications, and describe strategies to improve the safety and efficacy of CRISPR mediated genome editing, categorized by three types of cargo formats, that is, Cas: single-guide RNA ribonucleoprotein, Cas mRNA and single-guide RNA, and Cas plasmid expressing CRISPR/Cas systems. The authors hope this review will help develop safe and efficient nanomaterial-based carriers for CRISPR tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zunkai Xu
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of EducationState Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and Institute of Polymer ChemistryCollege of ChemistryNankai UniversityTianjinChina
| | - Qingnan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer CenterWest China HospitalSichuan University and Collaborative Innovation CenterChengduChina
| | - Haiping Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of EducationState Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and Institute of Polymer ChemistryCollege of ChemistryNankai UniversityTianjinChina
| | - Yaoyao Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of EducationState Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and Institute of Polymer ChemistryCollege of ChemistryNankai UniversityTianjinChina
| | - Xiaoguang Shi
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of EducationState Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and Institute of Polymer ChemistryCollege of ChemistryNankai UniversityTianjinChina
| | - Bo Yuan
- School of MedicineNankai UniversityTianjinChina
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual ScienceTianjin Eye InstituteTianjin Eye HospitalTianjinChina
| | - Na Yu
- Translational Medicine CenterKey Laboratory of Molecular Target & Clinical PharmacologySchool of Pharmaceutical Sciences and The Second Affiliated HospitalGuangzhou Medical UniversityGuangzhouChina
| | - Shubiao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biotechnology and Bioresources Utilization of Ministry of EducationDalian Minzu UniversityDalianChina
| | - Xiaoyong Yuan
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual ScienceTianjin Eye InstituteTianjin Eye HospitalTianjinChina
- Clinical College of OphthalmologyTianjin Medical UniversityTianjinChina
| | - Shutao Guo
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of EducationState Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and Institute of Polymer ChemistryCollege of ChemistryNankai UniversityTianjinChina
| | - Yang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer CenterWest China HospitalSichuan University and Collaborative Innovation CenterChengduChina
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18
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Genome editing via non-viral delivery platforms: current progress in personalized cancer therapy. Mol Cancer 2022; 21:71. [PMID: 35277177 PMCID: PMC8915502 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-022-01550-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a severe disease that substantially jeopardizes global health. Although considerable efforts have been made to discover effective anti-cancer therapeutics, the cancer incidence and mortality are still growing. The personalized anti-cancer therapies present themselves as a promising solution for the dilemma because they could precisely destroy or fix the cancer targets based on the comprehensive genomic analyses. In addition, genome editing is an ideal way to implement personalized anti-cancer therapy because it allows the direct modification of pro-tumor genes as well as the generation of personalized anti-tumor immune cells. Furthermore, non-viral delivery system could effectively transport genome editing tools (GETs) into the cell nucleus with an appreciable safety profile. In this manuscript, the important attributes and recent progress of GETs will be discussed. Besides, the laboratory and clinical investigations that seek for the possibility of combining non-viral delivery systems with GETs for the treatment of cancer will be assessed in the scope of personalized therapy.
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19
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20
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Aldeghi M, Coley CW. A graph representation of molecular ensembles for polymer property prediction. Chem Sci 2022; 13:10486-10498. [PMID: 36277616 PMCID: PMC9473492 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc02839e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Synthetic polymers are versatile and widely used materials. Similar to small organic molecules, a large chemical space of such materials is hypothetically accessible. Computational property prediction and virtual screening can accelerate polymer design by prioritizing candidates expected to have favorable properties. However, in contrast to organic molecules, polymers are often not well-defined single structures but an ensemble of similar molecules, which poses unique challenges to traditional chemical representations and machine learning approaches. Here, we introduce a graph representation of molecular ensembles and an associated graph neural network architecture that is tailored to polymer property prediction. We demonstrate that this approach captures critical features of polymeric materials, like chain architecture, monomer stoichiometry, and degree of polymerization, and achieves superior accuracy to off-the-shelf cheminformatics methodologies. While doing so, we built a dataset of simulated electron affinity and ionization potential values for >40k polymers with varying monomer composition, stoichiometry, and chain architecture, which may be used in the development of other tailored machine learning approaches. The dataset and machine learning models presented in this work pave the path toward new classes of algorithms for polymer informatics and, more broadly, introduce a framework for the modeling of molecular ensembles. A graph representation that captures critical features of polymeric materials and an associated graph neural network achieve superior accuracy to off-the-shelf cheminformatics methodologies.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Aldeghi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Connor W. Coley
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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21
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Abstract
Genetic diseases present formidable hurdles in maintaining a good quality of life for those suffering from these ailments. Often, patients look to inadequate treatments to manage symptoms, which can result in harmful effects on the body. Through genetic engineering, scientists utilize the clustered regularly short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-associated protein, known as Cas9, to treat the root of the problem. The Cas9 protein is often codelivered with guide RNAs or in ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNP) to ensure targeted delivery of the genetic tool as well as to limit off-target effects. This paper provides an overview of the current advances made toward the encapsulation and delivery of Cas9 to desired locations in the body through encapsulating nanoparticles. Several factors must be considered when employing the Cas9 system to allow gene editing to occur. Material selection is crucial to protect the payload of the delivery vector. Current literature indicates that lipid- and polymer-based nanoparticles show the most potential as delivery vessels for Cas9. Lipid nanoparticles greatly outpace polymer-based nanoparticles in the clinic, despite the benefits that polymers may introduce. When developing translatable systems, there are factors that have not yet been considered that are relevant to Cas9 delivery that are highlighted in this Viewpoint. The proper functioning of Cas9 is dependent on maintaining a proper internal environment; however, there are gaps in the literature regarding these optimal conditions. Interactions between charges of the Cas9 protein, codelivered molecules, and delivery vehicles could impact the effectiveness of the gene editing taking place. While the internal charges of nanoparticles and their effects on Cas9 are presently undetermined, nanoparticles currently offer the ideal delivery method for the Cas9 protein due to their adequate size, modifiable external charge, and ability to be modified. Overall, a cationic lipid-/polymer-based nanoparticle system was found to have the most prospects in Cas9 delivery thus far. By understanding the successes of other systems, translatable, polymer-based delivery vehicles may be developed.
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22
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Dalal RJ, Kumar R, Ohnsorg M, Brown M, Reineke TM. Cationic Bottlebrush Polymers Outperform Linear Polycation Analogues for pDNA Delivery and Gene Expression. ACS Macro Lett 2021; 10:886-893. [PMID: 35549207 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.1c00335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cationic polymer vehicles have emerged as promising platforms for nucleic acid delivery because of their scalability, biocompatibility, and chemical versatility. Advancements in synthetic polymer chemistry allow us to precisely tune chemical functionality with various macromolecular architectures to increase the efficacy of nonviral-based gene delivery. Herein, we demonstrate the first cationic bottlebrush polymer-mediated pDNA delivery by comparing unimolecular, synthetically defined bottlebrush polymers to their linear building blocks. We successfully synthesized poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (pDMAEMA) bottlebrushes through ring-opening metathesis polymerization to afford four bottlebrush polymers with systematic increases in backbone degree of polymerization (Nbb = 13, 20, 26, and 37), while keeping the side-chain degree of polymerization constant (Nsc = 57). Physical and chemical properties were characterized, and subsequently, the toxicity and delivery efficiency of pDNA into HEK293 cells were evaluated. The bottlebrush-pDNA complex (bottleplex) with the highest Nbb, BB_37, displayed up to a 60-fold increase in %EGFP+ cells in comparison to linear macromonomer. Additionally, we observed a trend of increasing EGFP expression with increasing polymer molecular weight. Bottleplexes and polyplexes both displayed high pDNA internalization as measured via payload enumeration per cell; however, quantitative confocal analysis revealed that bottlebrushes were able to shuttle pDNA into and around the nucleus more successfully than pDNA delivered via linear analogues. Overall, a canonical cationic monomer, such as DMAEMA, synthesized in the form of cationic bottlebrush polymers proved to be far more efficient in functional pDNA delivery and expression than linear pDMAEMA. This work underscores the importance of architectural modifications and the potential of bottlebrushes to serve as effective biomacromolecule delivery vehicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rishad J. Dalal
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Ramya Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Monica Ohnsorg
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Mary Brown
- University Imaging Centers, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Theresa M. Reineke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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23
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Marras AE, Ting JM, Stevens KC, Tirrell MV. Advances in the Structural Design of Polyelectrolyte Complex Micelles. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:7076-7089. [PMID: 34160221 PMCID: PMC9282648 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c01258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Polyelectrolyte complex micelles (PCMs) are a unique class of self-assembled nanoparticles that form with a core of associated polycations and polyanions, microphase-separated from neutral, hydrophilic coronas in aqueous solution. The hydrated nature and structural and chemical versatility make PCMs an attractive system for delivery and for fundamental polymer physics research. By leveraging block copolymer design with controlled self-assembly, fundamental structure-property relationships can be established to tune the size, morphology, and stability of PCMs precisely in pursuit of tailored nanocarriers, ultimately offering storage, protection, transport, and delivery of active ingredients. This perspective highlights recent advances in predictive PCM design, focusing on (i) structure-property relationships to target specific nanoscale dimensions and shapes and (ii) characterization of PCM dynamics primarily using time-resolved scattering techniques. We present several vignettes from these two emerging areas of PCM research and discuss key opportunities for PCM design to advance precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander E Marras
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Jeffrey M Ting
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Kaden C Stevens
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Matthew V Tirrell
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
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24
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Song Y, Elsabahy M, Collins CA, Khan S, Li R, Hreha TN, Shen Y, Lin YN, Letteri RA, Su L, Dong M, Zhang F, Hunstad DA, Wooley KL. Morphologic Design of Silver-Bearing Sugar-Based Polymer Nanoparticles for Uroepithelial Cell Binding and Antimicrobial Delivery. NANO LETTERS 2021; 21:4990-4998. [PMID: 34115938 PMCID: PMC8545462 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.1c00776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Platelet-like and cylindrical nanostructures from sugar-based polymers are designed to mimic the aspect ratio of bacteria and achieve uroepithelial cell binding and internalization, thereby improving their potential for local treatment of recurrent urinary tract infections. Polymer nanostructures, derived from amphiphilic block polymers composed of zwitterionic poly(d-glucose carbonate) and semicrystalline poly(l-lactide) segments, were constructed with morphologies that could be tuned to enhance uroepithelial cell binding. These nanoparticles exhibited negligible cytotoxicity, immunotoxicity, and cytokine adsorption, while also offering substantial silver cation loading capacity, extended release, and in vitro antimicrobial activity (as effective as free silver cations) against uropathogenic Escherichia coli. In comparison to spherical analogues, cylindrical and platelet-like nanostructures engaged in significantly higher association with uroepithelial cells, as measured by flow cytometry; despite their larger size, platelet-like nanostructures maintained the capacity for cell internalization. This work establishes initial evidence of degradable platelet-shaped nanostructures as versatile therapeutic carriers for treatment of epithelial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Song
- Departments of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77842, USA
| | - Mahmoud Elsabahy
- Departments of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77842, USA
- Science Academy, Badr University in Cairo, Badr City, Cairo 11829, Egypt
| | - Christina A. Collins
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Sarosh Khan
- Departments of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77842, USA
| | - Richen Li
- Departments of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77842, USA
| | - Teri N. Hreha
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Yidan Shen
- Departments of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77842, USA
| | - Yen-Nan Lin
- Departments of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77842, USA
- College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, Texas 77807, USA
| | - Rachel A. Letteri
- Departments of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77842, USA
| | - Lu Su
- Departments of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77842, USA
| | - Mei Dong
- Departments of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77842, USA
| | - Fuwu Zhang
- Departments of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77842, USA
| | - David A. Hunstad
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
| | - Karen L. Wooley
- Departments of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Materials Science & Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77842, USA
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25
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Marras AE, Campagna TR, Vieregg JR, Tirrell MV. Physical Property Scaling Relationships for Polyelectrolyte Complex Micelles. Macromolecules 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.1c00743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander E. Marras
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Trinity R. Campagna
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Jeffrey R. Vieregg
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Matthew V. Tirrell
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
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26
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Kumar R, Santa Chalarca CF, Bockman MR, Bruggen CV, Grimme CJ, Dalal RJ, Hanson MG, Hexum JK, Reineke TM. Polymeric Delivery of Therapeutic Nucleic Acids. Chem Rev 2021; 121:11527-11652. [PMID: 33939409 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c00997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The advent of genome editing has transformed the therapeutic landscape for several debilitating diseases, and the clinical outlook for gene therapeutics has never been more promising. The therapeutic potential of nucleic acids has been limited by a reliance on engineered viral vectors for delivery. Chemically defined polymers can remediate technological, regulatory, and clinical challenges associated with viral modes of gene delivery. Because of their scalability, versatility, and exquisite tunability, polymers are ideal biomaterial platforms for delivering nucleic acid payloads efficiently while minimizing immune response and cellular toxicity. While polymeric gene delivery has progressed significantly in the past four decades, clinical translation of polymeric vehicles faces several formidable challenges. The aim of our Account is to illustrate diverse concepts in designing polymeric vectors towards meeting therapeutic goals of in vivo and ex vivo gene therapy. Here, we highlight several classes of polymers employed in gene delivery and summarize the recent work on understanding the contributions of chemical and architectural design parameters. We touch upon characterization methods used to visualize and understand events transpiring at the interfaces between polymer, nucleic acids, and the physiological environment. We conclude that interdisciplinary approaches and methodologies motivated by fundamental questions are key to designing high-performing polymeric vehicles for gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramya Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | | | - Matthew R Bockman
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Craig Van Bruggen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Christian J Grimme
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Rishad J Dalal
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Mckenna G Hanson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Joseph K Hexum
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Theresa M Reineke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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27
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Kuang J, Lyu Q, Wang J, Cui Y, Zhao J. Advances in base editing with an emphasis on an AAV-based strategy. Methods 2021; 194:56-64. [PMID: 33774157 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2021.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Revised: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)-based base editors have been developed for precisely installing point mutations in genomes with high efficiency. Two editing systems of cytosine base editors (CBEs) and adenine base editors (ABEs) have been developed for conversion of C.G-to-T.A and A.T-to-G.C, respectively, showing the prominence in genomic DNA correction and mutation. Here, we summarize recent optimized approaches in improving base editors, including the evolution of Cas proteins, the choice of deamination enzymes, modification on linker length, base-editor expression, and addition of functional domains. Specifically, in this paper we highlight a strategy of split-intein mediated base-editor reconstitution for its adeno-associated virus (AAV) delivery. The purpose of this article is to offer readers with a better understanding of AAV-mediated base editors, and facilitate them to use this tool in in vivo experiments and potential clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajie Kuang
- Shenzhen Eye Institute, Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Jinan University, Shenzhen 518000, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen 518020, China
| | - Qinghua Lyu
- School of Ophthalmology & Optometry, Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China; Institute of Microscale Optoelectronics, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Jiao Wang
- School of Ophthalmology & Optometry, Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Yubo Cui
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen 518020, China
| | - Jun Zhao
- Shenzhen Eye Institute, Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Jinan University, Shenzhen 518000, China; Department of Ophthalmology, Shenzhen People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Jinan University; The First Affiliated Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology), Shenzhen 518020, China.
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Achazi K, Haag R, Ballauff M, Dernedde J, Kizhakkedathu JN, Maysinger D, Multhaup G. Understanding the Interaction of Polyelectrolyte Architectures with Proteins and Biosystems. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:3882-3904. [PMID: 32589355 PMCID: PMC7894192 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202006457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The counterions neutralizing the charges on polyelectrolytes such as DNA or heparin may dissociate in water and greatly influence the interaction of such polyelectrolytes with biomolecules, particularly proteins. In this Review we give an overview of studies on the interaction of proteins with polyelectrolytes and how this knowledge can be used for medical applications. Counterion release was identified as the main driving force for the binding of proteins to polyelectrolytes: Patches of positive charge become multivalent counterions of the polyelectrolyte and lead to the release of counterions from the polyelectrolyte and a concomitant increase in entropy. This is shown from investigations on the interaction of proteins with natural and synthetic polyelectrolytes. Special emphasis is paid to sulfated dendritic polyglycerols (dPGS). The Review demonstrates that we are moving to a better understanding of charge-charge interactions in systems of biological relevance. Research along these lines will aid and promote the design of synthetic polyelectrolytes for medical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Achazi
- Institut für Chemie und BiochemieFreie Universität BerlinTakustrasse 314195BerlinGermany
| | - Rainer Haag
- Institut für Chemie und BiochemieFreie Universität BerlinTakustrasse 314195BerlinGermany
| | - Matthias Ballauff
- Institut für Chemie und BiochemieFreie Universität BerlinTakustrasse 314195BerlinGermany
- IRIS AdlershofHumboldt Universität zu BerlinZum Grossen Windkanal 612489BerlinGermany
| | - Jens Dernedde
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin BerlinInstitute of Laboratory MedicineClinical Chemistry, and PathobiochemistryCVK Augustenburger Platz 113353BerlinGermany
| | - Jayachandran N. Kizhakkedathu
- Centre for Blood ResearchDepartment of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineLife Science InstituteDepartment of ChemistrySchool of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverV6T 1Z3Canada
| | - Dusica Maysinger
- Department of Pharmacology and TherapeuticsMcGill UniversityMontrealH3G 1Y6Canada
| | - Gerd Multhaup
- Department of Pharmacology and TherapeuticsMcGill UniversityMontrealH3G 1Y6Canada
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Li J, Røise JJ, He M, Das R, Murthy N. Non-viral strategies for delivering genome editing enzymes. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2021; 168:99-117. [PMID: 32931860 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2020.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 08/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Genome-editing tools such as Cre recombinase (Cre), zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and most recently the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-associated protein system have revolutionized biomedical research, agriculture, microbial engineering, and therapeutic development. Direct delivery of genome editing enzymes, as opposed to their corresponding DNA and mRNA precursors, is advantageous since they do not require transcription and/or translation. In addition, prolonged overexpression is a problem when delivering viral vector or plasmid DNA which is bypassed when delivering whole proteins. This lowers the risk of insertional mutagenesis and makes for relatively easier manufacturing. However, a major limitation of utilizing genome editing proteins in vivo is their low delivery efficiency, and currently the most successful strategy involves using potentially immunogenic viral vectors. This lack of safe and effective non-viral delivery systems is still a big hurdle for the clinical translation of such enzymes. This review discusses the challenges of non-viral delivery strategies of widely used genome editing enzymes, including Cre recombinase, ZFNs and TALENs, CRISPR/Cas9, and Cas12a (Cpf1) in their protein format and highlights recent innovations of non-viral delivery strategies which have the potential to overcome current delivery limitations and advance the clinical translation of genome editing.
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Kumar R, Le N, Tan Z, Brown ME, Jiang S, Reineke TM. Efficient Polymer-Mediated Delivery of Gene-Editing Ribonucleoprotein Payloads through Combinatorial Design, Parallelized Experimentation, and Machine Learning. ACS NANO 2020; 14:17626-17639. [PMID: 33225680 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c08549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Chemically defined vectors such as cationic polymers are versatile alternatives to engineered viruses for the delivery of genome-editing payloads. However, their clinical translation hinges on rapidly exploring vast chemical design spaces and deriving structure-function relationships governing delivery performance. Here, we discovered a polymer for efficient intracellular ribonucleoprotein (RNP) delivery through combinatorial polymer design and parallelized experimental workflows. A chemically diverse library of 43 statistical copolymers was synthesized via combinatorial RAFT polymerization, realizing systematic variations in physicochemical properties. We selected cationic monomers that varied in their pKa values (8.1-9.2), steric bulk, and lipophilicity of their alkyl substituents. Co-monomers of varying hydrophilicity were also incorporated, enabling elucidation of the roles of protonation equilibria and hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance in vehicular properties and performance. We screened our multiparametric vector library through image cytometry and rapidly uncovered a hit polymer (P38), which outperforms state-of-the-art commercial transfection reagents, achieving nearly 60% editing efficiency via nonhomologous end-joining. Structure-function correlations underlying editing efficiency, cellular toxicity, and RNP uptake were probed through machine learning approaches to uncover the physicochemical basis of P38's performance. Although cellular toxicity and RNP uptake were solely determined by polyplex size distribution and protonation degree, respectively, these two polyplex design parameters were found to be inconsequential for enhancing editing efficiency. Instead, polymer hydrophobicity and the Hill coefficient, a parameter describing cooperativity-enhanced polymer deprotonation, were identified as the critical determinants of editing efficiency. Combinatorial synthesis and high-throughput characterization methodologies coupled with data science approaches enabled the rapid discovery of a polymeric vehicle that would have otherwise remained inaccessible to chemical intuition. The statistically derived design rules elucidated herein will guide the synthesis and optimization of future polymer libraries tailored for therapeutic applications of RNP-based genome editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramya Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Ngoc Le
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Zhe Tan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Mary E Brown
- University Imaging Centers, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Shan Jiang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Theresa M Reineke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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Tao Y, Chan HF, Shi B, Li M, Leong KW. Light: A Magical Tool for Controlled Drug Delivery. ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS 2020; 30:2005029. [PMID: 34483808 PMCID: PMC8415493 DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202005029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Light is a particularly appealing tool for on-demand drug delivery due to its noninvasive nature, ease of application and exquisite temporal and spatial control. Great progress has been achieved in the development of novel light-driven drug delivery strategies with both breadth and depth. Light-controlled drug delivery platforms can be generally categorized into three groups: photochemical, photothermal, and photoisomerization-mediated therapies. Various advanced materials, such as metal nanoparticles, metal sulfides and oxides, metal-organic frameworks, carbon nanomaterials, upconversion nanoparticles, semiconductor nanoparticles, stimuli-responsive micelles, polymer- and liposome-based nanoparticles have been applied for light-stimulated drug delivery. In view of the increasing interest in on-demand targeted drug delivery, we review the development of light-responsive systems with a focus on recent advances, key limitations, and future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Tao
- Laboratory of Biomaterials and Translational Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Hon Fai Chan
- Institute for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biomedical Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Bingyang Shi
- International Joint Center for Biomedical Innovation, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan 475004, China
| | - Mingqiang Li
- Laboratory of Biomaterials and Translational Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China
| | - Kam W Leong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
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Tao Y, Yi K, Hu H, Shao D, Li M. Coassembly of nucleus-targeting gold nanoclusters with CRISPR/Cas9 for simultaneous bioimaging and therapeutic genome editing. J Mater Chem B 2020; 9:94-100. [PMID: 33220661 DOI: 10.1039/d0tb01925a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) technology enables genome editing with high precision and versatility and has been widely utilized to combat viruses, bacteria, cancers, and genetic diseases. Nonviral nanocarriers can overcome several limitations of viral vehicles, including immunogenicity, inflammation, carcinogenicity, and low versatility, and thus represent promising platforms for CRISPR/Cas9 delivery. Herein, we for the first time develop the application of protamine-capped gold nanoclusters (protamine-AuNCs) as an effective nanocarrier for Cas9-sgRNA plasmid transport and release to achieve efficient genome editing. The protamine-AuNCs integrate the merits of AuNCs and protamine: AuNCs are able to promptly assemble with Cas9-sgRNA plasmids to allow efficient cellular delivery, while the cationic protamine facilitates the effective release of Cas9-sgRNA plasmids into the cellular nucleus. The AuNCs/Cas9-gRNA plasmid nanocomplexes can not only achieve successful gene editing in cells but also knock out the oncogenic gene for cancer therapy. Moreover, the AuNCs with excellent photoluminescence characteristics endow our nanoplatform with the functionality of bioimaging. Overall, our study provides strong evidence that demonstrates protamine-AuNCs as an effective CRISPR/Cas9 delivery tool for gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Tao
- Laboratory of Biomaterials and Translational Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China.
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Achazi K, Haag R, Ballauff M, Dernedde J, Kizhakkedathu JN, Maysinger D, Multhaup G. Wechselwirkung von Polyelektrolyt‐Architekturen mit Proteinen und Biosystemen. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202006457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Achazi
- Institut für Chemie und Biochemie Freie Universität Berlin Takustraße 3 14195 Berlin Deutschland
| | - Rainer Haag
- Institut für Chemie und Biochemie Freie Universität Berlin Takustraße 3 14195 Berlin Deutschland
| | - Matthias Ballauff
- Institut für Chemie und Biochemie Freie Universität Berlin Takustraße 3 14195 Berlin Deutschland
- IRIS Adlershof Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Zum Großen Windkanal 6 12489 Berlin Deutschland
| | - Jens Dernedde
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin Institut für Laboratoriumsmedizin Klinische Chemie und Pathobiochemie CVK Augustenburger Platz 1 13353 Berlin Deutschland
| | - Jayachandran N. Kizhakkedathu
- Centre for Blood Research Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Life Science Institute Department of Chemistry School of Biomedical Engineering University of British Columbia Vancouver V6T 1Z3 Kanada
| | - Dusica Maysinger
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics McGill University Montreal H3G 1Y6 Kanada
| | - Gerd Multhaup
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics McGill University Montreal H3G 1Y6 Kanada
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Pereira-Silva M, Jarak I, Santos AC, Veiga F, Figueiras A. Micelleplex-based nucleic acid therapeutics: From targeted stimuli-responsiveness to nanotoxicity and regulation. Eur J Pharm Sci 2020; 153:105461. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2020.105461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Revised: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Magana JR, Sproncken CCM, Voets IK. On Complex Coacervate Core Micelles: Structure-Function Perspectives. Polymers (Basel) 2020; 12:E1953. [PMID: 32872312 PMCID: PMC7565781 DOI: 10.3390/polym12091953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The co-assembly of ionic-neutral block copolymers with oppositely charged species produces nanometric colloidal complexes, known, among other names, as complex coacervates core micelles (C3Ms). C3Ms are of widespread interest in nanomedicine for controlled delivery and release, whilst research activity into other application areas, such as gelation, catalysis, nanoparticle synthesis, and sensing, is increasing. In this review, we discuss recent studies on the functional roles that C3Ms can fulfil in these and other fields, focusing on emerging structure-function relations and remaining knowledge gaps.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ilja K. Voets
- Laboratory of Self-Organizing Soft Matter, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands; (J.R.M.); (C.C.M.S.)
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Rabiee N, Bagherzadeh M, Tavakolizadeh M, Pourjavadi A, Atarod M, Webster TJ. Synthesis, characterization and mechanistic study of nano chitosan tetrazole as a novel and promising platform for CRISPR delivery. INT J POLYM MATER PO 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/00914037.2020.1809405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Navid Rabiee
- Department of Chemistry, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Maryam Tavakolizadeh
- Department of Chemistry, Polymer Research Laboratory, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Pourjavadi
- Department of Chemistry, Polymer Research Laboratory, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Monireh Atarod
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Kashan, Kashan, Iran
| | - Thomas J. Webster
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachussetts, USA
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Skandalis A, Murmiliuk A, Štěpánek M, Pispas S. Physicochemical Evaluation of Insulin Complexes with QPDMAEMA- b-PLMA- b-POEGMA Cationic Amphiphlic Triblock Terpolymer Micelles. Polymers (Basel) 2020; 12:E309. [PMID: 32028685 PMCID: PMC7077422 DOI: 10.3390/polym12020309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Herein, poly[quaternized 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate-b-lauryl methacrylate-b-(oligo ethylene glycol)methacrylate] (QPDMAEMA-b-PLMA-b-POEGMA) cationic amphiphilic triblock terpolymers were used as vehicles for the complexation/encapsulation of insulin (INS). The terpolymers self-assemble in spherical micelles with PLMA cores and mixed QPDMAEMA/POEGMA coronas in aqueous solutions. The cationic micelles were complexed via electrostatic interactions with INS, which contains anionic charges at pH 7. The solutions were colloidally stable in all INS ratios used. Light-scattering techniques were used for investigation of the complexation ability and the size and surface charge of the terpolymer/INS complexes. The results showed that the size of the complexes increases as INS ratio increases, while at the same time the surface charge remains positive, indicating the formation of clusters of micelles/INS complexes in the solution. Fluorescence spectroscopy measurements revealed that the conformation of the protein is not affected after the complexation with the terpolymer micellar aggregates. It was observed that as the solution ionic strength increases, the size of the QPDMAEMA-b-PLMA-b-POEGMA/INS complexes initially decreases and then remains practically constant at higher ionic strength, indicating further aggregation of the complexes. atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements showed the existence of both clusters and isolated nanoparticulate terpolymer/protein complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athanasios Skandalis
- Theoretical and Physical Chemistry Institute, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Avenue, 11635 Athens, Greece;
| | - Anastasiia Murmiliuk
- Department of Physical and Macromolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Hlavova 2030, 128 40 Prague 2, Czech Republic (M.Š.)
| | - Miroslav Štěpánek
- Department of Physical and Macromolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Hlavova 2030, 128 40 Prague 2, Czech Republic (M.Š.)
| | - Stergios Pispas
- Theoretical and Physical Chemistry Institute, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Avenue, 11635 Athens, Greece;
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