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Anderson CF, Singh A, Stephens T, Hoang CD, Schneider JP. Kinetically Controlled Polyelectrolyte Complex Assembly of microRNA-Peptide Nanoparticles toward Treating Mesothelioma. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2314367. [PMID: 38532642 PMCID: PMC11176031 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202314367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Broad size distributions and poor long-term colloidal stability of microRNA-carrying nanoparticles, especially those formed by polyelectrolyte complexation, represent major hurdles in realizing their clinical translation. Herein, peptide design is used alongside optimized flash nanocomplexation (FNC) to produce uniform peptide-based miRNA particles of exceptional stability that display anticancer activity against mesothelioma in vitro and in vivo. Modulating the content and display of lysine-based charge from small intrinsically disordered peptides used to complex miRNA proves essential in achieving stable colloids. FNC facilitates kinetic isolation of the mechanistic steps involved in particle formation to allow the preparation of particles of discrete size in a highly reproducible, scalable, and continuous manner, facilitating pre-clinical studies. To the best of the authors knowledge, this work represents the first example of employing FNC to prepare polyelectrolyte complexes of miRNA and peptide. Encapsulation of these particles into an injectable hydrogel matrix allows for their localized in vivo delivery by syringe. A one-time injection of a gel containing particles composed of miRNA-215-5p and the peptide PKM1 limits tumor progression in a xenograft model of mesothelioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caleb F. Anderson
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD 21701, USA
| | - Anand Singh
- Thoracic Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Tyler Stephens
- Vaccine Research Center Electron Microscopy Unit, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 20701, USA
| | - Chuong D. Hoang
- Thoracic Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Joel P. Schneider
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD 21701, USA
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2
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Kalinova R, Videv P, Petrova S, Doumanov J, Dimitrov I. Poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-Grafted Amphiphilic Block Copolymer Micelles Co-Loaded with Quercetin and DNA. Molecules 2024; 29:2540. [PMID: 38893415 PMCID: PMC11173910 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29112540] [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: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The synergistic effect of drug and gene delivery is expected to significantly improve cancer therapy. However, it is still challenging to design suitable nanocarriers that are able to load simultaneously anticancer drugs and nucleic acids due to their different physico-chemical properties. In the present work, an amphiphilic block copolymer comprising a biocompatible poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) block and a multi-alkyne-functional biodegradable polycarbonate (PC) block was modified with a number of poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) side chains applying the highly efficient azide-alkyne "click" chemistry reaction. The resulting cationic amphiphilic copolymer with block and graft architecture (MPEG-b-(PC-g-PDMAEMA)) self-associated in aqueous media into nanosized micelles which were loaded with the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer drug quercetin. The drug-loaded nanoparticles were further used to form micelleplexes in aqueous media through electrostatic interactions with DNA. The obtained nanoaggregates-empty and drug-loaded micelles as well as the micelleplexes intended for simultaneous DNA and drug codelivery-were physico-chemically characterized. Additionally, initial in vitro evaluations were performed, indicating the potential application of the novel polymer nanocarriers as drug delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radostina Kalinova
- Institute of Polymers, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Akad. G. Bonchev St., Bl. 103-A, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Pavel Videv
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, 8 Dragan Tzankov Blvd., 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria; (P.V.); (S.P.); (J.D.)
| | - Svetla Petrova
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, 8 Dragan Tzankov Blvd., 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria; (P.V.); (S.P.); (J.D.)
| | - Jordan Doumanov
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, 8 Dragan Tzankov Blvd., 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria; (P.V.); (S.P.); (J.D.)
| | - Ivaylo Dimitrov
- Institute of Polymers, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Akad. G. Bonchev St., Bl. 103-A, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
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Sinsinbar G, Bindra AK, Liu S, Chia TW, Yoong Eng EC, Loo SY, Lam JH, Schultheis K, Nallani M. Amphiphilic Block Copolymer Nanostructures as a Tunable Delivery Platform: Perspective and Framework for the Future Drug Product Development. Biomacromolecules 2024; 25:541-563. [PMID: 38240244 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c00858] [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: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
Nanoformulation of active payloads or pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) has always been an area of interest to achieve targeted, sustained, and efficacious delivery. Various delivery platforms have been explored, but loading and delivery of APIs have been challenging because of the chemical and structural properties of these molecules. Polymersomes made from amphiphilic block copolymers (ABCPs) have shown enormous promise as a tunable API delivery platform and confer multifold advantages over lipid-based systems. For example, a COVID booster vaccine comprising polymersomes encapsulating spike protein (ACM-001) has recently completed a Phase I clinical trial and provides a case for developing safe drug products based on ABCP delivery platforms. However, several limitations need to be resolved before they can reach their full potential. In this Perspective, we would like to highlight such aspects requiring further development for translating an ABCP-based delivery platform from a proof of concept to a viable commercial product.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Sinsinbar
- ACM Biolabs Pte Ltd., 71 Nanyang Drive, #02M-02, NTU Innovation Center, Singapore 638075, Singapore
| | - Anivind Kaur Bindra
- ACM Biolabs Pte Ltd., 71 Nanyang Drive, #02M-02, NTU Innovation Center, Singapore 638075, Singapore
| | - Shaoqiong Liu
- ACM Biolabs Pte Ltd., 71 Nanyang Drive, #02M-02, NTU Innovation Center, Singapore 638075, Singapore
| | - Teck Wan Chia
- ACM Biolabs Pte Ltd., 71 Nanyang Drive, #02M-02, NTU Innovation Center, Singapore 638075, Singapore
| | - Eunice Chia Yoong Eng
- ACM Biolabs Pte Ltd., 71 Nanyang Drive, #02M-02, NTU Innovation Center, Singapore 638075, Singapore
| | - Ser Yue Loo
- ACM Biolabs Pte Ltd., 71 Nanyang Drive, #02M-02, NTU Innovation Center, Singapore 638075, Singapore
| | - Jian Hang Lam
- ACM Biolabs Pte Ltd., 71 Nanyang Drive, #02M-02, NTU Innovation Center, Singapore 638075, Singapore
| | - Katherine Schultheis
- ACM Biolabs Pte Ltd., 71 Nanyang Drive, #02M-02, NTU Innovation Center, Singapore 638075, Singapore
| | - Madhavan Nallani
- ACM Biolabs Pte Ltd., 71 Nanyang Drive, #02M-02, NTU Innovation Center, Singapore 638075, Singapore
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4
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Pugsley CE, Isaac RE, Warren NJ, Stacey M, Ferguson CTJ, Cappelle K, Dominguez-Espinosa R, Cayre OJ. Effective delivery and selective insecticidal activity of double-stranded RNA via complexation with diblock copolymer varies with polymer block composition. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024; 80:669-677. [PMID: 37759365 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chemical insecticides are an important tool to control damaging pest infestations. However, lack of species specificity, the rise of resistance and the demand for biological alternatives with improved ecotoxicity profiles means that chemicals with new modes of action are required. RNA interference (RNAi)-based strategies using double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) as a species-specific bio-insecticide offer an exquisite solution that addresses these issues. Many species, such as the fruit pest Drosophila suzukii, do not exhibit RNAi when dsRNA is orally administered due to degradation by gut nucleases and slow cellular uptake pathways. Thus, delivery vehicles that protect and deliver dsRNA are highly desirable. RESULTS In this work, we demonstrate the complexation of D. suzukii-specific dsRNA for degradation of vha26 mRNA with bespoke diblock copolymers. We study the ex vivo protection of dsRNA against enzymatic degradation by gut enzymes, which demonstrates the efficiency of this system. Flow cytometry then investigates the cellular uptake of Cy3-labelled dsRNA, showing a 10-fold increase in the mean fluorescence intensity of cells treated with polyplexes. The polymer/dsRNA polyplexes induced a significant 87% decrease in the odds of survival of D. suzukii larvae following oral feeding only when formed with a diblock copolymer containing a long neutral block length (1:2 cationic block/neutral block). However, there was no toxicity when fed to the closely related Drosophila melanogaster. CONCLUSION We provide evidence that dsRNA complexation with diblock copolymers is a promising strategy for RNAi-based species-specific pest control, but optimisation of polymer composition is essential for RNAi success. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte E Pugsley
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - R Elwyn Isaac
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Nicholas J Warren
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Martin Stacey
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Calum T J Ferguson
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Kaat Cappelle
- Syngenta Ghent Innovation Center, Gent-Zwijnaarde, Belgium
| | | | - Olivier J Cayre
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
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Pontes AP, van der Wal S, Roelofs K, Grobbink A, Creemers LB, Engbersen JFJ, Rip J. A poly(amidoamine)-based polymeric nanoparticle platform for efficient in vivo delivery of mRNA. BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES 2024; 156:213713. [PMID: 38071770 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2023.213713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
The successful use of mRNA vaccines enabled and accelerated the development of several new vaccine candidates and therapeutics based on the delivery of mRNA. In this study, we developed bioreducible poly(amidoamine)-based polymeric nanoparticles (PAA PNPs) for the delivery of mRNA with improved transfection efficiency. The polymers were functionalized with chloroquinoline (Q) moieties for improved endosomal escape and further stabilization of the mRNA-polymer construct. Moreover, these PAAQ polymers were covalently assembled around a core of multi-armed ethylenediamine (Mw 800, 2 % w/w) to form a pre-organized polymeric scaffolded PAAQ (ps-PAAQ) as a precursor for the formation of the mRNA-loaded nanoparticles. Transfection of mammalian cell lines with EGFP mRNA loaded into these PNPs showed a favorable effect of the Q incorporation on GFP protein expression. Additionally, these ps-PAAQ NPs were co-formulated with PEG-polymer coatings to shield the positive surface charge for increased stability and better in vivo applicability. The ps-PAAQ NPs coated with PEG-polymer displayed smaller particle size, electroneutral surface charge, and higher thermal stability. Importantly, these nanoparticles with both Q and PEG-polymer coating induced significantly higher luciferase activity in mice muscle than uncoated ps-PAAQ NPs, following intramuscular injection of PNPs loaded with luciferase mRNA. The developed technology is broadly applicable and holds promise for the development of new nucleotide-based vaccines and therapeutics in a range of infectious and chronic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriano P Pontes
- 20Med Therapeutics B.V., Galileiweg 8, 2333 BD Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | - Karin Roelofs
- 20Med Therapeutics B.V., Galileiweg 8, 2333 BD Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Anne Grobbink
- 20Med Therapeutics B.V., Galileiweg 8, 2333 BD Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Laura B Creemers
- Department of Orthopedics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Johan F J Engbersen
- 20Med Therapeutics B.V., Galileiweg 8, 2333 BD Leiden, the Netherlands; Technical Medical Centre, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, the Netherlands
| | - Jaap Rip
- 20Med Therapeutics B.V., Galileiweg 8, 2333 BD Leiden, the Netherlands.
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6
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Yu F, Fan R, Zhao Y, Chen Y, Kong X, Lin W. Construction of a polymer-based fluorescent probe with dual responsive sites for monitoring changes of lysosomal viscosity. J Mater Chem B 2023; 11:11620-11625. [PMID: 38051637 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb02232c] [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: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
As highly dynamic organelles, lysosomes are involved in various physiological processes. The viscosity of lysosomes plays critical roles in maintaining their normal physiological function and abnormal variations of viscosity are associated with many diseases. Monitoring the changes of lysosomal viscosity could contribute to understanding lysosome-related physiological and pathological processes. In this work, based on an indole fluorophore and fluorescent polymer, poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEM), a new polymeric fluorescent probe, In-PHEM, with dual responsive sites for tracking changes of lysosomal viscosity is presented. In-PHEM showed excellent fluorescence properties and high photostability. With this robust probe, the variation of the lysosomal viscosity in cells under different physiological conditions, including inducer stimulation, the process of starvation and apoptosis, was monitored using dual-channel imaging. Therefore, this work may provide a powerful tool for monitoring changes of lysosomal viscosity and helping to understand the relationship between the viscosity changes of lysosomes and their related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faqi Yu
- Institute of Fluorescent Probes for Biological Imaging, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan, Shandong, 250022, P. R. China.
| | - Ruiyang Fan
- Institute of Fluorescent Probes for Biological Imaging, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan, Shandong, 250022, P. R. China.
| | - Yansheng Zhao
- Institute of Fluorescent Probes for Biological Imaging, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan, Shandong, 250022, P. R. China.
| | - Yijun Chen
- Institute of Fluorescent Probes for Biological Imaging, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan, Shandong, 250022, P. R. China.
| | - Xiuqi Kong
- Institute of Fluorescent Probes for Biological Imaging, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan, Shandong, 250022, P. R. China.
| | - Weiying Lin
- Institute of Fluorescent Probes for Biological Imaging, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan, Shandong, 250022, P. R. China.
- Institute of Optical Materials and Chemical Biology, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Energy Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, P. R. China
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7
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Wang Z, Liu Q, Liu Q, Qi H, Li Y, Song DP. Self-Assembly and In Situ Quaternization of Triblock Bottlebrush Block Copolymers via Organized Spontaneous Emulsification for Effective Loading of DNA. Macromol Rapid Commun 2023; 44:e2300192. [PMID: 37194368 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202300192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Microspheres bearing large pores are useful in the capture and separation of biomolecules. However, pore size is typically poorly controlled, leading to disordered porous structures with limited performances. Herein, ordered porous spheres with a layer of cations on the internal surface of the nanopores are facilely fabricated in a single step for effective loading of DNA bearing negative charges. Triblock bottlebrush copolymers (BBCPs), (polynorbornene-g-polystyrene)-b-(polynorbornene-g-polyethylene oxide)-b-(polynorbornene-g-bromoethane) (PNPS-b-PNPEO-b-PNBr), are designed and synthesized for fabrication of the positively charged porous spheres through self-assembly and in situ quaternization during an organized spontaneous emulsification (OSE) process. Pore diameter as well as charge density increase with the increase of PNBr content, resulting in a significant increase of loading density from 4.79 to 22.5 ng µg-1 within the spheres. This work provides a general strategy for efficient loading and encapsulation of DNA, which may be extended to a variety of different areas for different real applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoxu Wang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, P. R. China
| | - Qiujun Liu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, P. R. China
| | - Qian Liu
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, P. R. China
| | - Hao Qi
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, P. R. China
| | - Yuesheng Li
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, P. R. China
| | - Dong-Po Song
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, P. R. China
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8
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Hassler JF, Lawson M, Arroyo EC, Bates FS, Hackel BJ, Lodge TP. Discovery of Kinetic Trapping of Poloxamers inside Liposomes via Thermal Treatment. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:14263-14274. [PMID: 37755825 PMCID: PMC10853007 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c01499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Poloxamers, a class of biocompatible, commercially available amphiphilic block polymers (ABPs) comprising poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) blocks, interact with phospholipid bilayers, resulting in altered mechanical and surface properties. These block copolymers are useful in a variety of applications including therapeutics for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, as cell membrane stabilizers, and for drug delivery, as liposome surface modifying agents. Hydrogen bonding between water and oxygen atoms in PEO and PPO units results in thermoresponsive behavior because the bound water shell around both blocks dehydrates as the temperature increases. This motivated an investigation of poloxamer-lipid bilayer interactions as a function of temperature and thermal history. In this study, we applied pulsed-field-gradient NMR spectroscopy to measure the fraction of chains bound to 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) liposomes between 10 and 50 °C. We measured an (11 ± 3)-fold increase in binding affinity at 37 °C relative to 27 °C. Moreover, following incubation at 37 °C, it takes weeks for the system to re-equilibrate at 25 °C. Such slow desorption kinetics suggests that at elevated temperatures polymer chains can pass through the bilayer and access the interior of the liposomes, a mechanism that is inaccessible at lower temperatures. We propose a molecular mechanism to explain this effect, which could have important ramifications on the cellular distribution of ABPs and could be exploited to modulate the mechanical and surface properties of liposomes and cell membranes.
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9
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Lembke HK, Espinasse A, Hanson MG, Grimme CJ, Tan Z, Reineke TM, Carlson EE. Cationic Polymers Enable Internalization of Negatively Charged Chemical Probes into Bacteria. ACS Chem Biol 2023; 18:2063-2072. [PMID: 37671702 PMCID: PMC10947785 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
The bacterial cell envelope provides a protective barrier that is challenging for small molecules and biomolecules to cross. Given the anionic nature of both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial cell envelopes, negatively charged molecules are particularly difficult to deliver into these organisms. Many strategies have been employed to penetrate bacteria, ranging from reagents such as cell-penetrating peptides, enzymes, and metal-chelating compounds to physical perturbations. While cationic polymers are known antimicrobial agents, polymers that promote the permeabilization of bacterial cells without causing high levels of toxicity and cell lysis have not yet been described. Here, we investigate four polymers that display a cationic poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (D) block for the internalization of an anionic adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-based chemical probe into Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. We evaluated two polymer architectures, linear and micellar, to determine how shape and hydrophobicity affect internalization efficiency. We found that, in addition to these reagents successfully promoting probe internalization, the probe-labeled cells were able to continue to grow and divide. The micellar structures in particular were highly effective for the delivery of the negatively charged chemical probe. Finally, we demonstrated that these cationic polymers could act as general permeabilization reagents, promoting the entry of other molecules, such as antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah K Lembke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Adeline Espinasse
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Mckenna G Hanson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Christian J Grimme
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Zhe Tan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Theresa M Reineke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Erin E Carlson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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10
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Hanson MG, Grimme CJ, Kreofsky NW, Panda S, Reineke TM. Blended Block Polycation Micelles Enhance Antisense Oligonucleotide Delivery. Bioconjug Chem 2023; 34:1418-1428. [PMID: 37437196 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.3c00186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Nucleic acid-based medicines and vaccines are becoming an important part of our therapeutic toolbox. One key genetic medicine is antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), which are short single-stranded nucleic acids that downregulate protein production by binding to mRNA. However, ASOs cannot enter the cell without a delivery vehicle. Diblock polymers containing cationic and hydrophobic blocks self-assemble into micelles that have shown improved delivery compared to linear nonmicelle variants. Yet synthetic and characterization bottlenecks have hindered rapid screening and optimization. In this study, we aim to develop a method to increase throughput and discovery of new micelle systems by mixing diblock polymers together to rapidly form new micelle formulations. We synthesized diblocks containing an n-butyl acrylate block chain extended with cationic moieties amino ethyl acrylamide (A), dimethyl amino ethyl acrylamide (D), or morpholino ethyl acrylamide (M). These diblocks were then self-assembled into homomicelles (A100, D100, and M100)), mixed micelles comprising 2 homomicelles (MixR%+R'%), and blended diblock micelles comprising 2 diblocks blended into one micelle (BldR%R'%) and tested for ASO delivery. Interestingly, we observed that mixing or blending M with A (BldA50M50 and MixA50+M50) did not improve transfection efficiency compared to A100; however, when M was mixed with D, there was a significant increase in transfection efficacy for the mixed micelle MixD50+M50 compared to D100. We further examined mixed and blended D systems at different ratios. We observed a large increase in transfection and minimal change in toxicity when M was mixed with D at a low percentage of D incorporation in mixed diblock micelles (i.e., BldD20M80) compared to D100 and MixD20+M80. To understand the cellular mechanisms that may result in these differences, we added proton pump inhibitor Bafilomycin-A1 (Baf-A1) to the transfection experiments. Formulations that contain D decreased in performance in the presence of Baf-A1, indicating that micelles with D rely on the proton sponge effect for endosomal escape more than micelles with A. This result supports our conclusion that M is able to modulate transfection of D, but not with A. This research shows that polymer blending in a manner similar to that of lipids can significantly boost transfection efficiency and is a facile way to increase throughput of testing, optimization, and successful formulation identification for polymeric nucleic acid delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mckenna G Hanson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Christian J Grimme
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, University of Minnesota, 421 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Nicholas W Kreofsky
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Sidharth Panda
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Theresa M Reineke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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11
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Ghéczy N, Tao S, Pour-Esmaeil S, Szymańska K, Jarzębski AB, Walde P. Performance of a Flow-Through Enzyme Reactor Prepared from a Silica Monolith and an α-Poly(D-Lysine)-Enzyme Conjugate. Macromol Biosci 2023; 23:e2200465. [PMID: 36598452 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202200465] [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: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) is covalently bound in aqueous solution to polycationic α-poly(D-lysine) chains of ≈1000 repeating units length, PDL, via a bis-aryl hydrazone bond (BAH). Under the experimental conditions used, about 15 HRP molecules are bound along the PDL chain. The purified PDL-BAH-HRP conjugate is very stable when stored at micromolar HRP concentration in a pH 7.2 phosphate buffer solution at 4 °C. When a defined volume of such a conjugate solution of desired HRP concentration (i.e., HRP activity) is added to a macro- and mesoporous silica monolith with pore sizes of 20-30 µm as well as below 30 nm, quantitative and stable noncovalent conjugate immobilization is achieved. The HRP-containing monolith can be used as flow-through enzyme reactor for bioanalytical applications at neutral or slightly alkaline pH, as demonstrated for the determination of hydrogen peroxide in diluted honey. The conjugate can be detached from the monolith by simple enzyme reactor washing with an aqueous solution of pH 5.0, enabling reloading with fresh conjugate solution at pH 7.2. Compared to previously investigated polycationic dendronized polymer-enzyme conjugates with approximately the same average polymer chain length, the PDL-BAH-HRP conjugate appears to be equally suitable for HRP immobilization on silica surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Ghéczy
- Laboratory for Multifunctional Materials, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, Zürich, CH-8093, Switzerland
| | - Siyuan Tao
- Laboratory for Multifunctional Materials, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, Zürich, CH-8093, Switzerland
| | - Sajad Pour-Esmaeil
- Laboratory for Multifunctional Materials, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, Zürich, CH-8093, Switzerland
| | - Katarzyna Szymańska
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Process Design, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, 44-100, Poland
| | - Andrzej B Jarzębski
- Institute of Chemical Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Gliwice, 44-100, Poland
| | - Peter Walde
- Laboratory for Multifunctional Materials, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, Zürich, CH-8093, Switzerland
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12
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Grimme CJ, Hanson MG, Reineke TM. Enhanced ASO-Mediated Gene Silencing with Lipophilic pH-Responsive Micelles. Bioconjug Chem 2023. [PMID: 37384839 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.3c00133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Herein, we examine the ASO-mediated gene silencing efficiency of pH-responsive micelles, by incorporating 2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DIP) into the micelle core and comparing physical and biological properties with non-pH-responsive micelles. Additionally, the lipophilic effect of the micelle cores was examined in both types of micelles. Varying lipophilicity was achieved by varying alkyl monomer chain lengths─butyl (4), lauryl (12), and stearyl (18) methacrylate. Each of the micelles formed within our family offered the added benefit of well-defined and uniform templates for loading antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) payloads. Overall, the micelles followed previously established trends of outperforming their linear polymer (nonmicelle) analogs and ASO only control. More specifically, the highest performing micelles were the pH-responsive micelles with longer alkyl chains or higher lipophilicity─D-DIP+LMA and D-DIP+SMA (∼90% silencing). These two micelles demonstrated silencing efficiencies similar to Jet-PEI and Lipofectamine 2000 and caused lower toxicity than Lipofectamine 2000. The shortest alkyl chain pH-responsive micelle, D-DIP+BMA (64%), displayed strong gene silencing similar to that about that of its non-pH-responsive micelle, D-BMA (68%), and the pH-responsive micelle without an alkyl chain incorporated, D-DIP (59%). This work illuminates a minimum alkyl chain length dependence to allow gene silencing within our micelle family. However, including only longer alkyl chains into the micelle core without the pH-responsive unit DIP had a hindering effect, thus demonstrating the requirement of the DIP unit when including longer alkyl chain lengths. This work demonstrates the exemplary gene silencing efficiencies of polymeric micelles and uncovers the relationship between pH responsiveness and performance with lipophilic polymer micelles for enhancing ASO-mediated gene silencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian J Grimme
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, University of Minnesota, 421 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Mckenna G Hanson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Theresa M Reineke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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13
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Som I, Roy M, Saha R. Polyethylene glycol-modified mesoporous zerovalent iron nanoparticle as potential catalyst for improved reductive degradation of Congo red from wastewater. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART A, TOXIC/HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING 2023:1-24. [PMID: 37243365 DOI: 10.1080/10934529.2023.2215679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
In this study, bare zero-valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI) have been modified using polyethylene glycol (PEG) of various molecular weight in a facile technique. The synthesized nZVI modified with PEG, M.W. of 600 and 6000 was denoted by nZVI-PEG600 and nZVI-PEG6000, respectively, and compared their catalytic activity towards the reductive degradation of Congo red (CR) using NaBH4.The existence of PEG layer surrounds the nZVI core was confirmed by several characterization tools, such as XRD, FTIR, FESEM and TEM. Herein, both nZVI-PEG600 and nZVI-PEG6000 exhibited remarkable removal efficiencies of 89.6% and 99.2% within 14 min of reaction time. The optimum reaction parameters were found to be as follows: 0.2 g L-1 catalyst dose and initial dye concentration of 2 × 10-5 molL-1 etc. Kinetic studies of dye degradation were investigated which follow pseudo-1st-order kinetics. The TOC analysis confirmed the complete mineralization of CR dye by nZVI-PEG6000 nanocatalyst. GCMS analysis of plausible degraded products was performed to elucidate a probable mechanistic pathway of CR degradation. Further, we have investigated the degradation of two anionic dyes mixture, i.e., CR and methyl orange (MO) using best catalyst, i.e., nZVI-PEG6000.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ipsita Som
- Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology, Durgapur, India
| | - Mouni Roy
- Department of Chemistry, Banasthali University, Banasthali, Rajasthan, India
| | - Rajnarayan Saha
- Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology, Durgapur, India
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14
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Winkeljann B, Keul DC, Merkel OM. Engineering poly- and micelleplexes for nucleic acid delivery - A reflection on their endosomal escape. J Control Release 2023; 353:518-534. [PMID: 36496051 PMCID: PMC9900387 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
For the longest time, the field of nucleic acid delivery has remained skeptical whether or not polycationic drug carrier systems would ever make it into clinical practice. Yet, with the disclosure of patents on polyethyleneimine-based RNA carriers through leading companies in the field of nucleic acid therapeutics such as BioNTech SE and the progress in clinical studies beyond phase I trials, this aloofness seems to regress. As one of the most striking characteristics of polymer-based vectors, the extraordinary tunability can be both a blessing and a curse. Yet, knowing about the adjustment screws and how they impact the performance of the drug carrier provides the formulation scientist committed to its development with a head start. Here, we equip the reader with a toolbox - a toolbox that should advise and support the developer to conceptualize a cutting-edge poly- or micelleplex system for the delivery of therapeutic nucleic acids; to be specific, to engineer the vector towards maximum endosomal escape performance at minimum toxicity. Therefore, after briefly sketching the boundary conditions of polymeric vector design, we will dive into the topic of endosomal trafficking. We will not only discuss the most recent knowledge of the endo-lysosomal compartment but further depict different hypotheses and mechanisms that facilitate the endosomal escape of polyplex systems. Finally, we will combine the different facets introduced in the previous chapters with the fundamental building blocks of polymer vector design and evaluate the advantages and drawbacks. Throughout the article, a particular focus will be placed on cellular peculiarities, not only as an additional barrier, but also to give inspiration to how such cell-specific traits might be capitalized on.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Winkeljann
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Butenandtstrasse 5-13, Haus B, 81377 Munich, Germany,Center for NanoScience (CeNS), Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 80799 Munich, Germany
| | - David C. Keul
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Butenandtstrasse 5-13, Haus B, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Olivia M. Merkel
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Butenandtstrasse 5-13, Haus B, 81377 Munich, Germany,Center for NanoScience (CeNS), Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 80799 Munich, Germany,Corresponding author at: Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Butenandtstrasse 5-13, Haus B, 81377 München, Germany
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15
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Design of Nanoparticles in Cancer Therapy Based on Tumor Microenvironment Properties. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14122708. [PMID: 36559202 PMCID: PMC9785496 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14122708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and battling cancer has always been a challenging subject in medical sciences. All over the world, scientists from different fields of study try to gain a deeper knowledge about the biology and roots of cancer and, consequently, provide better strategies to fight against it. During the past few decades, nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted much attention for the delivery of therapeutic and diagnostic agents with high efficiency and reduced side effects in cancer treatment. Targeted and stimuli-sensitive nanoparticles have been widely studied for cancer therapy in recent years, and many more studies are ongoing. This review aims to provide a broad view of different nanoparticle systems with characteristics that allow them to target diverse properties of the tumor microenvironment (TME) from nanoparticles that can be activated and release their cargo due to the specific characteristics of the TME (such as low pH, redox, and hypoxia) to nanoparticles that can target different cellular and molecular targets of the present cell and molecules in the TME.
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16
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Hanson MG, Grimme CJ, Santa Chalarca CF, Reineke TM. Cationic Micelles Outperform Linear Polymers for Delivery of Antisense Oligonucleotides in Serum: An Exploration of Polymer Architecture, Cationic Moieties, and Cell Addition Order. Bioconjug Chem 2022; 33:2121-2131. [PMID: 36265078 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.2c00379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are an important emerging therapeutic; however, they struggle to enter cells without a delivery vehicle, such as a cationic polymer. To understand the role of polymer architecture for ASO delivery, five linear polymers and five diblock polymers (capable of self-assembly into micelles) were synthesized with varying cationic groups. After complexation of each polymer/micelle with ASO, it was found that less bulky cationic moieties transfected the ASO more effectively. Interestingly, however the ASO internalization trend was the opposite of the transfection trend for cationic moiety, indicating internalization is not the major factor in determining transfection efficiency for this series. Micelleplexes (micelle-ASO complexes) generally enable higher transfection efficacy as compared to polyplexes (linear polymer-ASO complexes). Additionally, the order of addition of cells and complexes was explored. Linear polyplexes showed better transfection efficiency in adhered cells, whereas micelleplexes delivered the ASO more efficiently when the cells and micelleplexes were added simultaneously. This phenomenon may be due to increased cell-complex interactions as micelleplexes have increased colloidal stability compared to polyplexes. These findings emphasize the importance of polymer composition and architecture in governing the cellular interactions necessary for transfection, thus allowing advancement in the design principles for nonviral nucleic acid delivery formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mckenna G Hanson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Christian J Grimme
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, University of Minnesota, 421Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Cristiam F Santa Chalarca
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Theresa M Reineke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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17
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Street STG, Chrenek J, Harniman RL, Letwin K, Mantell JM, Borucu U, Willerth SM, Manners I. Length-Controlled Nanofiber Micelleplexes as Efficient Nucleic Acid Delivery Vehicles. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:19799-19812. [PMID: 36260789 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c06695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Micelleplexes show great promise as effective polymeric delivery systems for nucleic acids. Although studies have shown that spherical micelleplexes can exhibit superior cellular transfection to polyplexes, to date there has been no report on the effects of micelleplex morphology on cellular transfection. In this work, we prepared precision, length-tunable poly(fluorenetrimethylenecarbonate)-b-poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PFTMC16-b-PDMAEMA131) nanofiber micelleplexes and compared their properties and transfection activity to those of the equivalent nanosphere micelleplexes and polyplexes. We studied the DNA complexation process in detail via a range of techniques including cryo-transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and ζ-potential measurements, thereby examining how nanofiber micelleplexes form, as well the key differences that exist compared to nanosphere micelleplexes and polyplexes in terms of DNA loading and colloidal stability. The effects of particle morphology and nanofiber length on the transfection and cell viability of U-87 MG glioblastoma cells with a luciferase plasmid were explored, revealing that short nanofiber micelleplexes (length < ca. 100 nm) were the most effective delivery vehicle examined, outperforming nanosphere micelleplexes, polyplexes, and longer nanofiber micelleplexes as well as the Lipofectamine 2000 control. This study highlights the potential importance of 1D micelleplex morphologies for achieving optimal transfection activity and provides a fundamental platform for the future development of more effective polymeric nucleic acid delivery vehicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven T G Street
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, U.K.,Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 3V6, Canada.,Centre for Advanced Materials and Related Technology (CAMTEC), University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Rd, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Josie Chrenek
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada.,School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | | | - Keiran Letwin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada.,School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Judith M Mantell
- Wolfson Bioimaging Facility, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, U.K
| | - Ufuk Borucu
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, U.K.,GW4 Facility for High-Resolution Electron Cryo-Microscopy, 24 Tyndall Ave, Bristol BS8 1TQ, U.K
| | - Stephanie M Willerth
- Centre for Advanced Materials and Related Technology (CAMTEC), University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Rd, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada.,Department of Mechanical Engineering, Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada.,School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Ian Manners
- Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 3V6, Canada.,Centre for Advanced Materials and Related Technology (CAMTEC), University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Rd, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
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18
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Zhou L, Emenuga M, Kumar S, Lamantia Z, Figueiredo M, Emrick T. Designing Synthetic Polymers for Nucleic Acid Complexation and Delivery: From Polyplexes to Micelleplexes to Triggered Degradation. Biomacromolecules 2022; 23:4029-4040. [PMID: 36125365 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c00767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Gene delivery as a therapeutic tool continues to advance toward impacting human health, with several gene therapy products receiving FDA approval over the past 5 years. Despite this important progress, the safety and efficacy of gene therapy methodology requires further improvement to ensure that nucleic acid therapeutics reach the desired targets while minimizing adverse effects. Synthetic polymers offer several enticing features as nucleic acid delivery vectors due to their versatile functionalities and architectures and the ability of synthetic chemists to rapidly build large libraries of polymeric candidates equipped for DNA/RNA complexation and transport. Current synthetic designs are pursuing challenging objectives that seek to improve transfection efficiency and, at the same time, mitigate cytotoxicity. This Perspective will describe recent work in polymer-based gene complexation and delivery vectors in which cationic polyelectrolytes are modified synthetically by introduction of additional components─including hydrophobic, hydrophilic, and fluorinated units─as well as embedding of degradable linkages within the macromolecular structure. As will be seen, recent advances employing these emerging design strategies are promising with respect to their excellent biocompatibility and transfection capability, suggesting continued promise of synthetic polymer gene delivery vectors going forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le Zhou
- Polymer Science & Engineering Department, Conte Center for Polymer Research, University of Massachusetts, 120 Governors Drive, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Miracle Emenuga
- Polymer Science & Engineering Department, Conte Center for Polymer Research, University of Massachusetts, 120 Governors Drive, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Shreya Kumar
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Purdue University, 625 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Zachary Lamantia
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Purdue University, 625 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Marxa Figueiredo
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Purdue University, 625 Harrison Street, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Todd Emrick
- Polymer Science & Engineering Department, Conte Center for Polymer Research, University of Massachusetts, 120 Governors Drive, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
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19
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Grimme CJ, Hanson MG, Corcoran LG, Reineke TM. Polycation Architecture Affects Complexation and Delivery of Short Antisense Oligonucleotides: Micelleplexes Outperform Polyplexes. Biomacromolecules 2022; 23:3257-3271. [PMID: 35862267 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c00338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Herein, we examine the complexation and biological delivery of a short single-stranded antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) payload with four polymer derivatives that form two architectural variants (polyplexes and micelleplexes): a homopolymer poly(2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (D), a diblock polymer poly(ethylene glycol)methylether methacrylate-block-poly(2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (ObD), and two micelle-forming variants, poly(2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate)-block-poly(n-butyl methacrylate) (DB) and poly(ethylene glycol)methylether methacrylate-block-poly(2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate)-block-poly(n-butyl methacrylate) (ObDB). Both polyplexes and micelleplexes complexed ASOs, and the incorporation of an Ob brush enhances colloidal stability. Micellplexes are templated by the size and shape of the unloaded micelle and that micelle-ASO complexation is not sensitive to formulation/mixing order, allowing ease, versatility, and reproducibility in packaging short oligonucleotides. The DB micelleplexes promoted the largest gene silencing, internalization, and tolerable toxicity while the ObDB micelleplexes displayed enhanced colloidal stability and highly efficient payload trafficking despite having lower cellular uptake. Overall, this work demonstrates that cationic micelles are superior delivery vehicles for ASOs denoting the importance of vehicle architecture in biological performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian J Grimme
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, University of Minnesota, 421 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Mckenna G Hanson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Louis G Corcoran
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Theresa M Reineke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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20
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Pugsley CE, Isaac RE, Warren NJ, Behra JS, Cappelle K, Dominguez-Espinosa R, Cayre OJ. Protection of Double-Stranded RNA via Complexation with Double Hydrophilic Block Copolymers: Influence of Neutral Block Length in Biologically Relevant Environments. Biomacromolecules 2022; 23:2362-2373. [PMID: 35549247 PMCID: PMC9198985 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c00136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Interaction between
the anionic phosphodiester backbone of DNA/RNA
and polycations can be exploited as a means of delivering genetic
material for therapeutic and agrochemical applications. In this work,
quaternized poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-block-poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) (PQDMAEMA-b-PDMAm) double hydrophilic block copolymers
(DHBCs) were synthesized via reversible addition–fragmentation
chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerization as nonviral delivery vehicles
for double-stranded RNA. The assembly of DHBCs and dsRNA forms distinct
polyplexes that were thoroughly characterized to establish a relationship
between the length of the uncharged poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide)
(PDMA) block and the polyplex size, complexation efficiency, and colloidal
stability. Dynamic light scattering reveals the formation of smaller
polyplexes with increasing PDMA lengths, while gel electrophoresis
confirms that these polyplexes require higher N/P ratio for full complexation.
DHBC polyplexes exhibit enhanced stability in low ionic strength environments
in comparison to homopolymer-based polyplexes. In vitro enzymatic degradation assays demonstrate that both homopolymer and
DHBC polymers efficiently protect dsRNA from degradation by RNase
A enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte E Pugsley
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom.,School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - R Elwyn Isaac
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas J Warren
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Juliette S Behra
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Kaat Cappelle
- Syngenta Ghent Innovation Center, Technologiepark 30, B-9052 Gent-Zwijnaarde, Belgium
| | - Rosa Dominguez-Espinosa
- Syngenta Jealott's Hill International Research Centre, Bracknell, Berkshire RG42 6EY, England
| | - Olivier J Cayre
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
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21
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Santa Chalarca CF, Dalal RJ, Chapa A, Hanson MG, Reineke TM. Cation Bulk and p Ka Modulate Diblock Polymer Micelle Binding to pDNA. ACS Macro Lett 2022; 11:588-594. [PMID: 35575319 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.2c00015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Polymer-based gene delivery relies on the binding, protection, and final release of nucleic acid cargo using polycations. Engineering polymeric vectors, by exploring novel topologies and cationic moieties, is a promising avenue to improve their performance, which hinges on the development of simple synthetic methods that allow facile preparation. In this work, we focus on cationic micelles formed from block polymers, which are examined as promising gene compaction agents and carriers. In this study, we report the synthesis and assembly of six amphiphilic poly(n-butyl acrylate)-b-poly(cationic acrylamide) diblock polymers with different types of cationic groups ((dialkyl)amine, morpholine, or imidazole) in their hydrophilic corona. The polycations were obtained through the parallel postpolymerization modification of a poly(n-butyl acrylate)-b-poly(pentafluorophenyl acrylate) reactive scaffold, which granted diblock polymers with equivalent degrees of polymerization and subsequent quantitative functionalization with cations of different pKa. Ultrasound-assisted direct dissolution of the polycations in different aqueous buffers (pH = 1-7) afforded micellar structures with low size dispersities and hydrodynamic radii below 100 nm. The formation and properties of micelle-DNA complexes ("micelleplexes") were explored via DLS, zeta potential, and dye-exclusion assays revealing that binding is influenced by the cation type present in the micelle corona where bulkiness and pKa are the drivers of micelleplex formation. Combining parallel synthesis strategies with simple direct dissolution formulation opens opportunities to optimize and expand the range of micelle delivery vehicles available by facile tuning of the composition of the cationic micelle corona.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rishad J. Dalal
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Alejandra Chapa
- Department of Biology, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, Texas 78539, United States
| | - Mckenna G. Hanson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Theresa M. Reineke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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22
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Hassler JF, Van Zee NJ, Crabtree AA, Bates FS, Hackel BJ, Lodge TP. Synthesis and Micellization of Bottlebrush Poloxamers. ACS Macro Lett 2022; 11:460-467. [PMID: 35575325 PMCID: PMC9726453 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.2c00053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Bottlebrush polymers are characterized by an expansive parameter space, including graft length and spacing along the backbone, and these features impact various structural and physical properties such as molecular diffusion and bulk viscosity. In this work, we report a synthetic strategy for making grafted block polymers with poly(propylene oxide) and poly(ethylene oxide) side chains, bottlebrush analogues of poloxamers. Combined anionic and sequential ring-opening metathesis polymerization yielded low dispersity polymers, at full conversion of the macromonomers, with control over graft length, graft end-groups, and overall molecular weight. A set of bottlebrush poloxamers (BBPs), with identical graft lengths and composition, was synthesized over a range of molecular weights. Dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize micelle formation in aqueous buffer. The critical micelle concentration scales exponentially with overall molecular weight for both linear and bottlebrush poloxamers; however, the bottlebrush architecture shifts micelle formation to a much higher concentration at a comparable molecular weight. Consequently, BBPs can exist in solution as unimers at significantly higher molecular weights and concentrations than the linear analogues.
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23
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Kumar R, Le N, Oviedo F, Brown ME, Reineke TM. Combinatorial Polycation Synthesis and Causal Machine Learning Reveal Divergent Polymer Design Rules for Effective pDNA and Ribonucleoprotein Delivery. JACS AU 2022; 2:428-442. [PMID: 35252992 PMCID: PMC8889556 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.1c00467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The development of polymers that can replace engineered viral vectors in clinical gene therapy has proven elusive despite the vast portfolios of multifunctional polymers generated by advances in polymer synthesis. Functional delivery of payloads such as plasmids (pDNA) and ribonucleoproteins (RNP) to various cellular populations and tissue types requires design precision. Herein, we systematically screen a combinatorially designed library of 43 well-defined polymers, ultimately identifying a lead polycationic vehicle (P38) for efficient pDNA delivery. Further, we demonstrate the versatility of P38 in codelivering spCas9 RNP and pDNA payloads to mediate homology-directed repair as well as in facilitating efficient pDNA delivery in ARPE-19 cells. P38 achieves nuclear import of pDNA and eludes lysosomal processing far more effectively than a structural analogue that does not deliver pDNA as efficiently. To reveal the physicochemical drivers of P38's gene delivery performance, SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) are computed for nine polyplex features, and a causal model is applied to evaluate the average treatment effect of the most important features selected by SHAP. Our machine learning interpretability and causal inference approach derives structure-function relationships underlying delivery efficiency, polyplex uptake, and cellular viability and probes the overlap in polymer design criteria between RNP and pDNA payloads. Together, combinatorial polymer synthesis, parallelized biological screening, and machine learning establish that pDNA delivery demands careful tuning of polycation protonation equilibria while RNP payloads are delivered most efficaciously by polymers that deprotonate cooperatively via hydrophobic interactions. These payload-specific design guidelines will inform further design of bespoke polymers for specific therapeutic contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramya Kumar
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414, United States
| | - Ngoc Le
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414, United States
| | - Felipe Oviedo
- Nanite
Inc., 6 Liberty Square
#6128, Boston, Massachusetts 02109, United States
| | - Mary E. Brown
- University
Imaging Centers, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414, United States
| | - Theresa M. Reineke
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414, United States
- Nanite
Inc., 6 Liberty Square
#6128, Boston, Massachusetts 02109, United States
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24
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Lu HH, Liu HW, Dinh TK, Huang CH, Huang HC, Tseng YC, Ku MH, Wang FS, Chen Y, Peng CH. pH-Responsive, Two-in-One Doxorubicin and Bcl-2 siRNA-Loaded Micelleplexes for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Therapy. Polym Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1039/d2py00246a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The combination of chemotherapy and gene therapy is a versatile strategy for treating multi-drug-resistant cancer. Accordingly, we developed a pH-responsive triblock copolymeric carrier for delivering chemotherapeutic and genetic drugs simultaneously....
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25
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Pugsley CE, Isaac RE, Warren NJ, Cayre OJ. Linear ABC amphiphilic triblock copolymers for complexation and protection of dsRNA. Polym Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1039/d2py00914e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We herein report the synthesis and characterisation of linear ABC triblock copolymers, investigation of their self-assembly in aqueous solution, and complexation with and protection of double stranded-RNA (dsRNA).
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte E. Pugsley
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - R. Elwyn Isaac
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Nicholas J. Warren
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Olivier J. Cayre
- School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
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26
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Richter F, Leer K, Martin L, Mapfumo P, Solomun JI, Kuchenbrod MT, Hoeppener S, Brendel JC, Traeger A. The impact of anionic polymers on gene delivery: how composition and assembly help evading the toxicity-efficiency dilemma. J Nanobiotechnology 2021; 19:292. [PMID: 34579715 PMCID: PMC8477462 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-021-00994-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Cationic polymers have been widely studied for non-viral gene delivery due to their ability to bind genetic material and to interact with cellular membranes. However, their charged nature carries the risk of increased cytotoxicity and interaction with serum proteins, limiting their potential in vivo application. Therefore, hydrophilic or anionic shielding polymers are applied to counteract these effects. Herein, a series of micelle-forming and micelle-shielding polymers were synthesized via RAFT polymerization. The copolymer poly[(n-butyl acrylate)-b-(2-(dimethyl amino)ethyl acrylamide)] (P(nBA-b-DMAEAm)) was assembled into cationic micelles and different shielding polymers were applied, i.e., poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), poly(4-acryloyl morpholine) (PNAM) or P(NAM-b-AA) block copolymer. These systems were compared to a triblock terpolymer micelle comprising PAA as the middle block. The assemblies were investigated regarding their morphology, interaction with pDNA, cytotoxicity, transfection efficiency, polyplex uptake and endosomal escape. The naked cationic micelle exhibited superior transfection efficiency, but increased cytotoxicity. The addition of shielding polymers led to reduced toxicity. In particular, the triblock terpolymer micelle convinced with high cell viability and no significant loss in efficiency. The highest shielding effect was achieved by layering micelles with P(NAM-b-AA) supporting the colloidal stability at neutral zeta potential and completely restoring cell viability while maintaining moderate transfection efficiencies. The high potential of this micelle-layer-combination for gene delivery was illustrated for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friederike Richter
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstrasse 10, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Katharina Leer
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstrasse 10, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Liam Martin
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstrasse 10, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Prosper Mapfumo
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstrasse 10, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Jana I Solomun
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstrasse 10, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Maren T Kuchenbrod
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstrasse 10, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Stephanie Hoeppener
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstrasse 10, 07743, Jena, Germany
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Johannes C Brendel
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstrasse 10, 07743, Jena, Germany
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Anja Traeger
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstrasse 10, 07743, Jena, Germany.
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743, Jena, Germany.
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27
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Zhang X, Huang Q, Wang F, Sun H, Xiao J, Cornel EJ, Zhu Y, Du J. Giant Polymer Vesicles with a Latticelike Membrane. ACS Macro Lett 2021; 10:1015-1022. [PMID: 35549122 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.1c00254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Hierarchical self-assembly offers great possibilities to mimic biological systems with finely arranged complex structures. Herein, we demonstrate the preparation and formation mechanism of an unusual giant polymer vesicle with a latticelike membrane (GVLM). This GVLM is formed by fusion-induced particle assembly (FIPA) of small vesicles that are self-assembled from poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly[(2-(tetrahydrofuranyloxy)ethyl methacrylate)-stat-(6-(3,3-diphenylnaphthopyranyloxy)hexyl methacrylate)] [PEO43-b-P(TMA22-stat-NMA4)]. Flexible TMA units with high chain mobility and relatively rigid NMA units with intrinsic π-π stacking form the hydrophobic block. These units act as "antifusion" and "profusion" components, respectively. The latticelike membrane of the final GVLM consists of hundreds of small polymer vesicles that are interconnected via multiple interactions. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) studies show that the diameter of the GVLMs is 800-1000 nm. Overall, we provide a new insight into the judicious preparation of hierarchical nanostructures via chemical synthesis and FIPA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyue Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University, 301 Middle Yanchang Road, Shanghai 200072, China
- Department of Polymeric Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 4800 Caoan Road, Shanghai 201804, China
| | - Qiutong Huang
- Department of Polymeric Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 4800 Caoan Road, Shanghai 201804, China
| | - Fangyingkai Wang
- Department of Polymeric Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 4800 Caoan Road, Shanghai 201804, China
| | - Hui Sun
- Department of Polymeric Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 4800 Caoan Road, Shanghai 201804, China
| | - Jiangang Xiao
- Department of Polymeric Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 4800 Caoan Road, Shanghai 201804, China
| | - Erik Jan Cornel
- Department of Polymeric Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 4800 Caoan Road, Shanghai 201804, China
| | - Yunqing Zhu
- Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University, 301 Middle Yanchang Road, Shanghai 200072, China
- Department of Polymeric Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 4800 Caoan Road, Shanghai 201804, China
| | - Jianzhong Du
- Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University, 301 Middle Yanchang Road, Shanghai 200072, China
- Department of Polymeric Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 4800 Caoan Road, Shanghai 201804, China
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28
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Dalal RJ, Kumar R, Ohnsorg M, Brown M, Reineke TM. Cationic Bottlebrush Polymers Outperform Linear Polycation Analogues for pDNA Delivery and Gene Expression. ACS Macro Lett 2021; 10:886-893. [PMID: 35549207 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.1c00335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cationic polymer vehicles have emerged as promising platforms for nucleic acid delivery because of their scalability, biocompatibility, and chemical versatility. Advancements in synthetic polymer chemistry allow us to precisely tune chemical functionality with various macromolecular architectures to increase the efficacy of nonviral-based gene delivery. Herein, we demonstrate the first cationic bottlebrush polymer-mediated pDNA delivery by comparing unimolecular, synthetically defined bottlebrush polymers to their linear building blocks. We successfully synthesized poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (pDMAEMA) bottlebrushes through ring-opening metathesis polymerization to afford four bottlebrush polymers with systematic increases in backbone degree of polymerization (Nbb = 13, 20, 26, and 37), while keeping the side-chain degree of polymerization constant (Nsc = 57). Physical and chemical properties were characterized, and subsequently, the toxicity and delivery efficiency of pDNA into HEK293 cells were evaluated. The bottlebrush-pDNA complex (bottleplex) with the highest Nbb, BB_37, displayed up to a 60-fold increase in %EGFP+ cells in comparison to linear macromonomer. Additionally, we observed a trend of increasing EGFP expression with increasing polymer molecular weight. Bottleplexes and polyplexes both displayed high pDNA internalization as measured via payload enumeration per cell; however, quantitative confocal analysis revealed that bottlebrushes were able to shuttle pDNA into and around the nucleus more successfully than pDNA delivered via linear analogues. Overall, a canonical cationic monomer, such as DMAEMA, synthesized in the form of cationic bottlebrush polymers proved to be far more efficient in functional pDNA delivery and expression than linear pDMAEMA. This work underscores the importance of architectural modifications and the potential of bottlebrushes to serve as effective biomacromolecule delivery vehicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rishad J. Dalal
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Ramya Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Monica Ohnsorg
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Mary Brown
- University Imaging Centers, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Theresa M. Reineke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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29
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Shi L, Zhang J, Zhao M, Tang S, Cheng X, Zhang W, Li W, Liu X, Peng H, Wang Q. Effects of polyethylene glycol on the surface of nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:10748-10764. [PMID: 34132312 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr02065j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 240] [Impact Index Per Article: 80.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The rapid development of drug nanocarriers has benefited from the surface hydrophilic polymers of particles, which has improved the pharmacokinetics of the drugs. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a kind of polymeric material with unique hydrophilicity and electrical neutrality. PEG coating is a crucial factor to improve the biophysical and chemical properties of nanoparticles and is widely studied. Protein adherence and macrophage removal are effectively relieved due to the existence of PEG on the particles. This review discusses the PEGylation methods of nanoparticles and related techniques that have been used to detect the PEG coverage density and thickness on the surface of the nanoparticles in recent years. The molecular weight (MW) and coverage density of the PEG coating on the surface of nanoparticles are then described to explain the effects on the biophysical and chemical properties of nanoparticles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liwang Shi
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Daqing Campus of Harbin Medical University, 1 Xinyang Rd., Daqing 163319, China.
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30
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Shah S, Leon L. Structural dynamics, phase behavior, and applications of polyelectrolyte complex micelles. Curr Opin Colloid Interface Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cocis.2021.101424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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31
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Zhang Z, Qiu N, Wu S, Liu X, Zhou Z, Tang J, Liu Y, Zhou R, Shen Y. Dose-Independent Transfection of Hydrophobized Polyplexes. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2021; 33:e2102219. [PMID: 33991017 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202102219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Cationic polymers dynamically complex DNA into complexes (polyplexes). So, upon dilution, polyplexes easily dissociate and lose transfection ability, limiting their in vivo systemic gene delivery. Herein, it is found that polyplex's stability and endocytosis pathway determine its transfection dose-dependence. The polyplexes of hydrophilic polycations have dose-dependent integrity and lysosome-trafficking endocytosis; at low doses, most of these polyplexes dissociate, and the remaining few are internalized and trapped in lysosomes, abolishing their transfection ability. In contrast, the polyplexes of the polycations with optimal hydrophobicity remain integrated even at low concentrations and enter cells via macropinocytosis directly into the cytosol evading lysosomes, so each polyplex can accomplish its infection process, leading to dose-independent DNA transfection like viral vectors. Furthermore, the tuned hydrophobicity balancing the affinity of anionic poly(γ-glutamic acid) (γ-PGA) to the polyplex surface enables γ-PGA to stick on the polyplex surface as a shielding layer but peel off on the cell membrane to release the naked polyplexes for dose-independent transfection. These findings may provide guidelines for developing polyplexes that mimick a viral vector's dose-independent transfection for effective in vivo gene delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Zhang
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Smart Biomaterials and Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Nasha Qiu
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Smart Biomaterials and Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Shuling Wu
- Department of Respiratory, The First People's Hospital of Xiaoshan, Hangzhou, 311200, China
| | - Xin Liu
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Medical College of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310016, China
| | - Zhuxian Zhou
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Smart Biomaterials and Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
- Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Hangzhou, 311215, China
| | - Jianbin Tang
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Smart Biomaterials and Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Yanpeng Liu
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Smart Biomaterials and Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
- Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Hangzhou, 311215, China
| | - Ruhong Zhou
- Institute of Quantitative Biology, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Youqing Shen
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Smart Biomaterials and Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
- Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Hangzhou, 311215, China
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32
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McAfee T, Ferron T, Cordova IA, Pickett PD, McCormick CL, Wang C, Collins BA. Label-free characterization of organic nanocarriers reveals persistent single molecule cores for hydrocarbon sequestration. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3123. [PMID: 34035289 PMCID: PMC8149835 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23382-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Self-assembled molecular nanostructures embody an enormous potential for new technologies, therapeutics, and understanding of molecular biofunctions. Their structure and function are dependent on local environments, necessitating in-situ/operando investigations for the biggest leaps in discovery and design. However, the most advanced of such investigations involve laborious labeling methods that can disrupt behavior or are not fast enough to capture stimuli-responsive phenomena. We utilize X-rays resonant with molecular bonds to demonstrate an in-situ nanoprobe that eliminates the need for labels and enables data collection times within seconds. Our analytical spectral model quantifies the structure, molecular composition, and dynamics of a copolymer micelle drug delivery platform using resonant soft X-rays. We additionally apply this technique to a hydrocarbon sequestrating polysoap micelle and discover that the critical organic-capturing domain does not coalesce upon aggregation but retains distinct single-molecule cores. This characteristic promotes its efficiency of hydrocarbon sequestration for applications like oil spill remediation and drug delivery. Such a technique enables operando, chemically sensitive investigations of any aqueous molecular nanostructure, label-free.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terry McAfee
- grid.30064.310000 0001 2157 6568Department of Physics and Astronomy, Washington State University, Pullman, WA USA ,grid.184769.50000 0001 2231 4551Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, NC USA
| | - Thomas Ferron
- grid.30064.310000 0001 2157 6568Department of Physics and Astronomy, Washington State University, Pullman, WA USA
| | - Isvar A. Cordova
- grid.184769.50000 0001 2231 4551Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, NC USA
| | - Phillip D. Pickett
- grid.267193.80000 0001 2295 628XSchool of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS USA
| | - Charles L. McCormick
- grid.267193.80000 0001 2295 628XSchool of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS USA
| | - Cheng Wang
- grid.184769.50000 0001 2231 4551Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, NC USA
| | - Brian A. Collins
- grid.30064.310000 0001 2157 6568Department of Physics and Astronomy, Washington State University, Pullman, WA USA
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33
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Kumar R, Santa Chalarca CF, Bockman MR, Bruggen CV, Grimme CJ, Dalal RJ, Hanson MG, Hexum JK, Reineke TM. Polymeric Delivery of Therapeutic Nucleic Acids. Chem Rev 2021; 121:11527-11652. [PMID: 33939409 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c00997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The advent of genome editing has transformed the therapeutic landscape for several debilitating diseases, and the clinical outlook for gene therapeutics has never been more promising. The therapeutic potential of nucleic acids has been limited by a reliance on engineered viral vectors for delivery. Chemically defined polymers can remediate technological, regulatory, and clinical challenges associated with viral modes of gene delivery. Because of their scalability, versatility, and exquisite tunability, polymers are ideal biomaterial platforms for delivering nucleic acid payloads efficiently while minimizing immune response and cellular toxicity. While polymeric gene delivery has progressed significantly in the past four decades, clinical translation of polymeric vehicles faces several formidable challenges. The aim of our Account is to illustrate diverse concepts in designing polymeric vectors towards meeting therapeutic goals of in vivo and ex vivo gene therapy. Here, we highlight several classes of polymers employed in gene delivery and summarize the recent work on understanding the contributions of chemical and architectural design parameters. We touch upon characterization methods used to visualize and understand events transpiring at the interfaces between polymer, nucleic acids, and the physiological environment. We conclude that interdisciplinary approaches and methodologies motivated by fundamental questions are key to designing high-performing polymeric vehicles for gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramya Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | | | - Matthew R Bockman
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Craig Van Bruggen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Christian J Grimme
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Rishad J Dalal
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Mckenna G Hanson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Joseph K Hexum
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Theresa M Reineke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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34
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Lin HT, Venault A, Chang Y. Reducing the pathogenicity of wastewater with killer vapor-induced phase separation membranes. J Memb Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2020.118543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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35
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Liu Q, Wang X, Ma L, Yu K, Xiong W, Lu X, Cai Y. Polymerization-Induced Hierarchical Electrostatic Self-Assembly: Scalable Synthesis of Multicompartment Polyion Complex Micelles and Their Monolayer Colloidal Nanosheets and Nanocages. ACS Macro Lett 2020; 9:454-458. [PMID: 35648501 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.0c00090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Scalable synthesis of multicompartment polyion complex (PIC) systems has been achieved via visible light-initiated RAFT polymerization of cationic monomer in the presence of anionic diblock copolymer micelles in water at 25 °C. This polymerization-induced hierarchical electrostatic self-assembly (hierarchical PIESA) implements structural hierarchy via programmable self-assembly to form multicompartment PIC micelles and their monolayer colloidal nanosheets and nanocages. The anionic micelles play decisive roles in such a hierarchical PIESA to access biologically relevant yet otherwise inaccessible multicompartment PIC systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qizhou Liu
- State-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Novel Functional Polymer Materials, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Xiyu Wang
- State-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Novel Functional Polymer Materials, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Lei Ma
- State-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Novel Functional Polymer Materials, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Kaiwen Yu
- State-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Novel Functional Polymer Materials, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Weixing Xiong
- State-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Novel Functional Polymer Materials, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Xinhua Lu
- State-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Novel Functional Polymer Materials, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Yuanli Cai
- State-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Novel Functional Polymer Materials, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
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36
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Nanostructured Polyelectrolyte Complexes Based on Water-Soluble Thiacalix[4]Arene and Pillar[5]Arene: Self-Assembly in Micelleplexes and Polyplexes at Packaging DNA. NANOMATERIALS 2020; 10:nano10040777. [PMID: 32316551 PMCID: PMC7221682 DOI: 10.3390/nano10040777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Controlling the self-assembly of polyfunctional compounds in interpolyelectrolyte aggregates is an extremely challenging task. The use of macrocyclic compounds offers new opportunities in design of a new generation of mixed nanoparticles. This approach allows creating aggregates with multivalent molecular recognition, improved binding efficiency and selectivity. In this paper, we reported a straightforward approach to the synthesis of interpolyelectrolytes by co-assembling of the thiacalix[4]arene with four negatively charged functional groups on the one side of macrocycle, and pillar[5]arene with 10 ammonium groups located on both sides. Nanostructured polyelectrolyte complexes show effective packaging of high-molecular DNA from calf thymus. The interaction of co-interpolyelectrolytes with the DNA is completely different from the interaction of the pillar[5]arene with the DNA. Two different complexes with DNA, i.e., micelleplex- and polyplex-type, were formed. The DNA in both cases preserved its secondary structure in native B form without distorting helicity. The presented approach provides important advantage for the design of effective biomolecular gene delivery systems.
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37
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Salameh JW, Zhou L, Ward SM, Santa Chalarca CF, Emrick T, Figueiredo ML. Polymer-mediated gene therapy: Recent advances and merging of delivery techniques. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. NANOMEDICINE AND NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY 2020; 12:e1598. [PMID: 31793237 PMCID: PMC7676468 DOI: 10.1002/wnan.1598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Revised: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The ability to safely and precisely deliver genetic materials to target sites in complex biological environments is vital to the success of gene therapy. Numerous viral and nonviral vectors have been developed and evaluated for their safety and efficacy. This study will feature progress in synthetic polymers as nonviral vectors, which benefit from their chemical versatility, biocompatibility, and ability to carry both therapeutic cargo and targeting moieties. The combination of synthetic gene carrying constructs with advanced delivery techniques promises new therapeutic options for treating and curing genetic disorders. This article is characterized under: Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janelle W. Salameh
- The Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering and the
Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences Program, Purdue University, West Lafayette,
Indiana
| | - Le Zhou
- Polymer Science and Engineering Department, University of
Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts
| | - Sarah M. Ward
- Polymer Science and Engineering Department, University of
Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts
| | | | - Todd Emrick
- Polymer Science and Engineering Department, University of
Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts
| | - Marxa L. Figueiredo
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences and the
Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences Program, Purdue University, West Lafayette,
Indiana
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38
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Zhao Q, Liu Q, Li C, Cao L, Ma L, Wang X, Cai Y. Noncovalent structural locking of thermoresponsive polyion complex micelles, nanowires, and vesicles via polymerization-induced electrostatic self-assembly using an arginine-like monomer. Chem Commun (Camb) 2020; 56:4954-4957. [DOI: 10.1039/d0cc00427h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The noncovalent locking of nanostructured thermoresponsive polyion complexes can be achieved via polymerization-induced electrostatic self-assembly (PIESA) using an arginine-like cationic monomer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingqing Zhao
- State-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Novel Functional Polymer Materials
- College of Chemistry
- Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
- Soochow University
- Suzhou 215123
| | - Qizhou Liu
- State-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Novel Functional Polymer Materials
- College of Chemistry
- Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
- Soochow University
- Suzhou 215123
| | - Chao Li
- State-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Novel Functional Polymer Materials
- College of Chemistry
- Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
- Soochow University
- Suzhou 215123
| | - Lei Cao
- State-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Novel Functional Polymer Materials
- College of Chemistry
- Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
- Soochow University
- Suzhou 215123
| | - Lei Ma
- State-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Novel Functional Polymer Materials
- College of Chemistry
- Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
- Soochow University
- Suzhou 215123
| | - Xiyu Wang
- State-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Novel Functional Polymer Materials
- College of Chemistry
- Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
- Soochow University
- Suzhou 215123
| | - Yuanli Cai
- State-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Novel Functional Polymer Materials
- College of Chemistry
- Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
- Soochow University
- Suzhou 215123
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39
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Rahman MA, Sha Y, Jui MS, Lamm ME, Ma Y, Tang C. Facial Amphiphilicity-Induced Self-Assembly (FAISA) of Amphiphilic Copolymers. Macromolecules 2019. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.9b02008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Md Anisur Rahman
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, United States
| | - Ye Sha
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, United States
| | - Moumita Sharmin Jui
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, United States
| | - Meghan E. Lamm
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, United States
| | - Yufeng Ma
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, United States
| | - Chuanbing Tang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, United States
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40
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Tan Z, Jiang Y, Ganewatta MS, Kumar R, Keith A, Twaroski K, Pengo T, Tolar J, Lodge TP, Reineke TM. Block Polymer Micelles Enable CRISPR/Cas9 Ribonucleoprotein Delivery: Physicochemical Properties Affect Packaging Mechanisms and Gene Editing Efficiency. Macromolecules 2019. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.9b01645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Tan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Yaming Jiang
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Mitra S. Ganewatta
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Ramya Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Allison Keith
- Department of Pediatrics, Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Kirk Twaroski
- Department of Pediatrics, Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Thomas Pengo
- University of Minnesota Informatics Institute, University Imaging Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Jakub Tolar
- Department of Pediatrics, Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Timothy P. Lodge
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Theresa M. Reineke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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41
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Tan Z, Jiang Y, Zhang W, Karls L, Lodge TP, Reineke TM. Polycation Architecture and Assembly Direct Successful Gene Delivery: Micelleplexes Outperform Polyplexes via Optimal DNA Packaging. J Am Chem Soc 2019; 141:15804-15817. [PMID: 31553590 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b06218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Cellular delivery of biomacromolecules is vital to medical research and therapeutic development. Cationic polymers are promising and affordable candidate vehicles for these precious payloads. However, the impact of polycation architecture and solution assembly on the biological mechanisms and efficacy of these vehicles has not been clearly defined. In this study, four polymers containing the same cationic poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (D) block but placed in different architectures have been synthesized, characterized, and compared for cargo binding and biological performance. The D homopolymer and its diblock copolymer poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(2-(dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate) (OD) readily encapsulate pDNA to form polyplexes. Two amphiphilic block polymer variants, poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-block-poly(n-butyl methacrylate) (DB) and poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-block-poly(n-butyl methacrylate) (ODB), self-assemble into micelles, which template pDNA winding around the cationic corona to form micelleplexes. Micelleplexes were found to have superior delivery efficiency compared to polyplexes and detailed physicochemical and biological characterizations were performed to pinpoint the mechanisms by testing hypotheses related to cellular internalization, intracellular trafficking, and pDNA unpackaging. For the first time, we find that the higher concentration of amines housed in micelleplexes stimulates both cellular internalization and potential endosomal escape, and the physical motif of pDNA winding into micelleplexes, reminiscent of DNA compaction by histones in chromatin, preserves the pDNA secondary structure in its native B form. This likely allows greater payload accessibility for protein expression with micelleplexes compared to polyplexes, which tightly condense pDNA and significantly distort its helicity. This work provides important guidance for the design of successful biomolecular delivery systems via optimizing the physicochemical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Tan
- Department of Chemistry , University of Minnesota , 207 Pleasant Street SE , Minneapolis , Minnesota 55455 , United States
| | - Yaming Jiang
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science , University of Minnesota , 421 Washington Avenue SE , Minneapolis , Minnesota 55455 , United States
| | - Wenjia Zhang
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science , University of Minnesota , 421 Washington Avenue SE , Minneapolis , Minnesota 55455 , United States
| | - Logan Karls
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science , University of Minnesota , 421 Washington Avenue SE , Minneapolis , Minnesota 55455 , United States
| | - Timothy P Lodge
- Department of Chemistry , University of Minnesota , 207 Pleasant Street SE , Minneapolis , Minnesota 55455 , United States.,Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science , University of Minnesota , 421 Washington Avenue SE , Minneapolis , Minnesota 55455 , United States
| | - Theresa M Reineke
- Department of Chemistry , University of Minnesota , 207 Pleasant Street SE , Minneapolis , Minnesota 55455 , United States
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42
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Li S, Yan X, Qu Y, Wang W, Chen B, Ma X, Liu S, Yu X. Hydrogen-Bond Cyclization Programming of Ultrasensitive Esters and Its Application in Gene Delivery. Chemistry 2019; 25:10375-10384. [PMID: 31090112 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201901173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The ester bond as a universal linker has recently been applied in gene delivery systems owing to its efficient gene release by electrostatic repulsion after its cleavage. However, the ester bond is nonlabile and is difficult to cleave in cells. This work reports a method in which a secondary amine was introduced to the β-position of the ester bond to generate a hydrogen-bond cyclization (HBC) structure that can make the ester bond hydrolysis ultrafast. A series of molecules comprising ultrasensitive esters that can be activated by H2 O2 were synthesized, and it was found that those able to form an HBC structure showed complete ester hydrolysis within 5 h in both water and phosphate-buffered saline solution, which was several times faster than other methods reported. Then, a series of amphiphilic poly(amidoamine) dendrimers were constructed, comprising the ultrasensitive ester groups for gene delivery; it was found that they could effectively release genes under quite a low concentration of H2 O2 (<200 μm) and transport them into the nucleus within 2 h in Hela cells with high safety. Their gene transfection efficiencies were higher than that of PEI25k . The results demonstrated that the hydrogen-bond-induced ultrasensitive esters could be powerfully applied to construct gene delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengran Li
- Laboratory of Polymer Composites Engineering, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, 130022, China.,University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Xinxin Yan
- Laboratory of Polymer Composites Engineering, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, 130022, China.,University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Yangchun Qu
- Department of Radiology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130033, China
| | - Wenliang Wang
- Laboratory of Polymer Composites Engineering, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, 130022, China.,University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Binggang Chen
- Laboratory of Polymer Composites Engineering, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, 130022, China.,University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Xiaojing Ma
- Laboratory of Polymer Composites Engineering, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, 130022, China
| | - Sanrong Liu
- Laboratory of Polymer Composites Engineering, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, 130022, China
| | - Xifei Yu
- Laboratory of Polymer Composites Engineering, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, 130022, China.,University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
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43
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Van Bruggen C, Hexum JK, Tan Z, Dalal RJ, Reineke TM. Nonviral Gene Delivery with Cationic Glycopolymers. Acc Chem Res 2019; 52:1347-1358. [PMID: 30993967 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.8b00665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The field of gene therapy, which aims to treat patients by modulating gene expression, has come to fruition and has landed several landmark FDA approvals. Most gene therapies currently rely on viral vectors to deliver nucleic acid cargo into cells, but there is significant interest in moving toward chemical-based methods, such as polymer-based vectors, due to their low cost, immunocompatibility, and tunability. The full potential of polymer-based delivery systems has yet to be realized, however, because most polymeric transfection reagents are either too inefficient or too toxic for use in the clinic. In this Account, we describe developments in carbohydrate-based cationic polymers, termed glycopolymers, for enhanced nonviral gene delivery. As ubiquitous components of biological systems, carbohydrates are a rich class of compounds that can be harnessed to improve the biocompatibility of non-native polymers, such as linear polyamines used for promoting transfection. Reineke et al. developed a new class of carbohydrate-based polymers called poly(glycoamidoamine)s (PGAAs) by step-growth polymerization of linear monosaccharides with linear ethyleneamines. These glycopolymers were shown to be both efficient and biocompatible transfection reagents. Systematic modifications of the structural components of the PGAA system revealed structure-activity relationships important to its function, including its ability to degrade in situ. Expanding upon the development of step-growth glycopolymers, monosaccharides, such as glucose, were functionalized as vinyl-based monomers for the formation of diblock copolymers via radical addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerization. Upon complexation with plasmid DNA, the glucose-containing block creates a hydrophilic shell that promotes colloidal stability as effectively as PEG functionalization. An N-acetyl-d-galactosamine variant of this diblock polymer yields colloidally stable particles that show increased receptor-mediated uptake by liver hepatocytes in vitro and promotes liver targeting in mice. Finally, the disaccharide trehalose was incorporated into polycationic structures using both step-growth and RAFT techniques. It was shown that these trehalose-based copolymers imparted increased colloidal stability and yielded plasmid and siRNA polyplexes that resist aggregation upon lyophilization and reconstitution in water. The aforementioned series of glycopolymers use carbohydrates to promote effective and safe delivery of nucleic acid cargo into a variety of human cells types by promoting vehicle degradation, tissue-targeting, colloidal stabilization, and stability toward lyophilization to extend shelf life. Work is currently underway to translate the use of glycopolymers for safe and efficient delivery of nucleic acid cargo for gene therapy and gene editing applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig Van Bruggen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Joseph K. Hexum
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Zhe Tan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Rishad J. Dalal
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Theresa M. Reineke
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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