1
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Ye T, Zhong Z, Cappellesso F, Deswarte K, Chen Y, Lauwers H, De Lombaerde E, Gontsarik M, Lienenklaus S, Van Lysebetten D, Sanders NN, Lambrecht BN, De Koker S, Laoui D, De Geest BG. CO-DELIVERY of glutamic acid-extended peptide antigen and imidazoquinoline TLR7/8 agonist via ionizable lipid nanoparticles induces protective anti-tumor immunity. Biomaterials 2024; 311:122693. [PMID: 38996672 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2024.122693] [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: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
Cancer vaccines aim at generating cytotoxic CD8+ T cells that kill cancer cells and confer durable tumor regression. Hereto, CD8+ peptide epitopes should be presented by antigen presenting cells to CD8+ T cells in lymphoid tissue. Unfortunately, in unformulated soluble form, peptide antigens are poorly taken up by antigen presenting cells and do not efficiently reach lymph nodes. Hence, the lack of efficient delivery remains a major limitation for successful clinical translation of cancer vaccination using peptide antigens. Here we propose a generic peptide nanoformulation strategy by extending the amino acid sequence of the peptide antigen epitope with 10 glutamic acid residues. The resulting overall anionic charge of the peptide allows encapsulation into lipid nanoparticles (peptide-LNP) by electrostatic interaction with an ionizable cationic lipid. We demonstrate that intravenous injection of peptide-LNP efficiently delivers the peptide to immune cells in the spleen. Peptide-LNP that co-encapsulate an imidazoquinoline TLR7/8 agonist (IMDQ) induce robust innate immune activation in a broad range of immune cell subsets in the spleen. Peptide-LNP containing the minimal CD8+ T cell epitope of the HPV type 16 E7 oncoprotein and IMDQ induces high levels of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells in the blood, and can confer protective immunity against E7-expressing tumors in both prophylactic and therapeutic settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Ye
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Zifu Zhong
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Federica Cappellesso
- Lab of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Brussel Center for Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium; Lab of Dendritic Cell Biology and Cancer Immunotherapy, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kim Deswarte
- Laboratory of Immunoregulation and Mucosal Immunology, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Yong Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Heleen Lauwers
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Mark Gontsarik
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Stefan Lienenklaus
- Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Niek N Sanders
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Bart N Lambrecht
- Laboratory of Immunoregulation and Mucosal Immunology, VIB-UGent Center for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Damya Laoui
- Lab of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Brussel Center for Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium; Lab of Dendritic Cell Biology and Cancer Immunotherapy, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, Brussels, Belgium.
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2
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Oude Egberink R, van Schie DM, Joosten B, de Muynck LTA, Jacobs W, van Oostrum J, Brock R. Unraveling mRNA delivery bottlenecks of ineffective delivery vectors by co-transfection with effective carriers. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2024; 202:114414. [PMID: 39009193 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2024.114414] [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: 05/25/2024] [Revised: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
The messenger RNA (mRNA) SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have demonstrated the therapeutic potential of this novel drug modality. Protein expression is the consequence of a multistep delivery process that relies on proper packaging into nanoparticle carriers to protect the mRNA against degradation enabling effective cellular uptake and endosomal release, and liberating the mRNA in the cytosol. Bottlenecks along this route remain challenging to pinpoint. Although methods to assess endosomal escape of carriers have been developed, versatile strategies to identify bottlenecks along the delivery trajectory are missing. Here, it is shown that co-incubating an inefficient nanoparticle formulation with an efficient one solves this problem. Cells were co-incubated with mRNA nanoparticles formed with either the efficient cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) PepFect14 or the inefficient CPP nona-arginine (R9). Co-transfection enhanced cellular uptake and endosomal escape of R9-formulated mRNA, resulting in protein expression, demonstrating that both vectors enter cells along the same route. In addition, cells were transfected with a galectin-9-mCherry fusion protein to detect endosomal rupture. Remarkably, despite endosomal release, mRNA remained confined to punctate structures, identifying mRNA liberation as a further bottleneck. In summary, co-transfection offers a rapid means to identify bottlenecks in cytosolic mRNA delivery, supporting the rational design and optimization of intracellular mRNA delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rik Oude Egberink
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Research Institute for Medical Innovation, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Deni M van Schie
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Research Institute for Medical Innovation, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Ben Joosten
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Research Institute for Medical Innovation, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Lisa T A de Muynck
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Research Institute for Medical Innovation, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Ward Jacobs
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Research Institute for Medical Innovation, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Jenny van Oostrum
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Research Institute for Medical Innovation, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Roland Brock
- Department of Medical BioSciences, Research Institute for Medical Innovation, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Medical Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Manama 329, Bahrain.
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3
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Wang S, Shcherbii MV, Hirvonen SP, Silvennoinen G, Sarparanta M, Santos HA. Quantitative analysis of electroporation-mediated intracellular delivery via bioorthogonal luminescent reaction. Commun Chem 2024; 7:181. [PMID: 39147836 PMCID: PMC11327378 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-024-01266-4] [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: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Efficient intracellular delivery is crucial for biotherapeutics, such as proteins, oligonucleotides, and CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing systems, to achieve their efficacy. Despite the great efforts of developing new intracellular delivery carriers, the lack of straightforward methods for intracellular delivery quantification limits further development in this area. Herein, we designed a simple and versatile bioorthogonal luminescent reaction (BioLure assay) to analyze intracellular delivery. Our results suggest that BioLure can be used to estimate the amount of intracellularly delivered molecules after electroporation, and the estimation by BioLure is in good correlation with the results from complementary methods. Furthermore, we used BioLure assay to correlate the intracellularly-delivered RNase A amount with its tumoricidal activity. Overall, BioLure is a versatile tool for understanding the intracellular delivery process on live cells, and establishing the link between the cytosolic concentration of intracellularly-delivered biotherapeutics and their therapeutic efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiqi Wang
- Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Mariia V Shcherbii
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sami-Pekka Hirvonen
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Gudrun Silvennoinen
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mirkka Sarparanta
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hélder A Santos
- Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Biomaterials and Biomedical Technology, The Personalized Medicine Research Institute (PRECISION), University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9713, AV, Groningen, The Netherlands
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4
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Grau M, Wagner E. Strategies and mechanisms for endosomal escape of therapeutic nucleic acids. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2024; 81:102506. [PMID: 39096817 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2024.102506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024]
Abstract
Despite impressive recent establishment of therapeutic nucleic acids as drugs and vaccines, their broader medical use is impaired by modest performance in intracellular delivery. Inefficient endosomal escape presents a major limitation responsible for inadequate cytosolic cargo release. Depending on the carrier, this endosomal barrier can strongly limit or even abolish nucleic acid delivery. Different recent endosomal escape strategies and their hypothesized mechanisms are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melina Grau
- Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Butenandtstrasse 5-13, 81377 Munich, Germany; CNATM - Cluster for Nucleic Acid Therapeutics Munich, Germany
| | - Ernst Wagner
- Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Butenandtstrasse 5-13, 81377 Munich, Germany; CNATM - Cluster for Nucleic Acid Therapeutics Munich, Germany; Center for Nanoscience (CeNS), LMU Munich, 80799 Munich, Germany.
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5
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Greitens C, Leroux JC, Burger M. The intracellular visualization of exogenous DNA in fluorescence microscopy. Drug Deliv Transl Res 2024; 14:2242-2261. [PMID: 38526634 PMCID: PMC11208204 DOI: 10.1007/s13346-024-01563-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
In the development of non-viral gene delivery vectors, it is essential to reliably localize and quantify transfected DNA inside the cell. To track DNA, fluorescence microscopy methods are commonly applied. These mostly rely on fluorescently labeled DNA, DNA binding proteins fused to a fluorescent protein, or fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). In addition, co-stainings are often used to determine the colocalization of the DNA in specific cellular compartments, such as the endolysosomes or the nucleus. We provide an overview of these DNA tracking methods, advice on how they should be combined, and indicate which co-stainings or additional methods are required to draw precise conclusions from a DNA tracking experiment. Some emphasis is given to the localization of exogenous DNA inside the nucleus, which is the last step of DNA delivery. We argue that suitable tools which allow for the nuclear detection of faint signals are still missing, hampering the rational development of more efficient non-viral transfection systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Greitens
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Christophe Leroux
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Michael Burger
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland.
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6
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Li Y, Wang Y, Li Y, Yan S, Gao X, Li P, Zheng X, Gu Q. Dress me an outfit: advanced probiotics hybrid systems for intelligent IBD therapy. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2024:1-24. [PMID: 39007752 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2024.2359135] [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: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Inflammation bowel disease (IBD) has emerged as a public health challenge worldwide; with high incidence and rapid prevalence, it has troubled billions of people and further induced multitudinous systemic complications. Recent decade has witnessed the vigorous application of food-borne probiotics for IBD therapy; however, the complicated and changeable environments of digestive tract have forced probiotics to face multiple in vivo pressures, consequently causing unsatisfied prophylactic or therapeutic efficacy attributed to off-targeted arrival, damaged viability, insufficient colonization efficiency, etc. Fortunately, arisen hybrid technology has provided versatile breakthroughs for the targeted transplantation of probiotics. By ingeniously modifying probiotics to form probiotics hybrid systems (PHS), the biological behaviors of probiotics in vivo could be mediated, the interactions between probiotics with intestinal components can be facilitated, and diverse advanced probiotic-based therapies for IBD challenge can be developed, which attribute to the intelligent response to microenvironment of PHS, and intelligent design of PHS for multiple functions combination. In this review, various PHS were categorized and their intestinal behaviors were elucidated systematically, their therapeutic effects and intrinsic mechanism were further analyzed. Besides, shortages of present PHS and the corresponding solutions have been discussed, based on which the future perspectives of this field have also been proposed. The undeniable fact is that PHS show an incomparable future to bring the next generation of advanced food science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonglu Li
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory for Food Microbial Technology of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Yadi Wang
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory for Food Microbial Technology of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Yapeng Li
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory for Food Microbial Technology of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Shihai Yan
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory for Food Microbial Technology of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Gao
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory for Food Microbial Technology of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Ping Li
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory for Food Microbial Technology of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaodong Zheng
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition; Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Agro-food Processing; Fuli Institute of Food Science; National Engineering Laboratory of Intelligent Food Technology and Equipment, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Qing Gu
- School of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory for Food Microbial Technology of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China
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7
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Bag S, Gadpayle MP, Ghosh D, Maiti S, De P. Biotinylated Theranostic Amphiphilic Polyurethane for Targeted Drug Delivery. Biomacromolecules 2024; 25:4233-4245. [PMID: 38838045 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.4c00310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
In the area of drug delivery aided by stimuli-responsive polymers, the biodegradability of nanocarriers is one of the major challenges that needs to be addressed with the utmost sincerity. Herein, a hydrogen sulfide (H2S) responsive hydrophobic dansyl-based trigger molecule is custom designed and successfully incorporated into the water-soluble polyurethane backbone, which is made of esterase enzyme susceptible urethane bonds. The amphiphilic polyurethanes, PUx (x = 2 and 3) with a biotin chain end, formed self-assembled nanoaggregates. A hemolysis and cytotoxicity profile of doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded biotinylated PU3 nanocarriers revealed that it is nonhemolytic and has excellent selectivity toward HeLa cells (biotin receptor-positive cell lines) causing ∼60% cell death while maintaining almost 100% cell viability for HEK 293T cells (biotin receptor-negative cell lines). Furthermore, better cellular internalization of DOX-loaded fluorescent nanocarriers in HeLa cells than in HEK 293T cells confirmed receptor-mediated endocytosis. Thus, this work ensures that the synthesized polymers serve as biodegradable nanocarriers for anticancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sagar Bag
- Polymer Research Centre and Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Nadia, Mohanpur, West Bengal 741246, India
| | - Mandip Pratham Gadpayle
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Nadia, Mohanpur, West Bengal 741246, India
| | - Desoshree Ghosh
- Polymer Research Centre and Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Nadia, Mohanpur, West Bengal 741246, India
| | - Sankar Maiti
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Nadia, Mohanpur, West Bengal 741246, India
| | - Priyadarsi De
- Polymer Research Centre and Centre for Advanced Functional Materials, Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Nadia, Mohanpur, West Bengal 741246, India
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8
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Beach M, Nayanathara U, Gao Y, Zhang C, Xiong Y, Wang Y, Such GK. Polymeric Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery. Chem Rev 2024; 124:5505-5616. [PMID: 38626459 PMCID: PMC11086401 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00705] [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: 04/18/2024]
Abstract
The recent emergence of nanomedicine has revolutionized the therapeutic landscape and necessitated the creation of more sophisticated drug delivery systems. Polymeric nanoparticles sit at the forefront of numerous promising drug delivery designs, due to their unmatched control over physiochemical properties such as size, shape, architecture, charge, and surface functionality. Furthermore, polymeric nanoparticles have the ability to navigate various biological barriers to precisely target specific sites within the body, encapsulate a diverse range of therapeutic cargo and efficiently release this cargo in response to internal and external stimuli. However, despite these remarkable advantages, the presence of polymeric nanoparticles in wider clinical application is minimal. This review will provide a comprehensive understanding of polymeric nanoparticles as drug delivery vehicles. The biological barriers affecting drug delivery will be outlined first, followed by a comprehensive description of the various nanoparticle designs and preparation methods, beginning with the polymers on which they are based. The review will meticulously explore the current performance of polymeric nanoparticles against a myriad of diseases including cancer, viral and bacterial infections, before finally evaluating the advantages and crucial challenges that will determine their wider clinical potential in the decades to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian
A. Beach
- School
of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Umeka Nayanathara
- School
of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Yanting Gao
- School
of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Changhe Zhang
- School
of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Yijun Xiong
- School
of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Yufu Wang
- School
of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Georgina K. Such
- School
of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
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9
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Mehta MJ, Kim HJ, Lim SB, Naito M, Miyata K. Recent Progress in the Endosomal Escape Mechanism and Chemical Structures of Polycations for Nucleic Acid Delivery. Macromol Biosci 2024; 24:e2300366. [PMID: 38226723 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202300366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Nucleic acid-based therapies are seeing a spiralling surge. Stimuli-responsive polymers, especially pH-responsive ones, are gaining widespread attention because of their ability to efficiently deliver nucleic acids. These polymers can be synthesized and modified according to target requirements, such as delivery sites and the nature of nucleic acids. In this regard, the endosomal escape mechanism of polymer-nucleic acid complexes (polyplexes) remains a topic of considerable interest owing to various plausible escape mechanisms. This review describes current progress in the endosomal escape mechanism of polyplexes and state-of-the-art chemical designs for pH-responsive polymers. The importance is also discussed of the acid dissociation constant (i.e., pKa) in designing the new generation of pH-responsive polymers, along with assays to monitor and quantify the endosomal escape behavior. Further, the use of machine learning is addressed in pKa prediction and polymer design to find novel chemical structures for pH responsiveness. This review will facilitate the design of new pH-responsive polymers for advanced and efficient nucleic acid delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohit J Mehta
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon, 22212, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Jin Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon, 22212, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon, 22212, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Been Lim
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon, 22212, Republic of Korea
| | - Mitsuru Naito
- Department of Materials Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
| | - Kanjiro Miyata
- Department of Materials Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
- Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656, Japan
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10
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Wang J, Zhang S, Li Y, Xu Q, Kritzer JA. Investigating the Cytosolic Delivery of Proteins by Lipid Nanoparticles Using the Chloroalkane Penetration Assay. Biochemistry 2024. [PMID: 38334719 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.3c00614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Protein therapeutics are an expanding area for research and drug development, and lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are the most prominent nonviral vehicles for protein delivery. The most common methods for assessing protein delivery by LNPs include assays that measure the total amount of protein taken up by cells and assays that measure the phenotypic changes associated with protein delivery. However, assays for total cellular uptake include large amounts of protein that are trapped in endosomes or are otherwise nonfunctional. Assays for functional delivery are important, but the readouts are indirect and amplified, limiting the quantitative interpretation. Here, we apply an assay for cytosolic delivery, the chloroalkane penetration assay (CAPA), to measure the cytosolic delivery of a (-30) green fluorescent protein (GFP) fused to Cre recombinase (Cre(-30)GFP) fusion protein by LNPs. We compare these data to the data from total cellular uptake and functional delivery assays to provide a richer analysis of uptake and endosomal escape for LNP-mediated protein delivery. We also use CAPA for a screen of a small library of lipidoids, identifying those with a promising ability to deliver Cre(-30)GFP to the cytosol of mammalian cells. With careful controls and optimized conditions, we expect that CAPA will be a useful tool for investigating the rate, efficiency, and mechanisms of LNP-mediated delivery of therapeutic proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Shiying Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Yamin Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Qiaobing Xu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Joshua A Kritzer
- Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
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11
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Smith S, Rossi Herling B, Zhang C, Beach MA, Teo SLY, Gillies ER, Johnston APR, Such GK. Self-Immolative Polymer Nanoparticles with Precise and Controllable pH-Dependent Degradation. Biomacromolecules 2023; 24:4958-4969. [PMID: 37709729 PMCID: PMC10649787 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c00630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Polymer nanoparticles have generated significant interest as delivery systems for therapeutic cargo. Self-immolative polymers (SIPs) are an interesting category of materials for delivery applications, as the characteristic property of end-to-end depolymerization allows for the disintegration of the delivery system, facilitating a more effective release of the cargo and clearance from the body after use. In this work, nanoparticles based on a pH-responsive polymer poly(ethylene glycol)-b-(2-diisopropyl)amino ethyl methacrylate) and a self-immolative polymer poly[N,N-(diisopropylamino)ethyl glyoxylamide-r-N,N-(dibutylamino)ethyl glyoxylamide] (P(DPAEGAm-r-DBAEGAm)) were developed. Four particles were synthesized based on P(DPAEGAm-r-DBAEGAm) polymers with varied diisopropylamino to dibutylamino ratios of 4:1, 2:1, 2:3, and 0:1, termed 4:1, 2:1, 2:3, and 0:1 PGAm particles. The pH of particle disassembly was tuned from pH 7.0 to pH 5.0 by adjusting the ratio of diisopropylamino to dibutylamino substituents on the pendant tertiary amine. The P(DPAEGAm-r-DBAEGAm) polymers were observed to depolymerize (60-80%) below the particle disassembly pH after ∼2 h, compared to <10% at pH 7.4 and maintained reasonable stability at pH 7.4 (20-50% depolymerization) after 1 week. While all particles exhibited the ability to load a peptide cargo, only the 4:1 PGAm particles had higher endosomal escape efficiency (∼4%) compared to the 2:3 or 0:1 PGAm particles (<1%). The 4:1 PGAm particle is a promising candidate for further optimization as an intracellular drug delivery system with rapid and precisely controlled degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel
A. Smith
- Department
of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Bruna Rossi Herling
- Monash
Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash
University, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Changhe Zhang
- Department
of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Maximilian A. Beach
- Department
of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Serena L. Y. Teo
- Monash
Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash
University, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Elizabeth R. Gillies
- Department
of Chemistry and Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Angus P. R. Johnston
- Monash
Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash
University, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Georgina K. Such
- Department
of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
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12
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Wang P, Yang Y, Wen H, Li D, Zhang H, Wang Y. Progress in construction and release of natural polysaccharide-platinum nanomedicines: A review. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 250:126143. [PMID: 37544564 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.126143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Natural polysaccharides are natural biomaterials that have become candidate materials for nano-drug delivery systems due to their excellent biodegradability and biocompatibility. Platinum (Pt) drugs have been widely used in the clinical therapy for various solid tumors. However, their extensive systemic toxicity and the drug resistance acquired by cancer cells limit the applications of platinum drugs. Modern nanobiotechnology provides the possibility for targeted delivery of platinum drugs to the tumor site, thereby minimizing toxicity and optimizing the efficacies of the drugs. In recent years, numerous natural polysaccharide-platinum nanomedicine delivery carriers have been developed, such as nanomicelles, nanospheres, nanogels, etc. Herein, we provide an overview on the construction and drug release of natural polysaccharide-Pt nanomedicines in recent years. Current challenges and future prospectives in this field are also put forward. In general, combining with irradiation and tumor microenvironment provides a significant research direction for the construction of natural polysaccharide-platinum nanomedicines and the release of responsive drugs in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengge Wang
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng 224007, China; College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing University of Technology, Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province 211816, China
| | - Yunxia Yang
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng 224007, China; Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Agricultural Breeding Pollution Control and Resource, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng 224007, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Bioresources of Saline Soils, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng 224007, China.
| | - Haoyu Wen
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng 224007, China
| | - Dongqing Li
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng 224007, China
| | - Hongmei Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng 224007, China
| | - Yanqing Wang
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Yancheng Teachers University, Yancheng 224007, China.
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13
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Li J, Zeng H, Li L, Song M, Dong M. Biomembrane-wrapped gene delivery nanoparticles for cancer therapy. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1211753. [PMID: 37351470 PMCID: PMC10282192 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1211753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
As a promising strategy, gene delivery for cancer treatment accepts encouraging progress due to its high efficacy, low toxicity, and exclusive selectivity. However, the delivery efficiency, specific biological distribution, targeted uptake, and biosafety of naked nucleic acid agents still face serious challenges, which limit further clinical application. To overcome the above bottleneck, safe and efficient functional nanovectors are developed to improve the delivery efficiency of nucleic acid agents. In recent years, emerging membrane-wrapped biomimetic nanoparticles (MBNPs) based on the concept of "imitating nature" are well known for their advantages, such as low immunogenicity and long cycle time, and especially play a crucial role in improving the overall efficiency of gene delivery and reducing adverse reactions. Therefore, combining MBNPs and gene delivery is an effective strategy to enhance tumor treatment efficiency. This review presents the mechanism of gene therapy and the current obstacles to gene delivery. Remarkably, the latest development of gene delivery MBNPs and the strategies to overcome these obstacles are summarized. Finally, the future challenges and prospects of gene delivery MBNPs toward clinical transformation are introduced. The principal purpose of this review is to discuss the biomedical potential of gene delivery MBNPs for cancer therapy and to provide guidance for further enhancing the efficiency of tumor gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Li
- Department of Geriatrics, Chengdu Fifth People’s Hospital, Geriatric Diseases Institute of Chengdu, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Center for Medicine Research and Translation, Chengdu Fifth People’s Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Huamin Zeng
- Chengdu Ping An Healthcare Medical Examination Laboratory, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Luwei Li
- College of Clinical Medical, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ming Song
- Department of Pathophysiology, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Mingqing Dong
- Department of Geriatrics, Chengdu Fifth People’s Hospital, Geriatric Diseases Institute of Chengdu, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Center for Medicine Research and Translation, Chengdu Fifth People’s Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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14
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Leng Q, Imtiyaz Z, Woodle MC, Mixson AJ. Delivery of Chemotherapy Agents and Nucleic Acids with pH-Dependent Nanoparticles. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:1482. [PMID: 37242725 PMCID: PMC10222096 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15051482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
With less than one percent of systemically injected nanoparticles accumulating in tumors, several novel approaches have been spurred to direct and release the therapy in or near tumors. One such approach depends on the acidic pH of the extracellular matrix and endosomes of the tumor. With an average pH of 6.8, the extracellular tumor matrix provides a gradient for pH-responsive particles to accumulate, enabling greater specificity. Upon uptake by tumor cells, nanoparticles are further exposed to lower pHs, reaching a pH of 5 in late endosomes. Based on these two acidic environments in the tumor, various pH-dependent targeting strategies have been employed to release chemotherapy or the combination of chemotherapy and nucleic acids from macromolecules such as the keratin protein or polymeric nanoparticles. We will review these release strategies, including pH-sensitive linkages between the carrier and hydrophobic chemotherapy agent, the protonation and disruption of polymeric nanoparticles, an amalgam of these first two approaches, and the release of polymers shielding drug-loaded nanoparticles. While several pH-sensitive strategies have demonstrated marked antitumor efficacy in preclinical trials, many studies are early in their development with several obstacles that may limit their clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qixin Leng
- Department of Pathology, University Maryland School of Medicine, University of Maryland, 10 S. Pine St., Baltimore, MD 21201, USA (Z.I.)
| | - Zuha Imtiyaz
- Department of Pathology, University Maryland School of Medicine, University of Maryland, 10 S. Pine St., Baltimore, MD 21201, USA (Z.I.)
| | | | - A. James Mixson
- Department of Pathology, University Maryland School of Medicine, University of Maryland, 10 S. Pine St., Baltimore, MD 21201, USA (Z.I.)
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15
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Son H, Shin J, Park J. Recent progress in nanomedicine-mediated cytosolic delivery. RSC Adv 2023; 13:9788-9799. [PMID: 36998521 PMCID: PMC10043881 DOI: 10.1039/d2ra07111h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Cytosolic delivery of bioactive agents has exhibited great potential to cure undruggable targets and diseases. Because biological cell membranes are a natural barrier for living cells, efficient delivery methods are required to transfer bioactive and therapeutic agents into the cytosol. Various strategies that do not require cell invasive and harmful processes, such as endosomal escape, cell-penetrating peptides, stimuli-sensitive delivery, and fusogenic liposomes, have been developed for cytosolic delivery. Nanoparticles can easily display functionalization ligands on their surfaces, enabling many bio-applications for cytosolic delivery of various cargo, including genes, proteins, and small-molecule drugs. Cytosolic delivery uses nanoparticle-based delivery systems to avoid degradation of proteins and keep the functionality of other bioactive molecules, and functionalization of nanoparticle-based delivery vehicles imparts a specific targeting ability. With these advantages, nanomedicines have been used for organelle-specific tagging, vaccine delivery for enhanced immunotherapy, and intracellular delivery of proteins and genes. Optimization of the size, surface charges, specific targeting ability, and composition of nanoparticles is needed for various cargos and target cells. Toxicity issues with the nanoparticle material must be managed to enable clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hangyu Son
- Department of Medical Life Sciences, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea 222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu Seoul 06591 Republic of Korea
| | - Jeongsu Shin
- Department of Medical Life Sciences, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea 222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu Seoul 06591 Republic of Korea
| | - Joonhyuck Park
- Department of Medical Life Sciences, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea 222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu Seoul 06591 Republic of Korea
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16
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Zhang YQ, Guo RR, Chen YH, Li TC, Du WZ, Xiang RW, Guan JB, Li YP, Huang YY, Yu ZQ, Cai Y, Zhang P, Ling GX. Ionizable drug delivery systems for efficient and selective gene therapy. Mil Med Res 2023; 10:9. [PMID: 36843103 PMCID: PMC9968649 DOI: 10.1186/s40779-023-00445-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene therapy has shown great potential to treat various diseases by repairing the abnormal gene function. However, a great challenge in bringing the nucleic acid formulations to the market is the safe and effective delivery to the specific tissues and cells. To be excited, the development of ionizable drug delivery systems (IDDSs) has promoted a great breakthrough as evidenced by the approval of the BNT162b2 vaccine for prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in 2021. Compared with conventional cationic gene vectors, IDDSs can decrease the toxicity of carriers to cell membranes, and increase cellular uptake and endosomal escape of nucleic acids by their unique pH-responsive structures. Despite the progress, there remain necessary requirements for designing more efficient IDDSs for precise gene therapy. Herein, we systematically classify the IDDSs and summarize the characteristics and advantages of IDDSs in order to explore the underlying design mechanisms. The delivery mechanisms and therapeutic applications of IDDSs are comprehensively reviewed for the delivery of pDNA and four kinds of RNA. In particular, organ selecting considerations and high-throughput screening are highlighted to explore efficiently multifunctional ionizable nanomaterials with superior gene delivery capacity. We anticipate providing references for researchers to rationally design more efficient and accurate targeted gene delivery systems in the future, and indicate ideas for developing next generation gene vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Qi Zhang
- Faculty of Medical Device, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, Liaoning, China
| | - Ran-Ran Guo
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, Liaoning, China
| | - Yong-Hu Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Yanbian University, Yanji, 133002, Jilin, China
| | - Tian-Cheng Li
- School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, Liaoning, China
| | - Wen-Zhen Du
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, Liaoning, China
| | - Rong-Wu Xiang
- Faculty of Medical Device, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, Liaoning, China
| | - Ji-Bin Guan
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Yu-Peng Li
- Masonic Cancer Center and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Yuan-Yu Huang
- Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Science; School of Life Science; School of Medical Technology; Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy; Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutics Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Zhi-Qiang Yu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Dongguan Institute of Clinical Cancer Research, Affiliated Dongguan Hospital, Southern Medical University, Dongguan, 523018, Guangdong, China
| | - Yin Cai
- Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, Liaoning, China.
| | - Gui-Xia Ling
- Faculty of Medical Device, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, Liaoning, China.
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17
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Zhang C, Song Y, Yan G, Ma J. Fluorinated carboxymethyl chitosan-based nano-prodrugs for precisely synergistic chemotherapy. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 227:252-261. [PMID: 36549609 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.12.157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The clinical transformation of polysaccharide-based nano-prodrugs remains a long way off, due to the shackles on easy metabolic clearance, dilemma of dose-dependent toxicity and immunogenicity, and poor tumor selectivity. To address these challenges, the fluorinated dual-crosslinked carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS)-based nano-prodrugs with precise structure were facilely developed through the reaction of CMCS with water-soluble stimuli-responsive synergistic small molecule prodrug (Pt(IV)-1), glutaraldehyde and heptafluorobutyric anhydride successively. The fluorination enabled the nano-prodrugs to display metabolic stability and improve tumoral cellular uptake. The pH/glutathione (GSH)-sensitive dual-crosslinked structure enabled the nano-prodrugs to show physicochemical stability at physiological pH, selective drug release and synergistic cytotoxicity at tumoral intracellular pH/GSH, and circumventing the dilemma of dose-dependent toxicity and immunogenicity induced by that crosslinked or grafted via a single drug. These superior performances promoted stability in long-term storage and circulation, normal blood routine and aminotransferase, fantastic hemocompatibility, selective tumor accumulation and precisely synergistic chemotherapy, therefore achieving significant tumor growth inhibition while minimizing side effects. Thus, the precise fluorinated dual-crosslinked CMCS-based nano-prodrugs have great potential for selective clinical cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chensong Zhang
- Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230000, China; Department of Oncology Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College Bengbu, 233000, China
| | - Yining Song
- Anhui Engineering Technology Research Center of Biochemical Pharmaceutical, Bengbu Medical College, 2600 Donghai Avenue, Bengbu, Anhui 233030, China
| | - Guoqing Yan
- Engineering Research Center for Biomedical Materials, Anhui Key Laboratory of Modern Biomanufacturing, School of Life Sciences, Anhui University, 111 Jiulong Road, Hefei, Anhui Province 230601, China.
| | - Jiachi Ma
- Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230000, China; Department of Oncology Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College Bengbu, 233000, China.
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18
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Winkeljann B, Keul DC, Merkel OM. Engineering poly- and micelleplexes for nucleic acid delivery - A reflection on their endosomal escape. J Control Release 2023; 353:518-534. [PMID: 36496051 PMCID: PMC9900387 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
For the longest time, the field of nucleic acid delivery has remained skeptical whether or not polycationic drug carrier systems would ever make it into clinical practice. Yet, with the disclosure of patents on polyethyleneimine-based RNA carriers through leading companies in the field of nucleic acid therapeutics such as BioNTech SE and the progress in clinical studies beyond phase I trials, this aloofness seems to regress. As one of the most striking characteristics of polymer-based vectors, the extraordinary tunability can be both a blessing and a curse. Yet, knowing about the adjustment screws and how they impact the performance of the drug carrier provides the formulation scientist committed to its development with a head start. Here, we equip the reader with a toolbox - a toolbox that should advise and support the developer to conceptualize a cutting-edge poly- or micelleplex system for the delivery of therapeutic nucleic acids; to be specific, to engineer the vector towards maximum endosomal escape performance at minimum toxicity. Therefore, after briefly sketching the boundary conditions of polymeric vector design, we will dive into the topic of endosomal trafficking. We will not only discuss the most recent knowledge of the endo-lysosomal compartment but further depict different hypotheses and mechanisms that facilitate the endosomal escape of polyplex systems. Finally, we will combine the different facets introduced in the previous chapters with the fundamental building blocks of polymer vector design and evaluate the advantages and drawbacks. Throughout the article, a particular focus will be placed on cellular peculiarities, not only as an additional barrier, but also to give inspiration to how such cell-specific traits might be capitalized on.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Winkeljann
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Butenandtstrasse 5-13, Haus B, 81377 Munich, Germany,Center for NanoScience (CeNS), Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 80799 Munich, Germany
| | - David C. Keul
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Butenandtstrasse 5-13, Haus B, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Olivia M. Merkel
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Butenandtstrasse 5-13, Haus B, 81377 Munich, Germany,Center for NanoScience (CeNS), Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 80799 Munich, Germany,Corresponding author at: Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Butenandtstrasse 5-13, Haus B, 81377 München, Germany
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19
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Imtiyaz Z, He J, Leng Q, Agrawal AK, Mixson AJ. pH-Sensitive Targeting of Tumors with Chemotherapy-Laden Nanoparticles: Progress and Challenges. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14112427. [PMID: 36365245 PMCID: PMC9692785 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14112427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulating chemotherapeutic drugs such as doxorubicin within a tumor while limiting the drug dose to normal tissues is a central goal of drug delivery with nanoparticles. Liposomal products such as Doxil® represent one of the marked successes of nanoparticle-based strategies. To replicate this success for cancer treatment, many approaches with nanoparticles are being explored in order to direct and release chemotherapeutic agents to achieve higher accumulation in tumors. A promising approach has been stimulus-based therapy, such as the release of chemotherapeutic agents from the nanoparticles in the acidic environments of the tumor matrix or the tumor endosomes. Upon reaching the acidic environments of the tumor, the particles, which are made up of pH-dependent polymers, become charged and release the entrapped chemotherapy agents. This review discusses recent advances in and prospects for pH-dependent histidine-based nanoparticles that deliver chemotherapeutic agents to tumors. The strategies used by investigators include an array of histidine-containing peptides and polymers which form micelles, mixed micelles, nanovesicles, polyplexes, and coat particles. To date, several promising histidine-based nanoparticles have been demonstrated to produce marked inhibition of tumor growth, but challenges remain for successful outcomes in clinical trials. The lessons learned from these histidine-containing particles will provide insight in the development of improved pH-dependent polymeric delivery systems for chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuha Imtiyaz
- Department of Pathology, University Maryland School of Medicine, 10 S. Pine St., University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Jiaxi He
- 20511 Seneca Meadows Pkwy, Suite 260, RNAimmune, Germantown, MD 20876, USA
| | - Qixin Leng
- Department of Pathology, University Maryland School of Medicine, 10 S. Pine St., University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Atul K. Agrawal
- Department of Pathology, University Maryland School of Medicine, 10 S. Pine St., University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - A. James Mixson
- Department of Pathology, University Maryland School of Medicine, 10 S. Pine St., University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-410-706-3223; Fax: +1-410-706-8414
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20
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Rennick JJ, Nowell CJ, Pouton CW, Johnston APR. Resolving subcellular pH with a quantitative fluorescent lifetime biosensor. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6023. [PMID: 36224168 PMCID: PMC9556823 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33348-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Changes in sub-cellular pH play a key role in metabolism, membrane transport, and triggering cargo release from therapeutic delivery systems. Most methods to measure pH rely on intensity changes of pH sensitive fluorophores, however, these measurements are hampered by high uncertainty in the inferred pH and the need for multiple fluorophores. To address this, here we combine pH dependant fluorescent lifetime imaging microscopy (pHLIM) with deep learning to accurately quantify sub-cellular pH in individual vesicles. We engineer the pH sensitive protein mApple to localise in the cytosol, endosomes, and lysosomes, and demonstrate that pHLIM can rapidly detect pH changes induced by drugs such as bafilomycin A1 and chloroquine. We also demonstrate that polyethylenimine (a common transfection reagent) does not exhibit a proton sponge effect and had no measurable impact on the pH of endocytic vesicles. pHLIM is a simple and quantitative method that will help to understand drug action and disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua J Rennick
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Cameron J Nowell
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Colin W Pouton
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Angus P R Johnston
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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21
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Feng R, Ni R, Chau Y. Fusogenic peptide modification to enhance gene delivery by peptide-DNA nano-coassemblies. Biomater Sci 2022; 10:5116-5120. [PMID: 35975695 DOI: 10.1039/d2bm00705c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Endosomal escape is a major obstacle for non-viral nucleic acids delivery. Here, we attached by click reaction a fusogenic peptide (L17E) onto peptide self-assembled disks (∼17 nm), which mimicked the functional subunits of the virus capsid. These peptide disks then spontaneously co-assembled with DNA to form patterned nanostructures (∼100 nm) as viral mimics. This modification did not affect the cellular uptake but enhanced endosomal escape and led to improved transfection in cell culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruilu Feng
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
| | - Rong Ni
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong. .,Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - Ying Chau
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
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22
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Evans CW, Ho D, Marlow JB, King JJ, Hee C, Wong LN, Atkin R, Smith NM, Warr GG, Norret M, Iyer KS. Intracellular Communication between Synthetic Macromolecules. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:14112-14120. [PMID: 35901278 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c02793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Non-viral delivery is an important strategy for selective and efficient gene therapy, immunization, and RNA interference, which overcomes problems of genotoxicity and inherent immunogenicity associated with viral vectors. Liposomes and polymers are compelling candidates as carriers for intracellular, non-viral delivery, but maximal efficiencies of around 1% have been reported for the most advanced non-viral carriers. Here, we develop a library of dendronized bottlebrush polymers with controlled defects, displaying a level of precision surpassed only by biological molecules like DNA, RNA, and proteins. We test concurrent and competitive delivery of DNA and show for the first time that, while intracellular communication is thought to be an exclusively biomolecular phenomenon, such communication between synthetic macromolecular complexes can also take place. Our findings challenge the assumption that delivery agents behave as bystanders that enable transfection by passive intracellular release of genetic cargo and improve upon coarse strategies in intracellular carrier design lacking control over polymer sequence, architecture, and composition, leading to a hit-or-miss outcome. Understanding the communication that takes place between macromolecules will help improve the design of non-viral delivery agents and facilitate translation of genome engineering, vaccines, and nucleic acid-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron W Evans
- School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Diwei Ho
- School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Joshua B Marlow
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Jessica J King
- School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Charmaine Hee
- School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Lucas N Wong
- School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Rob Atkin
- School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Nicole M Smith
- School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Gregory G Warr
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Marck Norret
- School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - K Swaminathan Iyer
- School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
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23
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Mollé LM, Smyth CH, Yuen D, Johnston APR. Nanoparticles for vaccine and gene therapy: Overcoming the barriers to nucleic acid delivery. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. NANOMEDICINE AND NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY 2022; 14:e1809. [PMID: 36416028 PMCID: PMC9786906 DOI: 10.1002/wnan.1809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Nucleic acid therapeutics can be used to control virtually every aspect of cell behavior and therefore have significant potential to treat genetic disorders, infectious diseases, and cancer. However, while clinically approved to treat a small number of diseases, the full potential of nucleic acid therapeutics is hampered by inefficient delivery. Nucleic acids are large, highly charged biomolecules that are sensitive to degradation and so the approaches to deliver these molecules differ significantly from traditional small molecule drugs. Current studies suggest less than 1% of the injected nucleic acid dose is delivered to the target cell in an active form. This inefficient delivery increases costs and limits their use to applications where a small amount of nucleic acid is sufficient. In this review, we focus on two of the major barriers to efficient nucleic acid delivery: (1) delivery to the target cell and (2) transport to the subcellular compartment where the nucleic acids are therapeutically active. We explore how nanoparticles can be modified with targeting ligands to increase accumulation in specific cells, and how the composition of the nanoparticle can be engineered to manipulate or disrupt cellular membranes and facilitate delivery to the optimal subcellular compartments. Finally, we highlight how with intelligent material design, nanoparticle delivery systems have been developed to deliver nucleic acids that silence aberrant genes, correct genetic mutations, and act as both therapeutic and prophylactic vaccines. This article is categorized under: Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Cells at the Nanoscale Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Infectious Disease Biology-Inspired Nanomaterials > Lipid-Based Structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara M. Mollé
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical SciencesMonash UniversityParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Cameron H. Smyth
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical SciencesMonash UniversityParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Daniel Yuen
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical SciencesMonash UniversityParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Angus P. R. Johnston
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical SciencesMonash UniversityParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
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