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Li S, Xiong F, Zhang S, Liu J, Gao G, Xie J, Wang Y. Oligonucleotide therapies for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2024; 35:102184. [PMID: 38665220 PMCID: PMC11044058 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) represents a severe disease subtype of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) that is thought to be highly associated with systemic metabolic abnormalities. It is characterized by a series of substantial liver damage, including hepatocellular steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. The end stage of NASH, in some cases, may result in cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nowadays a large number of investigations are actively under way to test various therapeutic strategies, including emerging oligonucleotide drugs (e.g., antisense oligonucleotide, small interfering RNA, microRNA, mimic/inhibitor RNA, and small activating RNA) that have shown high potential in treating this fatal liver disease. This article systematically reviews the pathogenesis of NASH/NAFLD, the promising druggable targets proven by current studies in chemical compounds or biological drug development, and the feasibility and limitations of oligonucleotide-based therapeutic approaches under clinical or pre-clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sixu Li
- Department of Pathophysiology, West China College of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610066, China
| | - Feng Xiong
- Department of Cardiology, The Third People’s Hospital of Chengdu, Chengdu 610031, China
| | - Songbo Zhang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jinghua Liu
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Guangping Gao
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Li Weibo Institute for Rare Diseases Research, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Viral Vector Core, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical, School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Jun Xie
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Viral Vector Core, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical, School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Pathophysiology, West China College of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610066, China
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2
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Zhang H, Kelly K, Lee J, Echeverria D, Cooper D, Panwala R, Amrani N, Chen Z, Gaston N, Wagh A, Newby G, Xie J, Liu DR, Gao G, Wolfe S, Khvorova A, Watts J, Sontheimer E. Self-delivering, chemically modified CRISPR RNAs for AAV co-delivery and genome editing in vivo. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:977-997. [PMID: 38033325 PMCID: PMC10810193 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1125] [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] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Guide RNAs offer programmability for CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing but also add challenges for delivery. Chemical modification, which has been key to the success of oligonucleotide therapeutics, can enhance the stability, distribution, cellular uptake, and safety of nucleic acids. Previously, we engineered heavily and fully modified SpyCas9 crRNA and tracrRNA, which showed enhanced stability and retained activity when delivered to cultured cells in the form of the ribonucleoprotein complex. In this study, we report that a short, fully stabilized oligonucleotide (a 'protecting oligo'), which can be displaced by tracrRNA annealing, can significantly enhance the potency and stability of a heavily modified crRNA. Furthermore, protecting oligos allow various bioconjugates to be appended, thereby improving cellular uptake and biodistribution of crRNA in vivo. Finally, we achieved in vivo genome editing in adult mouse liver and central nervous system via co-delivery of unformulated, chemically modified crRNAs with protecting oligos and AAV vectors that express tracrRNA and either SpyCas9 or a base editor derivative. Our proof-of-concept establishment of AAV/crRNA co-delivery offers a route towards transient editing activity, target multiplexing, guide redosing, and vector inactivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Zhang
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Karen Kelly
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Jonathan Lee
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Dimas Echeverria
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - David Cooper
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Rebecca Panwala
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Nadia Amrani
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Zexiang Chen
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Nicholas Gaston
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Atish Wagh
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Gregory A Newby
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jun Xie
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Viral Vector Core, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical, School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Li Weibo Institute for Rare Diseases Research, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - David R Liu
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Guangping Gao
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Viral Vector Core, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical, School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Li Weibo Institute for Rare Diseases Research, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Scot A Wolfe
- Li Weibo Institute for Rare Diseases Research, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Anastasia Khvorova
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- NeuroNexus Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Jonathan K Watts
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- NeuroNexus Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Li Weibo Institute for Rare Diseases Research, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Erik J Sontheimer
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Li Weibo Institute for Rare Diseases Research, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
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Zhou H, Chen DS, Hu CJ, Hong X, Shi J, Xiao Y. Stimuli-Responsive Nanotechnology for RNA Delivery. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2303597. [PMID: 37915127 PMCID: PMC10754096 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202303597] [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: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Ribonucleic acid (RNA) drugs have shown promising therapeutic effects for various diseases in clinical and preclinical studies, owing to their capability to regulate the expression of genes of interest or control protein synthesis. Different strategies, such as chemical modification, ligand conjugation, and nanotechnology, have contributed to the successful clinical translation of RNA medicine, including small interfering RNA (siRNA) for gene silencing and messenger RNA (mRNA) for vaccine development. Among these, nanotechnology can protect RNAs from enzymatic degradation, increase cellular uptake and cytosolic transportation, prolong systemic circulation, and improve tissue/cell targeting. Here, a focused overview of stimuli-responsive nanotechnologies for RNA delivery, which have shown unique benefits in promoting RNA bioactivity and cell/organ selectivity, is provided. Many tissue/cell-specific microenvironmental features, such as pH, enzyme, hypoxia, and redox, are utilized in designing internal stimuli-responsive RNA nanoparticles (NPs). In addition, external stimuli, such as light, magnetic field, and ultrasound, have also been used for controlling RNA release and transportation. This review summarizes a wide range of stimuli-responsive NP systems for RNA delivery, which may facilitate the development of next-generation RNA medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Zhou
- Department of Cardiology, Clinical Trial CenterZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical SciencesWuhan University430071WuhanChina
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of AnesthesiologyPerioperative and Pain MedicineBrigham and Women's HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMA02115USA
- State Key Laboratory of Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM)Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications210023NanjingChina
| | - Dean Shuailin Chen
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of AnesthesiologyPerioperative and Pain MedicineBrigham and Women's HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMA02115USA
| | - Caleb J. Hu
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of AnesthesiologyPerioperative and Pain MedicineBrigham and Women's HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMA02115USA
| | - Xuechuan Hong
- Department of Cardiology, Clinical Trial CenterZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversitySchool of Pharmaceutical SciencesWuhan University430071WuhanChina
| | - Jinjun Shi
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of AnesthesiologyPerioperative and Pain MedicineBrigham and Women's HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMA02115USA
| | - Yuling Xiao
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of AnesthesiologyPerioperative and Pain MedicineBrigham and Women's HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMA02115USA
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Van de Vyver T, Muntean C, Efimova I, Krysko DV, De Backer L, De Smedt SC, Raemdonck K. The alpha-adrenergic antagonist prazosin promotes cytosolic siRNA delivery from lysosomal compartments. J Control Release 2023; 364:142-158. [PMID: 37816483 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.10.014] [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: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
The widespread use of small interfering RNA (siRNA) is limited by the multiple extra- and intracellular barriers upon in vivo administration. Hence, suitable delivery systems, based on siRNA encapsulation in nanoparticles or its conjugation to targeting ligands, have been developed. Nevertheless, at the intracellular level, these state-of-the-art delivery systems still suffer from a low endosomal escape efficiency. Consequently, the bulk of the endocytosed siRNA drug rapidly accumulates in the lysosomal compartment. We recently reported that a wide variety of cationic amphiphilic drugs (CADs) can promote small nucleic acid delivery from the endolysosomal compartment into the cytosol via transient induction of lysosomal membrane permeabilization. Here, we describe the identification of alternate siRNA delivery enhancers from the NIH Clinical Compound Collection that do not have the typical physicochemical properties of CADs. Additionally, we demonstrate improved endolysosomal escape of siRNA via a cholesterol conjugate and polymeric carriers with the α1-adrenergic antagonist prazosin, which was identified as the best performing delivery enhancer from the compound screen. A more detailed assessment of the mode-of-action of prazosin suggests that a different cellular phenotype compared to typical CAD adjuvants drives cytosolic siRNA delivery. As it has been described in the literature that prazosin also induces cancer cell apoptosis and promotes antigen cross-presentation in dendritic cells, the proof-of-concept data in this work provides opportunities for the repurposing of prazosin in an anti-cancer combination strategy with siRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thijs Van de Vyver
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Cristina Muntean
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Iuliia Efimova
- Cell Death Investigation and Therapy Laboratory, Department of Human Structure and Repair, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Dmitri V Krysko
- Cell Death Investigation and Therapy Laboratory, Department of Human Structure and Repair, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; Department of Pathophysiology, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), 119146 Moscow, Russia.
| | - Lynn De Backer
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Stefaan C De Smedt
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Koen Raemdonck
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
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Ali Zaidi SS, Fatima F, Ali Zaidi SA, Zhou D, Deng W, Liu S. Engineering siRNA therapeutics: challenges and strategies. J Nanobiotechnology 2023; 21:381. [PMID: 37848888 PMCID: PMC10583313 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-023-02147-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a potential method of gene silencing to target specific genes. Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved multiple siRNA-based therapeutics, many biological barriers limit their use for treating diseases. Such limitations include challenges concerning systemic or local administration, short half-life, rapid clearance rates, nonspecific binding, cell membrane penetration inability, ineffective endosomal escape, pH sensitivity, endonuclease degradation, immunological responses, and intracellular trafficking. To overcome these barriers, various strategies have been developed to stabilize siRNA, ensuring their delivery to the target site. Chemical modifications implemented with nucleotides or the phosphate backbone can reduce off-target binding and immune stimulation. Encapsulation or formulation can protect siRNA from endonuclease degradation and enhance cellular uptake while promoting endosomal escape. Additionally, various techniques such as viral vectors, aptamers, cell-penetrating peptides, liposomes, and polymers have been developed for delivering siRNA, greatly improving their bioavailability and therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syed Saqib Ali Zaidi
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Faria Fatima
- College of Medical Technology, Ziauddin University, Karachi, 74700, Pakistan
| | - Syed Aqib Ali Zaidi
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Dezhong Zhou
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China.
| | - Wuquan Deng
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Chongqing Diabetic Foot Medical Research Center, Chongqing University Central Hospital, Chongqing Emergency Medical Center, Chongqing, 400014, China.
| | - Shuai Liu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
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Haque US, Yokota T. Enhancing Antisense Oligonucleotide-Based Therapeutic Delivery with DG9, a Versatile Cell-Penetrating Peptide. Cells 2023; 12:2395. [PMID: 37830609 PMCID: PMC10572411 DOI: 10.3390/cells12192395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Antisense oligonucleotide-based (ASO) therapeutics have emerged as a promising strategy for the treatment of human disorders. Charge-neutral PMOs have promising biological and pharmacological properties for antisense applications. Despite their great potential, the efficient delivery of these therapeutic agents to target cells remains a major obstacle to their widespread use. Cellular uptake of naked PMO is poor. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) appear as a possibility to increase the cellular uptake and intracellular delivery of oligonucleotide-based drugs. Among these, the DG9 peptide has been identified as a versatile CPP with remarkable potential for enhancing the delivery of ASO-based therapeutics due to its unique structural features. Notably, in the context of phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PMOs), DG9 has shown promise in enhancing delivery while maintaining a favorable toxicity profile. A few studies have highlighted the potential of DG9-conjugated PMOs in DMD (Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy) and SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy), displaying significant exon skipping/inclusion and functional improvements in animal models. The article provides an overview of a detailed understanding of the challenges that ASOs face prior to reaching their targets and continued advances in methods to improve their delivery to target sites and cellular uptake, focusing on DG9, which aims to harness ASOs' full potential in precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umme Sabrina Haque
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - Toshifumi Yokota
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada
- The Friends of Garrett Cumming Research & Muscular Dystrophy Canada HM Toupin Neurological Science Research, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada
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Gubu A, Zhang X, Lu A, Zhang B, Ma Y, Zhang G. Nucleic acid amphiphiles: Synthesis, properties, and applications. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2023; 33:144-163. [PMID: 37456777 PMCID: PMC10345231 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2023.05.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Nucleic acid amphiphiles, referring to nucleic acids modified with large hydrophobic groups, have been widely used in programmable bioengineering. Since nucleic acids are intrinsically hydrophilic, the hydrophobic groups endow nucleic acid amphiphiles with unique properties, such as self-assembling, interactions with artificial or biological membranes, and transmembrane transport. Importantly, the hybridization or target binding capability of oligonucleotide itself supplies nucleic acid amphiphiles with excellent programmability. As a result, this type of molecule has attracted considerable attention in academic studies and has enormous potential for further applications. For a comprehensive understanding of nucleic acid amphiphiles, we review the reported research on nucleic acid amphiphiles from their molecular design to final applications, in which we summarize the synthetic strategies for nucleic acid amphiphiles and draw much attention to their unique properties in different contexts. Finally, a summary of the applications of nucleic acid amphiphiles in drug development, bioengineering, and bioanalysis are critically discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amu Gubu
- Law Sau Fai Institute for Advancing Translational Medicine in Bone & Joint Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Aptacure Therapeutics Limited, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Xueli Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemical Biology Center, Peking University, No. 38 Xueyuan Road, Beijing, China
| | - Aiping Lu
- Law Sau Fai Institute for Advancing Translational Medicine in Bone & Joint Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Institute of Integrated Bioinfomedicine and Translational Science, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tsai, Hong Kong 999077, China
- Institute of Precision Medicine and Innovative Drug Discovery, HKBU Institute for Research and Continuing Education, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Baoting Zhang
- School of Chinese Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yuan Ma
- Law Sau Fai Institute for Advancing Translational Medicine in Bone & Joint Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Institute of Integrated Bioinfomedicine and Translational Science, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tsai, Hong Kong 999077, China
- Institute of Precision Medicine and Innovative Drug Discovery, HKBU Institute for Research and Continuing Education, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Ge Zhang
- Law Sau Fai Institute for Advancing Translational Medicine in Bone & Joint Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Institute of Integrated Bioinfomedicine and Translational Science, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tsai, Hong Kong 999077, China
- Institute of Precision Medicine and Innovative Drug Discovery, HKBU Institute for Research and Continuing Education, Shenzhen 518000, China
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Kawamoto Y, Wu Y, Takahashi Y, Takakura Y. Development of nucleic acid medicines based on chemical technology. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2023; 199:114872. [PMID: 37244354 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2023.114872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Oligonucleotide-based therapeutics have attracted attention as an emerging modality that includes the modulation of genes and their binding proteins related to diseases, allowing us to take action on previously undruggable targets. Since the late 2010s, the number of oligonucleotide medicines approved for clinical uses has dramatically increased. Various chemistry-based technologies have been developed to improve the therapeutic properties of oligonucleotides, such as chemical modification, conjugation, and nanoparticle formation, which can increase nuclease resistance, enhance affinity and selectivity to target sites, suppress off-target effects, and improve pharmacokinetic properties. Similar strategies employing modified nucleobases and lipid nanoparticles have been used for developing coronavirus disease 2019 mRNA vaccines. In this review, we provide an overview of the development of chemistry-based technologies aimed at using nucleic acids for developing therapeutics over the past several decades, with a specific emphasis on the structural design and functionality of chemical modification strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Kawamoto
- Department of Biopharmaceutics and Drug Metabolism, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
| | - You Wu
- Department of Biopharmaceutics and Drug Metabolism, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Yuki Takahashi
- Department of Biopharmaceutics and Drug Metabolism, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Yoshinobu Takakura
- Department of Biopharmaceutics and Drug Metabolism, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
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9
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Patel SS, Hoogenboezem EN, Yu F, DeJulius CR, Fletcher RB, Sorets AG, Cherry FK, Lo JH, Bezold MG, Francini N, d'Arcy R, Brasuell JE, Cook RS, Duvall CL. Core polymer optimization of ternary siRNA nanoparticles enhances in vivo safety, pharmacokinetics, and tumor gene silencing. Biomaterials 2023; 297:122098. [PMID: 37031547 PMCID: PMC10192225 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2023.122098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Gene silencing with siRNA nanoparticles (si-NPs) is promising but still clinically unrealized for inhibition of tumor driver genes. Ternary si-NPs containing siRNA, a single block NP core-forming polymer poly[(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-co-(butyl methacrylate)] (DMAEMA-co-BMA, 50B), and an NP surface-forming diblock polymer 20 kDa poly(ethylene glycol)-block-50B (20kPEG-50B) have the potential to improve silencing activity in tumors due to the participation of both 50B and 20kPEG-50B in siRNA electrostatic loading and endosome disruptive activity. Functionally, single block 50B provides more potent endosomolytic activity, while 20kPEG-50B colloidally stabilizes the si-NPs. Here, we systematically explored the role of the molecular weight (MW) of the core polymer and of the core:surface polymer ratio on ternary si-NP performance. A library of ternary si-NPs was formulated with variation in the MW of the 50B polymer and in the ratio of the core and surface forming polymeric components. Increasing 50B core polymer MW and ratio improved si-NP in vitro gene silencing potency, endosome disruptive activity, and stability, but these features also correlated with cytotoxicity. Concomitant optimization of 50B size and ratio resulted in the identification of lead ternary si-NPs 50B4-DP100, 50B8-DP100, and 50B12-DP25, with potent activity and minimal toxicity. Following intravenous treatment in vivo, all lead si-NPs displayed negligible toxicological effects and enhanced pharmacokinetics and tumor gene silencing relative to more canonical binary si-NPs. Critically, a single 1 mg/kg intravenous injection of 50B8-DP100 si-NPs silenced the tumor driver gene Rictor at the protein level by 80% in an orthotopic breast tumor model. 50B8-DP100 si-NPs delivering siRictor were assessed for therapeutic efficacy in an orthotopic HCC70 mammary tumor model. This formulation significantly inhibited tumor growth compared to siControl-NP treatment. 50B8-DP100 si-NPs were also evaluated for safety and were well-tolerated following a multi-dose treatment scheme. This work provides new insight on ternary si-NP structure-function relationships and identifies core polymer optimization strategies that can yield safe si-NP formulations with potent oncogene silencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shrusti S Patel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Ella N Hoogenboezem
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Fang Yu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Carlisle R DeJulius
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - R Brock Fletcher
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Alex G Sorets
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Fiona K Cherry
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Justin H Lo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Mariah G Bezold
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Nora Francini
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Richard d'Arcy
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Jordan E Brasuell
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Rebecca S Cook
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Craig L Duvall
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
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Anwar S, Mir F, Yokota T. Enhancing the Effectiveness of Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Using Cell-Penetrating Peptide Conjugation, Chemical Modification, and Carrier-Based Delivery Strategies. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15041130. [PMID: 37111616 PMCID: PMC10140998 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15041130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Oligonucleotide-based therapies are a promising approach for treating a wide range of hard-to-treat diseases, particularly genetic and rare diseases. These therapies involve the use of short synthetic sequences of DNA or RNA that can modulate gene expression or inhibit proteins through various mechanisms. Despite the potential of these therapies, a significant barrier to their widespread use is the difficulty in ensuring their uptake by target cells/tissues. Strategies to overcome this challenge include cell-penetrating peptide conjugation, chemical modification, nanoparticle formulation, and the use of endogenous vesicles, spherical nucleic acids, and smart material-based delivery vehicles. This article provides an overview of these strategies and their potential for the efficient delivery of oligonucleotide drugs, as well as the safety and toxicity considerations, regulatory requirements, and challenges in translating these therapies from the laboratory to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saeed Anwar
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - Farin Mir
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - Toshifumi Yokota
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada
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11
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Bhatia A, Upadhyay AK, Sharma S. miRNAs are now starring in "No Time to Die: Overcoming the chemoresistance in cancer". IUBMB Life 2023; 75:238-256. [PMID: 35678612 DOI: 10.1002/iub.2652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Cancer is a leading cause of death globally, with about 19.3 million new cases reported each year. Current therapies for cancer management include-chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery. However, they are loaded with side effects and tend to cause toxicity in the patient's body posttreatment, ultimately hindering the response towards the treatment building up resistance. This is where noncoding RNAs such as miRNAs help provide us with a helping hand for taming the chemoresistance and providing potential holistic cancer management. MicroRNAs are promising targets for anticancer therapy as they perform critical regulatory roles in various signaling cascades related to cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. Combining miRNAs and anticancer drugs and devising a combination therapy has managed cancer well in various independent studies. This review aims to provide insights into how miRNAs play a mechanistic role in cancer development and progression and regulate drug resistance in various types of cancers. Furthermore, next-generation novel therapies using miRNAs in combination with anticancer treatments in multiple cancers have been put forth and how they improve the efficacy of the treatments. Exemplary studies currently in the preclinical and clinical models have been summarized. Ultimately, we briefly talk through the challenges that come forward with it and minimize them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anmol Bhatia
- Department of Biotechnology, Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, Patiala, India
| | - Atul Kumar Upadhyay
- Department of Biotechnology, Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, Patiala, India
| | - Siddharth Sharma
- Department of Biotechnology, Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, Patiala, India
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12
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Tang S, Kapoor E, Ding L, Yu A, Tang W, Hang Y, Smith LM, Sil D, Oupický D. Effect of tocopherol conjugation on polycation-mediated siRNA delivery to orthotopic pancreatic tumors. BIOMATERIALS ADVANCES 2023; 145:213236. [PMID: 36512927 PMCID: PMC9852068 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2022.213236] [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: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive form of cancer with a five-year survival rate of around 10 %. CXCR4 and STAT3 display crucial effects on proliferation, metastasis, angiogenesis, and formation of immunosuppressive microenvironment in pancreatic tumors. Here, we have tested the hypothesis that conjugation of α-tocopherol (TOC) to a polycation (PAMD), synthesized from CXCR4-antagonist AMD3100, will improve delivery of therapeutic siRNA to silence STAT3 in PDAC tumors. PAMD-TOC/siSTAT3 nanoparticles showed superior anti-cancer and anti-migration performance compared to the parent PAMD/siSTAT3 nanoparticles in both murine and human PDAC cell lines. The biodistribution of the nanoparticles in orthotropic mouse KPC8060 and human PANC-1 models, indicated that tumor accumulation of PAMD-TOC/siRNA nanoparticles was improved greatly as compared to PAMD/siRNA nanoparticles. This improved cellular uptake, penetration, and tumor accumulation of PAMD-TOC/siSTAT3 nanoparticles, also contributed to the suppression of tumor growth, metastasis and improved survival. Overall, this study presents a prospective treatment strategy for PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyuan Tang
- Center for Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Ekta Kapoor
- Center for Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Ling Ding
- Center for Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Ao Yu
- Center for Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Weimin Tang
- Center for Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Yu Hang
- Center for Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Lynette M Smith
- Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Diptesh Sil
- Center for Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - David Oupický
- Center for Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA.
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13
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Keyvani V, Mahmoudian RA, Mollazadeh S, Kheradmand N, Ghorbani E, Khazaei M, Saeed Al-Hayawi I, Hassanian SM, Ferns GA, Avan A, Anvari K. Insight into RNA-based Therapies for Ovarian Cancer. Curr Pharm Des 2023; 29:2692-2701. [PMID: 37916491 DOI: 10.2174/0113816128270476231023052228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the most common malignancies in women and is associated with poor outcomes. The treatment for OC is often associated with resistance to therapies and hence this has stimulated the search for alternative therapeutic approaches, including RNA-based therapeutics. However, this approach has some challenges that include RNA degradation. To solve this critical issue, some novel delivery systems have been proposed. In current years, there has been growing interest in the improvement of RNAbased therapeutics as a promising approach to target ovarian cancer and improve patient outcomes. This paper provides a practical insight into the use of RNA-based therapeutics in ovarian cancers, highlighting their potential benefits, challenges, and current research progress. RNA-based therapeutics offer a novel and targeted approach to treat ovarian cancer by exploiting the unique characteristics of RNA molecules. By targeting key oncogenes or genes responsible for drug resistance, siRNAs can effectively inhibit tumor growth and sensitize cancer cells to conventional therapies. Furthermore, messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines have emerged as a revolutionary tool in cancer immunotherapy. MRNA vaccines can be designed to encode tumor-specific antigens, stimulating the immune system to distinguish and eliminate ovarian cancer cells. A nano-based delivery platform improves the release of loaded RNAs to the target location and reduces the off-target effects. Additionally, off-target effects and immune responses triggered by RNA molecules necessitate careful design and optimization of these therapeutics. Several preclinical and clinical researches have shown promising results in the field of RNA-based therapeutics for ovarian cancer. In a preclinical study, siRNA-mediated silencing of the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) gene, involved in DNA repair, sensitized ovarian cancer cells to PARP inhibitors, leading to enhanced therapeutic efficacy. In clinical trials, mRNA-based vaccines targeting tumor-associated antigens have demonstrated safety and efficacy in stimulating immune responses in ovarian cancer patients. In aggregate, RNA-based therapeutics represent a promising avenue for the therapy of ovarian cancers. The ability to specifically target oncogenes or stimulate immune responses against tumor cells holds great potential for improving patient outcomes. However, further research is needed to address challenges related to delivery, permanence, and off-target effects. Clinical trials assessing the care and effectiveness of RNAbased therapeutics in larger patient cohorts are warranted. With continued advancements in the field, RNAbased therapeutics have the potential to develop the management of ovarian cancer and provide new hope for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vahideh Keyvani
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Medical Genetics Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Reihaneh Alsadat Mahmoudian
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Cancer Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Basic Sciences Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Samaneh Mollazadeh
- Natural Products and Medicinal Plants Research Center, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran
| | - Nahid Kheradmand
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Elnaz Ghorbani
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Majid Khazaei
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Medical Genetics Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | | | - Seyed Mahdi Hassanian
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Medical Genetics Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Gordon A Ferns
- Division of Medical Education, Brighton & Sussex Medical School, Falmer, Brighton, Sussex BN1 9PH, UK
| | - Amir Avan
- Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- College of Medicine, University of Warith Al-Anbiyaa, Karbala, Iraq
- Faculty of Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane 4059, Australia
| | - Kazem Anvari
- Cancer Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
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14
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Liu T, Tian Y, Zheng A, Cui C. Design Strategies for and Stability of mRNA-Lipid Nanoparticle COVID-19 Vaccines. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:4195. [PMID: 36236141 PMCID: PMC9572882 DOI: 10.3390/polym14194195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines have shown great preventive potential in response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The lipid nanoparticle (LNP), as a non-viral vector with good safety and potency factors, is applied to mRNA delivery in the clinic. Among the recently FDA-approved SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines, lipid-based nanoparticles have been shown to be well-suited to antigen presentation and enhanced immune stimulation to elicit potent humoral and cellular immune responses. However, a design strategy for optimal mRNA-LNP vaccines has not been fully elaborated. In this review, we comprehensively and systematically discuss the research strategies for mRNA-LNP vaccines against COVID-19, including antigen and lipid carrier selection, vaccine preparation, quality control, and stability. Meanwhile, we also discuss the potential development directions for mRNA-LNP vaccines in the future. We also conduct an in-depth review of those technologies and scientific insights in regard to the mRNA-LNP field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Liu
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Yang Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Aiping Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Chunying Cui
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
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15
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Engineered ionizable lipid siRNA conjugates enhance endosomal escape but induce toxicity in vivo. J Control Release 2022; 349:831-843. [PMID: 35917865 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.07.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Lipid conjugation supports delivery of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) to extrahepatic tissues, expanding the therapeutic potential of siRNAs beyond liver indications. However, siRNA silencing efficacy in extrahepatic tissues remains inferior to that routinely achieved in liver, partially due to the low rate of endosomal escape following siRNA internalization. Improving siRNA endosomal release into cytoplasm is crucial to improving efficacy of lipid-conjugated siRNAs. Given the ability of ionizable lipids to enhance endosomal escape in a context of lipid nanoparticles (LNP), here, we provide the first report on the effect of an ionizable lipid conjugate on siRNA endosomal escape, tissue distribution, efficacy, and toxicity in vivo. After developing a synthetic route to covalently attach the ionizable lipid, DLin-MC3-DMA, to siRNAs, we demonstrate that DLin-MC3-DMA enhances endosomal escape in cell culture without compromising siRNA efficacy. In mice, DLin-MC3-DMA conjugated siRNAs exhibit a similar overall tissue distribution profile to the similarly hydrophobic cholesterol-conjugated siRNA. However, only DLin-MC3-DMA conjugated siRNAs accumulated in vascular compartments, suggesting an effect of conjugate structure on intratissue distribution. Interestingly, we observed non-specific modulation of gene expression in tissues with high accumulation of DLin-MC3-DMA siRNAs (>20 pmol/mg of tissue) while limited non-specific gene modulation has been observed in tissues with lower siRNA accumulation. These findings suggest modulating the nature of the conjugate is a promising strategy to alter siRNA intratissue and intracellular trafficking. Fine-tuning the nature of the conjugate to optimize endosomal escape while minimizing toxicity will be critical for the progression of therapeutic siRNA applications beyond the liver.
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16
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Hamdi M, Elmowafy E, Abdel-Bar HM, ElKashlan AM, Al-Jamal KT, Awad GAS. Hyaluronic acid-entecavir conjugates-core/lipid-shell nanohybrids for efficient macrophage uptake and hepatotropic prospects. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 217:731-747. [PMID: 35841964 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.07.067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Drug covalently bound to polymers had formed, lately, platforms with great promise in drug delivery. These drug polymer conjugates (DPC) boosted drug loading and controlled medicine release with targeting ability. Herein, the ability of entecavir (E) conjugated to hyaluronic acid (HA) forming the core of vitamin E coated lipid nanohybrids (EE-HA LPH), to target Kupffer cells and hepatocyte had been proved. The drug was associated to HA with efficiency of 93.48 ± 3.14 % and nanohybrids loading of 22.02 ± 2.3 %. DiI labelled lipidic nanohybrids improved the macrophage uptake in J774 cells with a 21 day hepatocytes retention post intramuscular injection. Finally, in vivo biocompatibility and safety with respect to body weight, organs indices and histopathological alterations were demonstrated. Coating with vitamin E and conjugation of E to HA (a CD44 ligand), could give grounds for prospective application for vectored nano-platform in hepatitis B.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Hamdi
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sadat City, Egypt
| | - Enas Elmowafy
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Egypt
| | - Hend Mohamed Abdel-Bar
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sadat City, Egypt; Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, United Kingdom.
| | - Akram M ElKashlan
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sadat City, Egypt
| | - Khuloud T Al-Jamal
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Gehanne A S Awad
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Egypt
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17
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Zhang X, Gubu A, Xu J, Yan N, Su W, Feng D, Wang Q, Tang X. Tetrazine-Induced Bioorthogonal Activation of Vitamin E-Modified siRNA for Gene Silencing. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27144377. [PMID: 35889249 PMCID: PMC9316517 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27144377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The temporal activation of siRNA provides a valuable strategy for the regulation of siRNA activity and conditional gene silencing. The bioorthogonal bond-cleavage reaction of benzonorbonadiene and tetrazine is a promising trigger in siRNA temporal activation. Here, we developed a new method for the bio-orthogonal chemical activation of siRNA based on the tetrazine-induced bond-cleavage reaction. Small-molecule activatable caged siRNAs were developed with the 5'-vitamin E-benzonobonadiene-modified antisense strand targeting the green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene and the mitotic kinesin-5 (Eg5) gene. The addition of tetrazine triggered the reaction with benzonobonadiene linker and induced the linker cleavage to release the active siRNA. Additionally, the conditional gene silencing of both exogenous GFP and endogenous Eg5 genes was successfully achieved with 5'-vitamin E-benzonobonadiene-caged siRNAs, which provides a new uncaging strategy with small molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueli Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemical Biology Center, Peking University, No. 38 Xueyuan Rd., Beijing 100191, China; (X.Z.); (A.G.); (J.X.); (N.Y.); (W.S.); (D.F.); (Q.W.)
| | - Amu Gubu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemical Biology Center, Peking University, No. 38 Xueyuan Rd., Beijing 100191, China; (X.Z.); (A.G.); (J.X.); (N.Y.); (W.S.); (D.F.); (Q.W.)
| | - Jianfei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemical Biology Center, Peking University, No. 38 Xueyuan Rd., Beijing 100191, China; (X.Z.); (A.G.); (J.X.); (N.Y.); (W.S.); (D.F.); (Q.W.)
| | - Ning Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemical Biology Center, Peking University, No. 38 Xueyuan Rd., Beijing 100191, China; (X.Z.); (A.G.); (J.X.); (N.Y.); (W.S.); (D.F.); (Q.W.)
| | - Wenbo Su
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemical Biology Center, Peking University, No. 38 Xueyuan Rd., Beijing 100191, China; (X.Z.); (A.G.); (J.X.); (N.Y.); (W.S.); (D.F.); (Q.W.)
| | - Di Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemical Biology Center, Peking University, No. 38 Xueyuan Rd., Beijing 100191, China; (X.Z.); (A.G.); (J.X.); (N.Y.); (W.S.); (D.F.); (Q.W.)
| | - Qian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemical Biology Center, Peking University, No. 38 Xueyuan Rd., Beijing 100191, China; (X.Z.); (A.G.); (J.X.); (N.Y.); (W.S.); (D.F.); (Q.W.)
| | - Xinjing Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemical Biology Center, Peking University, No. 38 Xueyuan Rd., Beijing 100191, China; (X.Z.); (A.G.); (J.X.); (N.Y.); (W.S.); (D.F.); (Q.W.)
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
- Correspondence:
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18
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Pouya FD, Rasmi Y, Gazouli M, Zografos E, Nemati M. MicroRNAs as therapeutic targets in breast cancer metastasis. Drug Deliv Transl Res 2022; 12:1029-1046. [PMID: 33987801 DOI: 10.1007/s13346-021-00999-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer is a complex disease with multiple risk factors involved in its pathogenesis. Among these factors, microRNAs are considered for playing a fundamental role in the development and progression of malignant breast tumors. In recent years, various studies have demonstrated that several microRNAs exhibit increased or decreased expression in metastatic breast cancer, acting as indicators of metastatic potential in body fluids and tissue samples. The identification of these microRNA expression patterns could prove instrumental for the development of novel therapeutic molecules that either mimic or inhibit microRNA action. Additionally, an efficient delivery system mediated by viral vectors, nonviral carriers, or scaffold biomaterials is a prerequisite for implementing microRNA-based therapies; therefore, this review attempts to highlight essential microRNA molecules involved in the metastatic process of breast cancer and discuss recent advances in microRNA-based therapeutic approaches with potential future applications to the treatment sequence of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fahima Danesh Pouya
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Yousef Rasmi
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
| | - Maria Gazouli
- Laboratory of Biology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527, Athens, Greece
| | - Eleni Zografos
- Laboratory of Biology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527, Athens, Greece
| | - Mohadeseh Nemati
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
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19
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Rapaka H, Manturthi S, Arjunan P, Venkatesan V, Thangavel S, Marepally S, Patri SV. Influence of Hydrophobicity in the Hydrophilic Region of Cationic Lipids on Enhancing Nucleic Acid Delivery and Gene Editing. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2022; 5:1489-1500. [PMID: 35297601 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.1c01226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Intracellular delivery of biomolecules using non-viral vectors critically depends on the vectors' ability to allow the escape and release of the contents from the endosomes. Prior findings demonstrated that aromatic/hydrophobic group-containing amino acids such as phenylalanine (F) and tryptophan (W) destabilize cellular membranes by forming pores in the lipid bilayer. Taking cues from these findings, we have developed four α-tocopherol-based cationic amphiphiles by varying the aromatic/hydrophobic amino acids such as glycine (G), proline (P), phenylalanine (F), and tryptophan (W) as head groups and triazole in the linker region to study their impact on endosomal escape for the enhanced transfection efficacy. The lipids tocopherol-triazole-phenylalanine (TTF) and tocopherol-triazole-tryptophan (TTW) exhibited similar potential to commercial transfecting reagents, Lipofectamine (LF) 3000 and Lipofectamine Messenger Max (LFMM), respectively, in transfecting plasmid DNA and messenger RNA in multiple cultured cell lines. The TTW liposome was also found to be effective in delivering Cas9 mRNA and demonstrated equal efficiency of gene editing AAVS1 locus compared to LFMM in CHO, Neuro-2a, and EA.HY926 cell lines. In this current investigation, it is shown that the synthesized cationic lipids with aromatic hydrophobic R group-containing amino acids are safe, economic, and actually more efficient in nucleic acid delivery and genome-editing applications. These findings can be further explored in the genome-editing approach for treating genetic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hithavani Rapaka
- National Institute of Technology Warangal, Warangal, Telangana 506004, India
| | - Shireesha Manturthi
- National Institute of Technology Warangal, Warangal, Telangana 506004, India
| | - Porkizhi Arjunan
- Christian Medical College, Centre for Stem Cell Research, Vellore, Tamilnadu 632001, India
| | | | | | - Srujan Marepally
- Christian Medical College, Centre for Stem Cell Research, Vellore, Tamilnadu 632001, India
| | - Srilakshmi V Patri
- National Institute of Technology Warangal, Warangal, Telangana 506004, India
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20
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Van de Vyver T, De Smedt SC, Raemdonck K. Modulating intracellular pathways to improve non-viral delivery of RNA therapeutics. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2022; 181:114041. [PMID: 34763002 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.114041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
RNA therapeutics (e.g. siRNA, oligonucleotides, mRNA, etc.) show great potential for the treatment of a myriad of diseases. However, to reach their site of action in the cytosol or nucleus of target cells, multiple intra- and extracellular barriers have to be surmounted. Several non-viral delivery systems, such as nanoparticles and conjugates, have been successfully developed to meet this requirement. Unfortunately, despite these clear advances, state-of-the-art delivery agents still suffer from relatively low intracellular delivery efficiencies. Notably, our current understanding of the intracellular delivery process is largely oversimplified. Gaining mechanistic insight into how RNA formulations are processed by cells will fuel rational design of the next generation of delivery carriers. In addition, identifying which intracellular pathways contribute to productive RNA delivery could provide opportunities to boost the delivery performance of existing nanoformulations. In this review, we discuss both established as well as emerging techniques that can be used to assess the impact of different intracellular barriers on RNA transfection performance. Next, we highlight how several modulators, including small molecules but also genetic perturbation technologies, can boost RNA delivery by intervening at differing stages of the intracellular delivery process, such as cellular uptake, intracellular trafficking, endosomal escape, autophagy and exocytosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thijs Van de Vyver
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Stefaan C De Smedt
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Koen Raemdonck
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
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21
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Liczner C, Hanna CC, Payne RJ, Wilds CJ. Generation of oligonucleotide conjugates via one-pot diselenide-selenoester ligation-deselenization/alkylation. Chem Sci 2022; 13:410-420. [PMID: 35126973 PMCID: PMC8729807 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc04937b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A breadth of strategies are needed to efficiently modify oligonucleotides with peptides or lipids to capitalize on their therapeutic and diagnostic potential, including the modulation of in vivo chemical stability and for applications in cell-targeting and cell-permeability. The chemical linkages typically used in peptide oligonucleotide conjugates (POCs) have limitations in terms of stability and/or ease of synthesis. Herein, we report an efficient method for POC synthesis using a diselenide-selenoester ligation (DSL)-deselenization strategy that rapidly generates a stable amide linkage between the two biomolecules. This conjugation strategy is underpinned by a novel selenide phosphoramidite building block that can be incorporated into an oligonucleotide by solid-phase synthesis to generate diselenide dimer molecules. These can be rapidly ligated with peptide selenoesters and, following in situ deselenization, lead to the efficient generation of POCs. The diselenide within the oligonucleotide also serves as a flexible functionalisation handle that can be leveraged for fluorescent labelling, as well as for alkylation to generate micelles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Liczner
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Concordia University 7141 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest Montréal Québec H4B 1R6 Canada
| | - Cameron C Hanna
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Richard J Payne
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Christopher J Wilds
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Concordia University 7141 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest Montréal Québec H4B 1R6 Canada
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22
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Synthesis and Exon-Skipping Properties of a 3'-Ursodeoxycholic Acid-Conjugated Oligonucleotide Targeting DMD Pre-mRNA: Pre-Synthetic versus Post-Synthetic Approach. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26247662. [PMID: 34946743 PMCID: PMC8707236 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26247662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Steric blocking antisense oligonucleotides (ASO) are promising tools for splice modulation such as exon-skipping, although their therapeutic effect may be compromised by insufficient delivery. To address this issue, we investigated the synthesis of a 20-mer 2'-OMe PS oligonucleotide conjugated at 3'-end with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) involved in the targeting of human DMD exon 51, by exploiting both a pre-synthetic and a solution phase approach. The two approaches have been compared. Both strategies successfully provided the desired ASO 51 3'-UDC in good yield and purity. It should be pointed out that the pre-synthetic approach insured better yields and proved to be more cost-effective. The exon skipping efficiency of the conjugated oligonucleotide was evaluated in myogenic cell lines and compared to that of unconjugated one: a better performance was determined for ASO 51 3'-UDC with an average 9.5-fold increase with respect to ASO 51.
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23
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Asfiya R, Maiti B, Kamra M, Karande AA, Bhattacharya S. Novel α-tocopherol-ferrocene conjugates for the specific delivery of transgenes in liver cancer cells under high serum conditions. Biomater Sci 2021; 9:7636-7647. [PMID: 34676384 DOI: 10.1039/d1bm00607j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The delivery of therapeutic genes to a specific organ has drawn significant research attention. Among the pool of various delivery vectors, cationic liposomes (non-viral) are potential candidates for delivering therapeutic genes due to their low immunogenic response. Here, we have developed novel ferrocene-conjugated cationic tocopheryl aggregates as non-viral vectors. These formulations can transfer a reporter gene (pGL3; encoded for luciferase protein) specifically to liver cancer cells (HepG2 and Huh7) instead of non-hepatic cancer cells, such as Caco-2 (human colon carcinoma) and HeLa (cervical cancer) cells. The transfection efficiency (TE) of the optimum liposomal formulation is more significant than commercially available Lipofectamine 2000 (L2K). Notably, it retains its TE under high serum conditions (up to 50% FBS). A coupled effect from conjugated ferrocene and tocopherol in the cationic liposomal formulation might be responsible for the cell-specific delivery and higher serum compatibility. Therefore, the present proposed delivery system may provide a platform for further progress in terms of developing hepatotropic gene delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahmat Asfiya
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India.
| | - Bappa Maiti
- Technical Research Centre, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata 700 032, India
| | - Mohini Kamra
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India.
| | - Anjali Anoop Karande
- Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Santanu Bhattacharya
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India. .,Technical Research Centre, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata 700 032, India.,School of Applied and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata 700 032, India
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24
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Gupta A, Andresen JL, Manan RS, Langer R. Nucleic acid delivery for therapeutic applications. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2021; 178:113834. [PMID: 34492233 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.113834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Recent medical advances have exploited the ability to address a given disease at the underlying level of transcription and translation. These treatment paradigms utilize nucleic acids - including short interfering RNA (siRNA), microRNA (miRNA), antisense oligonucleotides (ASO), and messenger RNA (mRNA) - to achieve a desired outcome ranging from gene knockdown to induced expression of a selected target protein. Towards this end, numerous strategies for encapsulation or stabilization of various nucleic acid structures have been developed in order to achieve intracellular delivery. In this review, we discuss several therapeutic applications of nucleic acids directed towards specific diseases and tissues of interest, in particular highlighting recent technologies which have reached late-stage clinical trials and received FDA approval.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akash Gupta
- David H Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jason L Andresen
- David H Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Rajith S Manan
- David H Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Robert Langer
- David H Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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25
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Abstract
RNA-based therapeutics have shown great promise in treating a broad spectrum of diseases through various mechanisms including knockdown of pathological genes, expression of therapeutic proteins, and programmed gene editing. Due to the inherent instability and negative-charges of RNA molecules, RNA-based therapeutics can make the most use of delivery systems to overcome biological barriers and to release the RNA payload into the cytosol. Among different types of delivery systems, lipid-based RNA delivery systems, particularly lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), have been extensively studied due to their unique properties, such as simple chemical synthesis of lipid components, scalable manufacturing processes of LNPs, and wide packaging capability. LNPs represent the most widely used delivery systems for RNA-based therapeutics, as evidenced by the clinical approvals of three LNP-RNA formulations, patisiran, BNT162b2, and mRNA-1273. This review covers recent advances of lipids, lipid derivatives, and lipid-derived macromolecules used in RNA delivery over the past several decades. We focus mainly on their chemical structures, synthetic routes, characterization, formulation methods, and structure-activity relationships. We also briefly describe the current status of representative preclinical studies and clinical trials and highlight future opportunities and challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuebao Zhang
- Division of Pharmaceutics & Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Changzhen Sun
- Division of Pharmaceutics & Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Chang Wang
- Division of Pharmaceutics & Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Katarina E Jankovic
- Division of Pharmaceutics & Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Yizhou Dong
- Division of Pharmaceutics & Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Center for Clinical and Translational Science, The Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dorothy M. Davis Heart & Lung Research Institute, Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
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26
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Dutta K, Das R, Medeiros J, Kanjilal P, Thayumanavan S. Charge-Conversion Strategies for Nucleic Acid Delivery. ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS 2021; 31:2011103. [PMID: 35832306 PMCID: PMC9275120 DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202011103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Nucleic acids are now considered as one of the most potent therapeutic modalities, as their roles go beyond storing genetic information and chemical energy or as signal transducer. Attenuation or expression of desired genes through nucleic acids have profound implications in gene therapy, gene editing and even in vaccine development for immunomodulation. Although nucleic acid therapeutics bring in overwhelming possibilities towards the development of molecular medicines, there are significant loopholes in designing and effective translation of these drugs into the clinic. One of the major pitfalls lies in the traditional design concepts for nucleic acid drug carriers, viz. cationic charge induced cytotoxicity in delivery pathway. Targeting this bottleneck, several pioneering research efforts have been devoted to design innovative carriers through charge-conversion approaches, whereby built-in functionalities convert from cationic to neutral or anionic, or even from anionic to cationic enabling the carrier to overcome several critical barriers for therapeutics delivery, such as serum deactivation, instability in circulation, low transfection and poor endosomal escape. This review will critically analyze various molecular designs of charge-converting nanocarriers in a classified approach for the successful delivery of nucleic acids. Accompanied by the narrative on recent clinical nucleic acid candidates, the review concludes with a discussion on the pitfalls and scope of these interesting approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kingshuk Dutta
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
- Corteva Agriscience, 9330 Zionsville Road, Indianapolis 46268, United States
| | - Ritam Das
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
- The Center for Bioactive Delivery- Institute for Applied Life Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Jewel Medeiros
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
- The Center for Bioactive Delivery- Institute for Applied Life Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Pintu Kanjilal
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
- The Center for Bioactive Delivery- Institute for Applied Life Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - S. Thayumanavan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
- The Center for Bioactive Delivery- Institute for Applied Life Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
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27
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Damiati LA, El-Messeiry S. An Overview of RNA-Based Scaffolds for Osteogenesis. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:682581. [PMID: 34169095 PMCID: PMC8217814 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.682581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Tissue engineering provides new hope for the combination of cells, scaffolds, and bifactors for bone osteogenesis. This is achieved by mimicking the bone's natural behavior in recruiting the cell's molecular machinery for our use. Many researchers have focused on developing an ideal scaffold with specific features, such as good cellular adhesion, cell proliferation, differentiation, host integration, and load bearing. Various types of coating materials (organic and non-organic) have been used to enhance bone osteogenesis. In the last few years, RNA-mediated gene therapy has captured attention as a new tool for bone regeneration. In this review, we discuss the use of RNA molecules in coating and delivery, including messenger RNA (mRNA), RNA interference (RNAi), and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) on different types of scaffolds (such as polymers, ceramics, and metals) in osteogenesis research. In addition, the effect of using gene-editing tools-particularly CRISPR systems-to guide RNA scaffolds in bone regeneration is also discussed. Given existing knowledge about various RNAs coating/expression may help to understand the process of bone formation on the scaffolds during osseointegration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laila A. Damiati
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sarah El-Messeiry
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
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28
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Asada K, Sakaue F, Nagata T, Zhang JC, Yoshida-Tanaka K, Abe A, Nawa M, Nishina K, Yokota T. Short DNA/RNA heteroduplex oligonucleotide interacting proteins are key regulators of target gene silencing. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:4864-4876. [PMID: 33928345 PMCID: PMC8136785 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Antisense oligonucleotide (ASO)-based therapy is one of the next-generation therapy, especially targeting neurological disorders. Many cases of ASO-dependent gene expression suppression have been reported. Recently, we developed a tocopherol conjugated DNA/RNA heteroduplex oligonucleotide (Toc-HDO) as a new type of drug. Toc-HDO is more potent, stable, and efficiently taken up by the target tissues compared to the parental ASO. However, the detailed mechanisms of Toc-HDO, including its binding proteins, are unknown. Here, we developed native gel shift assays with fluorescence-labeled nucleic acids samples extracted from mice livers. These assays revealed two Toc-HDO binding proteins, annexin A5 (ANXA5) and carbonic anhydrase 8 (CA8). Later, we identified two more proteins, apurinic/apyrimidinic endodeoxyribonuclease 1 (APEX1) and flap structure-specific endonuclease 1 (FEN1) by data mining. shRNA knockdown studies demonstrated that all four proteins regulated Toc-HDO activity in Hepa1-6, mouse hepatocellular cells. In vitro binding assays and fluorescence polarization assays with purified recombinant proteins characterized the identified proteins and pull-down assays with cell lysates demonstrated the protein binding to the Toc-HDO and ASO in a biological environment. Taken together, our findings provide a brand new molecular biological insight as well as future directions for HDO-based disease therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken Asada
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
- Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
| | - Fumika Sakaue
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
- Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Nagata
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
- Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
| | - Ji-chun Zhang
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
- Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
| | - Kie Yoshida-Tanaka
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
- Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
| | - Aya Abe
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
- Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
| | - Makiko Nawa
- Laboratory of Cytometry and Proteome Research, Nanken-Kyoten and Research Core Center, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
| | - Kazutaka Nishina
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
- Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
| | - Takanori Yokota
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
- Center for Brain Integration Research, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan
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29
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Breast Cancer and the Other Non-Coding RNAs. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22063280. [PMID: 33807045 PMCID: PMC8005115 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22063280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is very heterogenous and the most common gynaecological cancer, with various factors affecting its development. While its impact on human lives and national health budgets is still rising in almost all global areas, many molecular mechanisms affecting its onset and development remain unclear. Conventional treatments still prove inadequate in some aspects, and appropriate molecular therapeutic targets are required for improved outcomes. Recent scientific interest has therefore focused on the non-coding RNAs roles in tumour development and their potential as therapeutic targets. These RNAs comprise the majority of the human transcript and their broad action mechanisms range from gene silencing to chromatin remodelling. Many non-coding RNAs also have altered expression in breast cancer cell lines and tissues, and this is often connected with increased proliferation, a degraded extracellular environment, and higher endothelial to mesenchymal transition. Herein, we summarise the known abnormalities in the function and expression of long non-coding RNAs, Piwi interacting RNAs, small nucleolar RNAs and small nuclear RNAs in breast cancer, and how these abnormalities affect the development of this deadly disease. Finally, the use of RNA interference to suppress breast cancer growth is summarised.
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30
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Hara RI, Yoshioka K, Yokota T. DNA-RNA Heteroduplex Oligonucleotide for Highly Efficient Gene Silencing. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2176:113-119. [PMID: 32865786 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0771-8_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Heteroduplex oligonucleotides (HDOs) were a novel type of nucleic acid drugs based on an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) strand and its complementary RNA (cRNA ) strand. HDOs were originally designed to improve the properties of RNase H-dependent ASOs and we reported in our first paper that HDOs conjugated with an α-tocopherol ligand (Toc-HDO ) based on a gapmer ASO showed 20 times higher silencing effect to liver apolipoprotein B (apoB) mRNA in vivo than the parent ASO. Thereafter the HDO strategy was found to be also effective for improving the properties of ASOs modulating blood-brain barrier function and ASO antimiRs which are RNase H-independent ASOs. Therefore, the HDO strategy has been shown to be versatile technology platform to develop effective nucleic acid drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rintaro Iwata Hara
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kotaro Yoshioka
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takanori Yokota
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
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31
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Chernikov IV, Meschaninova MI, Gladkikh DV, Ven’yaminova AG, Zenkova MA, Vlassov VV, Chernolovskaya EL. Interaction of Lipophilic Conjugates of Modified siRNAs with Hematopoietic Cells In Vitro and In Vivo. RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s1068162021020072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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32
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Ogawa K, Kato N, Kawakami S. Recent Strategies for Targeted Brain Drug Delivery. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) 2021; 68:567-582. [PMID: 32611994 DOI: 10.1248/cpb.c20-00041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Because the brain is the most important human organ, many brain disorders can cause severe symptoms. For example, glioma, one type of brain tumor, is progressive and lethal, while neurodegenerative diseases cause severe disability. Nevertheless, medical treatment for brain diseases remains unsatisfactory, and therefore innovative therapies are desired. However, the development of therapies to treat some cerebral diseases is difficult because the blood-brain barrier (BBB) or blood-brain tumor barrier prevents drugs from entering the brain. Hence, drug delivery system (DDS) strategies are required to deliver therapeutic agents to the brain. Recently, brain-targeted DDS have been developed, which increases the quality of therapy for cerebral disorders. This review gives an overview of recent brain-targeting DDS strategies. First, it describes strategies to cross the BBB. This includes BBB-crossing ligand modification or temporal BBB permeabilization. Strategies to avoid the BBB using local administration are also summarized. Intrabrain drug distribution is a crucial factor that directly determines the therapeutic effect, and thus it is important to evaluate drug distribution using optimal methods. We introduce some methods for evaluating drug distribution in the brain. Finally, applications of brain-targeted DDS for the treatment of brain tumors, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and stroke are explained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koki Ogawa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Informatics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University
| | - Naoya Kato
- Department of Pharmaceutical Informatics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University
| | - Shigeru Kawakami
- Department of Pharmaceutical Informatics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University
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33
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Fumoto S, Yamamoto T, Okami K, Maemura Y, Terada C, Yamayoshi A, Nishida K. Understanding In Vivo Fate of Nucleic Acid and Gene Medicines for the Rational Design of Drugs. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13020159. [PMID: 33530309 PMCID: PMC7911509 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13020159] [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: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid and genetic medicines are increasingly being developed, owing to their potential to treat a variety of intractable diseases. A comprehensive understanding of the in vivo fate of these agents is vital for the rational design, discovery, and fast and straightforward development of the drugs. In case of intravascular administration of nucleic acids and genetic medicines, interaction with blood components, especially plasma proteins, is unavoidable. However, on the flip side, such interaction can be utilized wisely to manipulate the pharmacokinetics of the agents. In other words, plasma protein binding can help in suppressing the elimination of nucleic acids from the blood stream and deliver naked oligonucleotides and gene carriers into target cells. To control the distribution of these agents in the body, the ligand conjugation method is widely applied. It is also important to understand intracellular localization. In this context, endocytosis pathway, endosomal escape, and nuclear transport should be considered and discussed. Encapsulated nucleic acids and genes must be dissociated from the carriers to exert their activity. In this review, we summarize the in vivo fate of nucleic acid and gene medicines and provide guidelines for the rational design of drugs.
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34
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Expanding the Scope of the Cleavable N-(methoxy)oxazolidine Linker for the Synthesis of Oligonucleotide Conjugates. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26020490. [PMID: 33477693 PMCID: PMC7838870 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26020490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Oligonucleotides modified by a 2′-deoxy-2′-(N-methoxyamino) ribonucleotide react readily with aldehydes in slightly acidic conditions to yield the corresponding N-(methoxy)oxazolidine-linked oligonucleotide-conjugates. The reaction is reversible and dynamic in slightly acidic conditions, while the products are virtually stable above pH 7, where the reaction is in a ‘‘switched off-state’’. Small molecular examinations have demonstrated that aldehyde constituents affect the cleavage rate of the N-(methoxy)oxazolidine-linkage. This can be utilized to adjust the stability of this pH-responsive cleavable linker for drug delivery applications. In the present study, Fmoc-β-Ala-H was immobilized to a serine-modified ChemMatrix resin and used for the automated assembly of two peptidealdehydes and one aldehyde-modified peptide nucleic acid (PNA). In addition, a triantennary N-acetyl-d-galactosamine-cluster with a β-Ala-H unit has been synthesized. These aldehydes were conjugated via N-(methoxy)oxazolidine-linkage to therapeutically relevant oligonucleotide phosphorothioates and one DNA-aptamer in 19–47% isolated yields. The cleavage rates of the conjugates were studied in slightly acidic conditions. In addition to the diverse set of conjugates synthesized, these experiments and a comparison to published data demonstrate that the simple conversion of Gly-H to β-Ala-H residue resulted in a faster cleavage of the N-(methoxy)oxazolidine-linker at pH 5, being comparable (T0.5 ca 7 h) to hydrazone-based structures.
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35
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Kubo T, Nishimura Y, Sato Y, Yanagihara K, Seyama T. Sixteen Different Types of Lipid-Conjugated siRNAs Containing Saturated and Unsaturated Fatty Acids and Exhibiting Enhanced RNAi Potency. ACS Chem Biol 2021; 16:150-164. [PMID: 33346648 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.0c00847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
SiRNAs are strong gene-silencing agents that function in a target sequence-specific manner. Although siRNAs might one day be used in therapy for intractable diseases such as cancers, a number of problems with siRNAs must first be overcome. In this study, we developed 16 different types of lipid-conjugated siRNAs (lipid-siRNAs) that could effectively inhibit the expression of target genes. We determined the hybridization properties, cellular uptake efficacies, and RNAi potencies of the resulting lipid-siRNAs. The lipid-siRNAs exhibited a mild interaction with Lipofectamine RNAiMAX (LFRNAi) as a transfection reagent, and a high membrane permeability was observed in all lipid-siRNAs-LFRNAi complexes; the conjugate siRNAs composed of 16-18 carbon chains as fatty acids showed an especially good cellular uptake efficacy. The in vitro RNAi effect of lipid-siRNAs targeted to a β-catenin gene exhibited a strong RNAi potency compared with those of unmodified siRNAs. In particular, the conjugate siRNAs composed of 16-18 carbon chains as fatty acids showed excellent RNAi potencies with prolonged effectivities. Interestingly, the RNAi potencies of conjugate siRNAs containing 18 carbon chains with a trans-form (elaidic acid and trans-vaccenic acid) were inferior to those of the carbon chains with a cis-form (oleic acid and cis-vaccenic acid). These lipid-siRNAs can solve the many problems hindering the clinical application of siRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Kazuyoshi Yanagihara
- Exploratory Oncology Research & Clinical Trial Center, National Cancer Center, Chiba 277-8577, Japan
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Varley AJ, Desaulniers JP. Chemical strategies for strand selection in short-interfering RNAs. RSC Adv 2021; 11:2415-2426. [PMID: 35424193 PMCID: PMC8693850 DOI: 10.1039/d0ra07747j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are double stranded RNAs capable of potent and specific gene silencing through activation of the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway. The potential of siRNA drugs has recently been highlighted by the approval of multiple siRNA therapeutics. These successes relied heavily on chemically modified nucleic acids and their impact on stability, delivery, potency, and off-target effects. Despite remarkable progress, clinical trials still face failure due to off-target effects such as off-target gene dysregulation. Each siRNA strand can downregulate numerous gene targets while also contributing towards saturation of the RNAi machinery, leading to the upregulation of miRNA-repressed genes. Eliminating sense strand uptake effectively reduces off-target gene silencing and helps limit the disruption to endogenous regulatory mechanisms. Therefore, our understanding of strand selection has a direct impact on the success of future siRNA therapeutics. In this review, the approaches used to improve strand uptake are discussed and effective methods are summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Varley
- Faculty of Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology Oshawa Ontario L1G 0C5 Canada +1 905 721 3304 +1 905 721 8668 (ext. 3621)
| | - Jean-Paul Desaulniers
- Faculty of Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology Oshawa Ontario L1G 0C5 Canada +1 905 721 3304 +1 905 721 8668 (ext. 3621)
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Hawner M, Ducho C. Cellular Targeting of Oligonucleotides by Conjugation with Small Molecules. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25245963. [PMID: 33339365 PMCID: PMC7766908 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25245963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug candidates derived from oligonucleotides (ON) are receiving increased attention that is supported by the clinical approval of several ON drugs. Such therapeutic ON are designed to alter the expression levels of specific disease-related proteins, e.g., by displaying antigene, antisense, and RNA interference mechanisms. However, the high polarity of the polyanionic ON and their relatively rapid nuclease-mediated cleavage represent two major pharmacokinetic hurdles for their application in vivo. This has led to a range of non-natural modifications of ON structures that are routinely applied in the design of therapeutic ON. The polyanionic architecture of ON often hampers their penetration of target cells or tissues, and ON usually show no inherent specificity for certain cell types. These limitations can be overcome by conjugation of ON with molecular entities mediating cellular 'targeting', i.e., enhanced accumulation at and/or penetration of a specific cell type. In this context, the use of small molecules as targeting units appears particularly attractive and promising. This review provides an overview of advances in the emerging field of cellular targeting of ON via their conjugation with small-molecule targeting structures.
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Godeshala S, Miryala B, Dutta S, Christensen MD, Nandi P, Chiu PL, Rege K. A library of aminoglycoside-derived lipopolymer nanoparticles for delivery of small molecules and nucleic acids. J Mater Chem B 2020; 8:8558-8572. [PMID: 32830211 DOI: 10.1039/d0tb00924e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Simultaneous delivery of small molecules and nucleic acids using a single vehicle can lead to novel combination treatments and multifunctional carriers for a variety of diseases. In this study, we report a novel library of aminoglycoside-derived lipopolymers nanoparticles (LPNs) for the simultaneous delivery of different molecular cargoes including nucleic acids and small-molecules. The LPN library was screened for transgene expression efficacy following delivery of plasmid DNA, and lead LPNs that showed high transgene expression efficacies were characterized using hydrodynamic size, zeta potential, 1H NMR and FT-IR spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. LPNs demonstrated significantly higher efficacies for transgene expression than 25 kDa polyethyleneamine (PEI) and lipofectamine, including in presence of serum. Self-assembly of these cationic lipopolymers into nanoparticles also facilitated the delivery of small molecule drugs (e.g. doxorubicin) to cancer cells. LPNs were also employed for the simultaneous delivery of the small-molecule histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor AR-42 together with plasmid DNA to cancer cells as a combination treatment approach for enhancing transgene expression. Taken together, our results indicate that aminoglycoside-derived LPNs are attractive vehicles for simultaneous delivery of imaging agents or chemotherapeutic drugs together with nucleic acids for different applications in medicine and biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudhakar Godeshala
- Chemical Engineering, Arizona State University, 501 E. Tyler Mall, ECG 303, Tempe, AZ 85287-6106, USA.
| | - Bhavani Miryala
- Chemical Engineering, Arizona State University, 501 E. Tyler Mall, ECG 303, Tempe, AZ 85287-6106, USA.
| | - Subhadeep Dutta
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-6106, USA
| | - Matthew D Christensen
- Chemical Engineering, Arizona State University, 501 E. Tyler Mall, ECG 303, Tempe, AZ 85287-6106, USA.
| | - Purbasha Nandi
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-6106, USA
| | - Po-Lin Chiu
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-6106, USA
| | - Kaushal Rege
- Chemical Engineering, Arizona State University, 501 E. Tyler Mall, ECG 303, Tempe, AZ 85287-6106, USA.
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Biscans A, Caiazzi J, Davis S, McHugh N, Sousa J, Khvorova A. The chemical structure and phosphorothioate content of hydrophobically modified siRNAs impact extrahepatic distribution and efficacy. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:7665-7680. [PMID: 32672813 PMCID: PMC7430635 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) have revolutionized the treatment of liver diseases. However, robust siRNA delivery to other tissues represents a major technological need. Conjugating lipids (e.g. docosanoic acid, DCA) to siRNA supports extrahepatic delivery, but tissue accumulation and gene silencing efficacy are lower than that achieved in liver by clinical-stage compounds. The chemical structure of conjugated siRNA may significantly impact invivo efficacy, particularly in tissues with lower compound accumulation. Here, we report the first systematic evaluation of the impact of siRNA scaffold-i.e. structure, phosphorothioate (PS) content, linker composition-on DCA-conjugated siRNA delivery and efficacy in vivo. We found that structural asymmetry (e.g. 5- or 2-nt overhang) has no impact on accumulation, but is a principal factor for enhancing activity in extrahepatic tissues. Similarly, linker chemistry (cleavable versus stable) altered activity, but not accumulation. In contrast, increasing PS content enhanced accumulation of asymmetric compounds, but negatively impacted efficacy. Our findings suggest that siRNA tissue accumulation does not fully define efficacy, and that the impact of siRNA chemical structure on activity is driven by intracellular re-distribution and endosomal escape. Fine-tuning siRNA chemical structure for optimal extrahepatic efficacy is a critical next step for the progression of therapeutic RNAi applications beyond liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annabelle Biscans
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01604, USA
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01604, USA
| | - Jillian Caiazzi
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01604, USA
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01604, USA
| | - Sarah Davis
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01604, USA
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01604, USA
| | - Nicholas McHugh
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01604, USA
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01604, USA
| | - Jacquelyn Sousa
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01604, USA
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01604, USA
| | - Anastasia Khvorova
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01604, USA
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01604, USA
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Abstract
Oligonucleotides can be used to modulate gene expression via a range of processes including RNAi, target degradation by RNase H-mediated cleavage, splicing modulation, non-coding RNA inhibition, gene activation and programmed gene editing. As such, these molecules have potential therapeutic applications for myriad indications, with several oligonucleotide drugs recently gaining approval. However, despite recent technological advances, achieving efficient oligonucleotide delivery, particularly to extrahepatic tissues, remains a major translational limitation. Here, we provide an overview of oligonucleotide-based drug platforms, focusing on key approaches - including chemical modification, bioconjugation and the use of nanocarriers - which aim to address the delivery challenge.
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Le BT, Kosbar TR, Veedu RN. Novel Disulfide-Bridged Bioresponsive Antisense Oligonucleotide Induces Efficient Splice Modulation in Muscle Myotubes in Vitro. ACS OMEGA 2020; 5:18035-18039. [PMID: 32743177 PMCID: PMC7391367 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c01463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Splice-modulating antisense therapy has shown tremendous potential in therapeutic development in recent years with four FDA-approved antisense drugs since 2016. However, an efficient and nontoxic antisense oligonucleotide (AO) delivery system still remains as a major obstacle in nucleic acid therapeutics field. Vitamin-E (α-tocopherol) is an essential dietary requirement for human body. This fat-soluble compound is one of the most important antioxidants which involves in numerous biological pathways. In this study, for the first time, we explored the scope of using α-tocopherol-conjugated bioresponsive AOs to induce splice modulation in mouse muscle myotubes in vitro. Our results showed that the bioresponsive construct efficiently internalized into the cell nucleus and induced exon 23 skipping in mdx mouse myotubes. Based on our exciting new results, we firmly believe that our findings could potentially benefit toward establishing a delivery approach to advance the field of splice-modulating AO therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bao T. Le
- Centre
for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Perth, Western Australia 6150, Australia
- Perron
Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Ground/8 Verdun Street, Nedlands, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Tamer R. Kosbar
- Centre
for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Perth, Western Australia 6150, Australia
- Perron
Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Ground/8 Verdun Street, Nedlands, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Rakesh N. Veedu
- Centre
for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, Perth, Western Australia 6150, Australia
- Perron
Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Ground/8 Verdun Street, Nedlands, Perth, Western Australia 6009, Australia
- . Phone: +61 8 9360 2803
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Li X, Feng K, Li L, Yang L, Pan X, Yazd HS, Cui C, Li J, Moroz L, Sun Y, Wang B, Li X, Huang T, Tan W. Lipid-oligonucleotide conjugates for bioapplications. Natl Sci Rev 2020; 7:1933-1953. [PMID: 34691533 PMCID: PMC8290939 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwaa161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 12/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Lipid-oligonucleotide conjugates (LONs) are powerful molecular-engineering materials for various applications ranging from biosensors to biomedicine. Their unique amphiphilic structures enable the self-assembly and the conveyance of information with high fidelity. In particular, LONs present remarkable potential in measuring cellular mechanical forces and monitoring cell behaviors. LONs are also essential sensing tools for intracellular imaging and have been employed in developing cell-surface-anchored DNA nanostructures for biomimetic-engineering studies. When incorporating therapeutic oligonucleotides or small-molecule drugs, LONs hold promise for targeted therapy. Moreover, LONs mediate the controllable assembly and fusion of vesicles based on DNA-strand displacements, contributing to nanoreactor construction and macromolecule delivery. In this review, we will summarize the general synthesis strategies of LONs, provide some characterization analysis and emphasize recent advances in bioanalytical and biomedical applications. We will also consider the relevant challenges and suggest future directions for building better functional LONs in nanotechnology and materials-science applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowei Li
- Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7200, USA
| | - Kejun Feng
- Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7200, USA
| | - Long Li
- Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7200, USA
| | - Lu Yang
- Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7200, USA
| | - Xiaoshu Pan
- Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7200, USA
| | - Hoda Safari Yazd
- Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7200, USA
| | - Cheng Cui
- Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7200, USA
| | - Juan Li
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory for Chemo/Bio- Sensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, College of Biology, and Aptamer Engineering Center of Hunan Province, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Leonid Moroz
- Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7200, USA
| | - Yujia Sun
- Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7200, USA
| | - Bang Wang
- Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7200, USA
| | - Xiang Li
- Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7200, USA
| | - Tong Huang
- Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7200, USA
| | - Weihong Tan
- Center for Research at Bio/Nano Interface, Department of Chemistry and Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Health Cancer Center, UF Genetics Institute and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7200, USA
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Maguregui A, Abe H. Developments in siRNA Modification and Ligand Conjugated Delivery To Enhance RNA Interference Ability. Chembiochem 2020; 21:1808-1815. [PMID: 32181563 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202000009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
There is great potential for siRNA in the treatment of diseases through the reduction of damaging protein translation by RNA interference. However, the delivery and cell uptake of siRNA pose a serious problem in its therapeutic application. Methods to overcome this issue include chemical modification of the siRNA duplex to improve pharmacokinetics, stability and efficacy, and conjugation to small ligand molecules to enable membrane penetration, targetability and potency. In this review, the most common modifications of siRNA will be discussed, along with ligand conjugates that are believed to be the most promising in advancing the field of targeted siRNA delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ander Maguregui
- Bioorganic Chemistry Laboratory, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-0813, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Abe
- Bioorganic Chemistry Laboratory, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Chikusa-Ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-8602, Japan
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44
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Segal M, Biscans A, Gilles ME, Anastasiadou E, De Luca R, Lim J, Khvorova A, Slack FJ. Hydrophobically Modified let-7b miRNA Enhances Biodistribution to NSCLC and Downregulates HMGA2 In Vivo. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2020; 19:267-277. [PMID: 31855835 PMCID: PMC6926262 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2019.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have increasingly been shown to be involved in human cancer, and interest has grown about the potential use of miRNAs for cancer therapy. miRNA levels are known to be altered in cancer cells, including in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a subtype of lung cancer that is the most prevalent form of cancer worldwide and that lacks effective therapies. The let-7 miRNA is involved in the regulation of oncogene expression in cells and directly represses cancer growth in the lung. let-7 is therefore a potential molecular target for tumor therapy. However, applications of RNA interference for cancer research have been limited by a lack of simple and efficient methods to deliver oligonucleotides (ONs) to cancer cells. In this study, we have used in vitro and in vivo approaches to show that HCC827 cells internalize hydrophobically modified let-7b miRNAs (hmiRNAs) added directly to the culture medium without the need for lipid formulation. We identified functional let-7b hmiRNAs targeting the HMGA2 mRNA, one of the let-7 target genes upregulated in NSCLC, and show that direct uptake in HCC827 cells induced potent and specific gene silencing in vitro and in vivo. Thus, hmiRNAs constitute a novel class of ONs that enable functional studies of genes involved in cancer biology and are potentially therapeutic molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meirav Segal
- HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Annabelle Biscans
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Maud-Emmanuelle Gilles
- HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eleni Anastasiadou
- HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Roberto De Luca
- HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jihoon Lim
- HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anastasia Khvorova
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Frank J Slack
- HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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45
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Jiang Z, Thayumanavan S. Non-cationic Material Design for Nucleic Acid Delivery. ADVANCED THERAPEUTICS 2020; 3:1900206. [PMID: 34164572 PMCID: PMC8218910 DOI: 10.1002/adtp.201900206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Nucleic acid delivery provides effective options to control intracellular gene expression and protein production. Efficient delivery of nucleic acid typically requires delivery vehicles to facilitate the entry of nucleic acid into cells. Among non-viral delivery vehicles, cationic materials are favored because of their high loading capacity of nucleic acids and prominent cellular uptake efficiency through electrostatic interaction. However, cationic moieties at high dosage tend to induce severe cytotoxicity due to the interference on cell membrane integrity. In contrast, non-cationic materials present alternative delivery approaches with less safety concerns than cationic materials. In this Progress Report, principles of non-cationic material design for nucleic acid delivery are discussed. Examples of such non-cationic platforms are highlighted, including complexation or conjugation with nucleic acids and self-assembled nucleic acid structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziwen Jiang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - S Thayumanavan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
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Oliveira ACN, Fernandes J, Gonçalves A, Gomes AC, Oliveira MECDR. Lipid-based Nanocarriers for siRNA Delivery: Challenges, Strategies and the Lessons Learned from the DODAX: MO Liposomal System. Curr Drug Targets 2020; 20:29-50. [PMID: 29968536 DOI: 10.2174/1389450119666180703145410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2018] [Revised: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The possibility of using the RNA interference (RNAi) mechanisms in gene therapy was one of the scientific breakthroughs of the last century. Despite the extraordinary therapeutic potential of this approach, the need for an efficient gene carrier is hampering the translation of the RNAi technology to the clinical setting. Although a diversity of nanocarriers has been described, liposomes continue to be one of the most attractive siRNA vehicles due to their relatively low toxicity, facilitated siRNA complexation, high transfection efficiency and enhanced pharmacokinetic properties. This review focuses on RNAi as a therapeutic approach, the challenges to its application, namely the nucleic acids' delivery process, and current strategies to improve therapeutic efficacy. Additionally, lipid-based nanocarriers are described, and lessons learned from the relation between biophysical properties and biological performance of the dioctadecyldimethylammonium:monoolein (DODAX: MO) system are explored. Liposomes show great potential as siRNA delivery systems, being safe nanocarriers to protect nucleic acids in circulation, extend their half-life time, target specific cells and reduce off-target effects. Nevertheless, several issues related to delivery must be overcome before RNAi therapies reach their full potential, namely target-cell specificity and endosomal escape. Understanding the relationship between biophysical properties and biological performance is an essential step in the gene therapy field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana C N Oliveira
- CBMA (Center of Molecular and Environmental Biology), Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.,CFUM (Center of Physics), Department of Physics, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Joana Fernandes
- CBMA (Center of Molecular and Environmental Biology), Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Anabela Gonçalves
- CBMA (Center of Molecular and Environmental Biology), Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Andreia C Gomes
- CBMA (Center of Molecular and Environmental Biology), Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - M E C D Real Oliveira
- CFUM (Center of Physics), Department of Physics, University of Minho, Campus of Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
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Chernikov IV, Karelina UA, Meschaninova MI, Ven’yaminova AG, Zenkova MA, Vlassov VV, Chernolovskaya EL. Investigation of the Internalization of Fluorescently Labeled Lipophilic siRNA into Cultured Tumor Cells. RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY 2020. [DOI: 10.1134/s1068162019060128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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48
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Hamdi M, Abdel-Bar HM, Elmowafy E, Al-Jamal KT, Awad GAS. An integrated vitamin E-coated polymer hybrid nanoplatform: A lucrative option for an enhanced in vitro macrophage retention for an anti-hepatitis B therapeutic prospect. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0227231. [PMID: 31923260 PMCID: PMC6953793 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
A platform capable of specifically delivering an antiviral drug to the liver infected with hepatitis B is a major concern in hepatology. Vaccination has had a major effect on decreasing the emerging numbers of new cases of infection. However, the total elimination of the hepatitis B virus from the body requires prolonged therapy. In this work, we aimed to target the liver macrophages with lipid polymer hybrid nanoparticles (LPH), combining the merit of polymeric nanoparticles and lipid vesicles. The hydrophilic antiviral drug, entecavir (E), loaded LPH nanoparticles were optimized and physicochemically characterized. A modulated lipidic corona, as well as, an additional coat with vitamin E were used to extend the drug release enhance the macrophage uptake. The selected vitamin E coated LPH nanoparticles enriched with lecithin-glyceryl monostearate lipid shell exhibited high entrapment for E (80.47%), a size ≤ 200 nm for liver passive targeting, extended release over one week, proven serum stability, retained stability after refrigeration storage for 6 months. Upon macrophage uptake in vitro assessment, the presented formulation displayed promising traits, enhancing the cellular retention in J774 macrophages cells. In vivo and antiviral activity futuristic studies would help in the potential application of the ELPH in hepatitis B control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Hamdi
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Egypt
| | - Hend Mohamed Abdel-Bar
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sadat City, Sadat City, Egypt
- * E-mail:
| | - Enas Elmowafy
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Sadat City, Egypt
| | - Khuloud T. Al-Jamal
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King’s College London, England, United Kingdom
| | - Gehanne A. S. Awad
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Sadat City, Egypt
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Lennox KA, Behlke MA. Chemical Modifications in RNA Interference and CRISPR/Cas Genome Editing Reagents. Methods Mol Biol 2020; 2115:23-55. [PMID: 32006393 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0290-4_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Chemically modified oligonucleotides (ONs) are routinely used in the laboratory to assess gene function, and clinical advances are rapidly progressing as continual efforts are being made to optimize ON efficacy. Over the years, RNA interference (RNAi) has become one of the main tools used to inhibit RNA expression across a wide variety of species. Efforts have been made to improve the exogenous delivery of the double-stranded RNA components to the endogenous intracellular RNAi machinery to direct efficacious degradation of a user-defined RNA target. More recently, synthetic RNA ONs are being used to mimic the bacterial-derived CRISPR/Cas system to direct specific editing of the mammalian genome. Both of these techniques rely on the use of various chemical modifications to the RNA phosphate backbone or sugar in specific positions throughout the ONs to improve the desired biological outcome. Relevant chemical modifications also include conjugated targeting ligands to assist ON delivery to specific cell types. Chemical modifications are most beneficial for therapeutically relevant ONs, as they serve to enhance target binding, increase drug longevity, facilitate cell-specific targeting, improve internalization into productive intracellular compartments, and mitigate both sequence-specific as well as immune-related off-target effects (OTEs). The knowledge gained from years of optimizing RNAi reagents and characterizing the biochemical and biophysical properties of each chemical modification will hopefully accelerate the CRISPR/Cas technology into the clinic, as well as further expand the use of RNAi to treat currently undruggable diseases. This review discusses the most commonly employed chemical modifications in RNAi reagents and CRISPR/Cas guide RNAs and provides an overview of select publications that have demonstrated success in improving ON efficacy and/or mitigating undesired OTEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim A Lennox
- Integrated DNA Technologies, Inc., Coralville, IA, USA.
| | - Mark A Behlke
- Integrated DNA Technologies, Inc., Coralville, IA, USA
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Zheng Y, Tai W. Insight into the siRNA transmembrane delivery—From cholesterol conjugating to tagging. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-NANOMEDICINE AND NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY 2019; 12:e1606. [DOI: 10.1002/wnan.1606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University Wuhan China
| | - Wanyi Tai
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University Wuhan China
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