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Tiruthani K, Cruz‐Teran C, Chan JFW, Ma A, McSweeney M, Wolf W, Yuan S, Poon VKM, Chan CCS, Botta L, Farrer B, Stewart I, Schaefer A, Edelstein J, Kumar P, Arora H, Hutchins JT, Hickey AJ, Yuen K, Lai SK. Engineering a "muco-trapping" ACE2-immunoglobulin hybrid with picomolar affinity as an inhaled, pan-variant immunotherapy for COVID-19. Bioeng Transl Med 2024; 9:e10650. [PMID: 39036085 PMCID: PMC11256170 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Soluble angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) can act as a decoy molecule that neutralizes severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by blocking spike (S) proteins on virions from binding ACE2 on host cells. Based on structural insights of ACE2 and S proteins, we designed a "muco-trapping" ACE2-Fc conjugate, termed ACE2-(G4S)6-Fc, comprised of the extracellular segment of ACE2 (lacking the C-terminal collectrin domain) that is linked to mucin-binding IgG1-Fc via an extended glycine-serine flexible linker. ACE2-(G4S)6-Fc exhibits substantially greater binding affinity and neutralization potency than conventional full length ACE2-Fc decoys or similar truncated ACE2-Fc decoys without flexible linkers, possessing picomolar binding affinity and strong neutralization potency against pseudovirus and live virus. ACE2-(G4S)6-Fc effectively trapped fluorescent SARS-CoV-2 virus like particles in fresh human airway mucus and was stably nebulized using a commercial vibrating mesh nebulizer. Intranasal dosing of ACE2-(G4S)6-Fc in hamsters as late as 2 days postinfection provided a 10-fold reduction in viral load in the nasal turbinate tissues by Day 4. These results strongly support further development of ACE2-(G4S)6-Fc as an inhaled immunotherapy for COVID-19, as well as other emerging viruses that bind ACE2 for cellular entry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karthik Tiruthani
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular PharmaceuticsUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Carlos Cruz‐Teran
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular PharmaceuticsUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Jasper F. W. Chan
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of MedicineThe University of Hong KongPokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative RegionChina
- Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and TherapeuticsHong Kong Science and Technology ParkHong Kong Special Administrative RegionChina
| | - Alice Ma
- UNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | | | - Whitney Wolf
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular PharmaceuticsUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Shoufeng Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of MedicineThe University of Hong KongPokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative RegionChina
- Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and TherapeuticsHong Kong Science and Technology ParkHong Kong Special Administrative RegionChina
| | - Vincent K. M. Poon
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of MedicineThe University of Hong KongPokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative RegionChina
- Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and TherapeuticsHong Kong Science and Technology ParkHong Kong Special Administrative RegionChina
| | - Chris C. S. Chan
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of MedicineThe University of Hong KongPokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative RegionChina
- Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and TherapeuticsHong Kong Science and Technology ParkHong Kong Special Administrative RegionChina
| | | | - Brian Farrer
- Inhalon Biopharma, Inc.MorrisvilleNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Ian Stewart
- RTI InternationalResearch Triangle ParkNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Alison Schaefer
- UNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Jasmine Edelstein
- UNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Priya Kumar
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of MedicineUniversity of North CarolinaChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Harendra Arora
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of MedicineUniversity of North CarolinaChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | | | | | - Kwok‐Yung Yuen
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of MedicineThe University of Hong KongPokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative RegionChina
- Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and TherapeuticsHong Kong Science and Technology ParkHong Kong Special Administrative RegionChina
| | - Samuel K. Lai
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular PharmaceuticsUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
- Inhalon Biopharma, Inc.MorrisvilleNorth CarolinaUSA
- Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
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2
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Coletti A, Newhall KA, Walker BL, Bloom K. Different relative scalings between transient forces and thermal fluctuations tune regimes of chromatin organization. ARXIV 2024:arXiv:2401.06921v2. [PMID: 38979491 PMCID: PMC11230345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Within the nucleus, structural maintenance of chromosome protein complexes, namely condensin and cohesin, create an architecture to facilitate the organization and proper function of the genome. Condensin, in addition to performing loop extrusion, creates localized clusters of chromatin in the nucleolus through transient crosslinks. Large-scale simulations revealed three different dynamic behaviors as a function of timescale: slow crosslinking leads to no clusters, fast crosslinking produces rigid slowly changing clusters, while intermediate timescales produce flexible clusters that mediate gene interaction. By mathematically analyzing different relative scalings of the two sources of stochasticity, thermal fluctuations and the force induced by the transient crosslinks, we predict these three distinct regimes of cluster behavior. Standard time-averaging that takes the fluctuations of the transient crosslink force to zero predicts the existence of rigid clusters. Accounting for the interaction of both fluctuations from the crosslinks and thermal noise with an effective energy landscape predicts the timescale-dependent lifetimes of flexible clusters. No clusters are predicted when the fluctuations of the transient crosslink force are taken to be large relative to thermal fluctuations. This mathematical perturbation analysis illuminates the importance of accounting for stochasticity in local incoherent transient forces to predict emergent complex biological behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Coletti
- Department of Mathematics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27510
| | - Katherine A. Newhall
- Department of Mathematics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27510
| | - Benjamin L. Walker
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697
| | - Kerry Bloom
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27510
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3
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Dohadwala S, Geib MT, Politch JA, Anderson DJ. Innovations in monoclonal antibody-based multipurpose prevention technology (MPT) for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy. FRONTIERS IN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH 2024; 5:1337479. [PMID: 38264184 PMCID: PMC10803587 DOI: 10.3389/frph.2023.1337479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are currently being produced for a number of clinical applications including contraception and the prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Combinations of contraceptive and anti-STI mAbs, including antibodies against HIV-1 and HSV-2, provide a powerful and flexible approach for highly potent and specific multipurpose prevention technology (MPT) products with desirable efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetic profiles. MAbs can be administered systemically by injection, or mucosally via topical products (e.g., films, gels, rings) which can be tailored for vaginal, penile or rectal administration to address the needs of different populations. The MPT field has faced challenges with safety, efficacy, production and cost. Here, we review the state-of-the-art of mAb MPTs that tackle these challenges with innovative strategies in mAb engineering, manufacturing, and delivery that could usher in a new generation of safe, efficacious, cost-effective, and scalable mAb MPTs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Dohadwala
- Department of Virology, Immunology and Microbiology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Matthew T. Geib
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Joseph A. Politch
- Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Deborah J. Anderson
- Department of Virology, Immunology and Microbiology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Medicine, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
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4
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Vasquez PA, Walker B, Bloom K, Kolbin D, Caughman N, Freeman R, Lysy M, Hult C, Newhall KA, Papanikolas M, Edelmaier C, Forest MG. The power of weak, transient interactions across biology: A paradigm of emergent behavior. PHYSICA D. NONLINEAR PHENOMENA 2023; 454:133866. [PMID: 38274029 PMCID: PMC10806540 DOI: 10.1016/j.physd.2023.133866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
A growing list of diverse biological systems and their equally diverse functionalities provides realizations of a paradigm of emergent behavior. In each of these biological systems, pervasive ensembles of weak, short-lived, spatially local interactions act autonomously to convey functionalities at larger spatial and temporal scales. In this article, a range of diverse systems and functionalities are presented in a cursory manner with literature citations for further details. Then two systems and their properties are discussed in more detail: yeast chromosome biology and human respiratory mucus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula A. Vasquez
- Department of Mathematics, University of South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Ben Walker
- Department of Mathematics, University of California at Irvine, United States of America
| | - Kerry Bloom
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States of America
| | - Daniel Kolbin
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States of America
| | - Neall Caughman
- Department of Mathematics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States of America
| | - Ronit Freeman
- Department of Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States of America
| | - Martin Lysy
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, University of Waterloo, Canada
| | - Caitlin Hult
- Department of Mathematics, Gettysburg College, United States of America
| | - Katherine A. Newhall
- Department of Mathematics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States of America
| | - Micah Papanikolas
- Department of Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States of America
| | - Christopher Edelmaier
- Department of Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States of America
- Center for Computational Biology, Flatiron Institute, United States of America
| | - M. Gregory Forest
- Department of Mathematics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States of America
- Department of Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States of America
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5
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Bustos NA, Ribbeck K, Wagner CE. The role of mucosal barriers in disease progression and transmission. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2023; 200:115008. [PMID: 37442240 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2023.115008] [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: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Mucus is a biological hydrogel that coats and protects all non-keratinized wet epithelial surfaces. Mucins, the primary structural components of mucus, are critical components of the gel layer that protect against invading pathogens. For communicable diseases, pathogen-mucin interactions contribute to the pathogen's fate and the potential for disease progression in-host, as well as the potential for onward transmission. We begin by reviewing in-host mucus filtering mechanisms, including size filtering and interaction filtering, which regulate the permeability of mucus barriers to all molecules including pathogens. Next, we discuss the role of mucins in communicable diseases at the point of transmission (i.e. how the encapsulation of pathogens in emitted mucosal droplets externally to hosts may modulate pathogen infectivity and viability). Overall, mucosal barriers modulate both host susceptibility as well as the dynamics of population-level disease transmission. The study of mucins and their use in models and experimental systems are therefore crucial for understanding the mechanistic biophysical principles underlying disease transmission and the early stages of host infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole A Bustos
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Katharina Ribbeck
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Caroline E Wagner
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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6
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Chen A, Wessler T, Gregory Forest M. Antibody protection from SARS-CoV-2 respiratory tract exposure and infection. J Theor Biol 2023; 557:111334. [PMID: 36306828 PMCID: PMC9597531 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2022.111334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need to understand the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 respiratory infection and protection provided by the immune response. SARS-CoV-2 infections are characterized by a particularly high viral load, and further by the small number of inhaled virions sufficient to generate a high viral titer in the nasal passage a few days after exposure. SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies (Ab), induced from vaccines, previous infection, or inhaled monoclonal Ab, have proven effective against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our goal in this work is to model the protective mechanisms that Ab can provide and to assess the degree of protection from individual and combined mechanisms at different locations in the respiratory tract. Neutralization, in which Ab bind to virion spikes and inhibit them from binding to and infecting target cells, is one widely reported protective mechanism. A second mechanism of Ab protection is muco-trapping, in which Ab crosslink virions to domains on mucin polymers, effectively immobilizing them in the mucus layer. When muco-trapped, the continuous clearance of the mucus barrier by coordinated ciliary propulsion entrains the trapped viral load toward the esophagus to be swallowed. We model and simulate the protection provided by either and both mechanisms at different locations in the respiratory tract, parametrized by the Ab titer and binding-unbinding rates of Ab to viral spikes and mucin domains. Our results illustrate limits in the degree of protection by neutralizing Ab alone, the powerful protection afforded by muco-trapping Ab, and the potential for dual protection by muco-trapping and neutralizing Ab to arrest a SARS-CoV-2 infection. This manuscript was submitted as part of a theme issue on "Modelling COVID-19 and Preparedness for Future Pandemics".
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Chen
- Department of Mathematics, California State University-Dominguez Hills, Carson, CA 90747, USA.
| | - Timothy Wessler
- Department of Mathematics, University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - M. Gregory Forest
- Department of Mathematics, University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA,Department of Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA,UNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 and North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
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7
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Liu L, Cao W, Xia M, Tian C, Wu W, Cai Y, Chu X. Self-Emulsifying Drug Delivery System Enhances Tissue Distribution of Cinnamaldehyde by Altering the Properties of the Mucus Layer. AAPS PharmSciTech 2022; 23:261. [PMID: 36131215 DOI: 10.1208/s12249-022-02416-4] [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: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Oral delivery is considered the preferred route of administration due to its convenience and favorable compliance. However, this delivery often faces difficulties, such as poor solubility, limited absorption, and undesirable stability, especially for some volatile oils. The aim of this study was to develop self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) containing cinnamaldehyde (CA) to overcome these shortcomings. The CA-SEDDS were spherical and smooth with an average size of 14.96 ± 0.18 nm. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and attenuated total reflection by Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) showed that CA has been successfully loaded into SEDDS. The accumulative release of CA-SEDDS (73.39%) was approximately 2.14-fold that of free CA when using simulated intestinal fluid as the release medium. A scanning electron microscope was used to observe the mucus network structure. Rheological tests found that CA-SEDDS can appropriately enhance the viscosity of the mucus system. We found from tissue distribution studies that CA was more widely distributed in various tissues in the CA-SEDDS group compared to the free CA group. The cinnamaldehyde and cinnamon acid also accumulated more in various tissues in the CA-SEDDS group than in the free CA group, especially in the kidney. These findings hinted that SEDDS exhibited lower irritation, good release, and penetration, which demonstrated great potential for utilizing CA. Our research supports the rational implications of SEDDS in delivering similar volatile substances by improving the solubility, mucus penetration, and stability, resulting in excellent clinical efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liu Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, No. 1, Qianjiang Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230012, People's Republic of China.,School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wenxuan Cao
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, No. 1, Qianjiang Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230012, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengqiu Xia
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, No. 1, Qianjiang Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230012, People's Republic of China.,Wuhu Institute of Technology, Wuhu, 241000, Anhui, China
| | - Chunling Tian
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, No. 1, Qianjiang Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230012, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenqing Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, No. 1, Qianjiang Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230012, People's Republic of China
| | - Ye Cai
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, No. 1, Qianjiang Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230012, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoqin Chu
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, No. 1, Qianjiang Road, Hefei, Anhui, 230012, People's Republic of China.
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8
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McSweeney MD, Stewart I, Richardson Z, Kang H, Park Y, Kim C, Tiruthani K, Wolf W, Schaefer A, Kumar P, Aurora H, Hutchins J, Cho JM, Hickey AJ, Lee SY, Lai SK. Stable nebulization and muco-trapping properties of regdanvimab/IN-006 support its development as a potent, dose-saving inhaled therapy for COVID-19. Bioeng Transl Med 2022; 8:e10391. [PMID: 36248234 PMCID: PMC9537933 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Revised: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The respiratory tract represents the key target for antiviral delivery in early interventions to prevent severe COVID-19. While neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAb) possess considerable efficacy, their current reliance on parenteral dosing necessitates very large doses and places a substantial burden on the healthcare system. In contrast, direct inhaled delivery of mAb therapeutics offers the convenience of self-dosing at home, as well as much more efficient mAb delivery to the respiratory tract. Here, building on our previous discovery of Fc-mucin interactions crosslinking viruses to mucins, we showed that regdanvimab, a potent neutralizing mAb already approved for COVID-19 in several countries, can effectively trap SARS-CoV-2 virus-like particles in fresh human airway mucus. IN-006, a reformulation of regdanvimab, was stably nebulized across a wide range of concentrations, with no loss of activity and no formation of aggregates. Finally, nebulized delivery of IN-006 resulted in 100-fold greater mAb levels in the lungs of rats compared to serum, in marked contrast to intravenously dosed mAbs. These results not only support our current efforts to evaluate the safety and efficacy of IN-006 in clinical trials, but more broadly substantiate nebulized delivery of human antiviral mAbs as a new paradigm in treating SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan D. McSweeney
- Inhalon Biopharma IncResearch Triangle ParkNorth CarolinaUSA
- Mucommune LLCResearch Triangle ParkNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Ian Stewart
- RTI InternationalResearch Triangle ParkNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Zach Richardson
- Inhalon Biopharma IncResearch Triangle ParkNorth CarolinaUSA
- Mucommune LLCResearch Triangle ParkNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Hyunah Kang
- Biotechnology Research InstituteCelltrion IncIncheonRepublic of Korea
| | - Yoona Park
- Biotechnology Research InstituteCelltrion IncIncheonRepublic of Korea
| | - Cheolmin Kim
- Biotechnology Research InstituteCelltrion IncIncheonRepublic of Korea
| | - Karthik Tiruthani
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of PharmacyUniversity of North Carolina‐Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Whitney Wolf
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of PharmacyUniversity of North Carolina‐Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Alison Schaefer
- UNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of North Carolina‐Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Priya Kumar
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of MedicineUniversity of North CarolinaChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Harendra Aurora
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of MedicineUniversity of North CarolinaChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Jeff Hutchins
- Inhalon Biopharma IncResearch Triangle ParkNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Jong Moon Cho
- Biotechnology Research InstituteCelltrion IncIncheonRepublic of Korea
| | | | - Soo Young Lee
- Biotechnology Research InstituteCelltrion IncIncheonRepublic of Korea
| | - Samuel K. Lai
- Inhalon Biopharma IncResearch Triangle ParkNorth CarolinaUSA
- Mucommune LLCResearch Triangle ParkNorth CarolinaUSA
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of PharmacyUniversity of North Carolina‐Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
- UNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of North Carolina‐Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of MedicineUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
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9
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Darquenne C, Borojeni AA, Colebank MJ, Forest MG, Madas BG, Tawhai M, Jiang Y. Aerosol Transport Modeling: The Key Link Between Lung Infections of Individuals and Populations. Front Physiol 2022; 13:923945. [PMID: 35795643 PMCID: PMC9251577 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.923945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The recent COVID-19 pandemic has propelled the field of aerosol science to the forefront, particularly the central role of virus-laden respiratory droplets and aerosols. The pandemic has also highlighted the critical need, and value for, an information bridge between epidemiological models (that inform policymakers to develop public health responses) and within-host models (that inform the public and health care providers how individuals develop respiratory infections). Here, we review existing data and models of generation of respiratory droplets and aerosols, their exhalation and inhalation, and the fate of infectious droplet transport and deposition throughout the respiratory tract. We then articulate how aerosol transport modeling can serve as a bridge between and guide calibration of within-host and epidemiological models, forming a comprehensive tool to formulate and test hypotheses about respiratory tract exposure and infection within and between individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chantal Darquenne
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Chantal Darquenne,
| | - Azadeh A.T. Borojeni
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Mitchel J. Colebank
- Edwards Lifesciences Foundation Cardiovascular Innovation and Research Center and Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - M. Gregory Forest
- Departments of Mathematics, Applied Physical Sciences, and Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Balázs G. Madas
- Environmental Physics Department, Centre for Energy Research, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Merryn Tawhai
- Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Yi Jiang
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States
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10
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Chen A, Wessler T, Daftari K, Hinton K, Boucher RC, Pickles R, Freeman R, Lai SK, Forest MG. Modeling insights into SARS-CoV-2 respiratory tract infections prior to immune protection. Biophys J 2022; 121:1619-1631. [PMID: 35378080 PMCID: PMC8975607 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanistic insights into human respiratory tract (RT) infections from SARS-CoV-2 can inform public awareness as well as guide medical prevention and treatment for COVID-19 disease. Yet the complexity of the RT and the inability to access diverse regions pose fundamental roadblocks to evaluation of potential mechanisms for the onset and progression of infection (and transmission). We present a model that incorporates detailed RT anatomy and physiology, including airway geometry, physical dimensions, thicknesses of airway surface liquids (ASLs), and mucus layer transport by cilia. The model further incorporates SARS-CoV-2 diffusivity in ASLs and best-known data for epithelial cell infection probabilities, and, once infected, duration of eclipse and replication phases, and replication rate of infectious virions. We apply this baseline model in the absence of immune protection to explore immediate, short-term outcomes from novel SARS-CoV-2 depositions onto the air-ASL interface. For each RT location, we compute probability to clear versus infect; per infected cell, we compute dynamics of viral load and cell infection. Results reveal that nasal infections are highly likely within 1-2 days from minimal exposure, and alveolar pneumonia occurs only if infectious virions are deposited directly into alveolar ducts and sacs, not via retrograde propagation to the deep lung. Furthermore, to infect just 1% of the 140 m2 of alveolar surface area within 1 week, either 103 boluses each with 106 infectious virions or 106 aerosols with one infectious virion, all physically separated, must be directly deposited. These results strongly suggest that COVID-19 disease occurs in stages: a nasal/upper RT infection, followed by self-transmission of infection to the deep lung. Two mechanisms of self-transmission are persistent aspiration of infected nasal boluses that drain to the deep lung and repeated rupture of nasal aerosols from infected mucosal membranes by speaking, singing, or cheering that are partially inhaled, exhaled, and re-inhaled, to the deep lung.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Chen
- Department of Mathematics, CSU Dominguez Hills, Carson, California
| | - Timothy Wessler
- Department of Mathematics, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
| | - Katherine Daftari
- Department of Mathematics, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Kameryn Hinton
- Department of Applied Physical Sciences, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Richard C Boucher
- Marsico Lung Institute, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Raymond Pickles
- Marsico Lung Institute, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Ronit Freeman
- Department of Applied Physical Sciences, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Samuel K Lai
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, UNC Chapel Hill and NC State University, Chapel Hill and Raleigh, North Carolina; Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - M Gregory Forest
- Department of Mathematics, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Applied Physical Sciences, UNC Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, UNC Chapel Hill and NC State University, Chapel Hill and Raleigh, North Carolina.
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11
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Schaefer A, Lai SK. The biophysical principles underpinning muco-trapping functions of antibodies. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2021; 18:1939605. [PMID: 34314289 PMCID: PMC9116395 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2021.1939605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In addition to the classical immunological functions such as neutralization, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, and complement activation, IgG antibodies possess a little-recognized and under-utilized effector function at mucosal surfaces: trapping pathogens in mucus. IgG can potently immobilize pathogens that otherwise readily diffuse or actively swim through mucus by forming multiple low-affinity bonds between the array of pathogen-bound antibodies and the mucin mesh. Trapping in mucus can exclude pathogens from contacting target cells, and facilitate their rapid elimination by natural mucus clearance mechanisms. Despite the fact that most infections are transmitted at mucosal surfaces, this muco-trapping effector function has only been revealed within the past decade, with the evidence to date suggesting that it is a universal effector function of IgG-Fc capable of immobilizing both viral and highly motile bacterial pathogens in all major mucosal secretions. This review provides an overview of the current evidence for Fc-mucin crosslinking as an effector function for antibodies in mucus, the mechanism by which the accumulation of weak Fc-mucin bonds by IgG bound to the surface of a pathogen can result in immobilization of antibody-pathogen complexes, and how trapping in mucus can contribute to protection against foreign pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison Schaefer
- UNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Samuel K Lai
- UNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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12
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Liu L, Tian C, Dong B, Xia M, Cai Y, Hu R, Chu X. Models to evaluate the barrier properties of mucus during drug diffusion. Int J Pharm 2021; 599:120415. [PMID: 33647411 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2021.120415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Mucus is widely disseminated in the nasal cavity, oral cavity, respiratory tract, eyes, gastrointestinal tract, and reproductive tract to prevent the invasion of pathogenic bacteria and toxins. The mucus layer through its continuous secretion can prevent the passage of macromolecular substances such as pathogenic bacteria and toxins, thereby reducing the occurrence of inflammation. Without a doubt, mucus also hinders oral absorption. The physiological and biochemical properties of intestinal mucus and the different types of mucus barrier models need to be predominated. To find ways to increase the bioavailability of drugs in the future, this article summarizes mucus composition, barrier properties, mucus models, and mucoadhesive/mucopenetrating particles to highlight the information they can afford. Collectively, the review seeks to provide a state-of-the-art roadmap for researchers who must contend with this critical barrier to drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liu Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Chunling Tian
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Baoqi Dong
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Mengqiu Xia
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Ye Cai
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Rongfeng Hu
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China; Institute of Pharmaceutics, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Xiaoqin Chu
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China; Institute of Pharmaceutics, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China.
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13
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das Neves J, Sverdlov Arzi R, Sosnik A. Molecular and cellular cues governing nanomaterial-mucosae interactions: from nanomedicine to nanotoxicology. Chem Soc Rev 2021; 49:5058-5100. [PMID: 32538405 DOI: 10.1039/c8cs00948a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Mucosal tissues constitute the largest interface between the body and the surrounding environment and they regulate the access of molecules, supramolecular structures, particulate matter, and pathogens into it. All mucosae are characterized by an outer mucus layer that protects the underlying cells from physicochemical, biological and mechanical insults, a mono-layered or stratified epithelium that forms tight junctions and controls the selective transport of solutes across it and associated lymphoid tissues that play a sentinel role. Mucus is a gel-like material comprised mainly of the glycoprotein mucin and water and it displays both hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains, a net negative charge, and high porosity and pore interconnectivity, providing an efficient barrier for the absorption of therapeutic agents. To prolong the residence time, absorption and bioavailability of a broad spectrum of active compounds upon mucosal administration, mucus-penetrating and mucoadhesive particles have been designed by tuning the chemical composition, the size, the density, and the surface properties. The benefits of utilizing nanomaterials that interact intimately with mucosae by different mechanisms in the nanomedicine field have been extensively reported. To ensure the safety of these nanosystems, their compatibility is evaluated in vitro and in vivo in preclinical and clinical trials. Conversely, there is a growing concern about the toxicity of nanomaterials dispersed in air and water effluents that unintentionally come into contact with the airways and the gastrointestinal tract. Thus, deep understanding of the key nanomaterial properties that govern the interplay with mucus and tissues is crucial for the rational design of more efficient drug delivery nanosystems (nanomedicine) and to anticipate the fate and side-effects of nanoparticulate matter upon acute or chronic exposure (nanotoxicology). This review initially overviews the complex structural features of mucosal tissues, including the structure of mucus, the epithelial barrier, the mucosal-associated lymphatic tissues and microbiota. Then, the most relevant investigations attempting to identify and validate the key particle features that govern nanomaterial-mucosa interactions and that are relevant in both nanomedicine and nanotoxicology are discussed in a holistic manner. Finally, the most popular experimental techniques and the incipient use of mathematical and computational models to characterize these interactions are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- José das Neves
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde & INEB - Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Roni Sverdlov Arzi
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Nanomaterials Science, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, De-Jur Building, Office 607, Haifa, 3200003, Israel.
| | - Alejandro Sosnik
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Nanomaterials Science, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, De-Jur Building, Office 607, Haifa, 3200003, Israel.
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14
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Schroeder HA, Newby J, Schaefer A, Subramani B, Tubbs A, Gregory Forest M, Miao E, Lai SK. LPS-binding IgG arrests actively motile Salmonella Typhimurium in gastrointestinal mucus. Mucosal Immunol 2020; 13:814-823. [PMID: 32123309 DOI: 10.1038/s41385-020-0267-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/27/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The gastrointestinal (GI) mucosa is coated with a continuously secreted mucus layer that serves as the first line of defense against invading enteric bacteria. We have previously shown that antigen-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) can immobilize viruses in both human airway and genital mucus secretions through multiple low-affinity bonds between the array of virion-bound IgG and mucins, thereby facilitating their rapid elimination from mucosal surfaces and preventing mucosal transmission. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether weak IgG-mucin crosslinks could reinforce the mucus barrier against the permeation of bacteria driven by active flagella beating, or in predominantly MUC2 mucus gel. Here, we performed high-resolution multiple particle tracking to capture the real-time motion of hundreds of individual fluorescent Salmonella Typhimurium in fresh, undiluted GI mucus from Rag1-/- mice, and analyzed the motion using a hidden Markov model framework. In contrast to control IgG, the addition of anti-lipopolysaccharide IgG to GI mucus markedly reduced the progressive motility of Salmonella by lowering the swim speed and retaining individual bacteria in an undirected motion state. Effective crosslinking of Salmonella to mucins was dependent on Fc N-glycans. Our findings implicate IgG-mucin crosslinking as a broadly conserved function that reduces mucous penetration of both bacterial and viral pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly A Schroeder
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA
| | - Jay Newby
- Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA
| | - Alison Schaefer
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA
| | - Babu Subramani
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA
| | - Alan Tubbs
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA
| | - M Gregory Forest
- Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA
| | - Ed Miao
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA
| | - Samuel K Lai
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA. .,UNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, 27599, NC, USA.
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15
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Schiller JL, Lai SK. Tuning Barrier Properties of Biological Hydrogels. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2020; 3:2875-2890. [DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.0c00187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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16
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Schiller JL, Fogle MM, Bussey O, Kissner WJ, Hill DB, Lai SK. Antibody-mediated trapping in biological hydrogels is governed by sugar-sugar hydrogen bonds. Acta Biomater 2020; 107:91-101. [PMID: 32147470 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2020.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
N-glycans on IgG and IgM antibodies (Ab) facilitate Ab-mediated crosslinking of viruses and nanoparticles to the major structural elements of mucus and basement membranes. Nevertheless, the chemical moieties in these biological hydrogel matrices to which Ab can bind remain poorly understood. To gain insights into the chemistries that support Ab-matrix interactions, we systematically evaluated IgG- and IgM-mediated trapping of nanoparticles in different polysaccharide-based biogels with unique chemical features. In agarose, composed of alternating d-galactose and 3,6-anhydro-l-galactopyranose (i.e. hydroxyl groups only), anti-PEG IgM but not anti-PEG IgG trapped PEGylated nanoparticles. In alginate, comprised of homopolymeric blocks of mannuronate and guluronate (i.e. both hydroxyl and carboxyl groups), both IgG and IgM trapped PEGylated nanoparticles. In contrast, chitosan, comprised primarily of glucosamine (i.e. both hydroxyl and primary amine groups), did not facilitate either IgG- or IgM-mediated trapping. IgG-mediated trapping in alginate was abrogated upon removal of IgG N-glycans, whereas IgM-mediated trapping was eliminated in agarose but not alginate upon desialylation. These results led us to propose a model in which hydrogen bonding between carboxyl and hydroxyl groups of glycans on both Ab and matrix facilitates Ab-mediated trapping of pathogens in biogels. Our work here offers a blueprint for designing de novo hydrogels that could harness Ab-matrix interactions for various biomedical and biological applications. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Here, we interrogated the molecular mechanism of antibody-mediated trapping to address what are the chemical moieties on biogels that are essential for facilitating trapping in biogels. We systematically evaluated the potencies of IgG and IgM to trap nanoparticles in different polysaccharide-based biogels with unique and highly defined chemical moieties: hydroxyl groups (agarose), amine groups (chitosan), and carboxyl groups (alginate). We discovered that only hydroxyl/carboxyl hydrogen bonds (and stronger) are sufficiently strong enough to facilitate antibody-mediated trapping; weaker hydroxyl/hydroxyl bonds or hydroxyl/amine bonds fail to adequately slow particles. Our findings presents the first blueprint for how to engineer de novo biogels that are capable of harnessing antibodies to immobilize foreign entities in the biogels, for applications ranging from infectious disease to contraception to purification processes.
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17
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Xu F, Newby JM, Schiller JL, Schroeder HA, Wessler T, Chen A, Forest MG, Lai SK. Modeling Barrier Properties of Intestinal Mucus Reinforced with IgG and Secretory IgA against Motile Bacteria. ACS Infect Dis 2019; 5:1570-1580. [PMID: 31268295 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.9b00109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is lined with a layer of viscoelastic mucus gel, characterized by a dense network of entangled and cross-linked mucins together with an abundance of antibodies (Ab). Secretory IgA (sIgA), the predominant Ab isotype in the GI tract, is a dimeric molecule with 4 antigen-binding domains capable of inducing efficient clumping of bacteria, or agglutination. IgG, another common Ab at mucosal surfaces, can cross-link individual viruses to the mucin mesh through multiple weak bonds between IgG-Fc and mucins, a process termed muco-trapping. Relative contributions by agglutination versus muco-trapping in blocking permeation of motile bacteria through mucus remain poorly understood. Here, we developed a mathematical model that takes into account physiologically relevant spatial dimensions and time scales, binding and unbinding rates between Ab and bacteria as well as between Ab and mucins, the diffusivities of Ab, and run-tumble motion of active bacteria. Our model predicts both sIgA and IgG can accumulate on the surface of individual bacteria at sufficient quantities and rates to enable trapping individual bacteria in mucins before they penetrate the mucus layer. Furthermore, our model predicts that agglutination only modestly improves the ability for antibodies to block bacteria permeation through mucus. These results suggest that while sIgA is the most potent Ab isotype overall at stopping bacterial penetration, IgG may represent a practical alternative for mucosal prophylaxis and therapy. Our work improves the mechanistic understanding of Ab-enhanced barrier properties of mucus and highlights the ability for muco-trapping Ab to protect against motile pathogens at mucosal surfaces.
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18
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Jensen MA, Wang YY, Lai SK, Forest MG, McKinley SA. Antibody-Mediated Immobilization of Virions in Mucus. Bull Math Biol 2019; 81:4069-4099. [PMID: 31468263 PMCID: PMC6764938 DOI: 10.1007/s11538-019-00653-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Antibodies have been shown to hinder the movement of herpes simplex virus virions in cervicovaginal mucus, as well as other viruses in other mucus secretions. However, it has not been possible to directly observe the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon, so the nature of virion-antibody-mucin interactions remain poorly understood. In this work, we analyzed thousands of virion traces from single particle tracking experiments to explicate how antibodies must cooperate to immobilize virions for relatively long time periods. First, using a clustering analysis, we observed a clear separation between two classes of virion behavior: freely diffusing and immobilized. While the proportion of freely diffusing virions decreased with antibody concentration, the magnitude of their diffusivity did not, implying an all-or-nothing dichotomy in the pathwise effect of the antibodies. Proceeding under the assumption that all binding events are reversible, we used a novel switch-point detection method to conclude that there are very few, if any, state switches on the experimental timescale of 20 s. To understand this slow state switching, we analyzed a recently proposed continuous-time Markov chain model for binding kinetics and virion movement. Model analysis implied that virion immobilization requires cooperation by multiple antibodies that are simultaneously bound to the virion and mucin matrix and that there is an entanglement phenomenon that accelerates antibody-mucin binding when a virion is immobilized. In addition to developing a widely applicable framework for analyzing multistate particle behavior, this work substantially enhances our mechanistic understanding of how antibodies can reinforce a mucus barrier against passive invasive species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie A Jensen
- Department of Mathematics, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA.
| | - Ying-Ying Wang
- Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Samuel K Lai
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - M Gregory Forest
- Department of Mathematics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Scott A McKinley
- Department of Mathematics, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
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19
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Schiller JL, Marvin A, McCallen JD, Lai SK. Robust antigen-specific tuning of the nanoscale barrier properties of biogels using matrix-associating IgG and IgM antibodies. Acta Biomater 2019; 89:95-103. [PMID: 30878451 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2019.03.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2018] [Revised: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Biological hydrogels (biogels) are selective barriers that restrict passage of harmful substances yet allow the rapid movement of nutrients and select cells. Current methods to modulate the barrier properties of biogels typically involve bulk changes in order to restrict diffusion by either steric hindrance or direct high-affinity interactions with microstructural constituents. Here, we introduce a third mechanism, based on antibody-based third party anchors that bind specific foreign species but form only weak and transient bonds with biogel constituents. The weak affinity to biogel constituents allows antibody anchors to quickly accumulate on the surface of specific foreign species and facilitates immobilization via multiple crosslinks with the biogel matrix. Using the basement membrane Matrigel® and a mixture of laminin/entactin, we demonstrate that antigen-specific, but not control, IgG and IgM efficiently immobilize a variety of individual nanoparticles. The addition of Salmonella typhimurium-binding IgG to biogel markedly reduced the invasion of these highly motile bacteria. These results underscore a generalized strategy through which the barrier properties of biogels can be readily tuned with molecular specificity against a diverse array of particulates. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Biological hydrogels (biogels) are essential in living systems to control the movement of cells and unwanted substances. However, current methods to control transport within biogels rely on altering the microstructure of the biogel matrix at a gross level, either by reducing the pore size to restrict passage through steric hindrance or by chemically modifying the matrix itself. Both methods are either nonspecific or not scalable. Here, we offer a new approach, based on weakly adhesive third-party molecular anchors, that allow for a variety of foreign entities to be trapped within a biogel simultaneously with exceptional potency and molecular specificity, without perturbing the bulk properties of the biogel. This strategy greatly increases our ability to control the properties of biogels at the nanoscale, including those used for wound healing or tissue engineering applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Schiller
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Allison Marvin
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Justin D McCallen
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Samuel K Lai
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; UNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States.
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20
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Schroeder HA, Nunn KL, Schaefer A, Henry CE, Lam F, Pauly MH, Whaley KJ, Zeitlin L, Humphrys MS, Ravel J, Lai SK. Herpes simplex virus-binding IgG traps HSV in human cervicovaginal mucus across the menstrual cycle and diverse vaginal microbial composition. Mucosal Immunol 2018; 11:1477-1486. [PMID: 29988116 PMCID: PMC6485947 DOI: 10.1038/s41385-018-0054-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Revised: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 05/31/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
IgG possesses an important yet little recognized effector function in mucus. IgG bound to viral surface can immobilize otherwise readily diffusive viruses to the mucin matrix, excluding them from contacting target cells and facilitating their elimination by natural mucus clearance mechanisms. Cervicovaginal mucus (CVM) is populated by a microbial community, and its viscoelastic and barrier properties can vary substantially not only across the menstrual cycle, but also in women with distinct microbiota. How these variations impact the "muco-trapping" effector function of IgGs remains poorly understood. Here we obtained multiple fresh, undiluted CVM specimens (n = 82 unique specimens) from six women over time, and employed high-resolution multiple particle tracking to quantify the mobility of fluorescent Herpes Simplex Viruses (HSV-1) in CVM treated with different HSV-1-binding IgG. The IgG trapping potency was then correlated to the menstrual cycle, and the vaginal microbial composition was determined by 16 s rRNA. In the specimens studied, both polyclonal and monoclonal HSV-1-binding IgG appeared to consistently and effectively trap HSV-1 in CVM obtained at different times of the menstrual cycle and containing a diverse spectrum of commensals, including G. vaginalis-dominant microbiota. Our findings underscore the potential broad utility of this "muco-trapping" effector function of IgG to reinforce the vaginal mucosal defense, and motivates further investigation of passive immunization of the vagina as a strategy to protect against vaginally transmitted infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly A. Schroeder
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27519, USA
| | - Kenetta L. Nunn
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27519, USA.,UNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, Chapel Hill, NC, 27519, USA
| | - Alison Schaefer
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27519, USA
| | - Christine E. Henry
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27519, USA
| | - Felix Lam
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27519, USA
| | | | | | - Larry Zeitlin
- Mapp Biopharmaceutical Inc., San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Mike S. Humphrys
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Jacques Ravel
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.,Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Samuel K. Lai
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27519, USA.,UNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, Chapel Hill, NC, 27519, USA
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21
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Sims LB, Frieboes HB, Steinbach-Rankins JM. Nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery to treat infections in the female reproductive tract: evaluation of experimental systems and the potential for mathematical modeling. Int J Nanomedicine 2018; 13:2709-2727. [PMID: 29760551 PMCID: PMC5937491 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s160044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A variety of drug-delivery platforms have been employed to deliver therapeutic agents across cervicovaginal mucus (CVM) and the vaginal mucosa, offering the capability to increase the longevity and retention of active agents to treat infections of the female reproductive tract (FRT). Nanoparticles (NPs) have been shown to improve retention, diffusion, and cell-specific targeting via specific surface modifications, relative to other delivery platforms. In particular, polymeric NPs represent a promising option that has shown improved distribution through the CVM. These NPs are typically fabricated from nontoxic, non-inflammatory, US Food and Drug Administration-approved polymers that improve biocompatibility. This review summarizes recent experimental studies that have evaluated NP transport in the FRT, and highlights research areas that more thoroughly and efficiently inform polymeric NP design, including mathematical modeling. An overview of the in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo NP studies conducted to date – whereby transport parameters are determined, extrapolated, and validated – is presented first. The impact of different NP design features on transport through the FRT is summarized, and gaps that exist due to the limitations of iterative experimentation alone are identified. The potential of mathematical modeling to complement the characterization and evaluation of diffusion and transport of delivery vehicles and active agents through the CVM and mucosa is discussed. Lastly, potential advancements combining experimental and mathematical knowledge are suggested to inform next-generation NP designs, such that infections in the FRT may be more effectively treated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee B Sims
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Hermann B Frieboes
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA.,James Graham Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Jill M Steinbach-Rankins
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA.,Center for Predictive Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
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22
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Newby JM, Seim I, Lysy M, Ling Y, Huckaby J, Lai SK, Forest MG. Technological strategies to estimate and control diffusive passage times through the mucus barrier in mucosal drug delivery. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2018; 124:64-81. [PMID: 29246855 PMCID: PMC5809312 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2017.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2017] [Revised: 12/05/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
In mucosal drug delivery, two design goals are desirable: 1) insure drug passage through the mucosal barrier to the epithelium prior to drug removal from the respective organ via mucus clearance; and 2) design carrier particles to achieve a prescribed arrival time and drug uptake schedule at the epithelium. Both goals are achievable if one can control "one-sided" diffusive passage times of drug carrier particles: from deposition at the mucus interface, through the mucosal barrier, to the epithelium. The passage time distribution must be, with high confidence, shorter than the timescales of mucus clearance to maximize drug uptake. For 100nm and smaller drug-loaded nanoparticulates, as well as pure drug powders or drug solutions, diffusion is normal (i.e., Brownian) and rapid, easily passing through the mucosal barrier prior to clearance. Major challenges in quantitative control over mucosal drug delivery lie with larger drug-loaded nanoparticulates that are comparable to or larger than the pores within the mucus gel network, for which diffusion is not simple Brownian motion and typically much less rapid; in these scenarios, a timescale competition ensues between particle passage through the mucus barrier and mucus clearance from the organ. In the lung, as a primary example, coordinated cilia and air drag continuously transport mucus toward the trachea, where mucus and trapped cargo are swallowed into the digestive tract. Mucus clearance times in lung airways range from minutes to hours or significantly longer depending on deposition in the upper, middle, lower airways and on lung health, giving a wide time window for drug-loaded particle design to achieve controlled delivery to the epithelium. We review the physical and chemical factors (of both particles and mucus) that dictate particle diffusion in mucus, and the technological strategies (theoretical and experimental) required to achieve the design goals. First we describe an idealized scenario - a homogeneous viscous fluid of uniform depth with a particle undergoing passive normal diffusion - where the theory of Brownian motion affords the ability to rigorously specify particle size distributions to meet a prescribed, one-sided, diffusive passage time distribution. Furthermore, we describe how the theory of Brownian motion provides the scaling of one-sided diffusive passage times with respect to mucus viscosity and layer depth, and under reasonable caveats, one can also prescribe passage time scaling due to heterogeneity in viscosity and layer depth. Small-molecule drugs and muco-inert, drug-loaded carrier particles 100nm and smaller fall into this class of rigorously controllable passage times for drug delivery. Second we describe the prevalent scenarios in which drug-loaded carrier particles in mucus violate simple Brownian motion, instead exhibiting anomalous sub-diffusion, for which all theoretical control over diffusive passage times is lost, and experiments are prohibitive if not impossible to measure one-sided passage times. We then discuss strategies to overcome these roadblocks, requiring new particle-tracking experiments and emerging advances in theory and computation of anomalous, sub-diffusive processes that are necessary to predict and control one-sided particle passage times from deposition at the mucosal interface to epithelial uptake. We highlight progress to date, remaining hurdles, and prospects for achieving the two design goals for 200nm and larger, drug-loaded, non-dissolving, nanoparticulates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay M Newby
- Department of Mathematics and Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Ian Seim
- Department of Mathematics and Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Martin Lysy
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, United States
| | - Yun Ling
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, United States
| | - Justin Huckaby
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - Samuel K Lai
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; UNC-NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - M Gregory Forest
- Department of Mathematics and Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States; UNC-NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States.
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Huckaby JT, Lai SK. PEGylation for enhancing nanoparticle diffusion in mucus. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2018; 124:125-139. [PMID: 28882703 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2017.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 230] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2017] [Revised: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The viscoelastic mucus secretions coating exposed organs such as the lung airways and the female reproductive tract can trap and quickly eliminate not only foreign pathogens and ultrafine particles but also particle-based drug delivery systems, thus limiting sustained and targeted drug delivery at mucosal surfaces. To improve particle distribution across the mucosa and enhance delivery to the underlying epithelium, many investigators have sought to develop nanoparticles capable of readily traversing mucus. The first synthetic nanoparticles shown capable of rapidly penetrating physiological mucus secretions utilized a dense coating of polyethylene glycol (PEG) covalently grafted onto the surface of preformed polymeric nanoparticles. In the decade since, PEG has become the gold standard in engineering mucus-penetrating drug carriers for sustained and targeted drug delivery to the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, eyes, and female reproductive tract. This review summarizes the history of the development of various PEG-based mucus-penetrating particles, and highlights the key physicochemical properties of PEG coatings and PEGylation strategies to achieve muco-inert PEG coatings on nanoparticle drug carriers for improved drug and gene delivery at mucosal surfaces.
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24
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Murgia X, Loretz B, Hartwig O, Hittinger M, Lehr CM. The role of mucus on drug transport and its potential to affect therapeutic outcomes. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2018; 124:82-97. [PMID: 29106910 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2017.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 180] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2017] [Revised: 09/29/2017] [Accepted: 10/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
A layer of mucus covers the surface of all wet epithelia throughout the human body. Mucus is a hydrogel mainly composed of water, mucins (glycoproteins), DNA, proteins, lipids, and cell debris. This complex composition yields a tenacious viscoelastic hydrogel that lubricates and protects the exposed epithelia from external threats and enzymatic degradation. The natural protective role of mucus is nowadays acknowledged as a major barrier to be overcome in non-invasive drug delivery. The heterogeneity of mucus components offers a wide range of potential chemical interaction sites for macromolecules, while the mesh-like architecture given to mucus by the intermolecular cross-linking of mucin molecules results in a dense network that physically, and in a size-dependent manner, hinders the diffusion of nanoparticles through mucus. Consequently, drug diffusion, epithelial absorption, drug bioavailability, and ultimately therapeutic outcomes of mucosal drug delivery can be attenuated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xabier Murgia
- Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Brigitta Loretz
- Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Olga Hartwig
- Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Marius Hittinger
- PharmBioTec GmbH, Science Park 1 Campus D 1.1, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Claus-Michael Lehr
- Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany; PharmBioTec GmbH, Science Park 1 Campus D 1.1, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany; Department of Pharmacy, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.
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25
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Arnold KB, Chung AW. Prospects from systems serology research. Immunology 2017; 153:279-289. [PMID: 29139548 PMCID: PMC5795183 DOI: 10.1111/imm.12861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Revised: 11/02/2017] [Accepted: 11/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibodies are highly functional glycoproteins capable of providing immune protection through multiple mechanisms, including direct pathogen neutralization and the engagement of their Fc portions with surrounding effector immune cells that induce anti-pathogenic responses. Small modifications to multiple antibody biophysical features induced by vaccines can significantly alter functional immune outcomes, though it is difficult to predict which combinations confer protective immunity. In order to give insight into the highly complex and dynamic processes that drive an effective humoral immune response, here we discuss recent applications of 'Systems Serology', a new approach that uses data-driven (also called 'machine learning') computational analysis and high-throughput experimental data to infer networks of important antibody features associated with protective humoral immunity and/or Fc functional activity. This approach offers the ability to understand humoral immunity beyond single correlates of protection, assessing the relative importance of multiple biophysical modifications to antibody features with multivariate computational approaches. Systems Serology has the exciting potential to help identify novel correlates of protection from infection and may generate a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms behind protection, including key relationships between specific Fc functions and antibody biophysical features (e.g. antigen recognition, isotype, subclass and/or glycosylation events). Reviewed here are some of the experimental and computational technologies available for Systems Serology research and evidence that the application has broad relevance to multiple different infectious diseases including viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly B Arnold
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Amy W Chung
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., Australia
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26
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Newby J, Schiller JL, Wessler T, Edelstein J, Forest MG, Lai SK. A blueprint for robust crosslinking of mobile species in biogels with weakly adhesive molecular anchors. Nat Commun 2017; 8:833. [PMID: 29018239 PMCID: PMC5635012 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00739-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Accepted: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Biopolymeric matrices can impede transport of nanoparticulates and pathogens by entropic or direct adhesive interactions, or by harnessing "third-party" molecular anchors to crosslink nanoparticulates to matrix constituents. The trapping potency of anchors is dictated by association rates and affinities to both nanoparticulates and matrix; the popular dogma is that long-lived, high-affinity bonds to both species facilitate optimal trapping. Here we present a contrasting paradigm combining experimental evidence (using IgG antibodies and Matrigel®), a theoretical framework (based on multiple timescale analysis), and computational modeling. Anchors that bind and unbind rapidly from matrix accumulate on nanoparticulates much more quickly than anchors that form high-affinity, long-lived bonds with matrix, leading to markedly greater trapping potency of multiple invading species without saturating matrix trapping capacity. Our results provide a blueprint for engineering molecular anchors with finely tuned affinities to effectively enhance the barrier properties of biogels against diverse nanoparticulate species.Biological polymeric matrices often use molecular anchors, such as antibodies, to trap nanoparticulates. Here, the authors find that anchor-matrix bonds that are weak and short-lived confer superior trapping potency, contrary to the prevailing belief that effective molecular anchors should form strong bonds to both the matrix and the nanoparticulates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay Newby
- Department of Mathematics, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.,Department of Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Jennifer L Schiller
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Timothy Wessler
- Department of Mathematics, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.,Department of Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Jasmine Edelstein
- UNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - M Gregory Forest
- Department of Mathematics, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA. .,Department of Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA. .,UNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
| | - Samuel K Lai
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA. .,UNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA. .,Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
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27
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Witten J, Ribbeck K. The particle in the spider's web: transport through biological hydrogels. NANOSCALE 2017; 9:8080-8095. [PMID: 28580973 PMCID: PMC5841163 DOI: 10.1039/c6nr09736g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Biological hydrogels such as mucus, extracellular matrix, biofilms, and the nuclear pore have diverse functions and compositions, but all act as selectively permeable barriers to the diffusion of particles. Each barrier has a crosslinked polymeric mesh that blocks penetration of large particles such as pathogens, nanotherapeutics, or macromolecules. These polymeric meshes also employ interactive filtering, in which affinity between solutes and the gel matrix controls permeability. Interactive filtering affects the transport of particles of all sizes including peptides, antibiotics, and nanoparticles and in many cases this filtering can be described in terms of the effects of charge and hydrophobicity. The concepts described in this review can guide strategies to exploit or overcome gel barriers, particularly for applications in diagnostics, pharmacology, biomaterials, and drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Witten
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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28
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Wang YY, Schroeder HA, Nunn KL, Woods K, Anderson DJ, Lai SK, Cone RA. Diffusion of Immunoglobulin G in Shed Vaginal Epithelial Cells and in Cell-Free Regions of Human Cervicovaginal Mucus. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0158338. [PMID: 27362256 PMCID: PMC4928780 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0158338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Human cervicovaginal mucus (CVM) is a viscoelastic gel containing a complex mixture of mucins, shed epithelial cells, microbes and macromolecules, such as antibodies, that together serve as the first line of defense against invading pathogens. Here, to investigate the affinity between IgG and different mucus constituents, we used Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching (FRAP) to measure the diffusion of IgG in fresh, minimally modified CVM. We found that CVM exhibits substantial spatial variations that necessitate careful selection of the regions in which to perform FRAP. In portions of CVM devoid of cells, FRAP measurements using different IgG antibodies and labeling methods consistently demonstrate that both exogenous and endogenous IgG undergo rapid diffusion, almost as fast as in saline, in good agreement with the rapid diffusion of IgG in mid-cycle endocervical mucus that is largely devoid of cells. This rapid diffusion indicates the interactions between secreted mucins and IgG must be very weak and transient. IgG also accumulated in cellular debris and shed epithelial cells that had become permeable to IgG, which may allow shed epithelial cells to serve as reservoirs of secreted IgG. Interestingly, in contrast to cell-free regions of CVM, the diffusion of cell-associated IgG was markedly slowed, suggesting greater affinity between IgG and cellular constituents. Our findings contribute to an improved understanding of the role of IgG in mucosal protection against infectious diseases, and may also provide a framework for using FRAP to study molecular interactions in mucus and other complex biological environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Ying Wang
- Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Holly A Schroeder
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Kenetta L Nunn
- UNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Karen Woods
- Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Deborah J Anderson
- Departments of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Microbiology and Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Samuel K Lai
- Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America.,UNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America.,Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Richard A Cone
- Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
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29
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Tan GS, Leon PE, Albrecht RA, Margine I, Hirsh A, Bahl J, Krammer F. Broadly-Reactive Neutralizing and Non-neutralizing Antibodies Directed against the H7 Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin Reveal Divergent Mechanisms of Protection. PLoS Pathog 2016; 12:e1005578. [PMID: 27081859 PMCID: PMC4833315 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2015] [Accepted: 03/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In the early spring of 2013, Chinese health authorities reported several cases of H7N9 influenza virus infections in humans. Since then the virus has established itself at the human-animal interface in Eastern China and continues to cause several hundred infections annually. In order to characterize the antibody response to the H7N9 virus we generated several mouse monoclonal antibodies against the hemagglutinin of the A/Shanghai/1/13 (H7N9) virus. Of particular note are two monoclonal antibodies, 1B2 and 1H5, that show broad reactivity to divergent H7 hemagglutinins. Monoclonal antibody 1B2 binds to viruses of the Eurasian and North American H7 lineages and monoclonal antibody 1H5 reacts broadly to virus isolates of the Eurasian lineage. Interestingly, 1B2 shows broad hemagglutination inhibiting and neutralizing activity, while 1H5 fails to inhibit hemagglutination and demonstrates no neutralizing activity in vitro. However, both monoclonal antibodies were highly protective in an in vivo passive transfer challenge model in mice, even at low doses. Experiments using mutant antibodies that lack the ability for Fc/Fc-receptor and Fc/complement interactions suggest that the protection provided by mAb 1H5 is, at least in part, mediated by the Fc-fragment of the mAb. These findings highlight that a protective response to a pathogen may not only be due to neutralizing antibodies, but can also be the result of highly efficacious non-neutralizing antibodies not readily detected by classical in vitro neutralization or hemagglutination inhibition assays. This is of interest because H7 influenza virus vaccines induce only low hemagglutination inhibiting antibody titers while eliciting robust antibody titers as measured by ELISA. Our data suggest that these binding but non-neutralizing antibodies contribute to protection in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gene S. Tan
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Paul E. Leon
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Randy A. Albrecht
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
- Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Irina Margine
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Ariana Hirsh
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Justin Bahl
- School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Florian Krammer
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
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