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Avila YI, Rebolledo LP, Skelly E, de Freitas Saito R, Wei H, Lilley D, Stanley RE, Hou YM, Yang H, Sztuba-Solinska J, Chen SJ, Dokholyan NV, Tan C, Li SK, He X, Zhang X, Miles W, Franco E, Binzel DW, Guo P, Afonin KA. Cracking the Code: Enhancing Molecular Tools for Progress in Nanobiotechnology. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2024; 7:3587-3604. [PMID: 38833534 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.4c00432] [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] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Nature continually refines its processes for optimal efficiency, especially within biological systems. This article explores the collaborative efforts of researchers worldwide, aiming to mimic nature's efficiency by developing smarter and more effective nanoscale technologies and biomaterials. Recent advancements highlight progress and prospects in leveraging engineered nucleic acids and proteins for specific tasks, drawing inspiration from natural functions. The focus is developing improved methods for characterizing, understanding, and reprogramming these materials to perform user-defined functions, including personalized therapeutics, targeted drug delivery approaches, engineered scaffolds, and reconfigurable nanodevices. Contributions from academia, government agencies, biotech, and medical settings offer diverse perspectives, promising a comprehensive approach to broad nanobiotechnology objectives. Encompassing topics from mRNA vaccine design to programmable protein-based nanocomputing agents, this work provides insightful perspectives on the trajectory of nanobiotechnology toward a future of enhanced biomimicry and technological innovation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yelixza I Avila
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina 28223, United States
| | - Laura P Rebolledo
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina 28223, United States
| | - Elizabeth Skelly
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina 28223, United States
| | - Renata de Freitas Saito
- Comprehensive Center for Precision Oncology, Centro de Investigação Translacional em Oncologia (LIM24), Departamento de Radiologia e Oncologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo and Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo 01246-903, Brazil
| | - Hui Wei
- College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, P. R. China
| | - David Lilley
- School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - Robin E Stanley
- Signal Transduction Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Ya-Ming Hou
- Thomas Jefferson University, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 233 South 10th Street, BLSB 220 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107, United States
| | - Haoyun Yang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Joanna Sztuba-Solinska
- Vaccine Research and Development, Early Bioprocess Development, Pfizer Inc., 401 N Middletown Road, Pearl River, New York 10965, United States
| | - Shi-Jie Chen
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Data Sciences and Informatics, University of Missouri at Columbia, Columbia, Missouri 65211, United States
| | - Nikolay V Dokholyan
- Departments of Pharmacology and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Penn State College of Medicine; Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033, United States
- Departments of Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Cheemeng Tan
- University of California, Davis, California 95616, United States
| | - S Kevin Li
- Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, James L Winkle College of Pharmacy, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267, United States
| | - Xiaoming He
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States
| | - Xiaoting Zhang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Breast Cancer Research Program, and University of Cincinnati Cancer Center, Vontz Center for Molecular Studies, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267, United States
| | - Wayne Miles
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Elisa Franco
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90024, United States
| | - Daniel W Binzel
- Center for RNA Nanobiotechnology and Nanomedicine; College of Pharmacy, James Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Peixuan Guo
- Center for RNA Nanobiotechnology and Nanomedicine; College of Pharmacy, James Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
- Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Kirill A Afonin
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina 28223, United States
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Mills EL, Avila YI, Beasock D, Radwan Y, Suptela SR, Marriott I, Afonin KA, Johnson MB. Immunostimulatory nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs) augment protective osteoblast and osteoclast type I interferon responses to Staphylococcus aureus. NANOMEDICINE : NANOTECHNOLOGY, BIOLOGY, AND MEDICINE 2024; 60:102762. [PMID: 38866196 DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2024.102762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Recalcitrant staphylococcal osteomyelitis may be due, in part, to the ability of Staphylococcus aureus to invade bone cells. However, osteoclasts and osteoblasts are now recognized to shape host responses to bacterial infection and we have recently described their ability to produce IFN-β following S. aureus infection and limit intracellular bacterial survival/propagation. Here, we have investigated the ability of novel, rationally designed, nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs) to induce the production of immune mediators, including IFN-β, following introduction into bone cells. We demonstrate the successful delivery of representative NANPs into osteoblasts and osteoclasts via endosomal trafficking when complexed with lipid-based carriers. Their delivery was found to differentially induce immune responses according to their composition and architecture via discrete cytosolic pattern recognition receptors. Finally, the utility of this nanoparticle technology was supported by the demonstration that immunostimulatory NANPs augment IFN-β production by S. aureus infected bone cells and reduce intracellular bacterial burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin L Mills
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA, 28223.
| | - Yelixza I Avila
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA, 28223.
| | - Damian Beasock
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA, 28223
| | - Yasmine Radwan
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA, 28223.
| | - Samantha R Suptela
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA, 28223.
| | - Ian Marriott
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA, 28223.
| | - Kirill A Afonin
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA, 28223.
| | - M Brittany Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA, 28223.
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3
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Alsved J, Rezayati Charan M, Ohlsson P, Urbansky A, Augustsson P. Label-free separation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from whole blood by gradient acoustic focusing. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8748. [PMID: 38627566 PMCID: PMC11021555 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59156-7] [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: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Efficient techniques for separating target cells from undiluted blood are necessary for various diagnostic and research applications. This paper presents acoustic focusing in dense media containing iodixanol to purify peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from whole blood in a label-free and flow-through format. If the blood is laminated or mixed with iodixanol solutions while passing through the resonant microchannel, all the components (fluids and cells) rearrange according to their acoustic impedances. Red blood cells (RBCs) have higher effective acoustic impedance than PBMCs. Therefore, they relocate to the pressure node despite the dense medium, while PBMCs stay near the channel walls due to their negative contrast factor relative to their surrounding medium. By modifying the medium and thus tuning the contrast factor of the cells, we enriched PBMCs relative to RBCs by a factor of 3600 to 11,000 and with a separation efficiency of 85%. That level of RBC depletion is higher than most other microfluidic methods and similar to that of density gradient centrifugation. The current acoustophoretic chip runs up to 20 µl/min undiluted whole blood and can be integrated with downstream analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Alsved
- AcouSort AB, Medicon Village, S-223 81, Lund, Sweden
| | - Mahdi Rezayati Charan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Ole Römers väg 3, 22363, Lund, Sweden
| | - Pelle Ohlsson
- AcouSort AB, Medicon Village, S-223 81, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Ole Römers väg 3, 22363, Lund, Sweden
| | - Anke Urbansky
- AcouSort AB, Medicon Village, S-223 81, Lund, Sweden
| | - Per Augustsson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Ole Römers väg 3, 22363, Lund, Sweden.
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Bakos T, Mészáros T, Kozma GT, Berényi P, Facskó R, Farkas H, Dézsi L, Heirman C, de Koker S, Schiffelers R, Glatter KA, Radovits T, Szénási G, Szebeni J. mRNA-LNP COVID-19 Vaccine Lipids Induce Complement Activation and Production of Proinflammatory Cytokines: Mechanisms, Effects of Complement Inhibitors, and Relevance to Adverse Reactions. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3595. [PMID: 38612407 PMCID: PMC11012056 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073595] [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: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
A small fraction of people vaccinated with mRNA-lipid nanoparticle (mRNA-LNP)-based COVID-19 vaccines display acute or subacute inflammatory symptoms whose mechanism has not been clarified to date. To better understand the molecular mechanism of these adverse events (AEs), here, we analyzed in vitro the vaccine-induced induction and interrelations of the following two major inflammatory processes: complement (C) activation and release of proinflammatory cytokines. Incubation of Pfizer-BioNTech's Comirnaty and Moderna's Spikevax with 75% human serum led to significant increases in C5a, sC5b-9, and Bb but not C4d, indicating C activation mainly via the alternative pathway. Control PEGylated liposomes (Doxebo) also induced C activation, but, on a weight basis, it was ~5 times less effective than that of Comirnaty. Viral or synthetic naked mRNAs had no C-activating effects. In peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cultures supplemented with 20% autologous serum, besides C activation, Comirnaty induced the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines in the following order: IL-1α < IFN-γ < IL-1β < TNF-α < IL-6 < IL-8. Heat-inactivation of C in serum prevented a rise in IL-1α, IL-1β, and TNF-α, suggesting C-dependence of these cytokines' induction, although the C5 blocker Soliris and C1 inhibitor Berinert, which effectively inhibited C activation in both systems, did not suppress the release of any cytokines. These findings suggest that the inflammatory AEs of mRNA-LNP vaccines are due, at least in part, to stimulation of both arms of the innate immune system, whereupon C activation may be causally involved in the induction of some, but not all, inflammatory cytokines. Thus, the pharmacological attenuation of inflammatory AEs may not be achieved via monotherapy with the tested C inhibitors; efficacy may require combination therapy with different C inhibitors and/or other anti-inflammatory agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamás Bakos
- Nanomedicine Research and Education Center, Department of Translational Medicine, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary; (T.B.); (T.M.); (G.T.K.); (P.B.); (R.F.); (L.D.); (G.S.)
| | - Tamás Mészáros
- Nanomedicine Research and Education Center, Department of Translational Medicine, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary; (T.B.); (T.M.); (G.T.K.); (P.B.); (R.F.); (L.D.); (G.S.)
- SeroScience LCC., 1089 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Cardiology, Heart and Vascular Center, Semmelweis University, 1122 Budapest, Hungary;
- Department of Surgical Research and Techniques, Heart and Vascular Center, Semmelweis University, 1089 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gergely Tibor Kozma
- Nanomedicine Research and Education Center, Department of Translational Medicine, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary; (T.B.); (T.M.); (G.T.K.); (P.B.); (R.F.); (L.D.); (G.S.)
- SeroScience LCC., 1089 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Petra Berényi
- Nanomedicine Research and Education Center, Department of Translational Medicine, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary; (T.B.); (T.M.); (G.T.K.); (P.B.); (R.F.); (L.D.); (G.S.)
- SeroScience LCC., 1089 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Réka Facskó
- Nanomedicine Research and Education Center, Department of Translational Medicine, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary; (T.B.); (T.M.); (G.T.K.); (P.B.); (R.F.); (L.D.); (G.S.)
- SeroScience LCC., 1089 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Cardiology, Heart and Vascular Center, Semmelweis University, 1122 Budapest, Hungary;
- Department of Surgical Research and Techniques, Heart and Vascular Center, Semmelweis University, 1089 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Henriette Farkas
- Hungarian Center of Reference and Excellence, Department of Internal Medicine and Hematology, Semmelweis University, 1088 Budapest, Hungary;
| | - László Dézsi
- Nanomedicine Research and Education Center, Department of Translational Medicine, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary; (T.B.); (T.M.); (G.T.K.); (P.B.); (R.F.); (L.D.); (G.S.)
| | - Carlo Heirman
- Etherna Biopharmaceuticals, 2845 Niel, Belgium; (C.H.); (S.d.K.)
| | - Stefaan de Koker
- Etherna Biopharmaceuticals, 2845 Niel, Belgium; (C.H.); (S.d.K.)
| | - Raymond Schiffelers
- Division of Laboratories and Pharmacy, University Medical Center, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands;
| | | | - Tamás Radovits
- Department of Cardiology, Heart and Vascular Center, Semmelweis University, 1122 Budapest, Hungary;
- Department of Surgical Research and Techniques, Heart and Vascular Center, Semmelweis University, 1089 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gábor Szénási
- Nanomedicine Research and Education Center, Department of Translational Medicine, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary; (T.B.); (T.M.); (G.T.K.); (P.B.); (R.F.); (L.D.); (G.S.)
| | - János Szebeni
- Nanomedicine Research and Education Center, Department of Translational Medicine, Semmelweis University, 1085 Budapest, Hungary; (T.B.); (T.M.); (G.T.K.); (P.B.); (R.F.); (L.D.); (G.S.)
- SeroScience LCC., 1089 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Nanobiotechnology and Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Miskolc University, 3530 Miskolc, Hungary
- Translational Nanobioscience Research Center, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 06351, Republic of Korea
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Rebolledo LP, Ke W, Cedrone E, Wang J, Majithia K, Johnson MB, Dokholyan NV, Dobrovolskaia MA, Afonin KA. Immunostimulation of Fibrous Nucleic Acid Nanoparticles Can be Modulated through Aptamer-Based Functional Moieties: Unveiling the Structure-Activity Relationship and Mechanistic Insights. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:8430-8441. [PMID: 38344840 PMCID: PMC10895590 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c17779] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Fibrous nanomaterials containing silica, titanium oxide, and carbon nanotubes are notoriously known for their undesirable inflammatory responses and associated toxicities that have been extensively studied in the environmental and occupational toxicology fields. Biopersistance and inflammation of "hard" nanofibers prevent their broader biomedical applications. To utilize the structural benefits of fibrous nanomaterials for functionalization with moieties of therapeutic significance while preventing undesirable immune responses, researchers employ natural biopolymers─RNA and DNA─to design "soft" and biodegradable nanomaterials with controlled immunorecognition. Nucleic acid nanofibers have been shown to be safe and efficacious in applications that do not require their delivery into the cells such as the regulation of blood coagulation. Previous studies demonstrated that unlike traditional therapeutic nucleic acids (e.g., CpG DNA oligonucleotides) nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs), when used without a carrier, are not internalized by the immune cells and, as such, do not induce undesirable cytokine responses. In contrast, intracellular delivery of NANPs results in cytokine responses that are dependent on the physicochemical properties of these nanomaterials. However, the structure-activity relationship of innate immune responses to intracellularly delivered fibrous NANPs is poorly understood. Herein, we employ the intracellular delivery of model RNA/DNA nanofibers functionalized with G-quadruplex-based DNA aptamers to investigate how their structural properties influence cytokine responses. We demonstrate that nanofibers' scaffolds delivered to the immune cells using lipofectamine induce interferon response via the cGAS-STING signaling pathway activation and that DNA aptamers incorporation shields the fibers from recognition by cGAS and results in a lower interferon response. This structure-activity relationship study expands the current knowledge base to inform future practical applications of intracellularly delivered NANPs as vaccine adjuvants and immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura P Rebolledo
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina 28223, United States
| | - Weina Ke
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina 28223, United States
| | - Edward Cedrone
- Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research Sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21701, United States
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033, United States
| | - Krishna Majithia
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina 28223, United States
| | - M Brittany Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina 28223, United States
| | - Nikolay V Dokholyan
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033, United States
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033, United States
| | - Marina A Dobrovolskaia
- Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research Sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21701, United States
| | - Kirill A Afonin
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina 28223, United States
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6
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Danai L, Ge E, Afonin KA. RNA nanoparticles for targeted therapies of triple-negative breast cancers. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2023; 33:885-886. [PMID: 37680990 PMCID: PMC10481346 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2023.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Leyla Danai
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | - Eva Ge
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | - Kirill A. Afonin
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
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7
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Afonin KA, Re F, Boraschi D. Editorial: Delivering nucleic acids to immune and non-immune cells. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1237506. [PMID: 37614239 PMCID: PMC10443216 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1237506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kirill A. Afonin
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, United States
| | - Francesca Re
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - Diana Boraschi
- Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT) of the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS), and China-Italy Joint Laboratory of Pharmacobiotechnology for Medical Immunomodulation, Shenzhen, China
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Napoli, Italy
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Napoli, Italy
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Li M, Song J, Yin P, Chen H, Wang Y, Xu C, Jiang F, Wang H, Han B, Du X, Wang W, Li G, Zhong D. Single-cell analysis reveals novel clonally expanded monocytes associated with IL1β-IL1R2 pair in acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. Sci Rep 2023; 13:5862. [PMID: 37041166 PMCID: PMC10088807 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32427-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an autoimmune disorder wherein the composition and gene expression patterns of peripheral blood immune cells change significantly. It is triggered by antigens with similar epitopes to Schwann cells that stimulate a maladaptive immune response against peripheral nerves. However, an atlas for peripheral blood immune cells in patients with GBS has not yet been constructed. This is a monocentric, prospective study. We collected 5 acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP) patients and 3 healthy controls hospitalized in the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from December 2020 to May 2021, 3 AIDP patients were in the peak stage and 2 were in the convalescent stage. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from these patients. Furthermore, we performed cell clustering, cell annotation, cell-cell communication, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identification and pseudotime trajectory analysis. Our study identified a novel clonally expanded CD14+ CD163+ monocyte subtype in the peripheral blood of patients with AIDP, and it was enriched in cellular response to IL1 and chemokine signaling pathways. Furthermore, we observed increased IL1β-IL1R2 cell-cell communication between CD14+ and CD16+ monocytes. In short, by analyzing the single-cell landscape of the PBMCs in patients with AIDP we hope to widen our understanding of the composition of peripheral immune cells in patients with GBS and provide a theoretical basis for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Li
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Jihe Song
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Pengqi Yin
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Hongping Chen
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yingju Wang
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Chen Xu
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Fangchao Jiang
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Haining Wang
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Baichao Han
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Xinshu Du
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Guozhong Li
- Department of Neurology, Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China.
| | - Di Zhong
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150081, Heilongjiang, China.
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9
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Ding F, Zhang S, Chen Q, Feng H, Ge Z, Zuo X, Fan C, Li Q, Xia Q. Immunomodulation with Nucleic Acid Nanodevices. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2206228. [PMID: 36599642 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202206228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The precise regulation of interactions of specific immunological components is crucial for controllable immunomodulation, yet it remains a great challenge. With the assistance of advanced computer design, programmable nucleic acid nanotechnology enables the customization of synthetic nucleic acid nanodevices with unprecedented geometrical and functional precision, which have shown promising potential for precise immunoengineering. Notably, the inherently immunologic functions of nucleic acids endow these nucleic acid-based assemblies with innate advantages in immunomodulatory engagement. In this review, the roles of nucleic acids in innate immunity are discussed, focusing on the definition, immunologic modularity, and enhanced bioavailability of structural nucleic acid nanodevices. In light of this, molecular programming and precise organization of functional modules with nucleic acid nanodevices for immunomodulation are emphatically reviewed. At last, the present challenges and future perspectives of nucleic acid nanodevices for immunomodulation are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Ding
- Shanghai Institute of Transplantation, Department of Liver Surgery, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, P. R. China
| | - Shuangye Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules and National Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, P. R. China
| | - Qian Chen
- Shanghai Institute of Transplantation, Department of Liver Surgery, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, P. R. China
| | - Hao Feng
- Shanghai Institute of Transplantation, Department of Liver Surgery, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, P. R. China
| | - Zhilei Ge
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules and National Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, P. R. China
| | - Xiaolei Zuo
- Shanghai Institute of Transplantation, Department of Liver Surgery, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, P. R. China
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules and National Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, P. R. China
| | - Chunhai Fan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules and National Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, P. R. China
| | - Qian Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules and National Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, P. R. China
- WLA Laboratories, World Laureates Association, Shanghai, 201203, P. R. China
| | - Qiang Xia
- Shanghai Institute of Transplantation, Department of Liver Surgery, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, P. R. China
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10
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Radwan Y, Rebolledo LP, Panigaj M, Afonin KA. Dynamic Nanostructures for Conditional Activation and Deactivation of Biological Pathways. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2709:309-318. [PMID: 37572291 PMCID: PMC10482318 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3417-2_22] [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] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
Nucleic acid nanotechnology utilizes natural and synthetic structural motifs to build versatile nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs). These rationally designed assemblies can be further equipped with functional nucleic acids and other molecules such as peptides, fluorescent dyes, etc. In addition to nucleic acids that directly interact with the regulated target gene transcripts, NANPs can display decoys, wherein the oligonucleotide stretches with transcription factor binding sequences, preventing transcription initiation. The nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) is a group of five crucial transcription factors regulating the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases and cancer; as such, they are relevant targets for therapy. One therapeutic approach involves interdependent self-recognizing hybridized DNA/RNA fibers designed to bind NF-κB and prevent its interaction with the promotor region of NF-κB-dependent genes involved in inflammatory responses. Decoying NF-κB results in the inability to initiate transcription of regulated genes, showing a promising approach to gene regulation and gene therapy. The protocol described herein provides detailed steps for the synthesis of NF-κB decoy fibers, as well as their characterization using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (to confirm desired physicochemical properties and purity) and functional bioassays (to confirm desired biological activity).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmine Radwan
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Laura P Rebolledo
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Martin Panigaj
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Kirill A Afonin
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC, USA.
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11
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Panigaj M, Skelly E, Beasock D, Marriott I, Johnson MB, Salotti J, Afonin KA. Therapeutic immunomodulation by rationally designed nucleic acids and nucleic acid nanoparticles. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1053550. [PMID: 36798121 PMCID: PMC9927404 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1053550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The immune system has evolved to defend organisms against exogenous threats such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites by distinguishing between "self" and "non-self". In addition, it guards us against other diseases, such as cancer, by detecting and responding to transformed and senescent cells. However, for survival and propagation, the altered cells and invading pathogens often employ a wide range of mechanisms to avoid, inhibit, or manipulate the immunorecognition. As such, the development of new modes of therapeutic intervention to augment protective and prevent harmful immune responses is desirable. Nucleic acids are biopolymers essential for all forms of life and, therefore, delineating the complex defensive mechanisms developed against non-self nucleic acids can offer an exciting avenue for future biomedicine. Nucleic acid technologies have already established numerous approaches in therapy and biotechnology; recently, rationally designed nucleic acids nanoparticles (NANPs) with regulated physiochemical properties and biological activities has expanded our repertoire of therapeutic options. When compared to conventional therapeutic nucleic acids (TNAs), NANP technologies can be rendered more beneficial for synchronized delivery of multiple TNAs with defined stabilities, immunological profiles, and therapeutic functions. This review highlights several recent advances and possible future directions of TNA and NANP technologies that are under development for controlled immunomodulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Panigaj
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, United States.,Institute of Biology & Ecology, Faculty of Science, Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Elizabeth Skelly
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, United States
| | - Damian Beasock
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, United States
| | - Ian Marriott
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, United States
| | - M Brittany Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, United States
| | - Jacqueline Salotti
- Mouse Cancer Genetics Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Kirill A Afonin
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, United States
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12
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Lushnikov AJ, Avila YI, Afonin KA, Krasnoslobodtsev AV. Characterization of RNA Nanoparticles and Their Dynamic Properties Using Atomic Force Microscopy. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2709:191-202. [PMID: 37572281 PMCID: PMC10483931 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3417-2_12] [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] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
The protocol described in this chapter allows for acquiring topography images of RNA-based nanoring structures and assessing their dynamic properties using atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging. AFM is an indispensable tool for characterization of nucleic acid-based nanostructures with the exceptional capability of observing complexes in the range of a few nanometers. This method can visualize structural characteristics and evaluate differences between individual structurally different RNA nanorings. Due to the highly resolved AFM topography images, we introduce an approach that allows to distinguish the differences in the dynamic behavior of RNA nanoparticles not amenable to other experimental techniques. This protocol describes in detail the preparation procedures of RNA nanostructures, AFM imaging, and data analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander J Lushnikov
- Nanoimaging Core Facility at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Yelixza I Avila
- Department of Chemistry, Nanoscale Science Program, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Kirill A Afonin
- Department of Chemistry, Nanoscale Science Program, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC, USA
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13
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Klotz K, Radwan Y, Chakrabarti K. Dissecting Functional Biological Interactions Using Modular RNA Nanoparticles. Molecules 2022; 28:molecules28010228. [PMID: 36615420 PMCID: PMC9821959 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28010228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs) are an exciting and innovative technology in the context of both basic and biomedical research. Made of DNA, RNA, or their chemical analogs, NANPs are programmed for carrying out specific functions within human cells. NANPs are at the forefront of preventing, detecting, and treating disease. Their nucleic acid composition lends them biocompatibility that provides their cargo with enhanced opportunity for coordinated delivery. Of course, the NANP system of targeting specific cells and tissues is not without its disadvantages. Accumulation of NANPs outside of the target tissue and the potential for off-target effects of NANP-mediated cargo delivery present challenges to research and medical professionals and these challenges must be effectively addressed to provide safe treatment to patients. Importantly, development of NANPs with regulated biological activities and immunorecognition becomes a promising route for developing versatile nucleic acid therapeutics. In a basic research context, NANPs can assist investigators in fine-tuning the structure-function relationship of final formulations and in this review, we explore the practical applications of NANPs in laboratory and clinical settings and discuss how we can use established nucleic acid research techniques to design effective NANPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlin Klotz
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | - Yasmine Radwan
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | - Kausik Chakrabarti
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
- Correspondence:
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14
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Du RR, Cedrone E, Romanov A, Falkovich R, Dobrovolskaia MA, Bathe M. Innate Immune Stimulation Using 3D Wireframe DNA Origami. ACS NANO 2022; 16:20340-20352. [PMID: 36459697 PMCID: PMC10144931 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c06275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Three-dimensional wireframe DNA origami have programmable structural and sequence features that render them potentially suitable for prophylactic and therapeutic applications. However, their innate immunological properties, which stem from parameters including geometric shape and cytosine-phosphate-guanine dinucleotide (CpG) content, remain largely unknown. Here, we investigate the immunostimulatory properties of 3D wireframe DNA origami on the TLR9 pathway using both reporter cell lines and primary immune cells. Our results suggest that bare 3D polyhedral wireframe DNA origami induce minimal TLR9 activation despite the presence of numerous internal CpG dinucleotides. However, when displaying multivalent CpG-containing ssDNA oligos, wireframe DNA origami induce robust TLR9 pathway activation, along with enhancement of downstream immune response as evidenced by increases in Type I and Type III interferon (IFN) production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Further, we find that CpG copy number and spatial organization each contribute to the magnitude of TLR9 signaling and that NANP-attached CpGs do not require phosphorothioate stabilization to elicit signaling. These results suggest key design parameters for wireframe DNA origami that can be programmed to modulate immune pathway activation controllably for prophylactic and therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca R. Du
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Edward Cedrone
- Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Anna Romanov
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Reuven Falkovich
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Marina A. Dobrovolskaia
- Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Mark Bathe
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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15
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Biomotors, viral assembly, and RNA nanobiotechnology: Current achievements and future directions. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:6120-6137. [PMID: 36420155 PMCID: PMC9672130 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The International Society of RNA Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine (ISRNN) serves to further the development of a wide variety of functional nucleic acids and other related nanotechnology platforms. To aid in the dissemination of the most recent advancements, a biennial discussion focused on biomotors, viral assembly, and RNA nanobiotechnology has been established where international experts in interdisciplinary fields such as structural biology, biophysical chemistry, nanotechnology, cell and cancer biology, and pharmacology share their latest accomplishments and future perspectives. The results summarized here highlight advancements in our understanding of viral biology and the structure-function relationship of frame-shifting elements in genomic viral RNA, improvements in the predictions of SHAPE analysis of 3D RNA structures, and the understanding of dynamic RNA structures through a variety of experimental and computational means. Additionally, recent advances in the drug delivery, vaccine design, nanopore technologies, biomotor and biomachine development, DNA packaging, RNA nanotechnology, and drug delivery are included in this critical review. We emphasize some of the novel accomplishments, major discussion topics, and present current challenges and perspectives of these emerging fields.
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16
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Chandler M, Jain S, Halman J, Hong E, Dobrovolskaia MA, Zakharov AV, Afonin KA. Artificial Immune Cell, AI-cell, a New Tool to Predict Interferon Production by Peripheral Blood Monocytes in Response to Nucleic Acid Nanoparticles. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2204941. [PMID: 36216772 PMCID: PMC9671856 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202204941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Nucleic acid nanoparticles, or NANPs, rationally designed to communicate with the human immune system, can offer innovative therapeutic strategies to overcome the limitations of traditional nucleic acid therapies. Each set of NANPs is unique in their architectural parameters and physicochemical properties, which together with the type of delivery vehicles determine the kind and the magnitude of their immune response. Currently, there are no predictive tools that would reliably guide the design of NANPs to the desired immunological outcome, a step crucial for the success of personalized therapies. Through a systematic approach investigating physicochemical and immunological profiles of a comprehensive panel of various NANPs, the research team developes and experimentally validates a computational model based on the transformer architecture able to predict the immune activities of NANPs. It is anticipated that the freely accessible computational tool that is called an "artificial immune cell," or AI-cell, will aid in addressing the current critical public health challenges related to safety criteria of nucleic acid therapies in a timely manner and promote the development of novel biomedical tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Chandler
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | - Sankalp Jain
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Justin Halman
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | - Enping Hong
- Nanotechnology Characterization Lab, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Marina A. Dobrovolskaia
- Nanotechnology Characterization Lab, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Alexey V. Zakharov
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Kirill A. Afonin
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
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17
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Courtney CM, Sharma S, Fallgren C, Weil MM, Chatterjee A, Nagpal P. Reversing radiation-induced immunosuppression using a new therapeutic modality. LIFE SCIENCES IN SPACE RESEARCH 2022; 35:127-139. [PMID: 36336358 DOI: 10.1016/j.lssr.2022.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Radiation-induced immune suppression poses significant health challenges for millions of patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment, and astronauts and space tourists travelling to outer space. While a limited number of recombinant protein therapies, such a Sargramostim, are approved for accelerating hematologic recovery, the pronounced role of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF or CSF2) as a proinflammatory cytokine poses additional challenges in creating immune dysfunction towards pathogenic autoimmune diseases. Here we present an approach to high-throughput drug-discovery, target validation, and lead molecule identification using nucleic acid-based molecules. These Nanoligomer™ molecules are rationally designed using a bioinformatics and an artificial intelligence (AI)-based ranking method and synthesized as a single-modality combining 6-different design elements to up- or downregulate gene expression of target gene, resulting in elevated or diminished protein expression of intended target. This method additionally alters related gene network targets ultimately resulting in pathway modulation. This approach was used to perturb and identify the most effective upstream regulators and canonical pathways for therapeutic intervention to reverse radiation-induced immunosuppression. The lead Nanoligomer™ identified in a screen of human donor derived peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) upregulated Erythropoietin (EPO) and showed the greatest reversal of radiation induced cytokine changes. It was further tested in vivo in a mouse radiation-model with low-dose (3 mg/kg) intraperitoneal administration and was shown to regulate gene expression of epo in lung tissue as well as counter immune suppression. These results point to the broader applicability of our approach towards drug-discovery, and potential for further investigation of our lead molecule as reversible gene therapy to treat adverse health outcomes induced by radiation exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colleen M Courtney
- Colorado Technology Center, Sachi Bioworks, 685 S Arthur Avenue, Louisville, CO 80027 United States
| | - Sadhana Sharma
- Colorado Technology Center, Sachi Bioworks, 685 S Arthur Avenue, Louisville, CO 80027 United States
| | - Christina Fallgren
- Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, United States
| | - Michael M Weil
- Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, United States
| | - Anushree Chatterjee
- Colorado Technology Center, Sachi Bioworks, 685 S Arthur Avenue, Louisville, CO 80027 United States
| | - Prashant Nagpal
- Colorado Technology Center, Sachi Bioworks, 685 S Arthur Avenue, Louisville, CO 80027 United States.
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18
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Cheng Y, Wang C, Wang H, Zhang Z, Yang X, Dong Y, Ma L, Luo J. Combination of an autophagy inhibitor with immunoadjuvants and an anti-PD-L1 antibody in multifunctional nanoparticles for enhanced breast cancer immunotherapy. BMC Med 2022; 20:411. [PMID: 36303207 PMCID: PMC9615197 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-022-02614-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The application of combination therapy for cancer treatment is limited due to poor tumor-specific drug delivery and the abscopal effect. METHODS Here, PD-L1- and CD44-responsive multifunctional nanoparticles were developed using a polymer complex of polyethyleneimine and oleic acid (PEI-OA) and loaded with two chemotherapeutic drugs (paclitaxel and chloroquine), an antigen (ovalbumin), an immunopotentiator (CpG), and an immune checkpoint inhibitor (anti-PD-L1 antibody). RESULTS PEI-OA greatly improved the drug loading capacity and encapsulation efficiency of the nanoplatform, while the anti-PD-L1 antibody significantly increased its cellular uptake compared to other treatment formulations. Pharmacodynamic experiments confirmed that the anti-PD-L1 antibody can strongly inhibit primary breast cancer and increase levels of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell at the tumor site. In addition, chloroquine reversed the "immune-cold" environment and improved the anti-tumor effect of both chemotherapeutics and immune checkpoint inhibitors, while it induced strong immune memory and prevented lung metastasis. CONCLUSIONS Our strategy serves as a promising approach to the rational design of nanodelivery systems for simultaneous active targeting, autophagy inhibition, and chemotherapy that can be combined with immune-checkpoint inhibitors for enhanced breast cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yibin Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, P. R. China
| | - Caixia Wang
- Key Laboratory for the Synthesis and Application of Organic Functional Molecules, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, P. R. China
| | - Huihui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, P. R. China
| | - Zhiwei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, P. R. China
| | - Xiaopeng Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, P. R. China
| | - Yanming Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, P. R. China
| | - Lixin Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, P. R. China.
| | - Jingwen Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, P. R. China.
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19
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Chandler M, Rolband L, Johnson MB, Shi D, Avila YI, Cedrone E, Beasock D, Danai L, Stassenko E, Krueger JK, Jiang J, Lee JS, Dobrovolskaia MA, Afonin KA. Expanding Structural Space for Immunomodulatory Nucleic Acid Nanoparticles (Nanps) via Spatial Arrangement of Their Therapeutic Moieties. ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS 2022; 32:2205581. [PMID: 37008199 PMCID: PMC10065476 DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202205581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Different therapeutic nucleic acids (TNAs) can be unified in a single structure by their elongation with short oligonucleotides designed to self-assemble into nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs). With this approach, therapeutic cocktails with precisely controlled composition and stoichiometry of active ingredients can be delivered to the same diseased cells for enhancing pharmaceutical action. In this work, an additional nanotechnology-based therapeutic option that enlists a biocompatible NANP-encoded platform for their controlled patient-specific immunorecognition is explored. For this, a set of representative functional NANPs is extensively characterized in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo and then further analyzed for immunostimulation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells freshly collected from healthy donor volunteers. The results of the study present the advancement of the current TNA approach toward personalized medicine and offer a new strategy to potentially address top public health challenges related to drug overdose and safety through the biodegradable nature of the functional platform with immunostimulatory regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Chandler
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | - Lewis Rolband
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | - M Brittany Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | - Da Shi
- Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Yelixza I Avila
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | - Edward Cedrone
- Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Damian Beasock
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | - Leyla Danai
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | - Elizabeth Stassenko
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | - Joanna K Krueger
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | - Jiancheng Jiang
- Department of Mathematics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | - Jeoung Soo Lee
- Drug Design, Development, and Delivery (4D) Laboratory, Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Marina A Dobrovolskaia
- Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Kirill A Afonin
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
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20
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Tran AN, Chandler M, Halman J, Beasock D, Fessler A, McKeough RQ, Lam PA, Furr DP, Wang J, Cedrone E, Dobrovolskaia MA, Dokholyan NV, Trammell SR, Afonin KA. Anhydrous Nucleic Acid Nanoparticles for Storage and Handling at Broad Range of Temperatures. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2104814. [PMID: 35128787 PMCID: PMC8976831 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202104814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in nanotechnology now allow for the methodical implementation of therapeutic nucleic acids (TNAs) into modular nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs) with tunable physicochemical properties which can match the desired biological effects, provide uniformity, and regulate the delivery of multiple TNAs for combinatorial therapy. Despite the potential of novel NANPs, the maintenance of their structural integrity during storage and shipping remains a vital issue that impedes their broader applications. Cold chain storage is required to maintain the potency of NANPs in the liquid phase, which greatly increases transportation costs. To promote long-term storage and retention of biological activities at higher temperatures (e.g., +50 °C), a panel of representative NANPs is first exposed to three different drying mechanisms-vacuum concentration (SpeedVac), lyophilization (Lyo), and light-assisted drying (LAD)-and then rehydrated and analyzed. While SpeedVac primarily operates using heat, Lyo avoids temperature increases by taking advantage of pressure reduction and LAD involves a near-infrared laser for uniform drying in the presence of trehalose. This work compares and defines refinements crucial in formulating an optimal strategy for producing stable, fully functional NANPs and presents a forward advancement in their development for clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison N Tran
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, 28223, USA
| | - Morgan Chandler
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, 28223, USA
| | - Justin Halman
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, 28223, USA
| | - Damian Beasock
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, 28223, USA
| | - Adam Fessler
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, 28223, USA
| | - Riley Q McKeough
- Department of Physics and Optical Science, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, 28223, USA
| | - Phuong Anh Lam
- Department of Physics and Optical Science, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, 28223, USA
| | - Daniel P Furr
- Department of Physics and Optical Science, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, 28223, USA
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA
| | - Edward Cedrone
- Nanotechnology Characterization Lab, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Marina A Dobrovolskaia
- Nanotechnology Characterization Lab, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Nikolay V Dokholyan
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA
| | - Susan R Trammell
- Department of Physics and Optical Science, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, 28223, USA
| | - Kirill A Afonin
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, 28223, USA
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21
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The Fate of Sialic Acid and PEG Modified Epirubicin Liposomes in Aged versus Young Cells and Tumor Mice Models. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14030545. [PMID: 35335921 PMCID: PMC8955061 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14030545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
In preclinical studies of young mice, nanoparticles showed excellent anti-tumor therapeutic effects by harnessing Peripheral Blood Monocytes (PBMs) and evading the immune system. However, the changes of age will inevitably affect PBMs and the immune system, and there is a serious lack of relevant research. Sialic acid (SA)-octadecylamine (ODA) was synthesized, and SA- or polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modified epirubicin (EPI) liposomes (EPI-SL and EPI-PL, respectively) were prepared to explore differences in antitumor treatment using 8-month-old and 8-week-old Kunming mice. Based on presented data, 8-month-old mice had more PBMs in peripheral blood than 8-week-old mice, and age differences resulted in different anti-tumor treatment effects following EPI-SL and EPI-PL treatment. Following EPI-PL administration, the tumor volume was significantly smaller in 8-week-old mice than in 8-month-old mice (* p < 0.05). Eight-month-old mice treated with EPI-SL (8M-SL) presented no damage to healthy tissue, with a 100% survival rate, and 50% mice in 8M-SL showed ‘shedding’ of tumor tissues from the growth site. Accordingly, 8-month-old mice treated with EPI-SL achieved the best therapeutic effect at different ages and with different liposomes. EPI-SL could improve the antitumor effect of 8-week-old and 8-month-old mice.
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22
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Afonin KA, Dobrovolskaia MA, Ke W, Grodzinski P, Bathe M. Critical review of nucleic acid nanotechnology to identify gaps and inform a strategy for accelerated clinical translation. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2022; 181:114081. [PMID: 34915069 PMCID: PMC8886801 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.114081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
With numerous recent advances, the field of therapeutic nucleic acid nanotechnology is now poised for clinical translation supported by several examples of FDA-approved nucleic acid nanoformulations including two recent mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines. Within this rapidly growing field, a new subclass of nucleic acid therapeutics called nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs) has emerged in recent years, which offers several unique properties distinguishing it from traditional therapeutic nucleic acids. Key unique aspects of NANPs include their well-defined 3D structure, their tunable multivalent architectures, and their ability to incorporate conditional activations of therapeutic targeting and release functions that enable diagnosis and therapy of cancer, regulation of blood coagulation disorders, as well as the development of novel vaccines, immunotherapies, and gene therapies. However, non-consolidated research developments of this highly interdisciplinary field create crucial barriers that must be overcome in order to impact a broader range of clinical indications. Forming a consortium framework for nucleic acid nanotechnology would prioritize and consolidate translational efforts, offer several unifying solutions to expedite their transition from bench-to-bedside, and potentially decrease the socio-economic burden on patients for a range of conditions. Herein, we review the unique properties of NANPs in the context of therapeutic applications and discuss their associated translational challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirill A Afonin
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA.
| | - Marina A Dobrovolskaia
- Nanotechnology Characterization Lab, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Weina Ke
- Biomedical Informatics and Data Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Piotr Grodzinski
- Nanodelivery Systems and Devices Branch, Cancer Imaging Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Mark Bathe
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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23
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Chandler M, Johnson B, Khisamutdinov E, Dobrovolskaia MA, Sztuba-Solinska J, Salem AK, Breyne K, Chammas R, Walter NG, Contreras LM, Guo P, Afonin KA. The International Society of RNA Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine (ISRNN): The Present and Future of the Burgeoning Field. ACS NANO 2021; 15:16957-16973. [PMID: 34677049 PMCID: PMC9023608 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c10240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The International Society of RNA Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine (ISRNN) hosts an annual meeting series focused on presenting the latest research achievements involving RNA-based therapeutics and strategies, aiming to expand their current biomedical applications while overcoming the remaining challenges of the burgeoning field of RNA nanotechnology. The most recent online meeting hosted a series of engaging talks and discussions from an international cohort of leading nanotechnologists that focused on RNA modifications and modulation, dynamic RNA structures, overcoming delivery limitations using a variety of innovative platforms and approaches, and addressing the newly explored potential for immunomodulation with programmable nucleic acid nanoparticles. In this Nano Focus, we summarize the main discussion points, conclusions, and future directions identified during this two-day webinar as well as more recent advances to highlight and to accelerate this exciting field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Chandler
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina 28223, United States
| | - Brittany Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina 28223, United States
| | - Emil Khisamutdinov
- Department of Chemistry, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana 47304, United States
| | - Marina A Dobrovolskaia
- Nanotechnology Characterization Lab, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702, United States
| | - Joanna Sztuba-Solinska
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, 120 W. Samford Avenue, Rouse Life Sciences Building, Auburn, Alabama 36849, United States
| | - Aliasger K Salem
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United States
| | - Koen Breyne
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Department of Neurology and Center for Molecular Imaging Research, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachussets 02114, United States
| | - Roger Chammas
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina 28223, United States
- Centro de Investigação Translacional em Oncologia, Departamento de Radiologia e Oncologia, Instituto do Cancer do Estado de São Paulo - ICESP, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo - FMUSP, Avenida Dr. Arnaldo 251, Cerqueira César, São Paulo 01246-000, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Nils G Walter
- Single Molecule Analysis Group, Department of Chemistry and Center for RNA Biomedicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Lydia M Contreras
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering and Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78714, United States
| | - Peixuan Guo
- Center for RNA Nanobiotechnology and Nanomedicine, College of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Medicine, Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, James Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Kirill A Afonin
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina 28223, United States
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24
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Ke W, Afonin KA. Exosomes as natural delivery carriers for programmable therapeutic nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs). Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2021; 176:113835. [PMID: 34144087 PMCID: PMC8440450 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.113835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
With recent advances in nanotechnology and therapeutic nucleic acids (TNAs), various nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs) have demonstrated great promise in diagnostics and therapeutics. However, the full realization of NANPs' potential necessitates the development of a safe, efficient, biocompatible, stable, tissue-specific, and non-immunogenic delivery system. Exosomes, the smallest extracellular vesicles and an endogenous source of nanocarriers, offer these advantages while avoiding complications associated with manufactured agents. The lipid membranes of exosomes surround a hydrophilic core, allowing for the simultaneous incorporation of hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs, nucleic acids, and proteins. Additional capabilities for post-isolation exosome surface modifications with imaging agents, targeting ligands, and covalent linkages also pave the way for their diverse biomedical applications. This review focuses on exosomes: their biogenesis, intracellular trafficking, transportation capacities, and applications with emphasis on the delivery of TNAs and programmable NANPs. We also highlight some of the current challenges and discuss opportunities related to the development of therapeutic exosome-based formulations and their clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weina Ke
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | - Kirill A Afonin
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA.
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25
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Magadán S, Mikelez-Alonso I, Borrego F, González-Fernández Á. Nanoparticles and trained immunity: Glimpse into the future. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2021; 175:113821. [PMID: 34087325 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.05.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Emerging evidences show that innate immune cells can display changes in their functional programs after infection or vaccination, which lead to immunomodulation (increased or reduced responsiveness) upon secondary activation to the same stimuli or even to a different one. Innate cells acquire features of immunological memory, nowadays using the new term of "trained immunity" or "innate immune memory", which is different from the specific memory immune response elicited by B and T lymphocytes. The review focused on the concept of trained immunity, mostly on myeloid cells. Special attention is dedicated to the pathogen recognition along the evolution (bacteria, plants, invertebrate and vertebrate animals), and to techniques used to study epigenetic reprogramming and metabolic rewiring. Nanomaterials can be recognized by immune cells offering a very promising way to learn about trained immunity. Nanomaterials could be modified in order to immunomodulate the responses ad hoc. Many therapeutic possibilities are opened, and they should be explored.
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26
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Zhovmer AS, Chandler M, Manning A, Afonin KA, Tabdanov ED. Programmable DNA-augmented hydrogels for controlled activation of human lymphocytes. NANOMEDICINE-NANOTECHNOLOGY BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2021; 37:102442. [PMID: 34284132 DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2021.102442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Contractile forces within the planar interface between T cell and antigen-presenting surface mechanically stimulate T cell receptors (TCR) in the mature immune synapses. However, the origin of mechanical stimulation during the initial, i.e., presynaptic, microvilli-based TCR activation in the course of immune surveillance remains unknown and new tools to help address this problem are needed. In this work, we develop nucleic acid nanoassembly (NAN)-based technology for functionalization of hydrogels using isothermal toehold-mediated reassociation of RNA/DNA heteroduplexes. Resulting platform allows for regulation with NAN linkers of 3D force momentum along the TCR mechanical axis, whereas hydrogels contribute to modulation of 2D shear modulus. By utilizing different lengths of NAN linkers conjugated to polyacrylamide gels of different shear moduli, we demonstrate an efficient capture of human T lymphocytes and tunable activation of TCR, as confirmed by T-cell spreading and pY foci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander S Zhovmer
- Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
| | - Morgan Chandler
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Alexis Manning
- Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Kirill A Afonin
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA.
| | - Erdem D Tabdanov
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA.
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27
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Bila D, Radwan Y, Dobrovolskaia MA, Panigaj M, Afonin KA. The Recognition of and Reactions to Nucleic Acid Nanoparticles by Human Immune Cells. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26144231. [PMID: 34299506 PMCID: PMC8306967 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26144231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The relatively straightforward methods of designing and assembling various functional nucleic acids into nanoparticles offer advantages for applications in diverse diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. However, due to the novelty of this approach, nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs) are not yet used in the clinic. The immune recognition of NANPs is among the areas of preclinical investigation aimed at enabling the translation of these novel materials into clinical settings. NANPs’ interactions with the complement system, coagulation systems, and immune cells are essential components of their preclinical safety portfolio. It has been established that NANPs’ physicochemical properties—composition, shape, and size—determine their interactions with immune cells (primarily blood plasmacytoid dendritic cells and monocytes), enable recognition by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) such as Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and RIG-I-like receptors (RLRs), and mediate the subsequent cytokine response. However, unlike traditional therapeutic nucleic acids (e.g., CpG oligonucleotides), NANPs do not trigger a cytokine response unless they are delivered into the cells using a carrier. Recently, it was discovered that the type of carrier provides an additional tool for regulating both the spectrum and the magnitude of the cytokine response to NANPs. Herein, we review the current knowledge of NANPs’ interactions with various components of the immune system to emphasize the unique properties of these nanomaterials and highlight opportunities for their use in vaccines and immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominika Bila
- Faculty of Science, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, 04154 Kosice, Slovakia;
| | - Yasmine Radwan
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA;
| | - Marina A. Dobrovolskaia
- Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research Sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA;
| | - Martin Panigaj
- Faculty of Science, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, 04154 Kosice, Slovakia;
- Correspondence: (M.P.); (K.A.A.); Tel.: +421-55-234-1205 (M.P.); +1-704-687-0685 (K.A.A.)
| | - Kirill A. Afonin
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA;
- Correspondence: (M.P.); (K.A.A.); Tel.: +421-55-234-1205 (M.P.); +1-704-687-0685 (K.A.A.)
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28
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Saito RF, Rangel MC, Halman JR, Chandler M, de Sousa Andrade LN, Odete-Bustos S, Furuya TK, Carrasco AGM, Chaves-Filho AB, Yoshinaga MY, Miyamoto S, Afonin KA, Chammas R. Simultaneous silencing of lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferases 1-4 by nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs) improves radiation response of melanoma cells. NANOMEDICINE-NANOTECHNOLOGY BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2021; 36:102418. [PMID: 34171470 DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2021.102418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Radiation induces the generation of platelet-activating factor receptor (PAF-R) ligands, including PAF and oxidized phospholipids. Alternatively, PAF is also synthesized by the biosynthetic enzymes lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferases (LPCATs) which are expressed by tumor cells including melanoma. The activation of PAF-R by PAF and oxidized lipids triggers a survival response protecting tumor cells from radiation-induced cell death, suggesting the involvement of the PAF/PAF-R axis in radioresistance. Here, we investigated the role of LPCATs in the melanoma cell radiotherapy response. LPCAT is a family of four enzymes, LPCAT1-4, and modular nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs) allowed for the simultaneous silencing of all four LPCATs. We found that the in vitro simultaneous silencing of all four LPCAT transcripts by NANPs enhanced the therapeutic effects of radiation in melanoma cells by increasing cell death, reducing long-term cell survival, and activating apoptosis. Thus, we propose that NANPs are an effective strategy for improving radiotherapy efficacy in melanomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata F Saito
- Centro de Investigação Translacional em Oncologia (LIM24), Departamento de Radiologia e Oncologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo and Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - Maria Cristina Rangel
- Centro de Investigação Translacional em Oncologia (LIM24), Departamento de Radiologia e Oncologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo and Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - Justin R Halman
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA.
| | - Morgan Chandler
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA.
| | - Luciana Nogueira de Sousa Andrade
- Centro de Investigação Translacional em Oncologia (LIM24), Departamento de Radiologia e Oncologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo and Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - Silvina Odete-Bustos
- Centro de Investigação Translacional em Oncologia (LIM24), Departamento de Radiologia e Oncologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo and Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - Tatiane Katsue Furuya
- Centro de Investigação Translacional em Oncologia (LIM24), Departamento de Radiologia e Oncologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo and Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - Alexis Germán Murillo Carrasco
- Centro de Investigação Translacional em Oncologia (LIM24), Departamento de Radiologia e Oncologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo and Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - Adriano B Chaves-Filho
- Laboratório de Lipídeos Modificados, Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Marcos Y Yoshinaga
- Laboratório de Lipídeos Modificados, Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Sayuri Miyamoto
- Laboratório de Lipídeos Modificados, Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Kirill A Afonin
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA.
| | - Roger Chammas
- Centro de Investigação Translacional em Oncologia (LIM24), Departamento de Radiologia e Oncologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo and Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA.
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29
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Kozma GT, Mészáros T, Bakos T, Hennies M, Bencze D, Uzonyi B, Győrffy B, Cedrone E, Dobrovolskaia MA, Józsi M, Szebeni J. Mini-Factor H Modulates Complement-Dependent IL-6 and IL-10 Release in an Immune Cell Culture (PBMC) Model: Potential Benefits Against Cytokine Storm. Front Immunol 2021; 12:642860. [PMID: 33995361 PMCID: PMC8113956 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.642860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytokine storm (CS), an excessive release of proinflammatory cytokines upon overactivation of the innate immune system, came recently to the focus of interest because of its role in the life-threatening consequences of certain immune therapies and viral diseases, including CAR-T cell therapy and Covid-19. Because complement activation with subsequent anaphylatoxin release is in the core of innate immune stimulation, studying the relationship between complement activation and cytokine release in an in vitro CS model holds promise to better understand CS and identify new therapies against it. We used peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) cultured in the presence of autologous serum to test the impact of complement activation and inhibition on cytokine release, testing the effects of liposomal amphotericin B (AmBisome), zymosan and bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as immune activators and heat inactivation of serum, EDTA and mini-factor H (mfH) as complement inhibitors. These activators induced significant rises of complement activation markers C3a, C4a, C5a, Ba, Bb, and sC5b-9 at 45 min of incubation, with or without ~5- to ~2,000-fold rises of IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13 and TNFα at 6 and 18 h later. Inhibition of complement activation by the mentioned three methods had differential inhibition, or even stimulation of certain cytokines, among which effects a limited suppressive effect of mfH on IL-6 secretion and significant stimulation of IL-10 implies anti-CS and anti-inflammatory impacts. These findings suggest the utility of the model for in vitro studies on CS, and the potential clinical use of mfH against CS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gergely Tibor Kozma
- Nanomedicine Research and Education Center, Institute of Translational Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- SeroScience LCC, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tamás Mészáros
- Nanomedicine Research and Education Center, Institute of Translational Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- SeroScience LCC, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tamás Bakos
- Nanomedicine Research and Education Center, Institute of Translational Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Dániel Bencze
- MTA-ELTE Complement Research Group, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Department of Immunology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Barbara Uzonyi
- MTA-ELTE Complement Research Group, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Department of Immunology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Balázs Győrffy
- Second Department of Bioinformatics and Pediatrics, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Lendület Cancer Biomarker Research Group, Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Edward Cedrone
- Nanotechnology Characterization Lab, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Marina A. Dobrovolskaia
- Nanotechnology Characterization Lab, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Mihály Józsi
- MTA-ELTE Complement Research Group, Eötvös Loránd Research Network (ELKH), Department of Immunology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Immunology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - János Szebeni
- Nanomedicine Research and Education Center, Institute of Translational Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- SeroScience LCC, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Nanobiotechnology and Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Health, Miskolc University, Miskolc, Hungary
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30
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Shanaa OA, Rumyantsev A, Sambuk E, Padkina M. In Vivo Production of RNA Aptamers and Nanoparticles: Problems and Prospects. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26051422. [PMID: 33800717 PMCID: PMC7961669 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26051422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA aptamers are becoming increasingly attractive due to their superior properties. This review discusses the early stages of aptamer research, the main developments in this area, and the latest technologies being developed. The review also highlights the advantages of RNA aptamers in comparison to antibodies, considering the great potential of RNA aptamers and their applications in the near future. In addition, it is shown how RNA aptamers can form endless 3-D structures, giving rise to various structural and functional possibilities. Special attention is paid to the Mango, Spinach and Broccoli fluorescent RNA aptamers, and the advantages of split RNA aptamers are discussed. The review focuses on the importance of creating a platform for the synthesis of RNA nanoparticles in vivo and examines yeast, namely Saccharomyces cerevisiae, as a potential model organism for the production of RNA nanoparticles on a large scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ousama Al Shanaa
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Saint Petersburg State University, 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia; (A.R.); (E.S.)
- Atomic Energy Commission of Syria, Damascus P.O.B 6091, Syria
- Correspondence: (O.A.S.); (M.P.); Tel.: +7-812-328-2822 (O.A.S.); +7-812-327-9827 (M.P.)
| | - Andrey Rumyantsev
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Saint Petersburg State University, 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia; (A.R.); (E.S.)
| | - Elena Sambuk
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Saint Petersburg State University, 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia; (A.R.); (E.S.)
| | - Marina Padkina
- Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, Saint Petersburg State University, 199034 Saint Petersburg, Russia; (A.R.); (E.S.)
- Correspondence: (O.A.S.); (M.P.); Tel.: +7-812-328-2822 (O.A.S.); +7-812-327-9827 (M.P.)
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31
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Avila YI, Chandler M, Cedrone E, Newton HS, Richardson M, Xu J, Clogston JD, Liptrott NJ, Afonin KA, Dobrovolskaia MA. Induction of Cytokines by Nucleic Acid Nanoparticles (NANPs) Depends on the Type of Delivery Carrier. Molecules 2021; 26:652. [PMID: 33513786 PMCID: PMC7865455 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26030652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent insights into the immunostimulatory properties of nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs) have demonstrated that variations in the shape, size, and composition lead to distinct patterns in their immunostimulatory properties. While most of these studies have used a single lipid-based carrier to allow for NANPs' intracellular delivery, it is now apparent that the platform for delivery, which has historically been a hurdle for therapeutic nucleic acids, is an additional means to tailoring NANP immunorecognition. Here, the use of dendrimers for the delivery of NANPs is compared to the lipid-based platform and the differences in resulting cytokine induction are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yelixza I. Avila
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223-0001, USA; (Y.I.A.); (M.C.); (M.R.)
| | - Morgan Chandler
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223-0001, USA; (Y.I.A.); (M.C.); (M.R.)
| | - Edward Cedrone
- Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research Sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (E.C.); (H.S.N.); (J.X.); (J.D.C.)
| | - Hannah S. Newton
- Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research Sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (E.C.); (H.S.N.); (J.X.); (J.D.C.)
| | - Melina Richardson
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223-0001, USA; (Y.I.A.); (M.C.); (M.R.)
| | - Jie Xu
- Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research Sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (E.C.); (H.S.N.); (J.X.); (J.D.C.)
| | - Jeffrey D. Clogston
- Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research Sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (E.C.); (H.S.N.); (J.X.); (J.D.C.)
| | - Neill J. Liptrott
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L7 3NY, UK;
| | - Kirill A. Afonin
- Nanoscale Science Program, Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223-0001, USA; (Y.I.A.); (M.C.); (M.R.)
| | - Marina A. Dobrovolskaia
- Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research Sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (E.C.); (H.S.N.); (J.X.); (J.D.C.)
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