1
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Liang Z, Bao H, Yao Z, Li M, Chen C, Zhang L, Wang H, Guo Y, Ma Y, Yang X, Yu G, Zhang J, Xue C, Sun B, Mao C. The orientation of CpG conjugation on aluminum oxyhydroxide nanoparticles determines the immunostimulatory effects of combination adjuvants. Biomaterials 2024; 308:122569. [PMID: 38626556 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2024.122569] [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: 01/27/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/18/2024]
Abstract
In subunit vaccines, aluminum salts (Alum) are commonly used as adjuvants, but with limited cellular immune responses. To overcome this limitation, CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) have been used in combination with Alum. However, current combined usage of Alum and CpG is limited to linear mixtures, and the underlying interaction mechanism between CpG and Alum is not well understood. Thus, we propose to chemically conjugate Alum nanoparticles and CpG (with 5' or 3' end exposed) to design combination adjuvants. Our study demonstrates that compared to the 3'-end exposure, the 5'-end exposure of CpG in combination adjuvants (Al-CpG-5') enhances the activation of bone-marrow derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) and promotes Th1 and Th2 cytokine secretion. We used the SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) as model antigens to demonstrate that Al-CpG-5' enhanced antigen-specific antibody production and upregulated cytotoxic T lymphocyte markers. Additionally, Al-CpG-5' allows for coordinated adaptive immune responses even at lower doses of both CpG ODNs and HBsAg antigens, and enhances lymph node transport of antigens and activation of dendritic cells, promoting Tfh cell differentiation and B cell activation. Our novel Alum-CPG strategy points the way towards broadening the use of nanoadjuvants for both prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihui Liang
- Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, PR China; Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, PR China
| | - Hang Bao
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, PR China
| | - Zhiying Yao
- Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, PR China
| | - Min Li
- Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, PR China
| | - Chen Chen
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, PR China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, PR China
| | - Huiyang Wang
- Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, PR China
| | - Yiyang Guo
- Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, PR China
| | - Yubin Ma
- Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, PR China
| | - Xuecheng Yang
- Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, PR China
| | - Ge Yu
- Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, PR China
| | - Jiancheng Zhang
- AIM Honesty Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Dalian, 116100, PR China
| | - Changying Xue
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, PR China.
| | - Bingbing Sun
- Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials Oriented Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, PR China.
| | - Chuanbin Mao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR, PR China.
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2
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Murata K, Harayama K, Shimoda M, Niimura M, Wakao M, Suda Y, Moroishi T, Shinchi H. Improvement of the Nuclease Resistance and Immunostimulatory Activity of CpG Oligodeoxynucleotides by Conjugation to Sugar-Immobilized Gold Nanoparticles. Bioconjug Chem 2024; 35:804-815. [PMID: 38718344 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.4c00145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Adjuvants are essential substances for vaccines and immunotherapies that enhance antigen-specific immune responses. Single-stranded oligodeoxynucleotides containing an unmethylated CpG motif (CpG ODNs) are agonistic ligands for toll-like receptor 9 that initiate an innate immune response. They represent promising adjuvants for antiviral and antitumor immunotherapies; however, CpG ODNs have some limitations, such as poor nuclease resistance and low cell membrane permeability. Therefore, an effective formulation is needed to improve the nuclease resistance and immunostimulatory effects of CpG ODNs. Previously, we demonstrated the selective delivery of a small molecule toll-like receptor 7 ligand to immune cells through sugar-binding receptors using sugar-immobilized gold nanoparticles (SGNPs), which significantly enhanced the potency of the ligand. In this study, we examined SGNPs as carriers for partially phosphorothioated A-type CpG ODN (D35) and an entirely phosphorothioated B-type CpG ODN (K3) and evaluated the functionality of the sugar moiety on SGNPs immobilized with CpG ODN. SGNPs immobilized with D35 (D35-SGNPs) exhibited improved nuclease resistance and the in vitro and in vivo potency was significantly higher compared with that of unconjugated D35. Furthermore, the sugar structure on the GNPs was a significant factor in enhancing the cell internalization ability, and enhanced intracellular delivery of D35 resulted in improving the potencies of the A-type CpG ODN, D35. SGNPs immobilized with K3 (K3-SGNPs) exhibited significantly higher induction activities for both humoral and cellular immunity compared with unconjugated K3 and D35-SGNPs. On the other hand, sugar structure on K3-SGNPs did not affect the immunostimulatory effects. These results indicate that the sugar moiety on K3-SGNPs primarily functions as a hydrophilic dispersant for GNPs and the formulation of K3 to SGNPs contributes to improving the immunostimulatory activity of K3. Because our CpG ODN-SGNPs have superior induction activities for antigen-specific T-cell mediated immune responses, they may be effective adjuvants for vaccines and immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koki Murata
- Department of Engineering, Chemistry and Biotechnology program, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Kagoshima University, 1-21-40 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan
| | - Kai Harayama
- Department of Engineering, Chemistry and Biotechnology program, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Kagoshima University, 1-21-40 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan
| | - Mayuko Shimoda
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Mayumi Niimura
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Masahiro Wakao
- Department of Engineering, Chemistry and Biotechnology program, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Kagoshima University, 1-21-40 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan
| | - Yasuo Suda
- Collaborative Research Laboratory on Glyco-nanotechnology, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Kagoshima University, 1-21-40 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan
| | - Toshiro Moroishi
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
- Center for Metabolic Regulation of Healthy Aging, Faculty of Life Science, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Shinchi
- Department of Engineering, Chemistry and Biotechnology program, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Kagoshima University, 1-21-40 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan
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3
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Agrawal S. Considerations for Creating the Next Generation of RNA Therapeutics: Oligonucleotide Chemistry and Innate Immune Responses to Nucleic Acids. Nucleic Acid Ther 2024; 34:37-51. [PMID: 38578231 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2024.29009.sud] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
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4
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Miller CL, Sagiv-Barfi I, Neuhöfer P, Czerwinski DK, Artandi SE, Bertozzi CR, Levy R, Cochran JR. Systemic delivery of a targeted synthetic immunostimulant transforms the immune landscape for effective tumor regression. Cell Chem Biol 2022; 29:451-462.e8. [PMID: 34774126 PMCID: PMC9134376 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2021.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Promoting immune activation within the tumor microenvironment (TME) is a promising therapeutic strategy to reverse tumor immunosuppression and elicit anti-tumor immunity. To enable tumor-localized immunotherapy following intravenous administration, we chemically conjugated a polyspecific integrin-binding peptide (PIP) to an immunostimulant (Toll-like receptor 9 [TLR9] agonist: CpG) to generate a tumor-targeted immunomodulatory agent, referred to as PIP-CpG. We demonstrate that systemic delivery of PIP-CpG induces tumor regression and enhances therapeutic efficacy compared with untargeted CpG in aggressive murine breast and pancreatic cancer models. Furthermore, PIP-CpG transforms the immune-suppressive TME dominated by myeloid-derived suppressor cells into a lymphocyte-rich TME infiltrated with activated CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, and B cells. Finally, we show that T cells are required for therapeutic efficacy and that PIP-CpG treatment generates tumor-specific CD8+ T cells. These data demonstrate that conjugation to a synthetic tumor-targeted peptide can improve the efficacy of systemically administered immunostimulants and lead to durable anti-tumor immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlyn L Miller
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Idit Sagiv-Barfi
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Patrick Neuhöfer
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Debra K Czerwinski
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Steven E Artandi
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Carolyn R Bertozzi
- Department of Chemistry and Stanford ChEM-H, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Ronald Levy
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jennifer R Cochran
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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5
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Kawamoto Y, Liu W, Yum JH, Park S, Sugiyama H, Takahashi Y, Takakura Y. Enhanced Immunostimulatory Activity of Covalent DNA Dendrons. Chembiochem 2021; 23:e202100583. [PMID: 34881505 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202100583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The present study focused on the design and synthesis of covalent DNA dendrons bearing multivalent cytosine-phosphate-guanine oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG ODNs) that can stimulate the immune system through the activation of TLR9. These dendrons were synthesized using branching trebler phosphoramidite containing three identical protecting groups that enabled the simultaneous synthesis of multiple strands on a single molecule. Compared with linear ODNs, covalent DNA dendrons were found to be more resistant to nuclease degradation and were more efficiently taken up by macrophage-like RAW264.7 cells. Cellular uptake was suggested to be mediated by macrophage scavenger receptors. The covalent DNA dendrons composed of multivalent immunostimulatory branches enhanced the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 from RAW264.7 cells, and 9-branched DNA dendrons showed the highest enhancement. Given their enhanced efficacy, we expect covalent DNA dendrons to be useful structures of oligonucleotide medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Kawamoto
- Department of Biopharmaceutics and Drug Metabolism, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, 46-29 Yoshidashimoadachi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
| | - Wen Liu
- Department of Biopharmaceutics and Drug Metabolism, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, 46-29 Yoshidashimoadachi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
| | - Ji Hye Yum
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawaoiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Soyoung Park
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawaoiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Sugiyama
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawaoiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan.,Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS), Kyoto University, Yoshidaushinomiya-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
| | - Yuki Takahashi
- Department of Biopharmaceutics and Drug Metabolism, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, 46-29 Yoshidashimoadachi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
| | - Yoshinobu Takakura
- Department of Biopharmaceutics and Drug Metabolism, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, 46-29 Yoshidashimoadachi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
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6
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Najafabadi AH, Abadi ZIN, Aikins ME, Foulds KE, Donaldson MM, Yuan W, Okeke EB, Nam J, Xu Y, Weerappuli P, Hetrick T, Adams D, Lester PA, Salazar AM, Barouch DH, Schwendeman A, Seder RA, Moon JJ. Vaccine nanodiscs plus polyICLC elicit robust CD8+ T cell responses in mice and non-human primates. J Control Release 2021; 337:168-178. [PMID: 34280415 PMCID: PMC8440392 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2021.07.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Conventional cancer vaccines based on soluble vaccines and traditional adjuvants have produced suboptimal therapeutic efficacy in clinical trials. Thus, there is an urgent need for vaccine technologies that can generate potent T cell responses with strong anti-tumor efficacy. We have previously reported the development of synthetic high-density protein (sHDL) nanodiscs for efficient lymph node (LN)-targeted co-delivery of antigen peptides and CpG oligonucleotides (a Toll-like receptor-9 agonist). Here, we performed a comparative study in mice and non-human primates (NHPs) to identify an ideal vaccine platform for induction of CD8+ T cell responses. In particular, we compared the efficacy of CpG class B, CpG class C, and polyICLC (a synthetic double-stranded RNA analog, a TLR-3 agonist), each formulated with antigen-carrying sHDL nanodiscs. Here, we report that sHDL-Ag admixed with polyICLC elicited robust Ag-specific CD8+ T cell responses in mice, and when used in combination with α-PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor, sHDL-Ag + polyICLC eliminated large established (~100 mm3) MC-38 tumors in mice. Moreover, sHDL-Gag + polyICLC induced robust Simian immunodeficiency virus Gag-specific, polyfunctional CD8+ T cell responses in rhesus macaques and could further amplify the efficacy of recombinant adenovirus-based vaccine. Notably, while both sHDL-Ag-CpG-B and sHDL-Ag-CpG-C generated strong Ag-specific CD8+ T cell responses in mice, their results were mixed in NHPs. Overall, sHDL combined with polyICLC offers a strong platform to induce CD8+ T cells for vaccine applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Hassani Najafabadi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030, USA
| | - Zeynab Izadi Najaf Abadi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Marisa E Aikins
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Kathryn E Foulds
- The Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Mitzi M Donaldson
- The Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Wenmin Yuan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Emeka B Okeke
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Biology, State University of New York, Fredonia, NY 14063, USA
| | - Jutaek Nam
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; College of Pharmacy, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea
| | - Yao Xu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Priyan Weerappuli
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Taryn Hetrick
- Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - David Adams
- Biomedical Research Core Facilities, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Patrick A Lester
- Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | | | - Dan H Barouch
- Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Anna Schwendeman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Robert A Seder
- The Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - James J Moon
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA..
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7
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Agrawal S. The Evolution of Antisense Oligonucleotide Chemistry-A Personal Journey. Biomedicines 2021; 9:503. [PMID: 34063675 PMCID: PMC8147625 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9050503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the last four decades, tremendous progress has been made in use of synthetic oligonucleotides as therapeutics. This has been possible largely by introducing chemical modifications to provide drug like properties to oligonucleotides. In this article I have summarized twists and turns on use of chemical modifications and their road to success and highlight areas of future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudhir Agrawal
- ARNAY Sciences LLC, Shrewsbury, MA 01545, USA; or
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 N Lake Ave, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
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8
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Jin Y, Zhuang Y, Dong X, Liu M. Development of CpG oligodeoxynucleotide TLR9 agonists in anti-cancer therapy. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2021; 21:841-851. [PMID: 33831324 DOI: 10.1080/14737140.2021.1915136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Toll-like receptor-9(TLR9) can recognize the foreign unmethylated CpG DNA, and thus intrigue a strong Th1 response which plays a crucial role in the innate and adaptive immune responses. To date, CpG oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN)-based TLR9 agonists have undergone four generations. Each generations' breakthroughs in immune activation, safety profiles and pharmacokinetic properties were confirmed by both preclinical and clinical studies. AREAS COVERED We reviewed the development and major clinical trials of TLR9 agonists and summarized the optimization strategies of each generation. The applications, limitations and prospects of TLR9 agonists in cancer immunotherapy are also discussed. EXPERT OPINION Clinical trials of CpG ODN TLR9 agonists as a single agent demonstrated insufficient efficacy to reverse the immunosuppressive status of majority of patients with high tumor burden. Therefore, more efforts are now been carried out in combination with chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy maintenance therapy as well as vaccine adjuvant. Importantly, the synergistic and complementary effect of TLR9 agonists and tumor immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy is expected to exert greater potential. On the other hand, the double-edged sword effect of TLR9 activation in tumor and toxic effect reported in combination therapies should be noted and further studies required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizhen Jin
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Yuxin Zhuang
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Xiaowu Dong
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P.R. China.,Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Mei Liu
- Department of Neurology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, P.R. China
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Nam J, Son S, Park KS, Moon JJ. Modularly Programmable Nanoparticle Vaccine Based on Polyethyleneimine for Personalized Cancer Immunotherapy. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2021; 8:2002577. [PMID: 33717838 PMCID: PMC7927624 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202002577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Nanoparticles (NPs) can serve as a promising vaccine delivery platform for improving pharmacological property and codelivery of antigens and adjuvants. However, NP-based vaccines are generally associated with complex synthesis and postmodification procedures, which pose technical and manufacturing challenges for tailor-made vaccine production. Here, modularly programmed, polyethyleneimine (PEI)-based NP vaccines are reported for simple production of personalized cancer vaccines. Briefly, PEI is conjugated with neoantigens by facile coupling chemistry, followed by electrostatic assembly with CpG adjuvants, leading to the self-assembly of nontoxic, sub-50 nm PEI NPs. Importantly, PEI NPs promote activation and antigen cross-presentation of antigen-presenting cells and cross-priming of neoantigen-specific CD8+ T cells. Surprisingly, after only a single intratumoral injection, PEI NPs with optimal PEGylation elicit as high as ≈30% neoantigen-specific CD8+ T cell response in the systemic circulation and sustain elevated CD8+ T cell response over 3 weeks. PEI-based nanovaccines exert potent antitumor efficacy against pre-established local tumors as well as highly aggressive metastatic tumors. PEI engineering for modular incorporation of neoantigens and adjuvants offers a promising strategy for rapid and facile production of personalized cancer vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jutaek Nam
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesBiointerfaces InstituteUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMI48109USA
| | - Sejin Son
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesBiointerfaces InstituteUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMI48109USA
| | - Kyung Soo Park
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringBiointerfaces InstituteUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMI48109USA
| | - James J. Moon
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesDepartment of Biomedical EngineeringBiointerfaces InstituteUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMI48109USA
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10
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Balneger N, Kroesen M, Lindau D, Wassink M, Boon L, den Brok MH, Büll C, Adema GJ. Generation of αCD11b-CpG antibody conjugates for the targeted stimulation of myeloid cells. J Control Release 2021; 332:148-159. [PMID: 33609622 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2021.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/13/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
CpG oligonucleotides are short single-stranded synthetic DNA molecules. Upon binding to Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9), CpG activates immune cells in humans and mice. This results in robust Th1 type immunity potentially resulting in clearance of pathogens, reduction of allergy and anti-tumor immunity. However, the effectiveness of CpG as an adjuvant depends on its administration route, with only strong effects seen when CpG is administered locally. As local administration is not always feasible, we generated conjugates to specifically deliver CpG to myeloid cells often abundantly present in tumors. For this we coupled CpG (3'-Thiol-modified phosphorothioate (PTO) CpG-ODN1826 type B (5'-tccatgacgttcctgacgtt-3')) to monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) directed against the myeloid cell marker CD11b using maleimide-thiol coupling. The CD11b-CpG mAb (αCD11b-CpG) conjugates contained about four CpG molecules/conjugate and displayed binding and internalization characteristics similar to unconjugated CD11b mAbs (αCD11b). The αCD11b-CpG conjugates readily induced maturation of murine dendritic cells (DCs) in a TLR9-dependent manner in vitro. Following intravenous injection, αCD11b-CpG conjugates efficiently targeted CD11b+ immune cells in the blood, lymph nodes and spleen. Finally, injection of αCD11b-CpG conjugates, but not untargeted conjugates, induced maturation of CD11b+ cell subsets in vivo. In conclusion, conjugating CpG to αCD11b enabled specific targeting and activation of myeloid cells in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Balneger
- Radiotherapy & OncoImmunology Laboratory, Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 32, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - M Kroesen
- Radiotherapy & OncoImmunology Laboratory, Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 32, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Holland Proton Therapy Center, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - D Lindau
- Radiotherapy & OncoImmunology Laboratory, Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 32, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Henkel IP and Holding GmbH, Henkelstr. 67, 40589 Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - M Wassink
- Radiotherapy & OncoImmunology Laboratory, Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 32, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - L Boon
- Bioceros BV, Yalelaan 46, 3584 CM Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - M H den Brok
- Radiotherapy & OncoImmunology Laboratory, Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 32, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - C Büll
- Radiotherapy & OncoImmunology Laboratory, Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 32, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - G J Adema
- Radiotherapy & OncoImmunology Laboratory, Department of Radiation Oncology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 32, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
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11
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Abstract
Personalized cancer vaccines (PCVs) are reinvigorating vaccine strategies in cancer immunotherapy. In contrast to adoptive T-cell therapy and checkpoint blockade, the PCV strategy modulates the innate and adaptive immune systems with broader activation to redeploy antitumor immunity with individualized tumor-specific antigens (neoantigens). Following a sequential scheme of tumor biopsy, mutation analysis, and epitope prediction, the administration of neoantigens with synthetic long peptide (SLP) or mRNA formulations dramatically improves the population and activity of antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Despite the promising prospect of PCVs, there is still great potential for optimizing prevaccination procedures and vaccine potency. In particular, the arduous development of tumor-associated antigen (TAA)-based vaccines provides valuable experience and rational principles for augmenting vaccine potency which is expected to advance PCV through the design of adjuvants, delivery systems, and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) reversion since current personalized vaccination simply admixes antigens with adjuvants. Considering the broader application of TAA-based vaccine design, these two strategies complement each other and can lead to both personalized and universal therapeutic methods. Chemical strategies provide vast opportunities for (1) exploring novel adjuvants, including synthetic molecules and materials with optimizable activity, (2) constructing efficient and precise delivery systems to avoid systemic diffusion, improve biosafety, target secondary lymphoid organs, and enhance antigen presentation, and (3) combining bioengineering methods to innovate improvements in conventional vaccination, "smartly" re-educate the TME, and modulate antitumor immunity. As chemical strategies have proven versatility, reliability, and universality in the design of T cell- and B cell-based antitumor vaccines, the union of such numerous chemical methods in vaccine construction is expected to provide new vigor and vitality in cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Hao Li
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China
| | - Yan-Mei Li
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China.,Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, 100069 Beijing, China.,Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China
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12
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Evaluation of cell surface reactive immuno-adjuvant in combination with immunogenic cell death inducing drug for in situ chemo-immunotherapy. J Control Release 2020; 322:519-529. [PMID: 32243973 PMCID: PMC7262586 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2020.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Apoptotic cells and cell fragments, especially those produced as a result of immunogenic cell death (ICD), are known to be a potential source of cancer vaccine immunogen. However, due to variation between tumours and between individuals, methods to generate such preparations may require extensive ex vivo personalisation. To address this, we have utilised the concept of in situ vaccination whereby an ICD inducing drug is injected locally to generate immunogenic apoptotic fragments/cells. These fragments are then adjuvanted by a co-administered cell reactive CpG adjuvant. We first evaluate means of labelling tumour cells with CpG adjuvant, we then go on to demonstrate in vitro that labelling is preserved following apoptosis and, furthermore, that the apoptotic body-adjuvant complexes are readily transferred to macrophages. In in vivo studies we observe synergistic tumour growth delays and elevated levels of CD4+ and CD8+ cells in tumours receiving adjuvant drug combination. CD4+/CD8+ cells are likewise elevated in the tumour draining lymph node and activated to a greater extent than individual treatments. This study represents the first steps toward the evaluation of rationally formulated drug-adjuvant combinations for in situ chemo-immunotherapy.
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13
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Exploration of the nanomedicine-design space with high-throughput screening and machine learning. Nat Biomed Eng 2019; 3:318-327. [PMID: 30952978 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-019-0351-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Only a tiny fraction of the nanomedicine-design space has been explored, owing to the structural complexity of nanomedicines and the lack of relevant high-throughput synthesis and analysis methods. Here, we report a methodology for determining structure-activity relationships and design rules for spherical nucleic acids (SNAs) functioning as cancer-vaccine candidates. First, we identified ~1,000 candidate SNAs on the basis of reasonable ranges for 11 design parameters that can be systematically and independently varied to optimize SNA performance. Second, we developed a high-throughput method for making SNAs at the picomolar scale in a 384-well format, and used a mass spectrometry assay to rapidly measure SNA immune activation. Third, we used machine learning to quantitatively model SNA immune activation and identify the minimum number of SNAs needed to capture optimum structure-activity relationships for a given SNA library. Our methodology is general, can reduce the number of nanoparticles that need to be tested by an order of magnitude, and could serve as a screening tool for the development of nanoparticle therapeutics.
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14
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Zhang R, Billingsley MM, Mitchell MJ. Biomaterials for vaccine-based cancer immunotherapy. J Control Release 2018; 292:256-276. [PMID: 30312721 PMCID: PMC6355332 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2018.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2018] [Revised: 10/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The development of therapeutic cancer vaccines as a means to generate immune reactivity against tumors has been explored since the early discovery of tumor-specific antigens by Georg Klein in the 1960s. However, challenges including weak immunogenicity, systemic toxicity, and off-target effects of cancer vaccines remain as barriers to their broad clinical translation. Advances in the design and implementation of biomaterials are now enabling enhanced efficacy and reduced toxicity of cancer vaccines by controlling the presentation and release of vaccine components to immune cells and their microenvironment. Here, we discuss the rational design and clinical status of several classes of cancer vaccines (including DNA, mRNA, peptide/protein, and cell-based vaccines) along with novel biomaterial-based delivery technologies that improve their safety and efficacy. Further, strategies for designing new platforms for personalized cancer vaccines are also considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Zhang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - Margaret M Billingsley
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - Michael J Mitchell
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States; Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States.
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15
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Kimishima A, Olson ME, Janda KD. Investigations into the efficacy of multi-component cocaine vaccines. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2018; 28:2779-2783. [PMID: 29317163 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2017.12.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Revised: 12/18/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Although cocaine addiction remains a serious health and societal problem in the United States, no FDA-approved treatment has been developed. Vaccines offer an exciting strategy for the treatment of cocaine addiction; however, vaccine formulations need to be optimized to improve efficacy. Herein, we examine the effectiveness of a tricomponent cocaine vaccine, defined as having its hapten (GNE) and adjuvant (cytosine-guanine oligodeoxynucleotide 1826, CpG ODN 1826) covalently linked via the immunogenic protein ovalbumin (OVA). The tricomponent vaccine (GNE-OVA-CpG 1826) and a vaccine of analogous, individual components (GNE-OVA+CpG ODN 1826) were found to similarly induce highly specific anticocaine antibody production in mice and block cocaine's stimulant effects in hyperlocomotor testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi Kimishima
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology and the Worm Institute of Research and Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, United States
| | - Margaret E Olson
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology and the Worm Institute of Research and Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, United States
| | - Kim D Janda
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Immunology and Microbial Science, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology and the Worm Institute of Research and Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, United States.
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16
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Wang D, Jiang W, Zhu F, Mao X, Agrawal S. Modulation of the tumor microenvironment by intratumoral administration of IMO-2125, a novel TLR9 agonist, for cancer immunotherapy. Int J Oncol 2018; 53:1193-1203. [PMID: 29956749 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2018.4456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of cancer immunotherapy is to prime the host's immune system to recognize and attack malignant tumor cells. IMO‑2125, a Toll‑like receptor 9 (TLR9) agonist, exhibited potent antitumor effects in the murine syngeneic A20 lymphoma and the CT26 colon carcinoma models. IMO‑2125 exhibited superior A20 antitumor activity when injected intratumorally (i.t.) compared with equivalent subcutaneous doses. In mice bearing dual CT26 grafts, the i.t. injection of right flank tumors elicited infiltration of cluster of differentiation (CD)3+ T lymphocytes into tumors, resulting in the regression of injected and uninjected left flank tumors. Depletion of CD8+, but not CD4+, T‑cells abrogated the IMO‑2125‑mediated antitumor response, suggesting that CD8+ lymphocytes are required for the antitumor activity. In mice harboring right flank CT26 and left flank β‑galactosidase (β‑gal)‑expressing CT26.CL25 grafts, the i.t. administration of IMO‑2125 to the CT26 graft resulted in potent and dose‑dependent antitumor activity against the two grafts. Splenic T‑cells isolated from these mice responded to AH1 antigen (present in the two tumors) and β‑gal antigen (present only in CT26.CL25) in an interferon γ enzyme‑linked immunospot assay, suggesting the clonal expansion of T‑cells directed against antigens from the two tumors. Mice with ablated CT26 tumors by previous IMO‑2125 treatment rejected re‑implanted CT26 tumor cells, but not A20 tumor cells, demonstrating that the initial IMO‑2125 treatment created a long‑lived tumor‑specific immune memory of CT26 antigens. A quantitative increase in CD3+ T lymphocytes in injected A20 tumors and an upregulation of selected checkpoint genes, including indoleamine 2,3‑dioxygenase (IDO)‑1, IDO‑2, programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1); programmed cell death protein ligand 1 (PD-L1), carcinoembryonic antigen‑related cell adhesion molecule 1, tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 4 (OX40), OX40 ligand, T‑cell immunoglobulin and mucin‑domain‑containing 3 protein, lymphocyte‑activation gene 3, cytotoxic T‑lymphocyte‑associated protein 4, were observed following IMO‑2125 treatment. IMO‑2125 also increased immune checkpoint gene expression in injected and uninjected contralateral CT26 tumors, suggesting that the co‑administration of anti‑CTLA‑4, anti‑PD‑1 or anti‑PD‑L1 therapies with IMO‑2125 may provide additional therapeutic efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daqing Wang
- Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Wayne Jiang
- Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Fugang Zhu
- Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Xianzhi Mao
- Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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17
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Ignacio BJ, Albin TJ, Esser-Kahn AP, Verdoes M. Toll-like Receptor Agonist Conjugation: A Chemical Perspective. Bioconjug Chem 2018; 29:587-603. [PMID: 29378134 PMCID: PMC10642707 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.7b00808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are vital elements of the mammalian immune system that function by recognizing pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), bridging innate and adaptive immunity. They have become a prominent therapeutic target for the treatment of infectious diseases, cancer, and allergies, with many TLR agonists currently in clinical trials or approved as immunostimulants. Numerous studies have shown that conjugation of TLR agonists to other molecules can beneficially influence their potency, toxicity, pharmacokinetics, or function. The functional properties of TLR agonist conjugates, however, are highly dependent on the ligation strategy employed. Here, we review the chemical structural requirements for effective functional TLR agonist conjugation. In addition, we provide similar analysis for those that have yet to be conjugated. Moreover, we discuss applications of covalent TLR agonist conjugation and their implications for clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bob J. Ignacio
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Tyler J. Albin
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Aaron P. Esser-Kahn
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Martijn Verdoes
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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18
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Wu C, Xiang X, Yue Y, Li L, Li Y, Zhang C, Xu Y. CpG-PEG Conjugates and their Immune Modulating Effects after Systemic Administration. Pharm Res 2018; 35:80. [PMID: 29500548 DOI: 10.1007/s11095-018-2355-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 01/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) containing unmethylated CpG motifs were found to be able to target cells that express Toll-like receptor 9 to modulate innate and adaptive immune reactions. But their in vivo application in immunotherapy against cancer has not been successful. We attempted in this study to examine polyethylene-glycol (PEG) conjugated CpG ODNs and investigated their mechanism of immune modulation in anti-cancer therapy. METHODS CpG-PEG conjugates with different PEG lengths were synthesized. In vitro activity as well as in vivo pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics properties were evaluated. RESULTS CpG-PEG20Ks were found to be able to persist longer in circulation and activate various downstream effector cells. After intravenous injection, they resulted in higher levels of IL-12p70 in the circulation and lower M-MDSC infiltrates in the tumor microenvironment. Such activities were different from those of CpG ODNs without PEGylation, suggesting different PK-PD profiles systemically and locally. CONCLUSIONS Our data support the development of CpG-PEGs as a new therapeutic agent that can be systemically administered to modulate immune responses and the microenvironment in tumor tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caixing Wu
- Zhejiang-California International NanoSystems Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaofei Xiang
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yang Yue
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lin Li
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yesen Li
- Zhejiang-California International NanoSystems Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chong Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuhong Xu
- College of Pharmacy and Chemistry, Dali University, Dali, China.
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19
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Umeki Y, Saito M, Takahashi Y, Takakura Y, Nishikawa M. Retardation of Antigen Release from DNA Hydrogel Using Cholesterol-Modified DNA for Increased Antigen-Specific Immune Response. Adv Healthc Mater 2017; 6. [PMID: 28726304 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201700355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2017] [Revised: 06/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Our previous study indicates that cationization of an antigen is effective for sustained release of both immunostimulatory DNA containing unmethylated cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) dinucleotides, or CpG DNA, and antigen from a DNA hydrogel. Another approach to sustained antigen release would increase the applicability and versatility of the system. In this study, a hydrophobic interaction-based sustained release system of ovalbumin (OVA), a model antigen, from immunostimulatory CpG DNA hydrogel is developed by the use of cholesterol-modified DNA and urea-denatured OVA (udOVA). Cholesterol-modified DNA forms a hydrogel, Dgel(chol), and induces IL-6 mRNA expression in mouse skin after intradermal injection, as DNA without cholesterol does. Cholesterol-modified DNA associated with OVA and denaturation of OVA using urea increases the interaction. The release of udOVA from Dgel(chol) is significantly slower than that from DNA hydrogel with no cholesterol, Dgel. Moreover, intratumoral injections of udOVA/Dgel(chol) significantly inhibit the growth of EG7-OVA tumors in mice. These results indicate that sustained release of antigen from Dgel can be achieved by the combination of urea denaturation and cholesterol modification, and retardation of antigen release is effective to induce antigen-specific cancer immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuka Umeki
- Department of Biopharmaceutics and Drug Metabolism; Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences; Kyoto University; Sakyo-ku Kyoto 606-8501 Japan
| | - Masaaki Saito
- Department of Biopharmaceutics and Drug Metabolism; Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences; Kyoto University; Sakyo-ku Kyoto 606-8501 Japan
| | - Yuki Takahashi
- Department of Biopharmaceutics and Drug Metabolism; Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences; Kyoto University; Sakyo-ku Kyoto 606-8501 Japan
| | - Yoshinobu Takakura
- Department of Biopharmaceutics and Drug Metabolism; Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences; Kyoto University; Sakyo-ku Kyoto 606-8501 Japan
| | - Makiya Nishikawa
- Department of Biopharmaceutics and Drug Metabolism; Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences; Kyoto University; Sakyo-ku Kyoto 606-8501 Japan
- Laboratory of Biopharmaceutics; Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences; Tokyo University of Science; Noda Chiba 278-8510 Japan
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20
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Nam J, Son S, Moon JJ. Adjuvant-Loaded Spiky Gold Nanoparticles for Activation of Innate Immune Cells. Cell Mol Bioeng 2017; 10:341-355. [PMID: 29270238 DOI: 10.1007/s12195-017-0505-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Gold nanoparticles are versatile carriers for delivery of biomacromolecules. Here, we have developed spiky gold nanoparticles (SGNPs) that can efficiently deliver immunostimulatory agents. OBJECTIVES Our goal was to develop a platform technology for co-delivery of multiple adjuvant molecules for synergistic stimulation and maturation of innate immune cells. METHODS SGNPs were synthesized by a seed-mediated, surfactant-free synthesis method and incorporated with polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (pIC) and DNA oligonucleotide containing unmethylated CpG motif (CpG) by an electrostatic layer-by-layer approach. Adjuvant-loaded SGNP nano-complexes were examined for their biophysical and biochemical properties and studied for immune activation using bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs). RESULTS We have synthesized SGNPs with branched nano-spikes layered with pIC and/or CpG. Adjuvant-loaded SGNP nano-complexes promoted cellular uptake of the adjuvants. Importantly, we achieved spatio-temporal control over co-delivery of pIC and CpG via SGNPs, which produced synergistic enhancement in cytokine release (IL-6, TNF-α) and upregulation of co-stimulatory markers (CD40, CD80, CD86) in BMDCs, compared with pIC, CpG, or their admixtures. CONCLUSION SGNPs serve as a versatile delivery platform that allows flexible and on-demand cargo fabrication for strong activation of innate immune cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jutaek Nam
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.,Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Sejin Son
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.,Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.,Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - James J Moon
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.,Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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21
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Zhang W, An M, Xi J, Liu H. Targeting CpG Adjuvant to Lymph Node via Dextran Conjugate Enhances Antitumor Immunotherapy. Bioconjug Chem 2017. [PMID: 28644608 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.7b00313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Nucleic acid based adjuvants recognized by Toll-like receptors (TLR) are potent immune system stimulants that can augment the antitumor immune responses in an antigen-specific manner. However, their clinical uses as vaccine adjuvants are limited primarily due to lack of accumulation in the lymph nodes, the anatomic sites where the immune responses are initiated. Here, we showed that chemical conjugation of type B CpG DNA, a TLR9 agonist to dextran polymer dramatically enhanced CpG's lymph node accumulation in mice. Dextran conjugation did not alter CpG ODN's uptake, internalization, and bioactivity in vitro. Delivery of Dextran-CpG conjugate markedly increased the uptake by antigen presenting cells in the lymph nodes and enhanced CD8+ T cell responses primed by protein vaccines, leading to improved therapeutic antitumor immunity. Furthermore, immunization with Dextran-CpG mixed with necrotic whole tumor cells induced a protective antitumor response in a murine model, suggesting that this approach was not limited to molecularly defined antigens. This simple method might also be applicable for the delivery of many other nucleic acid based adjuvants in cancer vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weidong Zhang
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Wayne State University , Detroit, Michigan 48202, United States
| | - Myunggi An
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Wayne State University , Detroit, Michigan 48202, United States
| | - Jingchao Xi
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Wayne State University , Detroit, Michigan 48202, United States
| | - Haipeng Liu
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Wayne State University , Detroit, Michigan 48202, United States.,Department of Oncology, Wayne State University , Detroit, Michigan 48201, United States.,Tumor Biology and Microenvironment Program, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute , Detroit, Michigan 48201, United States
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22
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Kramer K, Young SL, Walker GF. Comparative Study of 5'- and 3'-Linked CpG-Antigen Conjugates for the Induction of Cellular Immune Responses. ACS OMEGA 2017; 2:227-235. [PMID: 30023513 PMCID: PMC6044624 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.6b00368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2016] [Accepted: 01/12/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Conjugation of CpG to an antigen induces a stronger immune response compared to that of the mixture. This study compares the in vitro immunostimulatory activity of CpG conjugated via either its 5' or 3' end to the model antigen ovalbumin (OVA). CpG modified with an amine at either the 5' or 3' end was conjugated to OVA via a stable bis-aryl hydrazone bond. Similar levels of CpG conjugation to OVA were observed for both conjugates on the basis of the absorbance at 360 nm for the formation of the bis-aryl hydrazone bond, which determined 2.8 ± 0.3 CpGs linked per OVA. Both the 5' and 3' CpG-OVA conjugates had similar size-exclusion chromatography elution profiles. The immunostimulatory properties of the conjugates were determined by dendritic cells (DCs) and T-cells isolated from mice. The activation of DCs was determined by the upregulation of activation markers CD86 and CD40. T-cells were co-cultured with stimulated DCs, and the immunogenicity was determined by measuring T-cell proliferation and interferon γ production. Both the CpG 5'- and 3'-linked conjugates induced the same level (p > 0.5) of DC activation markers, which were significantly higher than those of the untreated control. Similarly, T-cell assays showed no significant difference (p > 0.5) between the 5' and 3' conjugates with respect to T-cell proliferation and interferon γ production. The 5' and 3' conjugates induced T-cell activation significantly higher than the mixture of CpG and OVA. This study showed that the end at which CpG is conjugated to an antigen has no influence on the generation of a T-cell-based immune response in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Kramer
- School
of Pharmacy and Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
| | - Sarah L. Young
- School
of Pharmacy and Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
| | - Greg F. Walker
- School
of Pharmacy and Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
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23
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Reyes-Darias JA, Sánchez-Luque FJ, Morales JC, Pérez-Rentero S, Eritja R, Berzal-Herranz A. Glucose conjugation of anti-HIV-1 oligonucleotides containing unmethylated CpG motifs reduces their immunostimulatory activity. Chembiochem 2015; 16:584-91. [PMID: 25683851 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201402574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2014] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) are short synthetic DNA polymers complementary to a target RNA sequence. They are commonly designed to halt a biological event, such as translation or splicing. ODNs are potentially useful therapeutic agents for the treatment of different human diseases. Carbohydrate-ODN conjugates have been reported to improve the cell-specific delivery of ODNs through receptor mediated endocytosis. We tested the anti-HIV activity and biochemical properties of the 5'-end glucose-conjugated GEM 91 ODN targeting the initiation codon of the gag gene of HIV-1 RNA in cell-based assays. The conjugation of a glucose residue significantly reduces the immunostimulatory effect without diminishing its potent anti-HIV-1 activity. No significant effects were observed in either ODN stability in serum, in vitro degradation of antisense DNA-RNA hybrids by RNase H, cell toxicity, cellular uptake and ability to interfere with genomic HIV-1 dimerisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- José A Reyes-Darias
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra" (IPBLN-CSIC), Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, Avd. del Conocimiento s/n, Armilla, 18016 Granada (Spain); Present address: Estación Experimental del Zaidín, (EEZ-CSIC), C/ Prof. Albareda, 1, 18008 Granada, (Spain)
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24
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Nanoparticle conjugation of CpG enhances adjuvancy for cellular immunity and memory recall at low dose. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2013; 110:19902-7. [PMID: 24248387 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1313152110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 200] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In subunit vaccines, strong CD8(+) T-cell responses are desired, yet they are elusive at reasonable adjuvant doses. We show that targeting adjuvant to the lymph node (LN) via ultrasmall polymeric nanoparticles (NPs), which rapidly drain to the LN after intradermal injection, greatly enhances adjuvant efficacy at low doses. Coupling CpG-B or CpG-C oligonucleotides to NPs led to better dual-targeting of adjuvant and antigen (codelivered on separate NPs) in cross-presenting dendritic cells compared with free adjuvant. This led to enhanced dendritic cell maturation and T helper 1 (Th1)-cytokine secretion, in turn driving stronger effector CD8(+) T-cell activation with enhanced cytolytic profiles and, importantly, more powerful memory recall. With only 4 μg CpG, NP-CpG-B could substantially protect mice from syngeneic tumor challenge, even after 4 mo of vaccination, compared with free CpG-B. Together, these results show that nanocarriers can enhance vaccine efficacy at a low adjuvant dose for inducing potent and long-lived cellular immunity.
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Putta MR, Bhagat L, Wang D, Zhu FG, Kandimalla ER, Agrawal S. Immune-Stimulatory Dinucleotide at the 5'-End of Oligodeoxynucleotides Is Critical for TLR9-Mediated Immune Responses. ACS Med Chem Lett 2013; 4:302-5. [PMID: 24900663 DOI: 10.1021/ml300482z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2012] [Accepted: 01/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) containing a CpG or certain synthetic dinucleotides, referred to as immune-stimulatory dinucleotides, induce Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9)-mediated immune responses. Chemical modifications such as 2'-O-methylribonucleotides incorporated adjacent to the immune-stimulatory dinucleotide on the 5'-side abrogate TLR9-mediated immune responses. In this study, we evaluated the effect of the location of immune-stimulatory dinucleotides in ODNs on TLR9-mediated immune responses. We designed and synthesized ODNs with two immune-stimulatory dinucleotides, one placed toward the 5'-end region and the other toward the 3'-end region, incorporated 2'-O-methylribonucleotides selectively preceding the 5'- or 3'-immune-stimulatory dinucleotide or both, and studied TLR9-mediated immune responses of these compounds in cell-based assays and in vivo in mice. These studies showed that an immune-stimulatory dinucleotide located closer to the 5'-end is critical for and dictates TLR9-mediated immune responses. These studies provide insights for the use of ODNs when employed as TLR9 agonists and antagonists or antisense agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mallikarjuna R. Putta
- Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 167 Sidney Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139,
United States
| | - Lakshmi Bhagat
- Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 167 Sidney Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139,
United States
| | - Daqing Wang
- Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 167 Sidney Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139,
United States
| | - Fu-Gang Zhu
- Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 167 Sidney Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139,
United States
| | - Ekambar R. Kandimalla
- Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 167 Sidney Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139,
United States
| | - Sudhir Agrawal
- Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 167 Sidney Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139,
United States
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Kandimalla ER, Bhagat L, Wang D, Yu D, Sullivan T, La Monica N, Agrawal S. Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel antagonist compounds of Toll-like receptors 7, 8 and 9. Nucleic Acids Res 2013; 41:3947-61. [PMID: 23396449 PMCID: PMC3616729 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkt078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Oligonucleotides containing an immune-stimulatory motif and an immune-regulatory motif act as antagonists of Toll-like receptor (TLR)7 and TLR9. In the present study, we designed and synthesized oligonucleotide-based antagonists of TLR7, 8 and 9 containing a 7-deaza-dG or arabino-G modification in the immune-stimulatory motif and 2′-O-methylribonucleotides as the immune-regulatory motif. We evaluated the biological properties of these novel synthetic oligoribonucleotides as antagonists of TLRs 7, 8 and 9 in murine and human cell-based assays and in vivo in mice and non-human primates. In HEK293, mouse and human cell-based assays, the antagonist compounds inhibited signaling pathways and production of a broad range of cytokines, including tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-12, IL-6, interferon (IFN)-α, IL-1β and interferon gamma-induced protein (IP)-10, mediated by TLR7, 8 and 9. In vivo in mice, the antagonist compounds inhibited TLR7- and TLR9-mediated cytokine induction in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from antagonist compound-treated monkeys secreted lower levels of TLR7-, 8- and 9-mediated cytokines than did PBMCs taken before antagonist administration. The antagonist compounds described herein provide novel agents for the potential treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
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Li Z, Jang JK, Lechner MG, Hu P, Khawli L, Scannell CA, Epstein AL. Generation of tumor-targeted antibody-CpG conjugates. J Immunol Methods 2012; 389:45-51. [PMID: 23279945 DOI: 10.1016/j.jim.2012.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2012] [Revised: 12/20/2012] [Accepted: 12/21/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
A number of monoclonal antibodies against tumor-associated antigens have been developed for the treatment of cancer. The anti-tumor effects of such antibodies can be enhanced by conjugation to immune stimulatory ligands, such as the toll-like receptor 9 agonist CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG). The present study describes methods for the conjugation of CpG to two clinically approved monoclonal antibodies (rituximab and trastuzumab) via a Sulfo-EMCS maleimide linker. This conjugation method yielded stable joining of CpG and antibody (molar range 2.2-4.3:1). Immunofluorescence studies showed intact antigen-specific antibody binding of the immunoconjugates, that were comparable to unmodified antibody. Furthermore, antibody-CpG conjugates demonstrated improved (rituximab) or equivalent (trastuzumab) immune stimulatory activity compared to free CpG in vitro. These studies demonstrate the feasibility of antibody-CpG immunoconjugates and provide the foundation for future in vivo immunotherapy evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongjun Li
- Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Rattanakiat S, Nishikawa M, Takakura Y. Self-assembling CpG DNA nanoparticles for efficient antigen delivery and immunostimulation. Eur J Pharm Sci 2012; 47:352-8. [PMID: 22771546 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2012.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2011] [Revised: 04/25/2012] [Accepted: 06/25/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
DNA containing unmethylated deoxycytidylyl-deoxyguanosine (CpG) dinucleotides (CpG DNA) is a potent stimulator of immune responses through triggering of Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9). In the present study, we synthesized cholesterol-modified CpG oligodeoxynucleotide (Chol-CpG ODN) and investigated its ability to form nanoparticles by self-assembling, then examined their immunostimulatory activity and potency to deliver antigens to antigen presenting cells (APCs). Chol-CpG ODN spontaneously formed particles in aqueous solutions. Cholesterol modification increased the stability of ODN in serum. Chol-CpG ODN was efficiently taken up by mouse macrophage-like RAW264.7 cells and induced a large amount of tumor necrosis factor-α compared with unmodified CpG ODN. Then, ovalbumin (OVA), a model antigen, was incorporated into Chol-CpG ODN nanoparticles. Cholesterol-modified GpC ODN (Chol-GpC ODN) was used to assess the importance of CpG motif on the antigen-specific immune response. Vaccination of mice with OVA/Chol-CpG ODN induced high level interferon-γ production from splenocytes. Furthermore, a high serum level of OVA-specific immunoglobulin G2a was observed in mice receiving OVA/Chol-CpG ODN. Neither CpG ODN nor Chol-GpC ODN was effective at all. These results indicate that self-assembling nanoparticles of Chol-CpG ODN are effective for inducing antigen-specific immune responses because of the high immunostimulatory activity, ability to incorporate antigens and tropism to APCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakulrat Rattanakiat
- Department of Biopharmaceutics and Drug Metabolism, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
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Tel J, Beenhakker N, Koopman G, Hart B, Mudde GC, de Vries IJM. Targeted delivery of CpG ODN to CD32 on human and monkey plasmacytoid dendritic cells augments IFNα secretion. Immunobiology 2012; 217:1017-24. [PMID: 22349518 DOI: 10.1016/j.imbio.2012.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2011] [Revised: 01/18/2012] [Accepted: 01/18/2012] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Atopic diseases are characterized by the presence of Th2 cells. Recent studies, in mice and man, demonstrated that allergen-specific Th2 responses can be shifted to Th0/Th1 responses. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) produce large amounts of type I interferons (IFNs) after stimulation of Toll Like Receptor 9 (TLR9) and are likely to play an important role in the reorientation of these Th2 cells. The expression of CD32a on the cell surface of pDCs makes this cell type attractive for targeted delivery of antigen and TLR agonists to revert Th2 responses. Therefore we sought to determine the efficacy of targeted delivery of CpG-C ODN to CD32a on the ability of human and monkey pDCs to secrete inflammatory cytokines. Here we demonstrate that targeted delivery of 3'-biotinylated CpG-C to CD32a on pDC induced phenotypical maturation as determined by CD80, CD83 and CD86 expression. Furthermore, targeting both monkey and human pDCs strongly augmented the secretion of IFNα compared to the delivery of CpG-C in an untargeted fashion (p<0.001). TLR9 induced activation hampers the ability of human pDCs to internalize CD32a. Therefore we opted for targeted delivery of CpG-ODNs to CD32a, which reduces the risk of undesired side effects of systemic TLR treatment and in addition delivers a superior signal for the activation of pDCs. This approach opens new treatment principles for allergic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jurjen Tel
- Department of Tumor Immunology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre and Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Saha S, Bhanja P, Liu L, Alfieri AA, Yu D, Kandimalla ER, Agrawal S, Guha C. TLR9 agonist protects mice from radiation-induced gastrointestinal syndrome. PLoS One 2012; 7:e29357. [PMID: 22238604 PMCID: PMC3251576 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0029357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2011] [Accepted: 11/27/2011] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Radiation-induced gastrointestinal syndrome (RIGS) is due to the clonogenic loss of crypt cells and villi depopulation, resulting in disruption of mucosal barrier, bacterial invasion, inflammation and sepsis. Intestinal macrophages could recognize invading bacterial DNA via TLR9 receptors and transmit regenerative signals to the neighboring crypt. We therefore investigated whether systemic administration of designer TLR9 agonist could ameliorate RIGS by activating TLR9. Methods and Materials Male C57Bl6 mice were distributed in four experimental cohorts, whole body irradiation (WBI) (8.4–10.4 Gy), TLR9 agonist (1 mg/kg s.c.), 1 h pre- or post-WBI and TLR9 agonist+WBI+iMyd88 (pretreatment with inhibitory peptide against Myd88). Animals were observed for survival and intestine was harvested for histological analysis. BALB/c mice with CT26 colon tumors in abdominal wall were irradiated with 14 Gy single dose of whole abdominal irradiation (AIR) for tumor growth study. Results Mice receiving pre-WBI TLR9 agonist demonstrated improvement of survival after 10.4 Gy (p<0.03), 9.4 Gy (p<0.008) and 8.4 Gy (p<0.002) of WBI, compared to untreated or iMyd88-treated controls. Post-WBI TLR9 agonist mitigates up to 8.4 Gy WBI (p<0.01). Histological analysis and xylose absorption test demonstrated significant structural and functional restitution of the intestine in WBI+TLR9 agonist cohorts. Although, AIR reduced tumor growth, all animals died within 12 days from RIGS. TLR9 agonist improved the survival of mice beyond 28 days post-AIR (p<0.008) with significant reduction of tumor growth (p<0.0001). Conclusions TLR9 agonist treatment could serve both as a prophylactic or mitigating agent against acute radiation syndrome and also as an adjuvant therapy to increase the therapeutic ratio of abdominal Radiation Therapy for Gastro Intestinal malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhrajit Saha
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, The Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Payel Bhanja
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, The Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Laibin Liu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, The Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Alan A. Alfieri
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, The Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Dong Yu
- Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | | | - Sudhir Agrawal
- Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Chandan Guha
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, The Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, The Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Li J, Pei H, Zhu B, Liang L, Wei M, He Y, Chen N, Li D, Huang Q, Fan C. Self-assembled multivalent DNA nanostructures for noninvasive intracellular delivery of immunostimulatory CpG oligonucleotides. ACS NANO 2011; 5:8783-9. [PMID: 21988181 DOI: 10.1021/nn202774x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 556] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Designed oligonucleotides can self-assemble into DNA nanostructures with well-defined structures and uniform sizes, which provide unprecedented opportunities for biosensing, molecular imaging, and drug delivery. In this work, we have developed functional, multivalent DNA nanostructures by appending unmethylated CpG motifs to three-dimensional DNA tetrahedra. These small-sized functional nanostructures are compact, mechanically stable, and noncytotoxic. We have demonstrated that DNA nanostructures are resistant to nuclease degradation and remain substantially intact in fetal bovine serum and in cells for at least several hours. Significantly, these functional nanostructures can noninvasively and efficiently enter macrophage-like RAW264.7 cells without the aid of transfection agents. After they are uptaken by cells, CpG motifs are recognized by the Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) that activates downstream pathways to induce immunostimulatory effects, producing high-level secretion of various pro-inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-12. We also show that multivalent CpG motifs greatly enhance the immunostimulatory effect of the nanostructures. Given the high efficacy of these functional nanostructures and their noncytotoxic nature, we expect that DNA nanostructures will become a promising tool for targeted drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiang Li
- Laboratory of Physical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, China
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Andrews CD, Provoda CJ, Ott G, Lee KD. Conjugation of lipid and CpG-containing oligonucleotide yields an efficient method for liposome incorporation. Bioconjug Chem 2011; 22:1279-86. [PMID: 21612239 PMCID: PMC3742383 DOI: 10.1021/bc100436y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
For optimal stimulation of T cells, protein-based vaccines must deliver protein antigens to antigen-presenting cells while simultaneously providing immunostimulatory signals. Listeriolysin O (LLO)-containing liposomes have been utilized to efficiently deliver protein antigens to the cytosolic pathway for antigen processing and major histocompatibility complex class I-dependent presentation while codelivering immunostimulatory CpG-oligodeoxyribonuceotides (ODNs). In this report, we describe the synthesis of lipid-CpG-ODN conjugates utilizing maleimide-phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) lipids and 5'-sulfhdryl-containing CpG-ODNs as a method for facile incorporation of CpG-ODNs in liposomal vaccine carriers, an alternative to co-encapsulation inside liposomes and as a means to enhance delivery of CpG-ODNs to their major receptor, Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9), in the endosome. The characterization and biological evaluation of the vaccine delivery system made of liposomes, which contain the lipid-CpG-ODN conjugates inserted in the liposomal membrane, is described. We demonstrate in vitro in bone marrow derived macrophages that the lipid-CpG-ODN conjugates incorporated onto the liposome bilayers interact with their receptor TLR9 as readily as liposome-encapsulated ODNs and exert their immunostimulatory capabilities. The liposomal vaccine delivery systems were evaluated in mice using ovalbumin (OVA) as a model antigen, and the results indicate equally robust OVA-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses and similar Th1 immune skewing capabilities between liposomes containing lipid-conjugated or encapsulated CpG-ODNs. Overall, this work indicates that conjugating PE lipids and CpG-ODNs results in an efficient method that allows facile incorporation of CpG-ODNs into a liposome-based delivery platform while retaining the immune-stimulating capabilities of CpG-ODNs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chasity D. Andrews
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Chester J. Provoda
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Gary Ott
- Dynavax Technologies, Berkeley, CA 94710
| | - Kyung-Dall Lee
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
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Bhagat L, Putta MR, Wang D, Yu D, Lan T, Jiang W, Sun Z, Wang H, Tang JX, La Monica N, Kandimalla ER, Agrawal S. Novel oligonucleotides containing two 3'-ends complementary to target mRNA show optimal gene-silencing activity. J Med Chem 2011; 54:3027-36. [PMID: 21466154 DOI: 10.1021/jm200113t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Oligonucleotides are being employed for gene-silencing activity by a variety of mechanisms, including antisense, ribozyme, and siRNA. In the present studies, we designed novel oligonucleotides complementary to targeted mRNAs and studied the effect of 3'-end exposure and oligonucleotide length on gene-silencing activity. We synthesized both oligoribonucleotides (RNAs) and oligodeoxynucleotides (DNAs) with phosphorothioate backbones, consisting of two identical segments complementary to the targeted mRNA attached through their 5'-ends, thereby containing two accessible 3'-ends; these compounds are referred to as gene-silencing oligonucleotides (GSOs). RNA and/or DNA GSOs targeted to MyD88, VEGF, and TLR9 mRNAs had more potent gene-silencing activity than did antisense phosphorothioate oligonucleotides (PS-oligos) in cell-based assays and in vivo. Of the different lengths of GSOs evaluated, 19-mer long RNA and DNA GSOs had the best gene-silencing activity both in vitro and in vivo. These results suggest that GSOs are novel agents for gene silencing that can be delivered systemically with broader applicability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lakshmi Bhagat
- Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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Holtick U, Scheulen ME, von Bergwelt-Baildon MS, Weihrauch MR. Toll-like receptor 9 agonists as cancer therapeutics. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2011; 20:361-72. [PMID: 21254877 DOI: 10.1517/13543784.2011.553187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) agonists, commonly referred to as CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN), have been added to the arsenal of anti-cancer drugs as monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy, radiotherapy and other immunotherapeutic approaches as they increase antigen presentation and boost anti-tumor T- and B-cell responses. Several synthetic TLR9 agonists have been developed for clinical grade use and displayed substantial efficacy in the preclinical and clinical models. AREAS COVERED This review summarizes TLR9 signaling and the impact of TLR9 agonists on the immune response. The most recent experimental and clinical data are analyzed as well as the development of new TLR9 agonists in current clinical trials. EXPERT OPINION Application of TLR9 agonists, in particular, combination strategies with chemo- or radiotherapy seem a promising and efficient immunotherapeutic approach in cancer patients even with refractory disease. Simultaneous application of TLR9 agonists aims at supporting the patient's immune response and overcoming specific immunosuppressant strategies developed by tumors. Combinatory approaches of the future might also seek for synergism of TLR9 agonists with other immunomodulatory strategies such as B-cell activation using the CD40-CD40L system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Udo Holtick
- University of Cologne, Department I for Internal Medicine, Hematology, Oncology, Cologne, Germany.
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Putta MR, Yu D, Kandimalla ER. Synthesis, purification, and characterization of immune-modulatory oligodeoxynucleotides that act as agonists of Toll-like receptor 9. Methods Mol Biol 2011; 764:263-77. [PMID: 21748647 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-61779-188-8_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Methods and protocols for automated synthesis and purification of immune modulatory oligonucleotides (IMOs), a novel class of Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) agonists, are described. IMOs containing two short identical sequences of 11-mers with phosphorothioate linkages can be synthesized in parallel synthetic strategy. A C3-linker that mimics the natural inter-nucleotide distance was commonly used for joining the two segments of IMOs. NittoPhase solid support bearing a symmetrical C3-linker (glycerol) and nucleoside-β-cyanoethyl-N,N-diisopropylphosphoramidites were used for IMO synthesis. The parallel synthesis was carried out in a 3'→ 5' direction with removal of the final dimethoxytrityl (DMT) protecting group. After synthesis, the IMO was cleaved and deprotected by treating with aqueous ammonia. The product was purified on anion-exchange HPLC, desalted, lyophilized, and characterized by anion-exchange HPLC, capillary gel electrophoresis, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and MALDI-TOF mass spectral analysis.
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Putta MR, Yu D, Bhagat L, Wang D, Zhu FG, Kandimalla ER. Impact of nature and length of linker incorporated in agonists on toll-like receptor 9-mediated immune responses. J Med Chem 2010; 53:3730-8. [PMID: 20361743 DOI: 10.1021/jm100177p] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Oligodeoxynucleotides containing unmethylated CpG motifs act as ligands of Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9). We previously reported a novel class of TLR9 agonists, referred to as immune-modulatory oligonucleotides (IMOs), in which two 11-mers of the same sequence are attached via their 3'-ends through a 1,2,3-propanetriol linker and contain a synthetic immune-stimulatory motif, Cp7-deaza-dG. In the present study, we have examined the impact of length, nature, and stereochemistry of the linker incorporated in agonists for TLR9 activation. The new linkers studied include (S)-(-)-1,2,4-butanetriol, 1,3,5-pentanetriol, cis,cis-1,3,5-cyclohexanetriol, cis,trans-1,3,5-cyclohexanetriol, 1,3,5-tris(2-hydroxyethyl)isocyanurate, tetraethyleneglycol, and hexaethyleneglycol in place of 1,2,3-propanetriol linker. Agonists with various linkers are studied for TLR9-mediated immune responses in HEK293 cells, human cell-based assays, and in vivo in mice. Results of these studies suggest that C3-C5 linkers, 1,2,3-propanetriol, (S)-(-)-1,2,4-butanetriol, or 1,3,5-pentanetriol, are optimal for stimulation of TLR9-mediated immune responses. Rigid C3 linkers with different stereochemistry have little effect on immune stimulation, while linkers longer than C5 reduced TLR9-mediated immune stimulation.
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Putta MR, Zhu FG, Wang D, Bhagat L, Dai M, Kandimalla ER, Agrawal S. Peptide conjugation at the 5'-end of oligodeoxynucleotides abrogates toll-like receptor 9-mediated immune stimulatory activity. Bioconjug Chem 2010; 21:39-45. [PMID: 20020767 DOI: 10.1021/bc900425s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial and synthetic DNA containing unmethylated CpG motifs act as ligands of Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9). Our earlier studies showed that 5'-accessibility of synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides containing CpG motif (ODN) is required for TLR9-mediated immune stimulatory activity. Blocking the 5'-end of ODN through conjugation to a variety of moieties reduces immune stimulatory activity (Bioconjugate Chem. 2002, 13, 966-974). In the present study, we conjugated a model peptide, a 28-amino-acid-long beta-amyloid peptide, to either the 5'- or the 3'-end of an ODN via C3 and C6 alkyl linkers. We compared the immune stimulatory activity of the resulting conjugates with that of a parent ODN without conjugation in TLR9-transfected cells, mouse spleen cell cultures, and in vivo in mice. ODN with the peptide conjugated at the 3'-end via C3 and C6 linkers had immune stimulatory activity similar to that of the parent ODN in both in vitro and in vivo in mice. On the contrary, conjugation of peptide at the 5'-end of the ODN significantly abrogated immune stimulatory activity. In conclusion, the results presented here demonstrate that peptide/protein conjugation to ODN is optimal at the 3'-end with either C3 or C6 linker and conjugation at the 5'-end leads to significant loss of TLR9-mediated immune stimulation.
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Conforti A, Cipriani B, Peruzzi D, Dharmapuri S, Kandimalla ER, Agrawal S, Mori F, Ciliberto G, La Monica N, Aurisicchio L. A TLR9 agonist enhances therapeutic effects of telomerase genetic vaccine. Vaccine 2010; 28:3522-30. [PMID: 20332048 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2009] [Revised: 02/18/2010] [Accepted: 03/10/2010] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) is an attractive target for cancer vaccination because its expression is reactivated in most tumors. In this study, we have evaluated the ability of a genetic vaccine targeting murine TERT (mTERT) based on DNA electroporation (DNA-EP) and adenovirus serotype 6 (Ad6) to exert therapeutic effects in combination with a novel TLR9 agonist, referred to as immune modulatory oligonucleotide (IMO), as an adjuvant. IMO was administered to mice at the same time as vaccine. IMO induced dose-dependent cytokine secretion and activation of NK cells. Most importantly, vaccination of mice with IMO in combination with mTERT vaccine conferred therapeutic benefit in tumor bearing animals and this effect was associated with increased NK, DC and T cell tumor infiltration. These data show that appropriate combination of a DNA-EP/Ad6-based cancer vaccine against TERT with IMO induces multiple effects on innate and adaptive immune responses resulting in a significant antitumor efficacy.
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Synthesis and immunological activities of novel agonists of toll-like receptor 9. Cell Immunol 2010; 263:105-13. [PMID: 20381019 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2010.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2010] [Accepted: 03/03/2010] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Novel agonists of TLR9 with two 5'-ends and synthetic immune stimulatory motifs, referred to as immune modulatory oligonucleotides (IMOs) are potent agonists of TLR9. In the present study, we have designed and synthesized 15 novel IMOs by incorporating specific chemical modifications and studied their immune response profiles both in vitro and in vivo. Analysis of the immunostimulatory profiles of these IMOs in human and NHP cell-based assays suggest that changes in the number of synthetic immunostimulatory motifs gave only a subtle change in immune stimulation of pDCs as indicated by IFN-alpha production and pDC maturation while the addition of self-complementary sequences produced more dramatic changes in both pDC and B cell stimulation. All IMOs induced cytokine production in vivo immediately after administration in mice. Representative compounds were also compared for the ability to stimulate cytokine production in vivo (IFN-alpha and IP-10) in rhesus macaques after intra-muscular administration.
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40
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Ghadimi D, Vrese MD, Heller KJ, Schrezenmeir J. Effect of natural commensal-origin DNA on toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) signaling cascade, chemokine IL-8 expression, and barrier integritiy of polarized intestinal epithelial cells. Inflamm Bowel Dis 2010; 16:410-27. [PMID: 19714766 DOI: 10.1002/ibd.21057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM The intestinal epithelium is constantly exposed to high levels of genetic material like bacterial DNA. Under normal physiological conditions, the intestinal epithelial monolayer as a formidable dynamic barrier with a high-polarity structure facilitates only a controlled and selective flux on components between the lumen and the underlining mucosa and even is able to facilitate structure-based macromolecules movement. The aim of this study was to test the effect of natural commensal-origin DNA on the TLR9 signaling cascade and the barrier integrity of polarized intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). METHODS : Polarized HT-29 and T84 cells were treated with TNF-alpha in the presence or absence of DNA from Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) and Bifidobacterium longum. TLR9 and interleukin-8 (IL-8) mRNA expression was assessed by semiquantitative and TaqMan real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Expression of TLR9 protein, degradation of inhibitor of kappa B alpha (IkappaBalpha), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAP) phosphorylation were assessed by Western blotting. To further reveal the role of TLR9 signaling, the TLR9 gene was silenced by siRNA. IL-8 secretion was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) activity was assessed by the electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and NF-kappaB-dependent luciferase reporter gene assays. As an indicator of tight junction formation and monolayer integrity of epithelial cell monolayers, transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) was repetitively monitored. Transmonolayer movement of natural commensal-origin DNA across monolayers was monitored using qRT-PCR and nested PCR based on bacterial 16S rRNA genes. RESULTS In response to apically applied natural commensal-origin DNA, polarized HT-29 and T84 cells enhanced expression of TLR9 in a specific manner, which was subsequently associated with attenuation of TNF-alpha-induced NF-kappaB activation and NF-kappaB-mediated IL-8 expression. TLR9 silencing abolished this inhibitory effect. Apically applied LGG DNA attenuated TNF-alpha-enhanced NF-kappaB activity by reducing IkappaBalpha degradation and p38 phosphorylation. LGG DNA did not decrease the TER but rather diminished the TNF-alpha-induced TER reduction. Translocation of natural commensal-origin DNA into basolateral compartments did not occur under tested conditions. CONCLUSIONS Our study indicates that TLR9 signaling mediates, at least in part, the anti-inflammatory effects of natural commensal-origin DNA on the gut because TLR9 silencing abolished the inhibitory effect of natural commensal-origin DNA on TNF-alpha-induced IL-8 secretion in polarized IECs. The nature of the TLR9 agonist, the polarity of cells, and the tight junction integrity of IECs has to be taken into account in order to predict the outcome of TLR9 signaling. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2010).
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Affiliation(s)
- Darab Ghadimi
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry of Nutrition, Max Rubner-Institut, Kiel, Germany.
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The assembly of a short linear natural cytosine-phosphate-guanine DNA into dendritic structures and its effect on immunostimulatory activity. Biomaterials 2009; 30:5701-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2009.06.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2009] [Accepted: 06/29/2009] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Beaudette TT, Bachelder EM, Cohen JA, Obermeyer AC, Broaders KE, Fréchet JMJ, Kang ES, Mende I, Tseng WW, Davidson MG, Engleman EG. In vivo studies on the effect of co-encapsulation of CpG DNA and antigen in acid-degradable microparticle vaccines. Mol Pharm 2009; 6:1160-9. [PMID: 19415922 DOI: 10.1021/mp900038e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Protein-based vaccines have been explored as a safer alternative to traditional weakened or killed whole organism based vaccination strategies and have been investigated for their ability to activate the immune system against certain cancers. For optimal stimulation of T lymphocytes, protein-based vaccines should deliver protein antigens to antigen presenting cells in the context of appropriate immunostimulatory signals, thus mimicking actual pathogens. In this report, we describe the synthesis, characterization, and biological evaluation of immunostimulatory acid-degradable microparticles, which are suitable delivery vehicles for use in protein-based vaccines and cancer immunotherapy. Using a 3' conjugation strategy, we optimized the attachment of immunostimulatory CpG DNA to our vaccine carriers and demonstrated that under acidic conditions similar to those found in endosomal compartments, these new particles were capable of simultaneously releasing a model protein antigen and a CpG DNA adjuvant. We found in an in vivo cytotoxicity assay that the co-encapsulation of ovalbumin, a model antigen, and immunostimulatory agent in the same particle led to superior cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity compared to particles coadministered with adjuvant in an unbound form. In addition, we investigated the ability of these acid-degradable particles to induce protective immunity in the MO5 murine melanoma model and found that they were effective until tumor escape, which appeared to result from a loss of antigen expression by the cancer cells due to in vivo selection pressure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tristan T Beaudette
- College of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-1460, USA
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Coadministration of telomerase genetic vaccine and a novel TLR9 agonist in nonhuman primates. Mol Ther 2009; 17:1804-13. [PMID: 19623161 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2009.165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is an attractive target for human cancer vaccination because its expression is reactivated in most human tumors. We have evaluated the ability of DNA electroporation (DNA-EP) and adenovirus serotype 6 (Ad6) to induce immune responses against hTERT in nonhuman primates (NHPs) (Macaca mulatta). Vaccination was effective in all treated animals, and the adaptive immune response remained detectable and long lasting without side effects. To further enhance the efficacy of the hTERT vaccine, we evaluated the combination of hTERT vaccine and a novel TLR9 agonist, referred to as immunomodulatory oligonucleotide (IMO). Monkeys were dosed weekly with IMO concurrently with the vaccine regimen and showed increases in cytokine secretion and activation of natural killer (NK) cells compared with the group that received vaccine alone. Using a peptide array, a specific profile of B-cell reactive epitopes was identified when hTERT vaccine was combined with IMO. The combination of IMO with hTERT genetic vaccine did not impact vaccine-induced TERT-specific cell-mediated immunity. Our results show that appropriate combination of a DNA-EP/Ad6-based cancer vaccine against hTERT with IMO induces multiple effects on innate and adaptive immune responses in NHPs.
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Wang D, Bhagat L, Yu D, Zhu FG, Tang JX, Kandimalla ER, Agrawal S. Oligodeoxyribonucleotide-based antagonists for Toll-like receptors 7 and 9. J Med Chem 2009; 52:551-8. [PMID: 19102653 DOI: 10.1021/jm8014316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Oligodeoxyribonucleotides containing unmethylated CpG motifs act as TLR9 agonists. In this study, we evaluated oligonucleotides containing an unmethylated CpG motif in which two nucleotides adjacent to the CpG dinucleotide were substituted with 2'-O-methylribonucleotides, resulting in TLR7 and TLR9 antagonists. In mouse and human cell cultures, antagonists did not stimulate immune activation but inhibited TLR7 and TLR9 agonist-induced activity. In mice, antagonists inhibited immune responses induced by TLR9 agonists for up to several days, and the inhibition was dose-dependent. Antagonists also inhibited immune responses induced by an RNA-based TLR7/8 agonist but not TLRs 2, 3, 4, or 5 agonists in mice. Additionally, antagonist inhibited TLR9 agonist-induced IL-6 in lupus-prone MRL/lpr mouse spleen cell cultures. These results indicate that antagonists described herein can suppress immune responses induced by TLR7 and TLR9 agonists. Antagonists may be suitable candidates for treating inflammatory and autoimmune diseases where inappropriate or uncontrolled TLR activation has been implicated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daqing Wang
- Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 167 Sidney Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
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Impact of secondary structure of toll-like receptor 9 agonists on interferon alpha induction. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2008; 52:4320-5. [PMID: 18852281 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00701-08] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Oligodeoxynucleotides containing a CpG motif and double- or multistranded structure-forming sequences act as agonists of Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) and induce high levels of interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) in addition to other Th1-type cytokines. In the present study, we evaluated three highly effective IFN-alpha-inducing agonists of TLR9 to determine the type of duplex structures formed and the agonist's ability to induce immune responses, including IFN-alpha induction, in human cell-based assays and in vivo in mice and nonhuman primates. Thermal melting studies showed that two of the agonists evaluated had a single melting transition with similar hyperchromicity in both heating and cooling cycles, suggesting the formation of intermolecular duplexes. A third agonist showed a biphasic melting transition in the heating cycle and a monophasic melting transition with lower hyperchromicity during the cooling cycle, suggesting the formation of both intra- and intermolecular duplexes. All three agonists induced the production of Th1-type cytokines and chemokines, including high levels of IFN-alpha, in human peripheral blood mononuclear cell and plasmacytoid dendritic cell cultures. Subcutaneous administration of the two intermolecular duplex-forming agonists, but not the intramolecular duplex-forming agonist, induced cytokine secretion in mice. In nonhuman primates, the two agonists that formed intermolecular duplexes induced IFN-alpha and IP-10 secretion. On the contrary, the agonist that formed an intramolecular duplex induced only low levels of cytokines in nonhuman primates, suggesting that this type of structure formation is less immunostimulatory in vivo than the other structure. Taken together, the present results suggest that oligonucleotide-based agonists of TLR9 that form intermolecular duplexes induce potent immune responses in vivo.
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Christopher ME, Wong JP. Broad-spectrum drugs against viral agents. Int J Mol Sci 2008; 9:1561-1594. [PMID: 19325820 PMCID: PMC2635754 DOI: 10.3390/ijms9091561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2008] [Revised: 08/21/2008] [Accepted: 08/29/2008] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Development of antivirals has focused primarily on vaccines and on treatments for specific viral agents. Although effective, these approaches may be limited in situations where the etiologic agent is unknown or when the target virus has undergone mutation, recombination or reassortment. Augmentation of the innate immune response may be an effective alternative for disease amelioration. Nonspecific, broad-spectrum immune responses can be induced by double-stranded (ds)RNAs such as poly (ICLC), or oligonucleotides (ODNs) containing unmethylated deocycytidyl-deoxyguanosinyl (CpG) motifs. These may offer protection against various bacterial and viral pathogens regardless of their genetic makeup, zoonotic origin or drug resistance.
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He G, Patra A, Siegmund K, Peter M, Heeg K, Dalpke A, Richert C. Immunostimulatory CpG oligonucleotides form defined three-dimensional structures: results from an NMR study. ChemMedChem 2008; 2:549-60. [PMID: 17366653 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.200600262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The DNA eicosamer 5'-TCCATGACGTTCCTGATGCT-3' is known to stimulate the innate immune system of vertebrae. The immunostimulatory activity is based on the activation of Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9). While it is known that the CG dinucleotide of the eicosamer has to be unmethylated, the structural basis of the recognition of the DNA through the receptor remains unclear. Oligodeoxynucleotides containing the sequence of the eicosamer, or a portion thereof, ranging in length from hexamer to pentaeicosamer were studied by (1)H NMR spectroscopy. Based on two-dimensional NMR spectra, a number of resonances could be unambiguously assigned. For all oligonucleotides, structural transitions were detected upon heating, as monitored by the line width and chemical shift of low-field resonances. This includes the TC dinucleotide of the 5'-terminal portion, which does not have any clear base-pairing partners. The melting transitions, together with the NOESY cross-peaks, demonstrate that structure formation occurs well beyond the core hexamer 5'-GACGTT-3', a fact that may be important for understanding the molecular recognition by the Toll-like receptors of the innate immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangyu He
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Karlsruhe TH, Fritz-Haber-Weg 6, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
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Nishikawa M, Matono M, Rattanakiat S, Matsuoka N, Takakura Y. Enhanced immunostimulatory activity of oligodeoxynucleotides by Y-shape formation. Immunology 2008; 124:247-55. [PMID: 18217956 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2567.2007.02762.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA containing unmethylated CpG dinucleotides (CpG DNA) is a potent activator of innate and acquired immune responses. Although the sequence-specific immunostimulatory activity of CpG DNA has been extensively explored, little information is available about the importance of the stereochemical properties of CpG DNA. In this study, Y-shaped oligodeoxynucleotides (Y-ODNs) were prepared using three ODNs with the halves of each ODN being partially complementary to a half of the other two ODNs. Y-ODN induced greater amounts of tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 from RAW264.7 macrophage-like cells than did conventional single-stranded ODN (ssODN) or double-stranded ODN (dsODN). The Y-ODN was less stable in serum than dsODN, but greater amounts of Y-ODN were taken up by macrophage-like cells compared with dsODN. A newly designed Y-ODN containing three potent CpG motifs generated significantly higher levels of cytokines compared with dsODN containing the identical sequences. These results indicate that the Y-shaped form of ODN is a novel, reproducible and reliable approach to enhancing the immunostimulatory activity of ODNs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makiya Nishikawa
- Department of Biopharmaceutics and Drug Metabolism, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan
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Martin-Armas M, Zykova S, Smedsrød B. Effects of CpG-oligonucleotides, poly I:C and LPS on Atlantic cod scavenger endothelial cells (SEC). DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2008; 32:100-7. [PMID: 17560649 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2007.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2007] [Revised: 04/19/2007] [Accepted: 04/22/2007] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Carrying out a remarkably efficient clearance of colloidal and soluble macromolecular waste substances from the circulation, the scavenger endothelial cells (SECs) represent an important part of the reticuloendothelial system of vertebrates. It has been previously shown that these cells play an important role in the innate immune system by eliminating from the blood a number of molecules known to elicit inflammatory reactions. In the present study we have investigated the uptake of LPS and oligonucleotides in cultured Atlantic cod SECs, and determined if interaction with these pathogen associated molecules affect the scavenger activity and/or production of immune modulating molecules of SECs. Preincubation of cultured SECs with CpG (5 and 20 microg/ml) or Poly I:C (10 or 40 microg/ml) gave selective down-regulation of scavenger receptor-mediated endocytosis, but only marginal effects were noted on endocytosis via the mannose- and collagen alpha chain receptors. Preincubation with LPS or a non-inflammatory ligand for the scavenger receptor did not result in altered endocytosis via any of the receptors tested. Only Poly I:C (40 microg/ml) was observed to increase the production of NO. RT-PCR analyses showed IL-1 production which was not increased above control after pre-treatment with two different CpG-oligonucleotides or Poly I:C. In fact, preincubation with Poly I:C, but not CpGs, resulted in degradation of total intracellular RNA. In conclusion, our study shows that SECs respond differently to the different immunomodulators used and that their important clearance activity as scavenger cells can be regulated by the use of oligonucleotides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Montserrat Martin-Armas
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Institute of Medical Biology, University of Tromsø, N-9037, Tromsø, Norway
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Abstract
TLRs (Toll-like receptors) are a family of innate immune receptors that induce protective immune responses against infections. Single-stranded viral RNA and bacterial DNA containing unmethylated CpG motifs are the ligands for TLR7 and TLR8 and 9 respectively. We have carried out extensive structure–activity relationship studies of DNA- and RNA-based compounds to elucidate the impact of nucleotide motifs and structures on these TLR-mediated immune responses. These studies have led us to design novel DNA- and RNA-based compounds, which act as potent agonists of TLR9 and TLR7 and 8 respectively. These novel synthetic agonists produce different immune response profiles depending on the structures and nucleotide motifs present in them. The ability to modulate TLR-mediated immune responses with these novel DNA- and RNA-based agonists in a desired fashion may allow targeting a broad range of diseases, including cancers, asthma, allergies and infections, alone or in combination with other therapeutic agents, and their use as adjuvants with vaccines. IMO-2055, our first lead candidate, is a TLR9 agonist that is currently in clinical evaluation in oncology patients. A second candidate, IMO-2125, is also a TLR9 agonist that has been shown to induce high and sustained levels of IFN (interferon) in non-human primates and is being evaluated in HepC-infected human subjects.
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