1
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Suparpprom C, Vilaivan T. Perspectives on conformationally constrained peptide nucleic acid (PNA): insights into the structural design, properties and applications. RSC Chem Biol 2022; 3:648-697. [PMID: 35755191 PMCID: PMC9175113 DOI: 10.1039/d2cb00017b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Peptide nucleic acid or PNA is a synthetic DNA mimic that contains a sequence of nucleobases attached to a peptide-like backbone derived from N-2-aminoethylglycine. The semi-rigid PNA backbone acts as a scaffold that arranges the nucleobases in a proper orientation and spacing so that they can pair with their complementary bases on another DNA, RNA, or even PNA strand perfectly well through the standard Watson-Crick base-pairing. The electrostatically neutral backbone of PNA contributes to its many unique properties that make PNA an outstanding member of the xeno-nucleic acid family. Not only PNA can recognize its complementary nucleic acid strand with high affinity, but it does so with excellent specificity that surpasses the specificity of natural nucleic acids and their analogs. Nevertheless, there is still room for further improvements of the original PNA in terms of stability and specificity of base-pairing, direction of binding, and selectivity for different types of nucleic acids, among others. This review focuses on attempts towards the rational design of new generation PNAs with superior performance by introducing conformational constraints such as a ring or a chiral substituent in the PNA backbone. A large collection of conformationally rigid PNAs developed during the past three decades are analyzed and compared in terms of molecular design and properties in relation to structural data if available. Applications of selected modified PNA in various areas such as targeting of structured nucleic acid targets, supramolecular scaffold, biosensing and bioimaging, and gene regulation will be highlighted to demonstrate how the conformation constraint can improve the performance of the PNA. Challenges and future of the research in the area of constrained PNA will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaturong Suparpprom
- Department of Chemistry and Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University, Tah-Poe District, Muang Phitsanulok 65000 Thailand
- Organic Synthesis Research Unit, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University Phayathai Road Pathumwan Bangkok 10330 Thailand
| | - Tirayut Vilaivan
- Department of Chemistry and Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University, Tah-Poe District, Muang Phitsanulok 65000 Thailand
- Organic Synthesis Research Unit, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University Phayathai Road Pathumwan Bangkok 10330 Thailand
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2
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Goel B, Tiwari AK, Pandey RK, Singh AP, Kumar S, Sinha A, Jain SK, Khattri A. Therapeutic approaches for the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma-An update on clinical trials. Transl Oncol 2022; 21:101426. [PMID: 35460943 PMCID: PMC9046875 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2022.101426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common non-skin cancer with a tobacco consumption and infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) being major risk factors. Despite advances in numerous therapy modalities, survival rates for HNSCC have not improved considerably; a vast number of clinical outcomes have demonstrated that a combination strategy (the most well-known docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil) is the most effective treatment choice. Immunotherapy that targets immunological checkpoints is being tested in a number of clinical trials, either alone or in conjunction with chemotherapeutic or targeted therapeutic drugs. Various monoclonal antibodies, such as cetuximab and bevacizumab, which target the EGFR and VEGFR, respectively, as well as other signaling pathway inhibitors, such as temsirolimus and rapamycin, are also being studied for the treatment of HNSCC. We have reviewed the primary targets in active clinical studies in this study, with a particular focus on the medications and drug targets used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bharat Goel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi - 221005, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Anoop Kumar Tiwari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi - 221005, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Rajeev Kumar Pandey
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Akhand Pratap Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi - 221005, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Sujeet Kumar
- Centre for Proteomics and Drug Discovery, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Maharashtra, Mumbai - 410206, Maharashtra, India
| | - Abhishek Sinha
- Department of Oral Medicine & Radiology, Sardar Patel Post Graduate Institute of Dental & Medical Sciences, Lucknow - 226025, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Shreyans K Jain
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi - 221005, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Arun Khattri
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi - 221005, Uttar Pradesh, India.
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3
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Gaddam RR, Dhuri K, Kim YR, Jacobs JS, Kumar V, Li Q, Irani K, Bahal R, Vikram A. γ Peptide Nucleic Acid-Based miR-122 Inhibition Rescues Vascular Endothelial Dysfunction in Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet. J Med Chem 2022; 65:3332-3342. [PMID: 35133835 PMCID: PMC8883473 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
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The blood levels
of microRNA-122 (miR-122) is associated with the
severity of cardiovascular disorders, and targeting it with efficient
and safer miR inhibitors could be a promising approach. Here, we report
the generation of a γ-peptide nucleic acid (γPNA)-based
miR-122 inhibitor (γP-122-I) that rescues vascular endothelial
dysfunction in mice fed a high-fat diet. We synthesized diethylene
glycol-containing γP-122-I and found that its systemic administration
counteracted high-fat diet (HFD)-feeding-associated increase in blood
and aortic miR-122 levels, impaired endothelial function, and reduced
glycemic control. A comprehensive safety analysis established that
γP-122-I affects neither the complete blood count nor biochemical
tests of liver and kidney functions during acute exposure. In addition,
long-term exposure to γP-122-I did not change the overall adiposity,
or histology of the kidney, liver, and heart. Thus, γP-122-I
rescues endothelial dysfunction without any evidence of toxicity in vivo and demonstrates the suitability of γPNA technology
in generating efficient and safer miR inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravinder Reddy Gaddam
- Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United States
| | - Karishma Dhuri
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Young-Rae Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United States
| | - Julia S Jacobs
- Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United States
| | - Vikas Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Qiuxia Li
- Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United States
| | - Kaikobad Irani
- Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United States
| | - Raman Bahal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Ajit Vikram
- Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United States
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4
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The Challenges and Opportunities in the Development of MicroRNA Therapeutics: A Multidisciplinary Viewpoint. Cells 2021; 10:cells10113097. [PMID: 34831320 PMCID: PMC8619171 DOI: 10.3390/cells10113097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
microRNAs (miRs) are emerging as attractive therapeutic targets because of their small size, specific targetability, and critical role in disease pathogenesis. However, <20 miR targeting molecules have entered clinical trials, and none progressed to phase III. The difficulties in miR target identification, the moderate efficacy of miR inhibitors, cell type-specific delivery, and adverse outcomes have impeded the development of miR therapeutics. These hurdles are rooted in the functional complexity of miR's role in disease and sequence complementarity-dependent/-independent effects in nontarget tissues. The advances in understanding miR's role in disease, the development of efficient miR inhibitors, and innovative delivery approaches have helped resolve some of these hurdles. In this review, we provide a multidisciplinary viewpoint on the challenges and opportunities in the development of miR therapeutics.
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5
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Extracellular vesicles mediated exocytosis of antisense peptide nucleic acids. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2021; 25:302-315. [PMID: 34458012 PMCID: PMC8379631 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2021.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Peptide nucleic acids (PNAs), a synthetic DNA mimic, have been extensively utilized for antisense- and antigene-based biomedical applications. Significant efforts have been made to increase the cellular uptake of PNAs, but here we examined relatively unexplored aspects of intracellular trafficking and endocytic recycling of PNAs. For proof-of-concept, we used anti-microRNA (miR) PNA targeting miR-155. The sub-cellular localization of PNA was studied via confocal and flow-cytometry-based assays in HeLa cells. A comprehensive characterization of PNA-containing extracellular vesicles revealed spherical morphology, negative surface charge density, and the presence of tetraspanin markers. Most importantly, we investigated rab11a and rab27b GTPases' role in regulating the exocytosis of PNAs. Organelle staining, followed by confocal imaging, showed higher localization of PNA in lysosomes. Gene-expression analysis established the enhanced functional activity of PNA after inhibition of endocytic recycling. Multiple studies report the exocytosis of single-stranded oligonucleotides, short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), and nanocarriers. To our knowledge, this is the first mechanistic study to establish that PNA undergoes endocytic recycling and exocytosis out of tumor cells. The results presented here can serve as a platform to develop and optimize strategies for improving the therapeutic efficacy of PNAs by avoiding the recycling pathways.
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6
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Suss O, Motiei L, Margulies D. Broad Applications of Thiazole Orange in Fluorescent Sensing of Biomolecules and Ions. Molecules 2021; 26:2828. [PMID: 34068759 PMCID: PMC8126248 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26092828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluorescent sensing of biomolecules has served as a revolutionary tool for studying and better understanding various biological systems. Therefore, it has become increasingly important to identify fluorescent building blocks that can be easily converted into sensing probes, which can detect specific targets with increasing sensitivity and accuracy. Over the past 30 years, thiazole orange (TO) has garnered great attention due to its low fluorescence background signal and remarkable 'turn-on' fluorescence response, being controlled only by its intramolecular torsional movement. These features have led to the development of numerous molecular probes that apply TO in order to sense a variety of biomolecules and metal ions. Here, we highlight the tremendous progress made in the field of TO-based sensors and demonstrate the different strategies that have enabled TO to evolve into a versatile dye for monitoring a collection of biomolecules.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - David Margulies
- Department of Chemical and Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel; (O.S.); (L.M.)
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7
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Volpi S, Rozzi A, Rivi N, Neri M, Knoll W, Corradini R. Submonomeric Strategy with Minimal Protection for the Synthesis of C(2)-Modified Peptide Nucleic Acids. Org Lett 2021; 23:902-907. [PMID: 33417460 PMCID: PMC7880566 DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.0c04116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
A novel synthesis of C(2)-modified peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) is proposed, using a submonomeric strategy with minimally protected building blocks, which allowed a reduction in the required synthetic steps. N(3)-unprotected, d-Lys- and d-Arg-based backbones were used to obtain positively charged PNAs with high optical purity, as inferred from chiral GC measurements. "Chiral-box" PNAs targeting the G12D point mutation of the KRAS gene were produced using this method, showing improved sequence selectivity for the mutated- vs wild-type DNA strand with respect to unmodified PNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Volpi
- Department
of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 17/A, Parma, 43123, Italy
| | - Andrea Rozzi
- Department
of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 17/A, Parma, 43123, Italy
| | - Nicola Rivi
- Department
of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 17/A, Parma, 43123, Italy
| | - Martina Neri
- Department
of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 17/A, Parma, 43123, Italy
| | - Wolfgang Knoll
- Department
of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 17/A, Parma, 43123, Italy
- Biosensor
Technologies, AIT-Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 24, 3430, Tulln an der Donau, Austria
| | - Roberto Corradini
- Department
of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 17/A, Parma, 43123, Italy
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8
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Volpi S, Cancelli U, Neri M, Corradini R. Multifunctional Delivery Systems for Peptide Nucleic Acids. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2020; 14:14. [PMID: 33375595 PMCID: PMC7823687 DOI: 10.3390/ph14010014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The number of applications of peptide nucleic acids (PNAs)-oligonucleotide analogs with a polyamide backbone-is continuously increasing in both in vitro and cellular systems and, parallel to this, delivery systems able to bring PNAs to their targets have been developed. This review is intended to give to the readers an overview on the available carriers for these oligonucleotide mimics, with a particular emphasis on newly developed multi-component- and multifunctional vehicles which boosted PNA research in recent years. The following approaches will be discussed: (a) conjugation with carrier molecules and peptides; (b) liposome formulations; (c) polymer nanoparticles; (d) inorganic porous nanoparticles; (e) carbon based nanocarriers; and (f) self-assembled and supramolecular systems. New therapeutic strategies enabled by the combination of PNA and proper delivery systems are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Roberto Corradini
- Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy; (S.V.); (U.C.); (M.N.)
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9
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Yang L, Toh DFK, Krishna MS, Zhong Z, Liu Y, Wang S, Gong Y, Chen G. Tertiary Base Triple Formation in the SRV-1 Frameshifting Pseudoknot Stabilizes Secondary Structure Components. Biochemistry 2020; 59:4429-4438. [PMID: 33166472 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Minor-groove base triples formed between stem 1 and loop 2 of the simian retrovirus type 1 (SRV-1) mRNA frameshifting pseudoknot are essential in stimulating -1 ribosomal frameshifting. How tertiary base triple formation affects the local stabilities of secondary structures (stem 1 and stem 2) and thus ribosomal frameshifting efficiency is not well understood. We made a short peptide nucleic acid (PNA) that is expected to invade stem 1 of the SRV-1 pseudoknot by PNA-RNA duplex formation to mimic the stem 1 unwinding process by a translating ribosome. In addition, we used a PNA for invading stem 2 in the SRV-1 pseudoknot. Our nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis data for the binding of PNA to the SRV-1 pseudoknot and mutants reveal that mutations in loop 2 disrupting base triple formation between loop 2 and stem 1 in the SRV-1 pseudoknot result in enhanced invasion by both PNAs. Our data suggest that tertiary stem 1-loop 2 base triple interactions in the SRV-1 pseudoknot can stabilize both of the secondary structural components, stem 1 and stem 2. Stem 2 stability is thus coupled to the structural stability of stem 1-loop 2 base triples, mediated through a long-range effect. The apparent dissociation constants of both PNAs are positively correlated with the pseudoknot mechanical stabilities and frameshifting efficiencies. The relatively simple PNA local invasion experiment may be used to characterize the energetic contribution of tertiary interactions and ligand binding in many other RNA and DNA structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lixia Yang
- School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No. 4, Section 2, North Jianshe Road, Chengdu, Sichuan 610054, P. R. China.,School of Life and Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (CUHK-Shenzhen), No. 2001 Longxiang Boulevard, Longgang District, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518172, P. R. China.,Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371
| | - Desiree-Faye Kaixin Toh
- Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371
| | - Manchugondanahalli S Krishna
- Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371
| | - Zhensheng Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, School of Physics and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China
| | - Yiyao Liu
- School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No. 4, Section 2, North Jianshe Road, Chengdu, Sichuan 610054, P. R. China
| | - Shaomeng Wang
- School of Electronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No. 4, Section 2, North Jianshe Road, Chengdu, Sichuan 610054, P. R. China
| | - Yubin Gong
- School of Electronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No. 4, Section 2, North Jianshe Road, Chengdu, Sichuan 610054, P. R. China
| | - Gang Chen
- School of Life and Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (CUHK-Shenzhen), No. 2001 Longxiang Boulevard, Longgang District, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518172, P. R. China.,Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371
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10
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Malik S, Lim J, Slack FJ, Braddock DT, Bahal R. Next generation miRNA inhibition using short anti-seed PNAs encapsulated in PLGA nanoparticles. J Control Release 2020; 327:406-419. [PMID: 32835710 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2020.08.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Selective inhibition of microRNAs (miRNAs) offers a new avenue for cancer therapeutics. While most of the current anti-miRNA (antimiR) reagents target full length miRNAs, here we investigate novel nanoparticle-delivered short PNA probes containing cationic domains targeting the seed region of the miRNA for effective antimiR therapy. For proof of concept, we tested PNAs targeting miRNA-155 and employed poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-based nanoparticle formulation for delivery. A comprehensive evaluation of PLGA nanoparticles (NPs) containing short PNA probes showed significantly superior loading, release profile, and uniform size distribution, compared to conventional non-cationic PNA probes. Confocal microscopy and flow cytometry analyses showed efficient transfection efficiency and uniform distribution of PLGA NPs containing short PNA probes in the cytoplasm. Functional analysis also confirmed efficient miRNA-155 inhibition including an effect on its downstream target proteins. Further, reduced tumor growth was observed after systemic delivery of PLGA nanoparticles containing short PNA probes in vivo in a xenograft mouse model following inhibition of miR-155. There was no evidence of acute or chronic toxicity associated with systemic delivery of PLGA NPs containing short PNA probes in the mice. Overall, in this paper we present a novel antimiR strategy based on PLGA nanoparticle delivered short PNA probes for potential cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shipra Malik
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Jihoon Lim
- Department of Pathology, BIDMC Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, 330, Brookline Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Frank J Slack
- Department of Pathology, BIDMC Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, 330, Brookline Ave, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Demetrios T Braddock
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, 310 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Raman Bahal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
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11
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Peptide Nucleic Acids: Applications in Biomedical Sciences. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25153317. [PMID: 32707859 PMCID: PMC7435668 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25153317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The DNA mimic, PNA (peptide nucleic acid), has been with us now for almost 3 decades [...].
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12
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Kaplan AR, Pham H, Liu Y, Oyaghire S, Bahal R, Engelman DM, Glazer PM. Ku80-Targeted pH-Sensitive Peptide-PNA Conjugates Are Tumor Selective and Sensitize Cancer Cells to Ionizing Radiation. Mol Cancer Res 2020; 18:873-882. [PMID: 32098827 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-19-0661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2019] [Revised: 01/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The development of therapeutic agents that specifically target cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue could be used to enhance the efficacy of cancer therapy without increasing its toxicity. Specific targeting of cancer cells can be achieved through the use of pH-low insertion peptides (pHLIP), which take advantage of the acidity of the tumor microenvironment to deliver cargoes selectively to tumor cells. We developed a pHLIP-peptide nucleic acid (PNA) conjugate as an antisense reagent to reduce expression of the otherwise undruggable DNA double-strand break repair factor, KU80, and thereby radiosensitize tumor cells. Increased antisense activity of the pHLIP-PNA conjugate was achieved by partial mini-PEG sidechain substitution of the PNA at the gamma position, designated pHLIP-αKu80(γ). We evaluated selective effects of pHLIP-αKu80(γ) in cancer cells in acidic culture conditions as well as in two subcutaneous mouse tumor models. Fluorescently labeled pHLIP-αKu80(γ) delivers specifically to acidic cancer cells and accumulates preferentially in tumors when injected i.v. in mice. Furthermore, pHLIP-αKu80(γ) selectively reduced KU80 expression in cells under acidic conditions and in tumors in vivo. When pHLIP-αKu80(γ) was administered to mice prior to local tumor irradiation, tumor growth was substantially reduced compared with radiation treatment alone. Furthermore, there was no evidence of acute toxicity associated with pHLIP-αKu80(γ) administration to the mice. These results establish pHLIP-αKu80(γ) as a tumor-selective radiosensitizing agent. IMPLICATIONS: This study describes a novel agent, pHLIP-αKu80(γ), which combines PNA antisense and pHLIP technologies to selectively reduce the expression of the DNA repair factor KU80 in tumors and confer tumor-selective radiosensitization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alanna R Kaplan
- Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Pathology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Ha Pham
- Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.,University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Orlando, Florida
| | - Yanfeng Liu
- Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Stanley Oyaghire
- Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Raman Bahal
- University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
| | - Donald M Engelman
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Peter M Glazer
- Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. .,Department of Genetics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
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13
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Ghavami M, Shiraishi T, Nielsen PE. Enzyme-Triggered Release of the Antisense Octaarginine-PNA Conjugate from Phospholipase A2 Sensitive Liposomes. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2020; 3:1018-1025. [DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.9b01022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mahdi Ghavami
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Takehiko Shiraishi
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Peter E. Nielsen
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
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14
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Galli V, Sadhu KK, Masi D, Saarbach J, Roux A, Winssinger N. Caprin‐1 Promotes Cellular Uptake of Nucleic Acids with Backbone and Sequence Discrimination. Helv Chim Acta 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/hlca.201900255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Galli
- School of Chemistry and BiochemistryFaculty of Science and National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Chemical BiologyUniversity of Geneva CH-1211 Geneva Switzerland
| | - Kalyan K. Sadhu
- School of Chemistry and BiochemistryFaculty of Science and National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Chemical BiologyUniversity of Geneva CH-1211 Geneva Switzerland
| | - Daniela Masi
- School of Chemistry and BiochemistryFaculty of Science and National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Chemical BiologyUniversity of Geneva CH-1211 Geneva Switzerland
| | - Jacques Saarbach
- School of Chemistry and BiochemistryFaculty of Science and National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Chemical BiologyUniversity of Geneva CH-1211 Geneva Switzerland
| | - Aurélien Roux
- School of Chemistry and BiochemistryFaculty of Science and National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Chemical BiologyUniversity of Geneva CH-1211 Geneva Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Winssinger
- School of Chemistry and BiochemistryFaculty of Science and National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Chemical BiologyUniversity of Geneva CH-1211 Geneva Switzerland
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15
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Skakuj K, Bujold KE, Mirkin CA. Mercury-Free Automated Synthesis of Guanidinium Backbone Oligonucleotides. J Am Chem Soc 2019; 141:20171-20176. [PMID: 31840508 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b09937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
A new method for synthesizing deoxynucleic guanidine (DNG) oligonucleotides that uses iodine as a mild and inexpensive coupling reagent is reported. This method eliminates the need for the toxic mercury salts and pungent thiophenol historically used in methods aimed at preparing DNG oligonucleotides. This coupling strategy was readily translated to a standard MerMade 12 oligonucleotide synthesizer with coupling yields of 95% and has enabled the synthesis of a 20-mer DNG oligonucleotide, the longest DNG strand to date, in addition to mixed DNA-DNG sequences with 3-9 DNG inserts. Importantly, DNG oligonucleotides exhibit robust unaided cellular uptake as compared to unmodified oligonucleotides without apparent cellular toxicity. Taken together, these findings should greatly increase the accessibility of cationic backbone modifications and assist in the development of oligonucleotide-based drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kacper Skakuj
- Department of Chemistry and the International Institute for Nanotechnology , Northwestern University , 2145 Sheridan Road , Evanston , Illinois 60208 , United States
| | - Katherine E Bujold
- Department of Chemistry and the International Institute for Nanotechnology , Northwestern University , 2145 Sheridan Road , Evanston , Illinois 60208 , United States
| | - Chad A Mirkin
- Department of Chemistry and the International Institute for Nanotechnology , Northwestern University , 2145 Sheridan Road , Evanston , Illinois 60208 , United States
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16
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Cooperative Cellular Uptake and Activity of Octaarginine Antisense Peptide Nucleic acid (PNA) Conjugates. Biomolecules 2019; 9:biom9100554. [PMID: 31581514 PMCID: PMC6843268 DOI: 10.3390/biom9100554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Revised: 09/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular uptake and antisense activity of d-octaarginine conjugated peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) is shown to exhibit pronounced cooperativity in serum-containing medium, in particular by being enhanced by analogous mis-match PNA–cell-penetrating peptide (PNA–CPP) conjugates without inherent antisense activity. This cooperativity does not show cell or PNA sequence dependency, suggesting that it is a common effect in cationic CPP conjugated PNA delivery. Interestingly, our results also indicate that Deca-r8-PNA and r8-PNA could assist each other and even other non-CPP PNAs as an uptake enhancer agent. However, the peptide itself (without being attached to the PNA) failed to enhance uptake and antisense activity. These results are compatible with an endosomal uptake mechanism in which the endocytosis event is induced by multiple CPP–PNA binding to the cell surface requiring a certain CPP density, possibly in terms of nanoparticle number and/or size, to be triggered. In particular the finding that the number of endosomal events is dependent on the total CPP–PNA concentration supports such a model. It is not possible from the present results to conclude whether endosomal escape is also cooperatively induced by CPP–PNA.
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17
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Saarbach J, Sabale PM, Winssinger N. Peptide nucleic acid (PNA) and its applications in chemical biology, diagnostics, and therapeutics. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2019; 52:112-124. [PMID: 31541865 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2019.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Peptide nucleic acid (PNA) stands as one of the most successful artificial oligonucleotide mimetics. Salient features include the stability of hybridization complexes (either as duplexes or triplexes), metabolic stability, and ease of chemical modifications. These features have enabled important applications such as antisense agents, gene editing, nucleic acid sensing and as a platform to program the assembly of PNA-tagged molecules. Here, we review recent advances in these areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacques Saarbach
- Faculty of Science, Department of Organic Chemistry, NCCR Chemical Biology, University of Geneva 30 quai Ernest Ansermet, CH-1205 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Pramod M Sabale
- Faculty of Science, Department of Organic Chemistry, NCCR Chemical Biology, University of Geneva 30 quai Ernest Ansermet, CH-1205 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Winssinger
- Faculty of Science, Department of Organic Chemistry, NCCR Chemical Biology, University of Geneva 30 quai Ernest Ansermet, CH-1205 Geneva, Switzerland.
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18
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Krishna MS, Wang Z, Zheng L, Bowry J, Ong AAL, Mu Y, Prabakaran M, Chen G. Incorporating G-C Pair-Recognizing Guanidinium into PNAs for Sequence and Structure Specific Recognition of dsRNAs over dsDNAs and ssRNAs. Biochemistry 2019; 58:3777-3788. [PMID: 31424191 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.9b00608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Recognition of RNAs under physiological conditions is important for the development of chemical probes and therapeutic ligands. Nucleobase-modified dsRNA-binding PNAs (dbPNAs) are promising for the recognition of dsRNAs in a sequence and structure specific manner under near-physiological conditions. Guanidinium is often present in proteins and small molecules for the recognition of G bases in nucleic acids, in cell-penetrating carriers, and in bioactive drug molecules, which might be due to the fact that guanidinium is amphiphilic and has unique hydrogen bonding and stacking properties. We hypothesized that a simple guanidinium moiety can be directly incorporated into PNAs to facilitate enhanced molecular recognition of G-C pairs in dsRNAs and improved bioactivity. We grafted a guanidinium moiety directly into a PNA monomer (designated as R) using a two-carbon linker as guided by computational modeling studies. The synthetic scheme of the PNA R monomer is relatively simple compared to that of the previously reported L monomer. We incorporated the R residue into various dbPNAs for binding studies. dbPNAs incorporated with R residues are excellent in sequence specifically recognizing G-C pairs in dsRNAs over dsDNA and ssRNAs. We demonstrated that the R residue is compatible with unmodified T and C and previously developed modified L and Q residues in dbPNAs for targeting model dsRNAs, the influenza A viral panhandle duplex structure, and the HIV-1 frameshift site RNA hairpin. Furthermore, R residues enhance the cellular uptake of PNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manchugondanahalli S Krishna
- Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences , Nanyang Technological University , 21 Nanyang Link , Singapore 637371
| | - Zhenzhang Wang
- Temasek Life Science Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore , Singapore 117604
| | - Liangzhen Zheng
- School of Biological Sciences , Nanyang Technological University , Singapore 637551
| | - Jogesh Bowry
- Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences , Nanyang Technological University , 21 Nanyang Link , Singapore 637371.,Department of Chemistry , University of Southampton , Southampton SO17 1BJ , U.K
| | - Alan Ann Lerk Ong
- Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences , Nanyang Technological University , 21 Nanyang Link , Singapore 637371
| | - Yuguang Mu
- School of Biological Sciences , Nanyang Technological University , Singapore 637551
| | - Mookkan Prabakaran
- Temasek Life Science Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore , Singapore 117604
| | - Gang Chen
- Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences , Nanyang Technological University , 21 Nanyang Link , Singapore 637371
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19
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Soudah T, Khawaled S, Aqeilan RI, Yavin E. AntimiR-155 Cyclic Peptide-PNA Conjugate: Synthesis, Cellular Uptake, and Biological Activity. ACS OMEGA 2019; 4:13954-13961. [PMID: 31497713 PMCID: PMC6714607 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b01697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Efficient delivery of nucleic acids into cells still remains a great challenge. Peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) are DNA analogues with a neutral backbone and are synthesized by solid phase peptide chemistry. This allows a straightforward synthetic route to introduce a linear short peptide (a.k.a. cell-penetrating peptide) to the PNA molecule as a means of facilitating cellular uptake of PNAs. Herein, we have devised a synthetic route in which a cyclic peptide is prepared on a solid support and is extended with the PNA molecule, where all syntheses are accomplished on the solid phase. This allows the conjugation of the cyclic peptide to the PNA molecule with the need of only one purification step after the cyclic peptide-PNA conjugate (C9-PNA) is cleaved from the solid support. The PNA sequence chosen is an antimiR-155 molecule that is complementary to mature miR-155, a well-established oncogenic miRNA. By labeling C9-PNA with fluorescein isothiocyanate, we observe efficient cellular uptake into glioblastoma cells (U87MG) at a low concentration (0.5 μM), as corroborated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis and confocal microscopy. FACS analysis also suggests an uptake mechanism that is energy-dependent. Finally, the antimiR activity of C9-PNA was shown by analyzing miR155 levels by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and by observing a reduction in cell viability and proliferation in U87MG cells, as corroborated by XTT and colony formation assays. Given the added biological stability of cyclic versus linear peptides, this synthetic approach may be a useful and straightforward approach to synthesize cyclic peptide-PNA conjugates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terese Soudah
- The
Institute for Drug Research, The School of Pharmacy,
and Lautenberg Center
for Immunology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research
Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University of
Jerusalem, Hadassah Ein-Kerem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel
| | - Saleh Khawaled
- The
Institute for Drug Research, The School of Pharmacy,
and Lautenberg Center
for Immunology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research
Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University of
Jerusalem, Hadassah Ein-Kerem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel
| | - Rami I. Aqeilan
- The
Institute for Drug Research, The School of Pharmacy,
and Lautenberg Center
for Immunology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research
Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University of
Jerusalem, Hadassah Ein-Kerem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel
| | - Eylon Yavin
- The
Institute for Drug Research, The School of Pharmacy,
and Lautenberg Center
for Immunology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research
Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University of
Jerusalem, Hadassah Ein-Kerem, Jerusalem 9112102, Israel
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20
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Antisense peptide nucleic acids as a potential anti-infective agent. J Microbiol 2019; 57:423-430. [PMID: 31054136 DOI: 10.1007/s12275-019-8635-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotics have long been used for anti-infective control of bacterial infections, growth promotion in husbandry, and prophylactic protection against plant pathogens. However, their inappropriate use results in the emergence and spread of multiple drug resistance (MDR) especially among various bacterial populations, which limits further administration of conventional antibiotics. Therefore, the demand for novel anti-infective approaches against MDR diseases becomes increasing in recent years. The peptide nucleic acid (PNA)-based technology has been proposed as one of novel anti-infective and/or therapeutic strategies. By definition, PNA is an artificially synthesized nucleic acid mimic structurally similar to DNA or RNA in nature and linked one another via an unnatural pseudo-peptide backbone, rendering to its stability in diverse host conditions. It can bind DNA or RNA strands complimentarily with high affinity and sequence specificity, which induces the target-specific gene silencing by inhibiting transcription and/or translation. Based on these unique properties, PNA has been widely applied for molecular diagnosis as well as considered as a potential anti-infective agent. In this review, we discuss the general features of PNAs and their application to various bacterial pathogens as new anti-infective or antimicrobial agents.
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21
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Malik S, Oyaghire S, Bahal R. Applications of PNA-laden nanoparticles for hematological disorders. Cell Mol Life Sci 2019; 76:1057-1065. [PMID: 30498995 PMCID: PMC11105400 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-018-2979-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Revised: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Safe and efficient genome editing has been an unmitigated goal for biomedical researchers since its inception. The most prevalent strategy for gene editing is the use of engineered nucleases that induce DNA damage and take advantage of cellular DNA repair machinery. This includes meganucleases, zinc-finger nucleases, transcription activator-like effector nucleases, and Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR/Cas9) systems. However, the clinical viability of these nucleases is marred by their off-target cleavage activity (≥ 50% in RNA-guided endonucleases). In addition, in vivo applications of CRISPR require systemic administration of Cas9 protein, mRNA, or DNA, which presents a significant delivery challenge. The development of nucleic acid probes that can recognize specific double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) regions and activate endogenous DNA repair machinery holds great promise for gene editing applications. Triplex-forming oligonucleotides (TFOs), which were introduced more than 25 years ago, are among the most extensively studied oligomeric dsDNA-targeting agents. TFOs bind duplex DNA to create a distorted helical structure, which can stimulate DNA repair and the exchange of a nearby mutated region-otherwise leading to an undesired phenotype-for a short single-stranded donor DNA that contains the corrective nucleotide sequence. Recombination can be induced within several hundred base-pairs of the TFO binding site and has been shown to depend on triplex-induced initiation of the nucleotide excision repair pathway and engagement of the homology-dependent repair pathway. Since TFOs do not possess any direct nuclease activity, their off-target effects are minimal when compared to engineered nucleases. This review comprehensively covers the advances made in peptide nucleic acid-based TFOs for site-specific gene editing and their therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shipra Malik
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Stanley Oyaghire
- Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Raman Bahal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.
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22
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Pianowski ZL. Recent Implementations of Molecular Photoswitches into Smart Materials and Biological Systems. Chemistry 2019; 25:5128-5144. [PMID: 30614091 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201805814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 182] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Revised: 12/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Light is a nearly ideal stimulus for molecular systems. It delivers information encoded in the form of wavelengths and their intensities with high precision in space and time. Light is a mild trigger that does not permanently contaminate targeted samples. Its energy can be reversibly transformed into molecular motion, polarity, or flexibility changes. This leads to sophisticated functions at the supramolecular and macroscopic levels, from light-triggered nanomaterials to photocontrol over biological systems. New methods and molecular adapters of light are reported almost daily. Recently reported applications of photoresponsive systems, particularly azobenzenes, spiropyrans, diarylethenes, and indigoids, for smart materials and photocontrol of biological setups are described herein with the aim to demonstrate that the 21st century has become the Age of Enlightenment-"Le siècle des Lumières"-in molecular sciences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zbigniew L Pianowski
- Institut für Organische Chemie, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, Fritz-Haber-Weg 6, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany.,Institut für Toxikologie und Genetik, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, Campus Nord, Hermann-von-Helmholtz Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
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23
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Bauman JE, Duvvuri U, Thomas S, Gooding WE, Clump DA, Karlovits B, Wehbe A, Miller FR, Kim S, Sen M, Heron DE, Grandis JR, Argiris A. Phase 1 study of EGFR-antisense DNA, cetuximab, and radiotherapy in head and neck cancer with preclinical correlatives. Cancer 2018; 124:3881-3889. [PMID: 30291796 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.31651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Revised: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cetuximab combined with radiation therapy (RT) is an evidence-based treatment for locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC); however, locoregional failure remains the primary cause of cancer-related death in this disease. Intratumoral injection of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-antisense plasmid DNA (EGFR-AS) is safe and has been associated with promising lesional responses in patients who have recurrent/metastatic HNSCC. For the current study, the authors investigated the antitumor effects of cetuximab and EGFR-AS in preclinical HNSCC models and reported their phase 1 experience adding intratumoral EGFR-AS to cetuximab RT. METHODS Antitumor mechanisms were investigated in cell line and xenograft models. Phase 1 trial eligibility required stage IVA through IVC HNSCC and a measurable lesion accessible for repeat injections. Patients received standard cetuximab was for 9 weeks. EGFR-AS was injected weekly until they achieved a lesional complete response. RT was delivered by conventional fractionation for 7 weeks, starting at week 3. Research biopsies were obtained at baseline and week 2. RESULTS When added to cetuximab, EGFR-AS decreased cell viability and xenograft growth compared with EGFR-sense control, partially mediated by reduced EGFR expression. Six patients were enrolled in the phase 1 cohort. No grade 2 or greater EGFR-AS-related adverse events occurred. The best lesional response was a complete response (4 patients), and 1 patient each had a partial response and disease progression. EGFR expression decreased in 4 patients who had available paired specimens. CONCLUSIONS In preclinical models, dual EGFR inhibition with cetuximab and EGFR-AS enhanced antitumor effects. In a phase 1 cohort, intratumoral EGFR-AS injections, cetuximab, and RT were well tolerated. A phase 2 trial is needed to conduct an extended evaluation of safety and to establish efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie E Bauman
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Umamaheswar Duvvuri
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Sufi Thomas
- Departments of Otolaryngology and Cancer Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - William E Gooding
- Biostatistics Facility, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - David A Clump
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Brian Karlovits
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Ahmad Wehbe
- University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Frank R Miller
- University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Seungwon Kim
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Malabika Sen
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Dwight E Heron
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Jennifer R Grandis
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Athanassios Argiris
- Department of Medical Oncology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
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24
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Thadke SA, Perera JDR, Hridya VM, Bhatt K, Shaikh AY, Hsieh WC, Chen M, Gayathri C, Gil RR, Rule GS, Mukherjee A, Thornton CA, Ly DH. Design of Bivalent Nucleic Acid Ligands for Recognition of RNA-Repeated Expansion Associated with Huntington's Disease. Biochemistry 2018; 57:2094-2108. [PMID: 29562132 PMCID: PMC6091552 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b00062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
We report the development of a new class of nucleic acid ligands that is comprised of Janus bases and the MPγPNA backbone and is capable of binding rCAG repeats in a sequence-specific and selective manner via, inference, bivalent H-bonding interactions. Individually, the interactions between ligands and RNA are weak and transient. However, upon the installation of a C-terminal thioester and an N-terminal cystine and the reduction of disulfide bond, they undergo template-directed native chemical ligation to form concatenated oligomeric products that bind tightly to the RNA template. In the absence of an RNA target, they self-deactivate by undergoing an intramolecular reaction to form cyclic products, rendering them inactive for further binding. The work has implications for the design of ultrashort nucleic acid ligands for targeting rCAG-repeat expansion associated with Huntington's disease and a number of other related neuromuscular and neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivaji A. Thadke
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Institute for Biomolecular Design and Discovery (IBD), Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Center for Nucleic Acids Science and Technology (CNAST), Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - J. Dinithi R. Perera
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Institute for Biomolecular Design and Discovery (IBD), Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Center for Nucleic Acids Science and Technology (CNAST), Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - V. M. Hridya
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, Maharashtra 411008, India
| | - Kirti Bhatt
- Department of Neurology, Box 645, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, New York 14642, United States
| | - Ashif Y. Shaikh
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Institute for Biomolecular Design and Discovery (IBD), Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Center for Nucleic Acids Science and Technology (CNAST), Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Wei-Che Hsieh
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Institute for Biomolecular Design and Discovery (IBD), Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Center for Nucleic Acids Science and Technology (CNAST), Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Mengshen Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Chakicherla Gayathri
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Roberto R. Gil
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Gordon S. Rule
- Department of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Arnab Mukherjee
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, Maharashtra 411008, India
| | - Charles A. Thornton
- Department of Neurology, Box 645, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, New York 14642, United States
| | - Danith H. Ly
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Institute for Biomolecular Design and Discovery (IBD), Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Center for Nucleic Acids Science and Technology (CNAST), Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
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25
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Soudah T, Mogilevsky M, Karni R, Yavin E. CLIP6-PNA-Peptide Conjugates: Non-Endosomal Delivery of Splice Switching Oligonucleotides. Bioconjug Chem 2017; 28:3036-3042. [PMID: 29211451 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.7b00638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Efficient delivery of oligonucleotides still remains a challenge in the field of oligonucleotide based therapy. Peptide nucleic acid (PNA), a DNA analogue that is typically synthesized by solid phase peptide chemistry, has been conjugated to a variety of cell penetrating peptides (CPP) as a means of improving its cellular uptake. These CPPs typically deliver their cargoes into cells by an endosomal-dependent mechanism resulting in lower bioavailability of the cargo. Herein, we designed and synthesized PNA-peptide conjugates as splice switching oligonucleotides (SSO) targeting the Mnk2 gene, a therapeutic target in cancer. In humans, the MKNK2 gene, is alternatively spliced, generating isoforms with opposite biological activities: Mnk2a and Mnk2b. It was found that the Mnk2a isoform is down-regulated in breast, lung, brain, and colon tumors and is a tumor suppressor, whereas MnK2b is oncogenic. We have designed and synthesized PNAs that were conjugated to either of the following peptides: a nuclear localization sequence (NLS) or a cytosol localizing internalization peptide (CLIP6). CLIP6-PNA demonstrates effective cellular uptake and exclusively employs a nonendosomal mechanism to cross the cellular membranes of glioblastoma cells (U87). Simple incubation of PNA-peptide conjugates in human glioblastoma cells up-regulates the Mnk2a isoform leading to cancer cell death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terese Soudah
- The Institute for Drug Research, The School of Pharmacy and ‡Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem , Hadassah Ein-Kerem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Maxim Mogilevsky
- The Institute for Drug Research, The School of Pharmacy and ‡Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem , Hadassah Ein-Kerem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Rotem Karni
- The Institute for Drug Research, The School of Pharmacy and ‡Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem , Hadassah Ein-Kerem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Eylon Yavin
- The Institute for Drug Research, The School of Pharmacy and ‡Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem , Hadassah Ein-Kerem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
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26
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Ki67 targeted strategies for cancer therapy. Clin Transl Oncol 2017; 20:570-575. [DOI: 10.1007/s12094-017-1774-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 10/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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27
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Toh DFK, Patil KM, Chen G. Sequence-specific and Selective Recognition of Double-stranded RNAs over Single-stranded RNAs by Chemically Modified Peptide Nucleic Acids. J Vis Exp 2017:56221. [PMID: 28994801 PMCID: PMC5752312 DOI: 10.3791/56221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
RNAs are emerging as important biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Thus, there is great potential in developing chemical probes and therapeutic ligands for the recognition of RNA sequence and structure. Chemically modified Peptide Nucleic Acid (PNA) oligomers have been recently developed that can recognize RNA duplexes in a sequence-specific manner. PNAs are chemically stable with a neutral peptide-like backbone. PNAs can be synthesized relatively easily by the manual Boc-chemistry solid-phase peptide synthesis method. PNAs are purified by reverse-phase HPLC, followed by molecular weight characterization by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF). Non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) technique facilitates the imaging of the triplex formation, because carefully designed free RNA duplex constructs and PNA bound triplexes often show different migration rates. Non-denaturing PAGE with ethidium bromide post staining is often an easy and informative technique for characterizing the binding affinities and specificities of PNA oligomers. Typically, multiple RNA hairpins or duplexes with single base pair mutations can be used to characterize PNA binding properties, such as binding affinities and specificities. 2-Aminopurine is an isomer of adenine (6-aminopurine); the 2-aminopurine fluorescence intensity is sensitive to local structural environment changes, and is suitable for the monitoring of triplex formation with the 2-aminopurine residue incorporated near the PNA binding site. 2-Aminopurine fluorescence titration can also be used to confirm the binding selectivity of modified PNAs towards targeted double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) over single-stranded RNAs (ssRNAs). UV-absorbance-detected thermal melting experiments allow the measurement of the thermal stability of PNA-RNA duplexes and PNA·RNA2 triplexes. Here, we describe the synthesis and purification of PNA oligomers incorporating modified residues, and describe biochemical and biophysical methods for characterization of the recognition of RNA duplexes by the modified PNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Desiree-Faye Kaixin Toh
- Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University
| | - Kiran M Patil
- Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University
| | - Gang Chen
- Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University;
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Pansuwan H, Ditmangklo B, Vilaivan C, Jiangchareon B, Pan-In P, Wanichwecharungruang S, Palaga T, Nuanyai T, Suparpprom C, Vilaivan T. Hydrophilic and Cell-Penetrable Pyrrolidinyl Peptide Nucleic Acid via Post-synthetic Modification with Hydrophilic Side Chains. Bioconjug Chem 2017; 28:2284-2292. [PMID: 28704609 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.7b00308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Peptide nucleic acid (PNA) is a nucleic acid mimic in which the deoxyribose-phosphate was replaced by a peptide-like backbone. The absence of negative charge in the PNA backbone leads to several unique behaviors including a stronger binding and salt independency of the PNA-DNA duplex stability. However, PNA possesses poor aqueous solubility and cannot directly penetrate cell membranes. These are major obstacles that limit in vivo applications of PNA. In previous strategies, the PNA can be conjugated to macromolecular carriers or modified with positively charged side chains such as guanidinium groups to improve the aqueous solubility and cell permeability. In general, a preformed modified PNA monomer was required. In this study, a new approach for post-synthetic modification of PNA backbone with one or more hydrophilic groups was proposed. The PNA used in this study was the conformationally constrained pyrrolidinyl PNA with prolyl-2-aminocyclopentanecarboxylic acid dipeptide backbone (acpcPNA) that shows several advantages over the conventional PNA. The aldehyde modifiers carrying different linkers (alkylene and oligo(ethylene glycol)) and end groups (-OH, -NH2, and guanidinium) were synthesized and attached to the backbone of modified acpcPNA by reductive alkylation. The hybrids between the modified acpcPNAs and DNA exhibited comparable or superior thermal stability with base-pairing specificity similar to those of unmodified acpcPNA. Moreover, the modified apcPNAs also showed the improvement of aqueous solubility (10-20 folds compared to unmodified PNA) and readily penetrate cell membranes without requiring any special delivery agents. This study not only demonstrates the practicality of the proposed post-synthetic modification approach for PNA modification, which could be readily applied to other systems, but also opens up opportunities for using pyrrolidinyl PNA in various applications such as intracellular RNA sensing, specific gene detection, and antisense and antigene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haruthai Pansuwan
- Department of Chemistry and Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University , Ta-Po District, Muang, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Thanesuan Nuanyai
- Rajamankala University of Technology Rattanakosin , Wang Klai Kangwon Campus, Huahin, Prachuap Khiri Khan 77110, Thailand
| | - Chaturong Suparpprom
- Department of Chemistry and Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Naresuan University , Ta-Po District, Muang, Phitsanulok 65000, Thailand
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29
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Distinguishing normal cells from cancer cells via lysosome-targetable pH biomarkers with benzo[a]phenoxazine skeleton. Anal Chim Acta 2016; 933:175-81. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2016.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Revised: 05/09/2016] [Accepted: 05/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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30
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Gupta A, Bahal R, Gupta M, Glazer PM, Saltzman WM. Nanotechnology for delivery of peptide nucleic acids (PNAs). J Control Release 2016; 240:302-311. [PMID: 26776051 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2016.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2015] [Revised: 12/10/2015] [Accepted: 01/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Over the past three decades, peptide nucleic acids have been employed in numerous chemical and biological applications. Peptide nucleic acids possess enormous potential because of their superior biophysical properties, compared to other oligonucleotide chemistries. However, for therapeutic applications, intracellular delivery of peptide nucleic acids remains a challenge. In this review, we summarize the progress that has been made in delivering peptide nucleic acids to intracellular targets. In addition, we emphasize recent nanoparticle-based strategies for efficient delivery of conventional and chemically-modified peptides nucleic acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anisha Gupta
- Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Raman Bahal
- Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Meera Gupta
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Peter M Glazer
- Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Genetics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
| | - W Mark Saltzman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
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31
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Berlinck RGS, Romminger S. The chemistry and biology of guanidine natural products. Nat Prod Rep 2016; 33:456-90. [DOI: 10.1039/c5np00108k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The present review discusses the isolation, structure determination, synthesis, biosynthesis and biological activities of secondary metabolites bearing a guanidine group.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stelamar Romminger
- Instituto de Química de São Carlos
- Universidade de São Paulo
- São Carlos
- Brazil
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32
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Parsel SM, Grandis JR, Thomas SM. Nucleic acid targeting: towards personalized therapy for head and neck cancer. Oncogene 2015; 35:3217-26. [PMID: 26592450 PMCID: PMC4877278 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2015.424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2015] [Revised: 09/29/2015] [Accepted: 10/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In light of a detailed characterization of genetic aberrations in cancer, nucleic acid targeting represents an attractive therapeutic approach with significant translational potential. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide with stagnant 5-year survival rates. Advances in conventional treatment have done little to improve survival and combined chemoradiation is associated with significant adverse effects. Recent reports have characterized the genetic alterations in HNSCC and demonstrated that mutations confer resistance to conventional and molecular targeted therapies. The ability to use specific nucleic acid sequences to inhibit cancer-associated genes including non-druggable targets facilitates personalized medicine approaches with less adverse effects. Additionally, advances in drug delivery mechanisms have increased the transfection efficiency aiding in greater therapeutic responses. Given these advances, the stage has been set to translate the information garnered from genomic studies into personalized treatment strategies. Genes involved in the tumor protein 53 (TP53) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathways have been extensively investigated and many promising preclinical studies have shown tumor inhibition through genetic modulation. We, and others, have demonstrated that targeting oncogene expression with gene therapy approaches is feasible in patients. Other methods such as RNA interference have proven to be effective and are potential candidates for clinical studies. This review summarizes the major advances in sequence-specific gene modulation in the preclinical setting and in clinical trials in head and neck cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Parsel
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - J R Grandis
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - S M Thomas
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA.,Department of Cancer Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
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33
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Zhang L, Wu J, Ling MT, Zhao L, Zhao KN. The role of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signalling pathway in human cancers induced by infection with human papillomaviruses. Mol Cancer 2015; 14:87. [PMID: 26022660 PMCID: PMC4498560 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-015-0361-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 158] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2014] [Accepted: 04/06/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Infection with Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) leads to the development of a wide-range of cancers, accounting for 5% of all human cancers. A prominent example is cervical cancer, one of the leading causes of cancer death in women worldwide. It has been well established that tumor development and progression induced by HPV infection is driven by the sustained expression of two oncogenes E6 and E7. The expression of E6 and E7 not only inhibits the tumor suppressors p53 and Rb, but also alters additional signalling pathways that may be equally important for transformation. Among these pathways, the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling cascade plays a very important role in HPV-induced carcinogenesis by acting through multiple cellular and molecular events. In this review, we summarize the frequent amplification of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signals in HPV-induced cancers and discuss how HPV oncogenes E6/E7/E5 activate the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signalling pathway to modulate tumor initiation and progression and affect patient outcome. Improvement of our understanding of the mechanism by which the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signalling pathway contributes to the immortalization and carcinogenesis of HPV-transduced cells will assist in devising novel strategies for preventing and treating HPV-induced cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lifang Zhang
- Institute of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035 , Zhejiang, PR China.
| | - Jianhong Wu
- Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre-Queensland, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, 4102, QLD, Australia.
- Current address: Department of Gastric Cancer and Soft Tissue Sarcomas Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, 200032, PR China.
| | - Ming Tat Ling
- Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre-Queensland, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, 4102, QLD, Australia.
| | - Liang Zhao
- The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, QLD, Australia.
| | - Kong-Nan Zhao
- Institute of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035 , Zhejiang, PR China.
- Centre for Kidney Disease Research-Venomics Research, The University of Queensland School of Medicine, Translational Research Institute, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, 4102, QLD, Australia.
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34
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Synthesis of peptide nucleic acids containing a crosslinking agent and evaluation of their reactivities. Molecules 2015; 20:4708-19. [PMID: 25781072 PMCID: PMC6272193 DOI: 10.3390/molecules20034708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2015] [Revised: 03/03/2015] [Accepted: 03/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) are structural mimics of nucleic acids that form stable hybrids with DNA and RNA. In addition, PNAs can invade double-stranded DNA. Due to these characteristics, PNAs are widely used as biochemical tools, for example, in antisense/antigene therapy. Interstrand crosslink formation in nucleic acids is one of the strategies for preparing a stable duplex by covalent bond formation. In this study, we have synthesized PNAs incorporating 4-amino-6-oxo-2-vinylpyrimidine (AOVP) as a crosslinking agent and evaluated their reactivities for targeting DNA and RNA.
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35
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Murphy CT, Gupta A, Armitage BA, Opresko PL. Hybridization of G-quadruplex-forming peptide nucleic acids to guanine-rich DNA templates inhibits DNA polymerase η extension. Biochemistry 2014; 53:5315-22. [PMID: 25068499 DOI: 10.1021/bi5006859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The guanine quadruplex (G-quadruplex) is a highly stable secondary structure that forms in G-rich repeats of DNA, which can interfere with DNA processes, including DNA replication and transcription. We showed previously that short guanine-rich peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) can form highly stable hybrid quadruplexes with DNA. We hypothesized that such structures would provide a stronger block to polymerase extension on G-rich templates than a native DNA homoquadruplex because of the greater thermodynamic stability of the PNA-DNA hybrid structures. To test this, we analyzed the DNA primer extension activity of polymerase η, a translesion polymerase implicated in synthesis past G-quadruplex blocks, on DNA templates containing guanine repeats. We observed a PNA concentration-dependent decrease in the level of polymerase η extension to the end of the template and an increase in the level of polymerase η inhibition at the sequence prior to the G-rich repeats. In contrast, the addition of a complementary C-rich PNA that hybridizes to the G-rich repeats by Watson-Crick base pairing led to a decrease in the level of polymerase inhibition and an increase in the level of full-length extension products. The G-quadruplex-forming PNA exhibited inhibition (IC50=16.2±3.3 nM) of polymerase η DNA synthesis on the G-rich templates stronger than that of the established G-quadruplex-stabilizing ligand BRACO-19 (IC50=42.5±4.8 nM). Our results indicate that homologous PNA targeting of G-rich sequences creates stable PNA-DNA heteroquadruplexes that inhibit polymerase η extension more effectively than a DNA homoquadruplex. The implications of these results for the potential development of homologous PNAs as therapeutics for halting proliferating cancer cells are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connor T Murphy
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219, United States
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36
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Gupta A, Lee LL, Roy S, Tanious FA, Wilson WD, Ly DH, Armitage BA. Strand invasion of DNA quadruplexes by PNA: comparison of homologous and complementary hybridization. Chembiochem 2013; 14:1476-84. [PMID: 23868291 PMCID: PMC3856695 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201300263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2013] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Molecular recognition of DNA quadruplex structures is envisioned to be a strategy for regulating gene expression at the transcriptional level and for in situ analysis of telomere structure and function. The recognition of DNA quadruplexes by peptide nucleic acid (PNA) oligomers is presented here, with a focus on comparing complementary, heteroduplex-forming and homologous, heteroquadruplex-forming PNAs. Surface plasmon resonance and optical spectroscopy experiments demonstrated that the efficacy of a recognition mode depended strongly on the target. Homologous PNA readily invades a quadruplex derived from the promoter regulatory region found upstream of the MYC proto-oncogene to form a heteroquadruplex at high potassium concentration mimicking the intracellular environment, whereas complementary PNA exhibits virtually no hybridization. In contrast, complementary PNA is superior to the homologous in hybridizing to a quadruplex modeled on the human telomere sequence. The results are discussed in terms of the different structural morphologies of the quadruplex targets and the implications for in vivo recognition of quadruplexes by PNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anisha Gupta
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Nucleic Acids Science and Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Ling-Ling Lee
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Nucleic Acids Science and Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Subhadeep Roy
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Nucleic Acids Science and Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Farial A. Tanious
- Department of Chemistry, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303
| | - W. David Wilson
- Department of Chemistry, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303
| | - Danith H. Ly
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Nucleic Acids Science and Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
| | - Bruce A. Armitage
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Nucleic Acids Science and Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
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