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Winkeljann B, Keul DC, Merkel OM. Engineering poly- and micelleplexes for nucleic acid delivery - A reflection on their endosomal escape. J Control Release 2023; 353:518-534. [PMID: 36496051 PMCID: PMC9900387 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
For the longest time, the field of nucleic acid delivery has remained skeptical whether or not polycationic drug carrier systems would ever make it into clinical practice. Yet, with the disclosure of patents on polyethyleneimine-based RNA carriers through leading companies in the field of nucleic acid therapeutics such as BioNTech SE and the progress in clinical studies beyond phase I trials, this aloofness seems to regress. As one of the most striking characteristics of polymer-based vectors, the extraordinary tunability can be both a blessing and a curse. Yet, knowing about the adjustment screws and how they impact the performance of the drug carrier provides the formulation scientist committed to its development with a head start. Here, we equip the reader with a toolbox - a toolbox that should advise and support the developer to conceptualize a cutting-edge poly- or micelleplex system for the delivery of therapeutic nucleic acids; to be specific, to engineer the vector towards maximum endosomal escape performance at minimum toxicity. Therefore, after briefly sketching the boundary conditions of polymeric vector design, we will dive into the topic of endosomal trafficking. We will not only discuss the most recent knowledge of the endo-lysosomal compartment but further depict different hypotheses and mechanisms that facilitate the endosomal escape of polyplex systems. Finally, we will combine the different facets introduced in the previous chapters with the fundamental building blocks of polymer vector design and evaluate the advantages and drawbacks. Throughout the article, a particular focus will be placed on cellular peculiarities, not only as an additional barrier, but also to give inspiration to how such cell-specific traits might be capitalized on.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Winkeljann
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Butenandtstrasse 5-13, Haus B, 81377 Munich, Germany,Center for NanoScience (CeNS), Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 80799 Munich, Germany
| | - David C. Keul
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Butenandtstrasse 5-13, Haus B, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Olivia M. Merkel
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Butenandtstrasse 5-13, Haus B, 81377 Munich, Germany,Center for NanoScience (CeNS), Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 80799 Munich, Germany,Corresponding author at: Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Butenandtstrasse 5-13, Haus B, 81377 München, Germany
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2
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Street STG, Chrenek J, Harniman RL, Letwin K, Mantell JM, Borucu U, Willerth SM, Manners I. Length-Controlled Nanofiber Micelleplexes as Efficient Nucleic Acid Delivery Vehicles. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:19799-19812. [PMID: 36260789 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c06695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Micelleplexes show great promise as effective polymeric delivery systems for nucleic acids. Although studies have shown that spherical micelleplexes can exhibit superior cellular transfection to polyplexes, to date there has been no report on the effects of micelleplex morphology on cellular transfection. In this work, we prepared precision, length-tunable poly(fluorenetrimethylenecarbonate)-b-poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PFTMC16-b-PDMAEMA131) nanofiber micelleplexes and compared their properties and transfection activity to those of the equivalent nanosphere micelleplexes and polyplexes. We studied the DNA complexation process in detail via a range of techniques including cryo-transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and ζ-potential measurements, thereby examining how nanofiber micelleplexes form, as well the key differences that exist compared to nanosphere micelleplexes and polyplexes in terms of DNA loading and colloidal stability. The effects of particle morphology and nanofiber length on the transfection and cell viability of U-87 MG glioblastoma cells with a luciferase plasmid were explored, revealing that short nanofiber micelleplexes (length < ca. 100 nm) were the most effective delivery vehicle examined, outperforming nanosphere micelleplexes, polyplexes, and longer nanofiber micelleplexes as well as the Lipofectamine 2000 control. This study highlights the potential importance of 1D micelleplex morphologies for achieving optimal transfection activity and provides a fundamental platform for the future development of more effective polymeric nucleic acid delivery vehicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven T G Street
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, U.K.,Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 3V6, Canada.,Centre for Advanced Materials and Related Technology (CAMTEC), University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Rd, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Josie Chrenek
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada.,School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | | | - Keiran Letwin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada.,School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Judith M Mantell
- Wolfson Bioimaging Facility, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, U.K
| | - Ufuk Borucu
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, U.K.,GW4 Facility for High-Resolution Electron Cryo-Microscopy, 24 Tyndall Ave, Bristol BS8 1TQ, U.K
| | - Stephanie M Willerth
- Centre for Advanced Materials and Related Technology (CAMTEC), University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Rd, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada.,Department of Mechanical Engineering, Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada.,School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Ian Manners
- Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 3V6, Canada.,Centre for Advanced Materials and Related Technology (CAMTEC), University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Rd, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
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Recent advances in peptide-targeted micelleplexes: Current developments and future perspectives. Int J Pharm 2021; 597:120362. [PMID: 33556489 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2021.120362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The decoding of the human genome revolutionized the understanding of how genetics influence the interplay between health and disease, in a multidisciplinary perspective. Thus, the development of exogenous nucleic acids-based therapies has increased to overcome hereditary or acquired genetic-associated diseases. Gene drug delivery using non-viral systems, for instance micelleplexes, have been recognized as promising options for gene-target therapies. Micelleplexes are core-shell structures, at a nanometric scale, designed using amphiphilic block copolymers. These can self-assemble in an aqueous medium, leading to the formation of a hydrophilic and positively charged corona - that can transport nucleic acids, - and a hydrophobic core - which can transport poor water-soluble drugs. However, the performance of these types of carriers usually is hindered by several in vivo barriers. Fortunately, due to a significant amount of research, strategies to overcome these shortcomings emerged. With a wide range of structural features, good stability against proteolytic degradation, affordable characteristic, easy synthesis, low immunogenicity, among other advantages, peptides have increasingly gained popularity as target ligands for non-viral carriers. Hence, this review addresses the use of peptides with micelleplexes illustrating, through the analysis of in vitro and in vivo studies, the potential and future perspectives of this combination.
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Pereira-Silva M, Jarak I, Alvarez-Lorenzo C, Concheiro A, Santos AC, Veiga F, Figueiras A. Micelleplexes as nucleic acid delivery systems for cancer-targeted therapies. J Control Release 2020; 323:442-462. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2020.04.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
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Nanomedicine in osteosarcoma therapy: Micelleplexes for delivery of nucleic acids and drugs toward osteosarcoma-targeted therapies. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2020; 148:88-106. [PMID: 31958514 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2019.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Osteosarcoma(OS) represents the main cancer affecting bone tissue, and one of the most frequent in children. In this review we discuss the major pathological hallmarks of this pathology, its current therapeutics, new active biomolecules, as well as the nanotechnology outbreak applied to the development of innovative strategies for selective OS targeting. Small RNA molecules play a role as key-regulator molecules capable of orchestrate different responses in what concerns cancer initiation, proliferation, migration and invasiveness. Frequently associated with lung metastasis, new strategies are urgent to upgrade the therapeutic outcomes and the life-expectancy prospects. Hence, the prominent rise of micelleplexes as multifaceted and efficient structures for nucleic acid delivery and selective drug targeting is revisited here with special emphasis on ligand-mediated active targeting. Future landmarks toward the development of novel nanostrategies for both OS diagnosis and OS therapy improvements are also discussed.
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Sharma S, Mazumdar S, Italiya KS, Date T, Mahato RI, Mittal A, Chitkara D. Cholesterol and Morpholine Grafted Cationic Amphiphilic Copolymers for miRNA-34a Delivery. Mol Pharm 2018; 15:2391-2402. [PMID: 29747513 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.8b00228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
miR-34a is a master tumor suppressor playing a key role in the several signaling mechanisms involved in cancer. However, its delivery to the cancer cells is the bottleneck in its clinical translation. Herein we report cationic amphiphilic copolymers grafted with cholesterol (chol), N, N-dimethyldipropylenetriamine (cation chain) and 4-(2-aminoethyl)morpholine (morph) for miR-34a delivery. The copolymer interacts with miR-34a at low N/P ratios (∼2/1) to form nanoplexes of size ∼108 nm and a zeta potential ∼ +39 mV. In vitro studies in 4T1 and MCF-7 cells indicated efficient transfection efficiency. The intracellular colocalization suggested that the copolymer effectively transported the FAM labeled siRNA into the cytoplasm within 2 h and escaped from the endo-/lysosomal environment. The developed miR-34a nanoplexes inhibited the breast cancer cell growth as confirmed by MTT assay wherein 28% and 34% cancer cell viability was observed in 4T1 and MCF-7 cells, respectively. Further, miR-34a nanoplexes possess immense potential to induce apoptosis in both cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saurabh Sharma
- Department of Pharmacy , Birla Institute of Technology and Science-Pilani (BITS) , Pilani Campus, Vidya Vihar , Pilani - 333031 , Rajasthan , India
| | - Samrat Mazumdar
- Department of Pharmacy , Birla Institute of Technology and Science-Pilani (BITS) , Pilani Campus, Vidya Vihar , Pilani - 333031 , Rajasthan , India
| | - Kishan S Italiya
- Department of Pharmacy , Birla Institute of Technology and Science-Pilani (BITS) , Pilani Campus, Vidya Vihar , Pilani - 333031 , Rajasthan , India
| | - Tushar Date
- Department of Pharmacy , Birla Institute of Technology and Science-Pilani (BITS) , Pilani Campus, Vidya Vihar , Pilani - 333031 , Rajasthan , India
| | - Ram I Mahato
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences , College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center , 986125 Nebraska Medical Center , Omaha , Nebraska 68198-6125 , United States
| | - Anupama Mittal
- Department of Pharmacy , Birla Institute of Technology and Science-Pilani (BITS) , Pilani Campus, Vidya Vihar , Pilani - 333031 , Rajasthan , India
| | - Deepak Chitkara
- Department of Pharmacy , Birla Institute of Technology and Science-Pilani (BITS) , Pilani Campus, Vidya Vihar , Pilani - 333031 , Rajasthan , India
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7
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Haladjova E, Halacheva S, Momekova D, Moskova-Doumanova V, Topouzova-Hristova T, Mladenova K, Doumanov J, Petrova M, Rangelov S. Polyplex Particles Based on Comb-Like Polyethylenimine/Poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) Copolymers: Relating Biological Performance with Morphology and Structure. Macromol Biosci 2018; 18:e1700349. [DOI: 10.1002/mabi.201700349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2017] [Revised: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emi Haladjova
- Institute of Polymers; Bulgarian Academy of Sciences; Akad. G. Bonchev St. 103A Sofia 1113 Bulgaria
| | - Silviya Halacheva
- Institute for Materials Research and Innovation; University of Bolton; Deane road Bolton Greater Manchester BL3 5AB UK
| | - Denitsa Momekova
- Faculty of Pharmacy; Medical University of Sofia; Sofia 1000 Bulgaria
| | | | | | - Kirilka Mladenova
- Faculty of Biology; Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”; 1164 Sofia Bulgaria
| | - Jordan Doumanov
- Faculty of Biology; Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”; 1164 Sofia Bulgaria
| | - Maria Petrova
- Institute of Molecular Biology; Bulgarian Academy of Sciences; Sofia 1113 Bulgaria
| | - Stanislav Rangelov
- Institute of Polymers; Bulgarian Academy of Sciences; Akad. G. Bonchev St. 103A Sofia 1113 Bulgaria
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8
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Poloxamers, poloxamines and polymeric micelles: Definition, structure and therapeutic applications in cancer. JOURNAL OF POLYMER RESEARCH 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10965-017-1426-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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King AR, Corso CD, Chen EM, Song E, Bongiorni P, Chen Z, Sundaram RK, Bindra RS, Saltzman WM. Local DNA Repair Inhibition for Sustained Radiosensitization of High-Grade Gliomas. Mol Cancer Ther 2017; 16:1456-1469. [PMID: 28566437 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-16-0788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2016] [Revised: 04/14/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
High-grade gliomas, such as glioblastoma (GBM) and diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), are characterized by an aggressive phenotype with nearly universal local disease progression despite multimodal treatment, which typically includes chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and possibly surgery. Radiosensitizers that have improved the effects of radiotherapy for extracranial tumors have been ineffective for the treatment of GBM and DIPG, in part due to poor blood-brain barrier penetration and rapid intracranial clearance of small molecules. Here, we demonstrate that nanoparticles can provide sustained drug release and minimal toxicity. When administered locally, these nanoparticles conferred radiosensitization in vitro and improved survival in rats with intracranial gliomas when delivered concurrently with a 5-day course of fractionated radiotherapy. Compared with previous work using locally delivered radiosensitizers and cranial radiation, our approach, based on the rational selection of agents and a clinically relevant radiation dosing schedule, produces the strongest synergistic effects between chemo- and radiotherapy approaches to the treatment of high-grade gliomas. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(8); 1456-69. ©2017 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda R King
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Christopher D Corso
- Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Evan M Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Eric Song
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Paul Bongiorni
- Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Zhe Chen
- Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Ranjini K Sundaram
- Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Ranjit S Bindra
- Department of Therapeutic Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut. .,Department of Experimental Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - W Mark Saltzman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
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10
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Pereira P, Barreira M, Queiroz JA, Veiga F, Sousa F, Figueiras A. Smart micelleplexes as a new therapeutic approach for RNA delivery. Expert Opin Drug Deliv 2016; 14:353-371. [DOI: 10.1080/17425247.2016.1214567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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11
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Zhang Y, Buhrman JS, Liu Y, Rayahin JE, Gemeinhart RA. Reducible Micelleplexes are Stable Systems for Anti-miRNA Delivery in Cerebrospinal Fluid. Mol Pharm 2016; 13:1791-9. [PMID: 27177352 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.5b00933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and other central nervous system (CNS) cancers have poor long-term prognosis, and there is a significant need for improved treatments. GBM initiation and progression are mediated, in part, by microRNA (miRNA), which are endogenous posttranscriptional gene regulators. Misregulation of miRNAs is a potential target for therapeutic intervention in GBM. In this work, a micelle-like nanoparticle delivery system based upon the block copolymer poly(ethylene glycol-b-lactide-b-arginine) was designed with and without a reducible linkage between the lactide and RNA-binding peptide, R15, to assess the ability of the micelle-like particles to disassemble. Using confocal live cell imaging, intracellular dissociation was pronounced for the reducible micelleplexes. This dissociation was also supported by higher efficiency in a dual luciferase assay specific for the miRNA of interest, miR-21. Notably, micelleplexes were found to have significantly better stability and higher anti-miRNA activity in cerebrospinal fluid than in human plasma, suggesting an advantage for applying micelleplexes to CNS diseases and in vivo CNS therapeutics. The reducible delivery system was determined to be a promising delivery platform for the treatment of CNS diseases with miRNA therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Richard A Gemeinhart
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois , Chicago, Illinois 60607-7052, United States
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