1
|
Sussman C, Liberatore RA, Drozdz MM. Delivery of DNA-Based Therapeutics for Treatment of Chronic Diseases. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:535. [PMID: 38675196 PMCID: PMC11053842 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16040535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Gene therapy and its role in the medical field have evolved drastically in recent decades. Studies aim to define DNA-based medicine as well as encourage innovation and the further development of novel approaches. Gene therapy has been established as an alternative approach to treat a variety of diseases. Its range of mechanistic applicability is wide; gene therapy has the capacity to address the symptoms of disease, the body's ability to fight disease, and in some cases has the ability to cure disease, making it a more attractive intervention than some traditional approaches to treatment (i.e., medicine and surgery). Such versatility also suggests gene therapy has the potential to address a greater number of indications than conventional treatments. Many DNA-based therapies have shown promise in clinical trials, and several have been approved for use in humans. Whereas current treatment regimens for chronic disease often require frequent dosing, DNA-based therapies can produce robust and durable expression of therapeutic genes with fewer treatments. This benefit encourages the application of DNA-based gene therapy to manage chronic diseases, an area where improving efficiency of current treatments is urgent. Here, we provide an overview of two DNA-based gene therapies as well as their delivery methods: adeno associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapy and plasmid DNA (pDNA)-based gene therapy. We will focus on how these therapies have already been utilized to improve treatment of chronic disease, as well as how current literature supports the expansion of these therapies to treat additional chronic indications in the future.
Collapse
|
2
|
Jiang N, Chen Q, Cao S, Hu B, Wang YJ, Zhou Q, Guo RQ. Ultrasound‑targeted microbubbles combined with a peptide nucleic acid binding nuclear localization signal mediate transfection of exogenous genes by improving cytoplasmic and nuclear import. Mol Med Rep 2017; 16:8819-8825. [PMID: 28990051 PMCID: PMC5779960 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2017.7681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2016] [Accepted: 03/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of an efficient delivery system is critical for the successful treatment of cardiovascular diseases using non-viral gene therapies. Cytoplasmic and nuclear membrane barriers reduce delivery efficiency by impeding the transfection of foreign genes. Thus, a gene delivery system capable of transporting exogenous genes may improve gene therapy. The present study used a novel strategy involving ultrasound-targeted microbubbles and peptide nucleic acid (PNA)-binding nuclear localization signals (NLS). Ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) and PNA-binding NLS were used to improve the cytoplasmic and nuclear importation of the plasmid, respectively. Experiments were performed using antibody-targeted microbubbles (AT-MCB) that specifically recognize the SV40T antigen receptor expressed on the membranes of 293T cells, resulting in the localization of ultrasound microbubbles to 293T cell membranes. Furthermore, PNA containing NLS was inserted into the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-N3 plasmid DNA (NLS-PNA-DNA), which increased nuclear localization. The nuclear import and gene expression efficiency of the AT-MCB with PNA-binding NLS were compared with AT-MCB alone or a PNA-binding NLS. The effect of the AT-MCB containing PNA-binding NLS on transfection was investigated. The ultrasound and AT-MCB delivery significantly enhanced the cytoplasmic intake of exogenous genes and maintained high cell viability. The nuclear import and gene expression of combined microbubble- and PNA-transfected cells were significantly greater compared with cells that were transfected with AT-MCB or DNA with only PNA-binding NLS. The quantity of EGFP-N3 plasmids in the nuclei was increased by >5.0-fold compared with control microbubbles (CMCB) and NLS-free plasmids. The gene expression was ~1.7-fold greater compared with NLS-free plasmids and 1.3-fold greater compared with control microbubbles. In conclusion, UTMD combined with AT-MCB and a PNA-binding NLS plasmid significantly improved transfection efficiency by increasing cytoplasmic and nuclear DNA import. This method is a promising strategy for the noninvasive and effective delivery of target genes or drugs for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nan Jiang
- Department of Ultrasound Imaging, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, P.R. China
| | - Qian Chen
- Department of Ultrasound Imaging, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, P.R. China
| | - Sheng Cao
- Department of Ultrasound Imaging, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, P.R. China
| | - Bo Hu
- Department of Ultrasound Imaging, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, P.R. China
| | - Yi-Jia Wang
- Department of Ultrasound Imaging, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, P.R. China
| | - Qing Zhou
- Department of Ultrasound Imaging, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, P.R. China
| | - Rui-Qiang Guo
- Department of Ultrasound Imaging, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Abstract
Electroporation has been used extensively to transfer DNA to bacteria, yeast, and mammalian cells in culture for the past 30 years. Over this time, numerous advances have been made, from using fields to facilitate cell fusion, delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs to cells and tissues, and most importantly, gene and drug delivery in living tissues from rodents to man. Electroporation uses electrical fields to transiently destabilize the membrane allowing the entry of normally impermeable macromolecules into the cytoplasm. Surprisingly, at the appropriate field strengths, the application of these fields to tissues results in little, if any, damage or trauma. Indeed, electroporation has even been used successfully in human trials for gene delivery for the treatment of tumors and for vaccine development. Electroporation can lead to between 100 and 1000-fold increases in gene delivery and expression and can also increase both the distribution of cells taking up and expressing the DNA as well as the absolute amount of gene product per cell (likely due to increased delivery of plasmids into each cell). Effective electroporation depends on electric field parameters, electrode design, the tissues and cells being targeted, and the plasmids that are being transferred themselves. Most importantly, there is no single combination of these variables that leads to greatest efficacy in every situation; optimization is required in every new setting. Electroporation-mediated in vivo gene delivery has proven highly effective in vaccine production, transgene expression, enzyme replacement, and control of a variety of cancers. Almost any tissue can be targeted with electroporation, including muscle, skin, heart, liver, lung, and vasculature. This chapter will provide an overview of the theory of electroporation for the delivery of DNA both in individual cells and in tissues and its application for in vivo gene delivery in a number of animal models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Young
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - David A Dean
- Departments of Pediatrics and Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Cell-specific targeting strategies for electroporation-mediated gene delivery in cells and animals. J Membr Biol 2013; 246:737-44. [PMID: 23525583 DOI: 10.1007/s00232-013-9534-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2012] [Accepted: 03/08/2013] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The use of electroporation to facilitate gene transfer is an extremely powerful and useful method for both in vitro and in vivo applications. One of its great strengths is that it induces functional destabilization and permeabilization of cell membranes throughout a tissue leading to widespread gene transfer to multiple cells and cell types within the electric field. While this is a strength, it can also be a limitation in terms of cell-specific gene delivery. The ability to restrict gene delivery and expression to particular cell types is of paramount importance for many types of gene therapy, since ectopic expression of a transgene could lead to deleterious host inflammatory responses or dysregulation of normal cellular functions. At present, there are relatively few ways to obtain cell-specific targeting of nonviral vectors, molecular probes, small molecules, and imaging agents. We have developed a novel means of restricting gene delivery to desired cell types based on the ability to control the transport of plasmids into the nuclei of desired cell types. In this article, we discuss the mechanisms of this approach and several applications in living animals to demonstrate the benefits of the combination of electroporation and selective nuclear import of plasmids for cell-specific gene delivery.
Collapse
|
5
|
Shin JY, Chung YS, Kang B, Jiang HL, Yu DY, Han K, Chae C, Moon JH, Jang G, Cho MH. Co-delivery of LETM1 and CTMP synergistically inhibits tumor growth in H-ras12V liver cancer model mice. Cancer Gene Ther 2013; 20:186-94. [PMID: 23392203 DOI: 10.1038/cgt.2013.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
As hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common tumors worldwide, development of novel therapeutic approaches for HCC is urgently needed. Two different genes, LETM1 and CTMP, which target mitochondrial functions, were chosen and linked using 2A-peptide sequence. Successful self-cleavage of 2A-peptide induced synergistic antitumor effect in the liver of H-ras12V, the HCC model mice, by simultaneous activation of LETM1 (Leucine zipper/EF hand-containing transmembrane-1) and CTMP (carboxyl-terminal modulator protein). Overexpression of LETM1 and CTMP significantly reduced the incidence of tumorigenesis, which were confirmed by gross and microscopic observations. Morphological changes in mitochondria, such as swelling and loss of cristae, were significant, and the prolonged activation of defects in mitochondrial function led to mitochondria-mediated apoptosis. Furthermore, with CTMP as a direct binding partner of Akt1, and LETM1 as a binding partner of CTMP, LETM1-2A-CTMP downregulated the Akt1 pathway at both Ser473 and Thr308 sites of phosphorylation. Proliferation and angiogenesis, which are important in cancer prognosis, were reduced in tumor sites after introduction of LETM1-2A-CTMP. Taken together, the results indicate that introduction of the mitochondria-targeting genes, LETM1 and CTMP, and self-processing capacity of 2A-peptide sequence exerts an antitumor effect in liver of H-ras12V mice, suggesting its potential as a tool for gene therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J-Y Shin
- Laboratory of Toxicology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Abstract
Gene transfer within the cardiovascular system was first demonstrated in 1989 yet, despite extensive basic-science and clinical research, unequivocal benefit in the clinical setting remains to be demonstrated. Potential reasons for this include the fact that recombinant viral vectors, used in the majority of clinical studies, have inherent problems with immunogenicity that are difficult to circumvent. Attention has turned therefore to plasmid vectors, which possess many advantages over viruses in terms of safety and ease of use, and many clinical studies have now been performed using non-viral technology. This review will provide an overview of clinical trials for cardiovascular disease using plasmid vectors, recent developments in plasmid delivery and design, and potential directions for this modality of gene therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul D Williams
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, School of Biomedicine, Vascular Gene Therapy Unit, Core Technology Facility, The University of Manchester, 46 Grafton Street, Manchester M13 9NT, UK.
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Miller AM, Dean DA. Tissue-specific and transcription factor-mediated nuclear entry of DNA. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2009; 61:603-13. [PMID: 19393704 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2009.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2008] [Accepted: 02/05/2009] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Low levels of gene transfer and a lack of tissue-specific targeting of vectors have limited the therapeutic potential of non-viral gene therapy. This is due to the numerous cellular barriers that hinder nuclear delivery of vectors and the paucity of methods that restrict expression to specific cells types. In non-dividing cells, the nuclear envelope is an especially problematic hurdle to gene transfer. Given that the majority of target tissues are non-dividing in vivo, the nuclear membrane is a major obstacle to therapeutic gene transfer. In this review, the various barriers to gene transfer are discussed. In particular, the role of the nuclear pore complex (NPC) in regulating passage of plasmid vectors during interphase is reviewed. Several methods of modifying plasmid (pDNA) vectors to enhance nuclear import through the NPC are also discussed, including the use of tissue-specific transcription factors to mediate nuclear entry of pDNA in a cell-specific manner.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aaron M Miller
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Identification of protein cofactors necessary for sequence-specific plasmid DNA nuclear import. Mol Ther 2009; 17:1897-903. [PMID: 19532138 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2009.127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Although transfections are routinely used in the laboratory, the mechanism(s) by which exogenous DNA is transported into the nucleus is poorly understood. By improving our understanding of how vectors circumvent the numerous cellular barriers to gene transfer, more efficient gene delivery methods can be devised. We have begun to design plasmid constructs that enter the nucleus of specific cell types in the absence of cell division, thereby enhancing levels of expression. We have shown that inclusion of specific DNA sequences in plasmid constructs mediates nuclear import both in vitro and in vivo. Here, we use plasmid affinity chromatography, mass spectrometry (MS), and live-cell pulldowns of transfected plasmid constructs to identify protein cofactors that interact in a sequence-specific manner with these DNA nuclear targeting sequences (DTSs). Importin beta(1), importin 7, and the small guanosine triphosphatase Ran all demonstrate DTS-specific interaction in both MS and pull-down assays, consistent with our model of plasmid nuclear import. In addition, knockdown of importin beta(1) with small interfering RNA (siRNA) abrogates plasmid nuclear import, indicating that it is a necessary cofactor. Our discovery that specific karyopherins mediate plasmid nuclear import can be used to design more effective vectors for gene delivery.
Collapse
|
9
|
Theoharis S, Krueger U, Tan PH, Haskard DO, Weber M, George AJ. Targeting gene delivery to activated vascular endothelium using anti E/P-Selectin antibody linked to PAMAM dendrimers. J Immunol Methods 2009; 343:79-90. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jim.2008.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2008] [Revised: 11/26/2008] [Accepted: 12/17/2008] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
|
10
|
Karoubi G, Stewart DJ, Courtman DW. A population analysis of VEGF transgene expression and secretion. Biotechnol Bioeng 2008; 101:1083-93. [PMID: 18781692 DOI: 10.1002/bit.21993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The induction of therapeutic angiogenesis with gene therapy approaches has received considerable interest and some limited clinical success. A major drawback to this approach is a lack of understanding of the pharmacokinetics of therapeutic protein delivery. This has become increasingly more relevant as recent studies have illustrated a defined therapeutic window for angiogenic protein secretion into the local microenvironment. For cell based gene therapies, with cells widely distributed throughout the tissue, this implies that any individual cell must attain a specific secretion rate to produce a local angiogenic response. Here we report a reproducible technique enabling the study of growth factor secretion from individual cells following transient plasmid transfection. We demonstrate significant variability in single cell vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion with the majority of total protein secretion arising from a small subpopulation of transfected cells. We demonstrate that VEGF secretion is linearly correlated to intracellular plasmid copy number and protein secretion does not appear to reach saturation within the cell population. The selection of gene therapy approaches that optimize individual cell secretion profiles may be essential for the development of effective gene therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Golnaz Karoubi
- Division of General Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital Berne, 35 Murtenstrasse, Berne CH3010, Switzerland.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
van Weel V, van Tongeren RB, van Hinsbergh VWM, van Bockel JH, Quax PHA. Vascular growth in ischemic limbs: a review of mechanisms and possible therapeutic stimulation. Ann Vasc Surg 2008; 22:582-97. [PMID: 18504100 DOI: 10.1016/j.avsg.2008.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2007] [Revised: 01/15/2008] [Accepted: 02/29/2008] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Stimulation of vascular growth to treat limb ischemia is promising, and early results obtained from uncontrolled clinical trials using angiogenic agents, e.g., vascular endothelial growth factor, led to high expectations. However, negative results from recent placebo-controlled trials warrant further research. Here, current insights into mechanisms of vascular growth in the adult, in particular the role of angiogenic factors, the immune system, and bone marrow, were reviewed, together with modes of its therapeutic stimulation and results from recent clinical trials. Three concepts of vascular growth have been described to date-angiogenesis, vasculogenesis, and arteriogenesis (collateral artery growth)-which represent different aspects of an integrated process. Stimulation of arteriogenesis seems clinically most relevant and has most recently been attempted using autologous bone marrow transplantation with some beneficial results, although the mechanism of action is not completely understood. Better understanding of the highly complex molecular and cellular mechanisms of vascular growth may yet lead to meaningful clinical applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- V van Weel
- Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Young JL, Zimmer WE, Dean DA. Smooth muscle-specific gene delivery in the vasculature based on restriction of DNA nuclear import. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2008; 233:840-8. [PMID: 18445769 DOI: 10.3181/0712-rm-331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The two currently employed approaches restricting gene delivery and/or expression to desired cell types in vivo rely on cell surface targeting or cell-specific promoters. We have developed a third approach based on cell-specific nuclear transport of the delivered plasmid DNA. We have previously shown that plasmid nuclear import in non-dividing cells is sequence-specific and have identified a set of cell-specific DNA nuclear targeting sequences that can be used to limit DNA nuclear import to desired cell types. Specifically we have identified elements of the smooth muscle gamma actin (SMGA) promoter that direct plasmid nuclear import selectively in smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in vitro (Vacik et al, 1999, Gene Therapy 6:1006-1014). In the present study, we demonstrate that the SMC-specific DNA nuclear targeting sequence from the SMGA promoter drives nuclear accumulation of plasmids and subsequent gene expression exclusively in the smooth muscle cell layer of the vessel wall in the intact vasculature of rats using electroporation mediated delivery. These results demonstrate that certain DNA nuclear targeting sequences can be used to restrict DNA nuclear import to specific cell types providing a new, novel means of cell targeting for gene therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Young
- Division of Neonatology, University of Rochester, Box 850, 601 Elmwood Ave, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Eefting D, Grimbergen JM, de Vries MR, van Weel V, Kaijzel EL, Que I, Moon RT, Löwik CW, van Bockel JH, Quax PHA. Prolonged in vivo gene silencing by electroporation-mediated plasmid delivery of small interfering RNA. Hum Gene Ther 2007; 18:861-9. [PMID: 17850190 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2006.176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
For the successful application of RNA interference in vivo, it is desired to achieve (local) delivery of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and long-term gene silencing. Nonviral electrodelivery is suitable to obtain local and prolonged expression of transgenes. By intramuscular electrodelivery of a plasmid in which two opposing human polymerase III promoters (H1 and U6) drive the expression of siRNA constructs that form functional double-stranded siRNAs, in combination with in vivo bioluminescence imaging, we were able to knock down exogenous delivered luciferase for at least 100 days in murine calf muscles. This effect was sequence specific, because scrambled siRNA had no effect. Moreover, we were able to demonstrate in vivo reduction of endogenous TLR4 expression for at least 1 week, using a similar vector expressing an siRNA for TLR4 in the muscle. In this study, we demonstrate that in vivo suppression of both endogenous (for at least 1 week) and introduced genes (>100 days) is feasible via plasmid-driven siRNA expression after electroporation-mediated intramuscular gene transfer. With this approach the short-term effect of oligonucleotides and the drawbacks of viral gene delivery, like immunological responses, could be circumvented. Therefore, this application of RNA interference is a useful tool with which to investigate gene function and might be promising as a therapeutic tool for locally acting diseases such as restenosis or tumors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniël Eefting
- Gaubius Laboratory, TNO Quality of Life, 2301 CE Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Madeddu P, Emanueli C, Spillmann F, Meloni M, Bouby N, Richer C, Alhenc-Gelas F, Van Weel V, Eefting D, Quax PHA, Hu Y, Xu Q, Hemdahl AL, van Golde J, Huijberts M, de Lussanet Q, Struijker Boudier H, Couffinhal T, Duplaa C, Chimenti S, Staszewsky L, Latini R, Baumans V, Levy BI. Murine models of myocardial and limb ischemia: Diagnostic end-points and relevance to clinical problems. Vascul Pharmacol 2006; 45:281-301. [PMID: 17010676 DOI: 10.1016/j.vph.2006.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2006] [Revised: 08/05/2006] [Accepted: 08/05/2006] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Ischemic disease represents the new epidemic worldwide. Animal models of ischemic disease are useful because they can help us to understand the underlying pathogenetic mechanisms and develop new therapies. The present review article summarizes the results of a consensus conference on the status and future development of experimentation in the field of cardiovascular medicine using murine models of peripheral and myocardial ischemia. The starting point was to recognize the limits of the approach, which mainly derive from species- and disease-related differences in cardiovascular physiology. For instance, the mouse heart beats at a rate 10 times faster than the human heart. Furthermore, healing processes are more rapid in animals, as they rely on mechanisms that may have lost relevance in man. The main objective of the authors was to propose general guidelines, diagnostic end points and relevance to clinical problems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P Madeddu
- Experimental Cardiovascular Medicine, Bristol Heart Institute, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Wu P, Grainger DW. Drug/device combinations for local drug therapies and infection prophylaxis. Biomaterials 2005; 27:2450-67. [PMID: 16337266 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2005.11.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 318] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2005] [Accepted: 11/21/2005] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Combination devices-those comprising drug releasing components together with functional prosthetic implants-represent a versatile, emerging clinical technology promising to provide functional improvements to implant devices in several classes. Landmark antimicrobial catheters and the drug-eluting stent have heralded the entrance, and significantly, routes to FDA approval, for these devices into clinical practice. This review describes recent strategies creating implantable combination devices. Most prominent are new combination devices representing current orthopedic and cardiovascular implants with new added capabilities from on-board or directly associated drug delivery systems are now under development. Wound coverings and implantable sensors will also benefit from this combination enhancement. Infection mitigation, a common problem with implantable devices, is a current primary focus. On-going progress in cell-based therapeutics, progenitor cell exploitation, growth factor delivery and advanced formulation strategies will provide a more general and versatile basis for advanced combination device strategies. These seek to improve tissue-device integration and functional tissue regeneration. Future combination devices might best be completely re-designed de novo to deliver multiple bioactive agents over several spatial and temporal scales to enhance prosthetic device function, instead of the current 'add-on' approach to existing implant device designs never originally intending to function in tandem with drug delivery systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peng Wu
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1872, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Dean DA. Nonviral gene transfer to skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscle in living animals. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2005; 289:C233-45. [PMID: 16002623 PMCID: PMC4152902 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00613.2004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The study of muscle physiology has undergone many changes over the past 25 years and has moved from purely physiological studies to those intimately intertwined with molecular and cell biological questions. To ask these questions, it is necessary to be able to transfer genetic reagents to cells both in culture and, ultimately, in living animals. Over the past 10 years, a number of different chemical and physical approaches have been developed to transfect living skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscle systems with varying success and efficiency. This review provides a survey of these methods and describes some more recent developments in the field of in vivo gene transfer to these various muscle types. Both gene delivery for overexpression of desired gene products and delivery of nucleic acids for downregulation of specific genes and their products are discussed to aid the physiologist, cell biologist, and molecular biologist in their studies on whole animal biology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David A Dean
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern Univ., 240 E. Huron Ave., McGaw 2336, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
van Rossenberg SMW, van Keulen ACI, Drijfhout JW, Vasto S, Koerten HK, Spies F, van 't Noordende JM, van Berkel TJC, Biessen EAL. Stable polyplexes based on arginine-containing oligopeptides for in vivo gene delivery. Gene Ther 2004; 11:457-64. [PMID: 14973539 DOI: 10.1038/sj.gt.3302183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we investigated to what extent the stability and transduction capacity of polyplexed DNA can be improved by optimizing the condensing peptide sequence. We have synthesized a small library of cationic peptides, at which the lysine/arginine ratio and the cation charge were varied. All peptides were able to compact DNA, at which polyplexes of short lysine-rich sequences were considerably larger than those of elongated or arginine-rich peptides (GM102 and GM202). In addition, the arginine-rich peptides GM102 and GM202 rendered the polyplexes resistant to plasma incubation or DNase I-mediated digestion. While all peptides were found to improve the transfection efficiency in HepG2 cells, only the GM102- and GM202-derived polyplexes could be specifically targeted to HepG2 cells by incorporation of a ligand-derivatized YKAK(8)WK peptide. We propose that GM102 and GM202 combine the advantage of small condensing peptides to give small-sized polyplexes with the superior stability of condensing polymers, which makes GM102 and GM202 excellent candidates for future in vivo gene therapy studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S M W van Rossenberg
- Division of Biopharmaceutics, Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden/Amsterdam Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Abstract
Electroporation has proven to be a highly effective technique for the in vivo delivery of genes to a number of solid tissues. In most of the reported methods, DNA is injected into the target tissue and electrodes are placed directly on or in the tissue for application of the electric field. While this works well for solid tissues, there are many tissues and organs that are not amenable to such an approach. In this review I will focus on the development of electroporation protocols for two such tissues: the vasculature and the lung. Several methods for in vivo electroporation of the vasculature have been developed in recent years that deliver DNA to vessel segments from either the inside or outside of the vessel. The advantages and disadvantages of each are discussed, as are the applications for which they have been used. In more recent work, our laboratory has developed a novel method to deliver genes to the rodent lung that results in high level, uniform, gene expression throughout all cell types of the lung. Most importantly, this technique is safe, and causes no inflammatory response or alterations in normal physiology of the organs. Taken together, these studies demonstrate the utility of electroporation for gene transfer to non injectible tissues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David A Dean
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Nunamaker EA, Zhang HY, Shirasawa Y, Benoit JN, Dean DA. Electroporation-mediated delivery of catalytic oligodeoxynucleotides for manipulation of vascular gene expression. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2003; 285:H2240-7. [PMID: 12881213 PMCID: PMC4400177 DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00350.2003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The development of inexpensive and effective approaches to transiently decrease gene expression in vivo would be useful for the study of physiological processes in living animals. DNAzymes are a novel class of DNA oligonucleotides that can catalytically cleave target mRNAs and thereby reduce protein production. However, current methods for their delivery in vivo are limited and inefficient. In this study, we show that electroporation can be used to deliver DNAzymes to the intact mesenteric vasculature of rats. With the use of PKC-epsilon as a target, a set of wild-type and mutant control DNAzymes was designed and shown to reduce both PKC-epsilon mRNA and protein levels in cultured smooth muscle cells in a specific manner. The wild-type DNAzyme reduced PKC-epsilon protein levels by 70% at 24 h in two different cell lines without decreasing the levels of the five other PKC isoforms tested. When delivered to the intact vasculature using electroporation, the DNAzyme reduced PKC-epsilon protein levels by >60% without affecting these other PKC isoforms. Electroporation was required for oligonucleotide transfer and was able to deliver the DNAzymes to multiple cell layers in the vessel wall. Protein levels were reduced maximally by 24 h postelectroporation and returned to normal by 48 h. These results suggest that electroporation can be used to deliver DNAzymes and other DNA oligonucleotides to the vasculature in vivo and can decrease gene expression for a window of time that can be used for experimental studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Nunamaker
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E. Chicago Avenue, Tarry 14-707, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|