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Moitra P, Skrodzki D, Molinaro M, Gunaseelan N, Sar D, Aditya T, Dahal D, Ray P, Pan D. Context-Responsive Nanoparticle Derived from Synthetic Zwitterionic Ionizable Phospholipids in Targeted CRISPR/Cas9 Therapy for Basal-like Breast Cancer. ACS NANO 2024; 18:9199-9220. [PMID: 38466962 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c01400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
The majority of triple negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are basal-like breast cancers (BLBCs), which tend to be more aggressive, proliferate rapidly, and have poor clinical outcomes. A key prognostic biomarker and regulator of BLBC is the Forkhead box C1 (FOXC1) transcription factor. However, because of its functional placement inside the cell nucleus and its structural similarity with other related proteins, targeting FOXC1 for therapeutic benefit, particularly for BLBC, continues to be difficult. We envision targeted nonviral delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 plasmid toward the efficacious knockdown of FOXC1. Keeping in mind the challenges associated with the use of CRISPR/Cas9 in vivo, including off-targeting modifications, and effective release of the cargo, a nanoparticle with context responsive properties can be designed for efficient targeted delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 plasmid. Consequently, we have designed, synthesized, and characterized a zwitterionic amino phospholipid-derived transfecting nanoparticle for delivery of CRISPR/Cas9. The construct becomes positively charged only at low pH, which encourages membrane instability and makes it easier for nanoparticles to exit endosomes. This has enabled effective in vitro and in vivo downregulation of protein expression and genome editing. Following this, we have used EpCAM aptamer to make the system targeted toward BLBC cell lines and to reduce its off-target toxicity. The in vivo efficacy, biodistribution, preliminary pharmacokinetics, and biosafety of the optimized targeted CRISPR nanoplatform is then validated in a rodent xenograft model. Overall, we have attempted to knockout the proto-oncogenic FOXC1 expression in BLBC cases by efficient delivery of CRISPR effectors via a context-responsive nanoparticle delivery system derived from a designer lipid derivative. We believe that the nonviral approach for in vitro and in vivo delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 targeted toward FOXC1, studied herein, will greatly emphasize the therapeutic regimen for BLBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parikshit Moitra
- Department of Nuclear Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Centre of Blood Oxygen Transport & Hemostasis, University of Maryland-Baltimore School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, United States
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - David Skrodzki
- Department of Pediatrics, Centre of Blood Oxygen Transport & Hemostasis, University of Maryland-Baltimore School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, United States
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Matthew Molinaro
- Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Nivetha Gunaseelan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Dinabandhu Sar
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Teresa Aditya
- Department of Nuclear Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Dipendra Dahal
- Department of Pediatrics, Centre of Blood Oxygen Transport & Hemostasis, University of Maryland-Baltimore School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, United States
| | - Priyanka Ray
- Department of Chemical & Biochemical Engineering, University of Maryland-Baltimore County, Baltimore County, Maryland 21250, United States
| | - Dipanjan Pan
- Department of Nuclear Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Centre of Blood Oxygen Transport & Hemostasis, University of Maryland-Baltimore School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, United States
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Chemical & Biochemical Engineering, University of Maryland-Baltimore County, Baltimore County, Maryland 21250, United States
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, 101 Huck Life Sciences Building, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
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Research Status and Prospect of Non-Viral Vectors Based on siRNA: A Review. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043375. [PMID: 36834783 PMCID: PMC9962405 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene therapy has attracted much attention because of its unique mechanism of action, non-toxicity, and good tolerance, which can kill cancer cells without damaging healthy tissues. siRNA-based gene therapy can downregulate, enhance, or correct gene expression by introducing some nucleic acid into patient tissues. Routine treatment of hemophilia requires frequent intravenous injections of missing clotting protein. The high cost of combined therapy causes most patients to lack the best treatment resources. siRNA therapy has the potential of lasting treatment and even curing diseases. Compared with traditional surgery and chemotherapy, siRNA has fewer side effects and less damage to normal cells. The available therapies for degenerative diseases can only alleviate the symptoms of patients, while siRNA therapy drugs can upregulate gene expression, modify epigenetic changes, and stop the disease. In addition, siRNA also plays an important role in cardiovascular diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, and hepatitis B. However, free siRNA is easily degraded by nuclease and has a short half-life in the blood. Research has found that siRNA can be delivered to specific cells through appropriate vector selection and design to improve the therapeutic effect. The application of viral vectors is limited because of their high immunogenicity and low capacity, while non-viral vectors are widely used because of their low immunogenicity, low production cost, and high safety. This paper reviews the common non-viral vectors in recent years and introduces their advantages and disadvantages, as well as the latest application examples.
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Keim D, Gollner K, Gollner U, Jérôme V, Freitag R. Generation of Recombinant Primary Human B Lymphocytes Using Non-Viral Vectors. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:8239. [PMID: 34361005 PMCID: PMC8347318 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22158239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the development of gene delivery systems based on non-viral vectors is advancing, it remains a challenge to deliver plasmid DNA into human blood cells. The current "gold standard", namely linear polyethyleneimine (l-PEI 25 kDa), in particular, is unable to produce transgene expression levels >5% in primary human B lymphocytes. Here, it is demonstrated that a well-defined 24-armed poly(2-dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate (PDMAEMA, 755 kDa) nano-star is able to reproducibly elicit high transgene expression (40%) at sufficient residual viability (69%) in primary human B cells derived from tonsillar tissue. Moreover, our results indicate that the length of the mitogenic stimulation prior to transfection is an important parameter that must be established during the development of the transfection protocol. In our hands, four days of stimulation with rhCD40L post-thawing led to the best transfection results in terms of TE and cell survival. Most importantly, our data argue for an impact of the B cell subsets on the transfection outcomes, underlining that the complexity and heterogeneity of a given B cell population pre- and post-transfection is a critical parameter to consider in the multiparametric approach required for the implementation of the transfection protocol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Keim
- Process Biotechnology, University of Bayreuth, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany; (D.K.); (V.J.)
| | - Katrin Gollner
- Praxis am Schießgraben, Schießgraben 21, 95326 Kulmbach, Germany; (K.G.); (U.G.)
| | - Ulrich Gollner
- Praxis am Schießgraben, Schießgraben 21, 95326 Kulmbach, Germany; (K.G.); (U.G.)
| | - Valérie Jérôme
- Process Biotechnology, University of Bayreuth, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany; (D.K.); (V.J.)
| | - Ruth Freitag
- Process Biotechnology, University of Bayreuth, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany; (D.K.); (V.J.)
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