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Duan M, Lv C, Zang J, Leng X, Zhao G, Zhang T. Metals at the Helm: Revolutionizing Protein Assembly and Applications. Macromol Biosci 2024:e2400126. [PMID: 39239781 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202400126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024]
Abstract
Protein assembly is an essential process in biological systems, where proteins self-assemble into complex structures with diverse functions. Inspired by the exquisite control over protein assembly in nature, scientists have been exploring ways to design and assemble protein structures with precise control over their topologies and functions. One promising approach for achieving this goal is through metal coordination, which utilizes metal-binding motifs to mediate protein-protein interactions and assemble protein complexes with controlled stoichiometry and geometry. Metal coordination provides a modular and tunable approach for protein assembly and de novo structure design, where the metal ion acts as a molecular glue that holds the protein subunits together in a specific orientation. Metal-coordinated protein assemblies have shown great potential for developing functional metalloproteinase, novel biomaterials and integrated drug delivery systems. In this review, an overview of the recent advances in protein assemblies benefited from metal coordination is provided, focusing on various protein arrangements in different dimensions including protein oligomers, protein nanocage and higher-order protein architectures. Moreover, the key metal-binding motifs and strategies used to assemble protein structures with precise control over their properties are highlighted. The potential applications of metal-mediated protein assemblies in biotechnology and biomedicine are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maoping Duan
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Chenyan Lv
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Jiachen Zang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Xiaojing Leng
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Guanghua Zhao
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Tuo Zhang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
- Center of Food Colloids and Delivery for Functionality, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100083, China
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2
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Yang EC, Divine R, Miranda MC, Borst AJ, Sheffler W, Zhang JZ, Decarreau J, Saragovi A, Abedi M, Goldbach N, Ahlrichs M, Dobbins C, Hand A, Cheng S, Lamb M, Levine PM, Chan S, Skotheim R, Fallas J, Ueda G, Lubner J, Somiya M, Khmelinskaia A, King NP, Baker D. Computational design of non-porous pH-responsive antibody nanoparticles. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2024; 31:1404-1412. [PMID: 38724718 PMCID: PMC11402598 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-024-01288-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
Programming protein nanomaterials to respond to changes in environmental conditions is a current challenge for protein design and is important for targeted delivery of biologics. Here we describe the design of octahedral non-porous nanoparticles with a targeting antibody on the two-fold symmetry axis, a designed trimer programmed to disassemble below a tunable pH transition point on the three-fold axis, and a designed tetramer on the four-fold symmetry axis. Designed non-covalent interfaces guide cooperative nanoparticle assembly from independently purified components, and a cryo-EM density map closely matches the computational design model. The designed nanoparticles can package protein and nucleic acid payloads, are endocytosed following antibody-mediated targeting of cell surface receptors, and undergo tunable pH-dependent disassembly at pH values ranging between 5.9 and 6.7. The ability to incorporate almost any antibody into a non-porous pH-dependent nanoparticle opens up new routes to antibody-directed targeted delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin C Yang
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Graduate Program in Biological Physics, Structure & Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Robby Divine
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Marcos C Miranda
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Medicine Solna, Division of Immunology and Allergy, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andrew J Borst
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Will Sheffler
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jason Z Zhang
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Justin Decarreau
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Amijai Saragovi
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Mohamad Abedi
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nicolas Goldbach
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Maggie Ahlrichs
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Craig Dobbins
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Alexis Hand
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Suna Cheng
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Mila Lamb
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Paul M Levine
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sidney Chan
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Rebecca Skotheim
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jorge Fallas
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - George Ueda
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Joshua Lubner
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Masaharu Somiya
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- SANKEN, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Alena Khmelinskaia
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Transdisciplinary Research Area 'Building Blocks of Matter and Fundamental Interactions (TRA Matter)', University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Life and Medical Sciences Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Neil P King
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - David Baker
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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3
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Yousefi A, Zheng Z, Zargarbashi S, Assadipapari M, Hickman GJ, Parmenter CD, Bueno-Alejo CJ, Sanderson G, Craske D, Xu L, Perry CC, Rahmani M, Ying C. Structural Flexibility and Disassembly Kinetics of Single Ferritin Molecules Using Optical Nanotweezers. ACS NANO 2024; 18:15617-15626. [PMID: 38850556 PMCID: PMC11191739 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c01221] [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: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
Ferritin, a spherical protein shell assembled from 24 subunits, functions as an efficient iron storage and release system through its channels. Understanding how various chemicals affect the structural behavior of ferritin is crucial for unravelling the origins of iron-related diseases in living organisms including humans. In particular, the influence of chemicals on ferritin's dynamics and iron release is barely explored at the single-protein level. Here, by employing optical nanotweezers using double-nanohole (DNH) structures, we examined the effect of ascorbic acid (reducing reagent) and pH on individual ferritin's conformational dynamics. The dynamics of ferritin increased as the concentration of ascorbic acid approached saturation. At pH 2.0, ferritin exhibited significant structural fluctuations and eventually underwent a stepwise disassembly into fragments. This work demonstrated the disassembly pathway and kinetics of a single ferritin molecule in solution. We identified four critical fragments during its disassembly pathway, which are 22-mer, 12-mer, tetramer, and dimer subunits. Moreover, we present single-molecule evidence of the cooperative disassembly of ferritin. Interrogating ferritin's structural change in response to different chemicals holds importance for understanding their roles in iron metabolism, hence facilitating further development of medical treatments for its associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arman Yousefi
- Advanced
Optics and Photonics Laboratory, Department of Engineering, School
of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent
University, Nottingham NG118NS, United
Kingdom
| | - Ze Zheng
- Advanced
Optics and Photonics Laboratory, Department of Engineering, School
of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent
University, Nottingham NG118NS, United
Kingdom
| | - Saaman Zargarbashi
- Advanced
Optics and Photonics Laboratory, Department of Engineering, School
of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent
University, Nottingham NG118NS, United
Kingdom
| | - Mahya Assadipapari
- Advanced
Optics and Photonics Laboratory, Department of Engineering, School
of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent
University, Nottingham NG118NS, United
Kingdom
| | - Graham J. Hickman
- School
of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent
University, Nottingham NG11 8NS, United Kingdom
| | | | - Carlos J. Bueno-Alejo
- School
of Chemistry, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, United Kingdom
| | - Gabriel Sanderson
- Advanced
Optics and Photonics Laboratory, Department of Engineering, School
of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent
University, Nottingham NG118NS, United
Kingdom
| | - Dominic Craske
- School
of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent
University, Nottingham NG11 8NS, United Kingdom
| | - Lei Xu
- Advanced
Optics and Photonics Laboratory, Department of Engineering, School
of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent
University, Nottingham NG118NS, United
Kingdom
| | - Carole C. Perry
- Interdisciplinary
Biomedical Research Centre, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham NG11 8NS, United Kingdom
| | - Mohsen Rahmani
- Advanced
Optics and Photonics Laboratory, Department of Engineering, School
of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent
University, Nottingham NG118NS, United
Kingdom
| | - Cuifeng Ying
- Advanced
Optics and Photonics Laboratory, Department of Engineering, School
of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent
University, Nottingham NG118NS, United
Kingdom
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4
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Jones AA, Snow CD. Porous protein crystals: synthesis and applications. Chem Commun (Camb) 2024; 60:5790-5803. [PMID: 38756076 DOI: 10.1039/d4cc00183d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Large-pore protein crystals (LPCs) are an emerging class of biomaterials. The inherent diversity of proteins translates to a diversity of crystal lattice structures, many of which display large pores and solvent channels. These pores can, in turn, be functionalized via directed evolution and rational redesign based on the known crystal structures. LPCs possess extremely high solvent content, as well as extremely high surface area to volume ratios. Because of these characteristics, LPCs continue to be explored in diverse applications including catalysis, targeted therapeutic delivery, templating of nanostructures, structural biology. This Feature review article will describe several of the existing platforms in detail, with particular focus on LPC synthesis approaches and reported applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alec Arthur Jones
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1301, USA.
| | - Christopher D Snow
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1301, USA.
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1301, USA
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5
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Yan W, Li H, Ning J, Huang S, Jiang L, Xu P, Huang M, Yuan C. Engineered protein cages with enhanced extracellular drug release for elevated antitumor efficacy. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 267:131492. [PMID: 38604418 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.131492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Human heavy chain ferritin (HFn) protein cage has been explored as a nanocarrier for targeted anticancer drug delivery. Here, we introduced a matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)-cleavable sequence into the DE loop of HFn, creating an MMP-responsive variant, MR-HFn, for localized and extracellular drug release. The crystal structure of MR-HFn revealed that the addition of the MMPs recognition sequence did not affect the self-assembly of HFn but presented a surface-exposed loop susceptible to MMPs cleavage. Biochemical analysis indicated that this engineered protein cage is responsive to MMPs, enabling the targeted release of encapsulated drugs. To evaluate the therapeutic potential of this engineered protein cage, monosubstituted β-carboxy phthalocyanine zinc (CPZ), a type of photosensitizer, was loaded inside this protein cage. The prepared CPZ@MR-HFn showed higher uptake and stronger phototoxicity in MMPs overexpressed tumor cells, as well as enhanced penetration into multicellular tumor spheroids compared with its counterpart CPZ@HFn in vitro. In vivo, CPZ@MR-HFn displayed a higher tumor inhibitory rate than CPZ@HFn under illumination. These results indicated that MR-HFn is a promising nanocarrier for anticancer drug delivery and the MMP-responsive strategy here can also be adapted for other stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Yan
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
| | - Hanlin Li
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fujian 350108, China
| | - Jiamin Ning
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
| | - Shuhao Huang
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
| | - Longguang Jiang
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fujian 350108, China
| | - Peng Xu
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China
| | - Mingdong Huang
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fujian 350108, China.
| | - Cai Yuan
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, China.
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6
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Xia X, Li H, Zang J, Cheng S, Du M. Advancements of the Molecular Directed Design and Structure-Activity Relationship of Ferritin Nanocage. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:7629-7654. [PMID: 38518374 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c09903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
Ferritin nanocages possess remarkable structural properties and biological functions, making them highly attractive for applications in functional materials and biomedicine. This comprehensive review presents an overview of the molecular characteristics, extraction and identification of ferritin, ferritin receptors, as well as the advancements in the directional design of high-order assemblies of ferritin and the applications based on its unique structural properties. Specifically, this Review focuses on the regulation of ferritin assembly from one to three dimensions, leveraging the symmetry of ferritin and modifications on key interfaces. Furthermore, it discusses targeted delivery of nutrition and drugs through facile loading and functional modification of ferritin. The aim of this Review is to inspire the design of micro/nano functional materials using ferritin and the development of nanodelivery vehicles for nutritional fortification and disease treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Xia
- SKL of Marine Food Processing & Safety Control, School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, Collaborative Innovation Centre of Seafood Deep Processing, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, China
| | - Han Li
- SKL of Marine Food Processing & Safety Control, School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, Collaborative Innovation Centre of Seafood Deep Processing, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, China
| | - Jiachen Zang
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Shuzhen Cheng
- SKL of Marine Food Processing & Safety Control, School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, Collaborative Innovation Centre of Seafood Deep Processing, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, China
| | - Ming Du
- SKL of Marine Food Processing & Safety Control, School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, Collaborative Innovation Centre of Seafood Deep Processing, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, China
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7
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Jiao R, Zhao G, Zhang T. Structural Insights into the Reaction between Hydrogen Peroxide and Di-iron Complexes at the Ferroxidase Center of Ferritin. Inorg Chem 2024; 63:3359-3365. [PMID: 38315811 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c03889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
The Fe(II) oxidation mechanism in the ferroxidase center of heavy chain ferritin has been studied extensively. However, the actual production of H2O2 was found to be substantially lower than expected at low flux of Fe(II) to ferritin subunits. Here, we demonstrated that H2O2 could interact with the di-iron nuclear center, leading to the production of hydroxyl radicals and oxygen. Two reaction intermediates were captured in the ferroxidase center by using the time-lapse crystallographic techniques in a shellfish ferritin. The crystal structures revealed the binding of H2O2 as a μ -1,2-peroxo-diferric species and the binding of O2 to the diferric structure. This investigation sheds light on the reaction between the di-iron nuclear center and H2O2 and provides insights for the exploitation of metalloenzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruonan Jiao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Functional Food from Plant Resources, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Guanghua Zhao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Functional Food from Plant Resources, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Tuo Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Functional Food from Plant Resources, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
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8
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Lee EJ, Gladkov N, Miller JE, Yeates TO. Design of Ligand-Operable Protein-Cages That Open Upon Specific Protein Binding. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:157-167. [PMID: 38133598 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00383] [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: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Protein nanocages have diverse applications in medicine and biotechnology, including molecular delivery. However, although numerous studies have demonstrated the ability of protein nanocages to encapsulate various molecular species, limited methods are available for subsequently opening a nanocage for cargo release under specific conditions. A modular platform with a specific protein-target-based mechanism of nanocage opening is notably lacking. To address this important technology gap, we present a new class of designed protein cages, the Ligand-Operable Cage (LOC). LOCs primarily comprise a protein nanocage core and a fused surface binding adaptor. The geometry of the LOC is designed so that binding of a target protein ligand (or multiple copies thereof) to the surface binder is sterically incompatible with retention of the assembled state of the cage. Therefore, the tight binding of a target ligand drives cage disassembly by mass action, subsequently exposing the encapsulated cargo. LOCs are modular; direct substitution of the surface binder sequence can reprogram the nanocage to open in response to any target protein ligand of interest. We demonstrate these design principles using both a natural and a designed protein cage as the core, with different proteins acting as the triggering ligand and with different reporter readouts─fluorescence unquenching and luminescence─for cage disassembly. These developments advance the critical problem of targeted molecular delivery and detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J Lee
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Nika Gladkov
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Justin E Miller
- Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Todd O Yeates
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, UCLA, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
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9
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Xia H, Xu H, Wang J, Wang C, Chen R, Tao T, Xu S, Zhang J, Ma K, Wang J. Heat sensitive E-helix cut ferritin nanocages for facile and high-efficiency loading of doxorubicin. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 253:126973. [PMID: 37729988 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.126973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Ferritin possesses a stable and uniform cage structure, along with tumor-targeting properties and excellent biocompatibility, making it a promising drug delivery vehicle. However, the current ferritin drug loading strategy involves complex steps and harsh reaction conditions, resulting in low yield and recovery of drug loading, which limits the clinical application prospects of ferritin nanomedicine. In this study, we utilized the high-efficiency heat-sensitivity of the multiple channel switch structures of the E-helix-cut ferritin mutant (Ecut-HFn) and Cu2+ assistance to achieve high-efficiency loading of chemotherapeutic drugs in a one-step process at low temperatures. This method features mild reaction conditions (45 °C), high loading efficiency (about 110 doxorubicin (Dox) per Ecut-HFn), and improved protein and Dox recovery rates (with protein recovery rate around 94 % and Dox recovery rate reaching up to 45 %). The prepared ferritin-Dox particles (Ecut-HFn-Cu-Dox) exhibit a uniform size distribution, good stability, and retain the natural tumor targeting ability of ferritin. Overall, this temperature-controlled drug loading strategy utilizing heat-sensitivity ferritin mutants is energy-saving, environmentally friendly, efficient, and easy to operate, offering a new perspective for scaling up the industrial production of ferritin drug carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haining Xia
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, PR China; University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China
| | - Huangtao Xu
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, PR China
| | - Jiarong Wang
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, PR China
| | - Changhao Wang
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, PR China; University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China
| | - Ruiguo Chen
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, PR China
| | - Tongxiang Tao
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, PR China; University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China
| | - Shuai Xu
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, PR China
| | - Jing Zhang
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, PR China; University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China
| | - Kun Ma
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, PR China.
| | - Junfeng Wang
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, PR China; University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China; Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, PR China.
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10
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Fracasso G, Falvo E, Tisci G, Sala G, Colotti G, Cingarlini S, Tito C, Bibbo S, Frusteri C, Tremante E, Giordani E, Giacomini P, Ceci P. Widespread in vivo efficacy of The-0504: A conditionally-activatable nanoferritin for tumor-agnostic targeting of CD71-expressing cancers. Heliyon 2023; 9:e20770. [PMID: 37860543 PMCID: PMC10582389 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cancer is still among the leading causes of death all over the world. Improving chemotherapy and minimizing associated toxicities are major unmet medical needs. Recently, we provided a preliminary preclinical evaluation of a human ferritin (HFt)-based drug carrier (The-0504) that selectively delivers the wide-spectrum topoisomerase I inhibitor Genz-644282 to CD71-expressing tumors. The-0504 has so far been evaluated on four different human tumor xenotransplant models (breast, colorectal, pancreatic and liver cancers). Methods Herein, we extend our studies, by: (a) testing DNA damage in vitro, (b) treating eight additional tumor xenograft models in vivo with The-0504; (c) performing pharmacokinetic (PK) studies in rats; and (d) evaluating The-0504 anti-tumor xenotransplant efficacy by optimizing its administration schedule based on PK considerations. Results Immunofluorescence demonstrated that The-0504 induces foci expressing the DNA double-strand break marker γH2AX. Expression increases up to 4-fold and is more persistent as compared to free Genz-644282. In vivo studies confirmed a remarkable anti-tumor activity of The-0504, resulting in tumor eradication in most murine xenograft models, regardless of embryological origin (e.g. epithelial, mesenchymal or neuroendocrine), and molecular subtypes. PK studies demonstrated a long persistence of The-0504 in rat serum (half-life of about 40 h as compared to 15 h of the free drug), with a 400-fold increase in peak concentrations as compared to the free drug. On this basis, we reduced The-0504 administration frequency from twice to once per week, with no appreciable loss in therapeutic efficacy in mice. Conclusion The results presented here confirm that The-0504 is highly active against several human tumor xenotransplants, even when administered less frequently than previously reported. The-0504 may be a good candidate for further clinical development in a tumor histotype-agnostic setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulio Fracasso
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, 35131, Padua, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Falvo
- CNR–National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Giada Tisci
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Gianluca Sala
- Department of Innovative Technologies in Medicine & Dentistry, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
- Center for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), Chieti, Italy
| | - Gianni Colotti
- CNR–National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Cingarlini
- Section of Oncology, Verona University Hospital Trust, Verona, Italy
| | - Claudia Tito
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopedic Sciences, Section of Histology and Medical Embryology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Sandra Bibbo
- Department of Innovative Technologies in Medicine & Dentistry, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
- Center for Advanced Studies and Technology (CAST), Chieti, Italy
| | | | - Elisa Tremante
- Department of Research, Advanced Diagnostics and Technological Innovation, UOC Translational Oncology Research, IRCCS National Cancer Institute Regina Elena, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144, Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Giordani
- Clinical Trial Center, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, IRCCS National Cancer Institute Regina Elena, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144, Rome, Italy
| | - Patrizio Giacomini
- Clinical Trial Center, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, IRCCS National Cancer Institute Regina Elena, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144, Rome, Italy
| | - Pierpaolo Ceci
- CNR–National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, 00185, Rome, Italy
- Thena Biotech, Latina, Italy
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11
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João J, Prazeres DMF. Manufacturing of non-viral protein nanocages for biotechnological and biomedical applications. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1200729. [PMID: 37520292 PMCID: PMC10374429 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1200729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein nanocages are highly ordered nanometer scale architectures, which are typically formed by homo- or hetero-self-assembly of multiple monomers into symmetric structures of different size and shape. The intrinsic characteristics of protein nanocages make them very attractive and promising as a biological nanomaterial. These include, among others, a high surface/volume ratio, multi-functionality, ease to modify or manipulate genetically or chemically, high stability, mono-dispersity, and biocompatibility. Since the beginning of the investigation into protein nanocages, several applications were conceived in a variety of areas such as drug delivery, vaccine development, bioimaging, biomineralization, nanomaterial synthesis and biocatalysis. The ability to generate large amounts of pure and well-folded protein assemblies is one of the keys to transform nanocages into clinically valuable products and move biomedical applications forward. This calls for the development of more efficient biomanufacturing processes and for the setting up of analytical techniques adequate for the quality control and characterization of the biological function and structure of nanocages. This review concisely covers and overviews the progress made since the emergence of protein nanocages as a new, next-generation class of biologics. A brief outline of non-viral protein nanocages is followed by a presentation of their main applications in the areas of bioengineering, biotechnology, and biomedicine. Afterwards, we focus on a description of the current processes used in the manufacturing of protein nanocages with particular emphasis on the most relevant aspects of production and purification. The state-of-the-art on current characterization techniques is then described and future alternative or complementary approaches in development are also discussed. Finally, a critical analysis of the limitations and drawbacks of the current manufacturing strategies is presented, alongside with the identification of the major challenges and bottlenecks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge João
- iBB–Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB–Institute for Health and Bioeconomy at Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Duarte Miguel F. Prazeres
- iBB–Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB–Institute for Health and Bioeconomy at Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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12
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Chen H, Tan X, Hu M, Xie J, Han X, Yu Y, Zhu H, Wang H, Zhang Y. Genipin-mediated subunit-subunit crosslinking of ferritin nanocages: Structure, properties, and its application for food bioactive compound sealing. Food Chem 2023; 411:135437. [PMID: 36701920 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.135437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Ferritin proteins are promising nano-carriers for bioactive compound delivery. However, the disassembly properties under acidic/alkaline conditions pose risks of cargo leakage. Herein, genipin-mediated chemical crosslinking method was provided as an alternative and effective strategy to construct robust ferritin nanocarrier through controlled-intramolecular conjugation. As indicated by SDS-/Native- PAGE, the crosslinking degree gradually increased with incubating time prolonging. CD results showed that the cross-linking would decrease α-helix content from 78.4 % to 52.7 % upon 6 h incubation. However, TEM images showed that the genipin-modification has subtle influence on its shell-like structure. Remarkably, the cross-linking can be well controlled by intramolecular subunit-subunit conjugation rather than intermolecular conjugation, giving an excellent monodispersity. Importantly, the covalent cross-linking can tight neighboring subunits and inhibit its disassociation, finally inhibiting the leakage of encapsulated-cargos from ferritin cavity under acidic environments. Such findings suggested that the genipin-mediated cross-linking strategy can fabricate robust nano-carriers for bioactive compound delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai Chen
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Speciality Food Co-Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, Chongqing 400715, China; State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xiaoyi Tan
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, 14 Beijing 100083, China
| | - Mengji Hu
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Jiang Xie
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xueer Han
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yong Yu
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Speciality Food Co-Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, Chongqing 400715, China; State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Hankun Zhu
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Speciality Food Co-Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, Chongqing 400715, China; State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Hongxia Wang
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Speciality Food Co-Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, Chongqing 400715, China; State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yuhao Zhang
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Luminescence Analysis and Molecular Sensing (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, Chongqing 400715, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Speciality Food Co-Built by Sichuan and Chongqing, Chongqing 400715, China; State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
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13
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Yang EC, Divine R, Miranda MC, Borst AJ, Sheffler W, Zhang JZ, Decarreau J, Saragovi A, Abedi M, Goldbach N, Ahlrichs M, Dobbins C, Hand A, Cheng S, Lamb M, Levine PM, Chan S, Skotheim R, Fallas J, Ueda G, Lubner J, Somiya M, Khmelinskaia A, King NP, Baker D. Computational design of non-porous, pH-responsive antibody nanoparticles. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.17.537263. [PMID: 37131615 PMCID: PMC10153164 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.17.537263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Programming protein nanomaterials to respond to changes in environmental conditions is a current challenge for protein design and important for targeted delivery of biologics. We describe the design of octahedral non-porous nanoparticles with the three symmetry axes (four-fold, three-fold, and two-fold) occupied by three distinct protein homooligomers: a de novo designed tetramer, an antibody of interest, and a designed trimer programmed to disassemble below a tunable pH transition point. The nanoparticles assemble cooperatively from independently purified components, and a cryo-EM density map reveals that the structure is very close to the computational design model. The designed nanoparticles can package a variety of molecular payloads, are endocytosed following antibody-mediated targeting of cell surface receptors, and undergo tunable pH-dependent disassembly at pH values ranging between to 5.9-6.7. To our knowledge, these are the first designed nanoparticles with more than two structural components and with finely tunable environmental sensitivity, and they provide new routes to antibody-directed targeted delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin C Yang
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Graduate Program in Biological Physics, Structure & Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Robby Divine
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Marcos C Miranda
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Medicine Solna, Division of Immunology and Allergy, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andrew J Borst
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Will Sheffler
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jason Z Zhang
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Justin Decarreau
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Amijai Saragovi
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Mohamad Abedi
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nicolas Goldbach
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Maggie Ahlrichs
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Craig Dobbins
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Alexis Hand
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Suna Cheng
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Mila Lamb
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Paul M Levine
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sidney Chan
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Rebecca Skotheim
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jorge Fallas
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - George Ueda
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Joshua Lubner
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Masaharu Somiya
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- SANKEN, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Alena Khmelinskaia
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Transdisciplinary Research Area "Building Blocks of Matter and Fundamental Interactions (TRA Matter)", University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Life and Medical Sciences Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Neil P King
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - David Baker
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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14
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Knödler M, Opdensteinen P, Sankaranarayanan RA, Morgenroth A, Buhl EM, Mottaghy FM, Buyel JF. Simple plant-based production and purification of the assembled human ferritin heavy chain as a nanocarrier for tumor-targeted drug delivery and bioimaging in cancer therapy. Biotechnol Bioeng 2023; 120:1038-1054. [PMID: 36539373 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Nanoparticles are used as carriers for the delivery of drugs and imaging agents. Proteins are safer than synthetic nanocarriers due to their greater biocompatibility and the absence of toxic degradation products. In this context, ferritin has the additional benefit of inherently targeting the membrane receptor transferrin 1, which is overexpressed by most cancer cells. Furthermore, this self-assembling multimeric protein can be loaded with more than 2000 iron atoms, as well as drugs, contrast agents, and other cargos. However, recombinant ferritin currently costs ~3.5 million € g-1 , presumably because the limited number of producers cannot meet demand, making it generally unaffordable as a nanocarrier. Because plants can produce proteins at very-large-scale, we developed a simple, proof-of-concept process for the production of the human ferritin heavy chain by transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana. We optimized the protein yields by screening different compartments and 5'-untranslated regions in PCPs, and selected the best-performing construct for production in differentiated plants. We then established a rapid and scalable purification protocol by combining pH and heat treatment before extraction, followed by an ultrafiltration/diafiltration size-based separation process. The optimized process achieved ferritin levels of ~40 mg kg-1 fresh biomass although depth filtration limited product recovery to ~7%. The purity of the recombinant product was >90% at costs ~3% of the current sales price. Our method therefore allows the production of affordable ferritin heavy chain as a carrier for therapeutic and diagnostic agents, which is suitable for further stability and functionality testing in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Knödler
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e. V., Aachen, Germany
- Institute for Molecular Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Patrick Opdensteinen
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e. V., Aachen, Germany
- Institute for Molecular Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | | | - Agnieszka Morgenroth
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Aachen, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Eva Miriam Buhl
- Electron Microscopy Facility, Institute for Pathology, University Hospital Aachen, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Felix M Mottaghy
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Aachen, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Center (MUMC+), Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Johannes Felix Buyel
- Institute for Molecular Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Institute of Bioprocess Science and Engineering (IBSE), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
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15
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Reutovich AA, Srivastava AK, Arosio P, Bou-Abdallah F. Ferritin nanocages as efficient nanocarriers and promising platforms for COVID-19 and other vaccines development. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2023; 1867:130288. [PMID: 36470367 PMCID: PMC9721431 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2022.130288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The development of safe and effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses with high antigenic drift is of crucial importance to public health. Ferritin is a well characterized and ubiquitous iron storage protein that has emerged not only as a useful nanoreactor and nanocarrier, but more recently as an efficient platform for vaccine development. SCOPE OF REVIEW This review discusses ferritin structure-function properties, self-assembly, and novel bioengineering strategies such as interior cavity and exterior surface modifications for cargo encapsulation and delivery. It also discusses the use of ferritin as a scaffold for biomedical applications, especially for vaccine development against influenza, Epstein-Barr, HIV, hepatitis-C, Lyme disease, and respiratory viruses such as SARS-CoV-2. The use of ferritin for the synthesis of mosaic vaccines to deliver a cocktail of antigens that elicit broad immune protection against different viral variants is also explored. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS The remarkable stability, biocompatibility, surface functionalization, and self-assembly properties of ferritin nanoparticles make them very attractive platforms for a wide range of biomedical applications, including the development of vaccines. Strong immune responses have been observed in pre-clinical studies against a wide range of pathogens and have led to the exploration of ferritin nanoparticles-based vaccines in multiple phase I clinical trials. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE The broad protective antibody response of ferritin nanoparticles-based vaccines demonstrates the usefulness of ferritin as a highly promising and effective approaches for vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ayush K Srivastava
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York, Potsdam, NY 13676, USA
| | - Paolo Arosio
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy
| | - Fadi Bou-Abdallah
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York, Potsdam, NY 13676, USA.
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16
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Zhu Y, Zhu Y, Cao T, Liu X, Liu X, Yan Y, Shi Y, Wang JC. Ferritin-based nanomedicine for disease treatment. MEDICAL REVIEW (2021) 2023; 3:49-74. [PMID: 37724111 PMCID: PMC10471093 DOI: 10.1515/mr-2023-0001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Ferritin is an endogenous protein which is self-assembled by 24 subunits into a highly uniform nanocage structure. Due to the drug-encapsulating ability in the hollow inner cavity and abundant modification sites on the outer surface, ferritin nanocage has been demonstrated great potential to become a multi-functional nanomedicine platform. Its good biocompatibility, low toxicity and immunogenicity, intrinsic tumor-targeting ability, high stability, low cost and massive production, together make ferritin nanocage stand out from other nanocarriers. In this review, we summarized ferritin-based nanomedicine in field of disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention. The different types of drugs to be loaded in ferritin, as well as drug-loading methods were classified. The strategies for site-specific and non-specific functional modification of ferritin were investigated, then the application of ferritin for disease imaging, drug delivery and vaccine development were discussed. Finally, the challenges restricting the clinical translation of ferritin-based nanomedicines were analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanjun Zhu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmaceutics and New Drug Delivery Systems, State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuefeng Zhu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmaceutics and New Drug Delivery Systems, State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Tianmiao Cao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmaceutics and New Drug Delivery Systems, State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyu Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmaceutics and New Drug Delivery Systems, State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyan Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmaceutics and New Drug Delivery Systems, State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Yan
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmaceutics and New Drug Delivery Systems, State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yujie Shi
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmaceutics and New Drug Delivery Systems, State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jian-Cheng Wang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmaceutics and New Drug Delivery Systems, State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Laboratory of Innovative Formulations and Pharmaceutical Excipients, Ningbo Institute of Marine Medicine, Peking University, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China
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17
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Song X, Zheng Y, Liu Y, Meng H, Yu R, Zhang C. Production of Recombinant Human Hybrid Ferritin with Heavy Chain and Light Chain in Escherichia coli and its Characterization. Curr Pharm Biotechnol 2023; 24:341-349. [PMID: 35585819 DOI: 10.2174/1389201023666220517225048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Natural human ferritin generally contains 24 subunits with different ratios of heavy chain to light chain, and the ratio of both subunits varies depending on tissue distribution and pathological conditions. However, the production of recombinant hybrid ferritin with both subunits is more challenging. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to prepare the recombinant hybrid ferritin for prokaryotic expression and characterize its structure and physicochemical properties. METHODS A prokaryotic expression vector of pACYCDuet-1 harboring the two individual genes of human ferritin heavy chain and light chain (FTH/FTL-pACYCDuet-1) was constructed and transfected into Escherichia coli bacteria. Then the genes were co-induced by IPTG to express. RESULTS The ferritin was purified by hydrophobic interaction chromatography combining size exclusion chromatography and verified by mass spectrometry and characterized by spectral and morphological analysis. CONCLUSION FTH and FTL subunits were successfully co-assembled into a hybrid ferritin nanoparticle (rhFTH/L). The structure of rhFTH/L was demonstrated highly ordered and fairly compact. Besides, the hybrid rhFTH/L nanoparticle was shown more sensitive to thermal stress and reduced stability when compared with that of both individual rhFTH and rhFTL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotong Song
- Department of Biopharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yongxiang Zheng
- Department of Biopharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yongdong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Huan Meng
- Department of Biopharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Rong Yu
- Department of Biopharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Chun Zhang
- Department of Biopharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
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18
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Protein encapsulation of nanocatalysts: A feasible approach to facilitate catalytic theranostics. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2023; 192:114648. [PMID: 36513163 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2022.114648] [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: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Enzyme-mimicking nanocatalysts, also termed nanozymes, have attracted much attention in recent years. They are considered potential alternatives to natural enzymes due to their multiple catalytic activities and high stability. However, concerns regarding the colloidal stability, catalytic specificity, efficiency and biosafety of nanomaterials in biomedical applications still need to be addressed. Proteins are biodegradable macromolecules that exhibit superior biocompatibility and inherent bioactivities; hence, the protein modification of nanocatalysts is expected to improve their bioavailability to match clinical needs. The diversity of amino acid residues in proteins provides abundant functional groups for the conjugation or encapsulation of nanocatalysts. Moreover, protein encapsulation can not only improve the overall performance of nanocatalysts in biological systems, but also bestow materials with new features, such as targeting and retention in pathological sites. This review aims to report the recent developments and perspectives of protein-encapsulated catalysts in their functional improvements, modification methods and applications in biomedicine.
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19
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Liu Y, Zhao G. Reassembly Design of Ferritin Cages. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2671:69-78. [PMID: 37308638 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3222-2_3] [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: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The ferritin family is distributed in nearly all organisms and protects them from iron-induced oxidative damage. Besides, its highly symmetrical structure and biochemical features make it an appealing material for biotechnological applications, such as building blocks for multidimensional assembly, templates for nano-reactors, and scaffolds for encapsulation and delivery of nutrients and drugs. Moreover, it is of great significance to construct ferritin variants with different properties, size, and shape to further broaden its application. In this chapter, we present a routine process of the ferritin redesign and the characterization method of the protein structure to provide a feasible scheme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Liu
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Guanghua Zhao
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
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20
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Unlocking the Treasure Box: The Role of HEPES Buffer in Disassembling an Uncommon Ferritin Nanoparticle. SEPARATIONS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/separations9080222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Ferritins are ideal nanoparticles as drug delivery systems due to their hollow-sphere structure and the ability to target specific receptors on the cell surface. Here, we develop and characterize a new ferritin derived from the chimeric humanized A. fulgidus one, already designed to recognize the TfR1 receptor. Starting from the synthetic gene of this chimeric protein, we replaced two positively charged amino acids with two alanine residues to close the large triangular pores on its surface. These mutations make the protein nanoparticle suitable to incorporate even small therapeutics without leakage. Size-exclusion chromatography shows that the assembling/disassembling of this new protein cage can be easily fine-tuned by varying the HEPES buffer and MgCl2 concentration. The protein cage can be opened using 150 mM HEPES buffer without magnesium ions. Adding this divalent cation to the solution promotes the quick assembly of the ferritin as a 24-mer. The development of this new protein cage paves the way for encapsulation and delivery studies of small molecules for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes.
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21
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Yang B, Dong Y, Xu Z, Li X, Wang F, Zhang Y. Improved stability and pharmacokinetics of wogonin through loading into PASylated ferritin. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2022; 216:112515. [PMID: 35512464 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2022.112515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Wogonin (Wog) plays an important role in human diseases, especially cancer and inflammatory diseases, but its poor solubility, unstable metabolism and low bioavailability greatly limit its application in biomedical fields. Therefore, we developed a temperature-dependent method to encapsulate wogonin into a novel ferritin-based nanocarrier. To improve the loading capacity and stability, the human H chain ferritin (HFtn) was functionalized with a repetitive polypeptide sequence composed of proline (Pro), alanine (Ala), and serine (Ser) in different residues lengths (PAS10 and PAS30). Wogonin loading and release studies demonstrated that the encapsulation efficiency and stability of the PASylated nanocarriers were significantly higher than those of the wild type. PAS-HFtn-Wog exhibited enhanced cytotoxicity to MCF-7 breast cancer cells and HepG2 liver cancer cells. Notably, the PASylated HFtn, especially PAS30-HFtn greatly prolonged the pharmacokinetics of wogonin in the mice bloodstream. Therefore, wogonin-loaded PAS-HFtn may be a promising drug candidate for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingyan Yang
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for the Chemistry and Utilization of Agro-Forest Biomass, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, PR China
| | - Yixin Dong
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for the Chemistry and Utilization of Agro-Forest Biomass, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, PR China
| | - Zicheng Xu
- Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210009, PR China
| | - Xun Li
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for the Chemistry and Utilization of Agro-Forest Biomass, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, PR China
| | - Fei Wang
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for the Chemistry and Utilization of Agro-Forest Biomass, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, PR China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for the Chemistry and Utilization of Agro-Forest Biomass, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, PR China.
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22
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Chen H, Ma L, Dai H, Fu Y, Wang H, Zhang Y. Advances in Rational Protein Engineering toward Functional Architectures and Their Applications in Food Science. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2022; 70:4522-4533. [PMID: 35353517 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c00232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Protein biomolecules including enzymes, cagelike proteins, and specific peptides have been continuously exploited as functional biomaterials applied in catalysis, nutrient delivery, and food preservation in food-related areas. However, natural proteins usually function well in physiological conditions, not industrial conditions, or may possess undesirable physical and chemical properties. Currently, rational protein design as a valuable technology has attracted extensive attention for the rational engineering or fabrication of ideal protein biomaterials with novel properties and functionality. This article starts with the underlying knowledge of protein folding and assembly and is followed by the introduction of the principles and strategies for rational protein design. Basic strategies for rational protein engineering involving experienced protein tailoring, computational prediction, computation redesign, and de novo protein design are summarized. Then, we focus on the recent progress of rational protein engineering or design in the application of food science, and a comprehensive summary ranging from enzyme manufacturing to cagelike protein nanocarriers engineering and antimicrobial peptides preparation is given. Overall, this review highlights the importance of rational protein engineering in food biomaterial preparation which could be beneficial for food science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai Chen
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Liang Ma
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Hongjie Dai
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yu Fu
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Hongxia Wang
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yuhao Zhang
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
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23
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Liu Y, Zang J, Leng X, Zhao G. A short helix regulates conversion of dimeric and 24-meric ferritin architectures. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 203:535-542. [PMID: 35120932 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.01.174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The inter-subunit interaction at the protein interfaces plays a key role in protein self-assembly, through which enabling protein self-assembly controllable is of great importance for preparing the novel nanoscale protein materials with unexplored properties. Different from normal 24-meric ferritin, archaeal ferritin, Thermotoga maritima ferritin (TmFtn) naturally occurs as a dimer, which can assemble into a 24-mer nanocage induced by salts. However, the regulation mechanism of protein self-assembly underlying this phenomenon remains unclear. Here, a combination of the computational energy simulation and key interface reconstruction revealed that a short helix involved interactions at the C4 interface are mainly responsible for the existence of such dimer. Agreeing with this idea, deletion of such short helix of each subunit triggers it to be a stable dimer, which losses the ability to reassemble into 24-meric ferritin in the presence of salts in solution. Further support for this idea comes from the observation that grafting a small helix from human H ferritin onto archaeal subunit resulted in a stable 24-mer protein nanocage even in the absence of salts. Thus, these findings demonstrate that adjusting the interactions at the protein interfaces appears to be a facile, effective approach to control subunit assembly into different protein architectures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Liu
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Functional Food from Plant Resources, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Jiachen Zang
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Functional Food from Plant Resources, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Xiaojing Leng
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Functional Food from Plant Resources, Beijing 100083, China.
| | - Guanghua Zhao
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Functional Food from Plant Resources, Beijing 100083, China.
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24
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Li Z, Maity B, Hishikawa Y, Ueno T, Lu D. Importance of the Subunit-Subunit Interface in Ferritin Disassembly: A Molecular Dynamics Study. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:1106-1113. [PMID: 35015545 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c02753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Ferritin is a spherical cage-like protein that is useful for loading large functional particles for various applications. To our knowledge, how pH affects the interfaces inside ferritin and the mechanism of ferritin disassembly is far from complete. For this article, we conducted a series of molecular dynamics simulations (MD) at different pH values to study how interfaces affect ferritins' stability. It is shown that dimers are stable even at extremely low pH (pH 2.0), indicating that the dimer is the essential subunit for disassembly, and the slight swelling of the dimer resulting from monomer rotation inside a dimer is what triggers disassembly. During ferritin disassembly, there are two types of interfaces involved, and the interface between dimers is crucial. We also found that the driving forces for maintaining dimer stability are different when a dimer is inside ferritin and in an acidic solution. At low pH, the protonation of residues can lead to the loss of the salt bridge and the hydrogen bond between dimers, resulting in the disassembly of ferritin in an acidic environment. The above simulations reveal the possible mechanism of ferritin disassembly in an acidic solution, which can help us to design innovative and functional ferritin cages for different applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhipeng Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
| | - Basudev Maity
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
| | - Yuki Hishikawa
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
| | - Takafumi Ueno
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
- World Research Hub Initiative (WRHI), Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta-cho 4259, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
| | - Diannan Lu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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25
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Boyton I, Goodchild SC, Diaz D, Elbourne A, Collins-Praino LE, Care A. Characterizing the Dynamic Disassembly/Reassembly Mechanisms of Encapsulin Protein Nanocages. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:823-836. [PMID: 35036749 PMCID: PMC8757444 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c05472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Encapsulins, self-assembling icosahedral protein nanocages derived from prokaryotes, represent a versatile set of tools for nanobiotechnology. However, a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying encapsulin self-assembly, disassembly, and reassembly is lacking. Here, we characterize the disassembly/reassembly properties of three encapsulin nanocages that possess different structural architectures: T = 1 (24 nm), T = 3 (32 nm), and T = 4 (42 nm). Using spectroscopic techniques and electron microscopy, encapsulin architectures were found to exhibit varying sensitivities to the denaturant guanidine hydrochloride (GuHCl), extreme pH, and elevated temperature. While all three encapsulins showed the capacity to reassemble following GuHCl-induced disassembly (within 75 min), only the smallest T = 1 nanocage reassembled after disassembly in basic pH (within 15 min). Furthermore, atomic force microscopy revealed that all encapsulins showed a significant loss of structural integrity after undergoing sequential disassembly/reassembly steps. These findings provide insights into encapsulins' disassembly/reassembly dynamics, thus informing their future design, modification, and application.
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Affiliation(s)
- India Boyton
- School
of Life Sciences, University of Technology
Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
- ARC
Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, Macquarie University, Macquarie
Park, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Sophia C. Goodchild
- Department
of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, New South
Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Dennis Diaz
- Department
of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, New South
Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Aaron Elbourne
- School
of Science, College of Science, Engineering and Health, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Lyndsey E. Collins-Praino
- Adelaide
Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
- ARC
Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, Macquarie University, Macquarie
Park, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Andrew Care
- School
of Life Sciences, University of Technology
Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
- ARC
Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, Macquarie University, Macquarie
Park, New South Wales 2109, Australia
- ARC Centre
of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie
University, Macquarie Park, New South Wales 2109, Australia
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26
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The development of natural and designed protein nanocages for encapsulation and delivery of active compounds. Food Hydrocoll 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2021.107004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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27
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Zeng R, Lv C, Wang C, Zhao G. Bionanomaterials based on protein self-assembly: Design and applications in biotechnology. Biotechnol Adv 2021; 52:107835. [PMID: 34520791 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2021.107835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Elegant protein assembly to generate new biomaterials undergoes extremely rapid development for wide extension of biotechnology applications, which can be a powerful tool not only for creating nanomaterials but also for advancing understanding of the structure of life. Unique biological properties of proteins bestow these artificial biomaterials diverse functions that can permit them to be applied in encapsulation, bioimaging, biocatalysis, biosensors, photosynthetic apparatus, electron transport, magnetogenetic applications, vaccine development and antibodies design. This review gives a perspective view of the latest advances in the construction of protein-based nanomaterials. We initially start with distinguishable, specific interactions to construct sundry nanomaterials through protein self-assembly and concisely expound the assembly mechanism from the design strategy. And then, the design and construction of 0D, 1D, 2D, 3D protein assembled nanomaterials are especially highlighted. Furthermore, the potential applications have been discussed in detail. Overall, this review will illustrate how to fabricate highly sophisticated nanomaterials oriented toward applications in biotechnology based on the rules of supramolecular chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiqi Zeng
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Functional Dairy, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Chenyan Lv
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Functional Dairy, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Chengtao Wang
- Beijing Engineering and Technology Research Center of Food Additives, Beijing Technology & Business University, No. 11 Fucheng Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Guanghua Zhao
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Functional Dairy, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100083, China.
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28
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Yin S, Liu Y, Dai S, Zhang B, Qu Y, Zhang Y, Choe WS, Bi J. Mechanism Study of Thermally Induced Anti-Tumor Drug Loading to Engineered Human Heavy-Chain Ferritin Nanocages Aided by Computational Analysis. BIOSENSORS 2021; 11:bios11110444. [PMID: 34821660 PMCID: PMC8615661 DOI: 10.3390/bios11110444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Diverse drug loading approaches for human heavy-chain ferritin (HFn), a promising drug nanocarrier, have been established. However, anti-tumor drug loading ratio and protein carrier recovery yield are bottlenecks for future clinical application. Mechanisms behind drug loading have not been elaborated. In this work, a thermally induced drug loading approach was introduced to load anti-tumor drug doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) into HFn, and 2 functionalized HFns, HFn-PAS-RGDK, and HFn-PAS. Optimal conditions were obtained through orthogonal tests. All 3 HFn-based proteins achieved high protein recovery yield and drug loading ratio. Size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results showed the majority of DOX loaded protein (protein/DOX) remained its nanocage conformation. Computational analysis, molecular docking followed by molecular dynamic (MD) simulation, revealed mechanisms of DOX loading and formation of by-product by investigating non-covalent interactions between DOX with HFn subunit and possible binding modes of DOX and HFn after drug loading. In in vitro tests, DOX in protein/DOX entered tumor cell nucleus and inhibited tumor cell growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Yin
- School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; (S.Y.); (B.Z.); (Y.Q.)
| | - Yongdong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemistry Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; (Y.L.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Sheng Dai
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Brunel University London, London UB8 3PH, UK;
| | - Bingyang Zhang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; (S.Y.); (B.Z.); (Y.Q.)
| | - Yiran Qu
- School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; (S.Y.); (B.Z.); (Y.Q.)
| | - Yao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemistry Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; (Y.L.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Woo-Seok Choe
- School of Chemical Engineering), Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon 16419, Korea;
| | - Jingxiu Bi
- School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; (S.Y.); (B.Z.); (Y.Q.)
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29
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Rodrigues MQ, Alves PM, Roldão A. Functionalizing Ferritin Nanoparticles for Vaccine Development. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:1621. [PMID: 34683914 PMCID: PMC8540537 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13101621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last decade, the interest in ferritin-based vaccines has been increasing due to their safety and immunogenicity. Candidates against a wide range of pathogens are now on Phase I clinical trials namely for influenza, Epstein-Barr, and SARS-CoV-2 viruses. Manufacturing challenges related to particle heterogeneity, improper folding of fused antigens, and antigen interference with intersubunit interactions still need to be overcome. In addition, protocols need to be standardized so that the production bioprocess becomes reproducible, allowing ferritin-based therapeutics to become readily available. In this review, the building blocks that enable the formulation of ferritin-based vaccines at an experimental stage, including design, production, and purification are presented. Novel bioengineering strategies of functionalizing ferritin nanoparticles based on modular assembly, allowing the challenges associated with genetic fusion to be circumvented, are discussed. Distinct up/down-stream approaches to produce ferritin-based vaccines and their impact on production yield and vaccine efficacy are compared. Finally, ferritin nanoparticles currently used in vaccine development and clinical trials are summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarida Q. Rodrigues
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (M.Q.R.); (P.M.A.)
- ITQB NOVA, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Paula M. Alves
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (M.Q.R.); (P.M.A.)
- ITQB NOVA, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - António Roldão
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (M.Q.R.); (P.M.A.)
- ITQB NOVA, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
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30
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Zhang B, Tang G, He J, Yan X, Fan K. Ferritin nanocage: A promising and designable multi-module platform for constructing dynamic nanoassembly-based drug nanocarrier. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2021; 176:113892. [PMID: 34331986 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.113892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Ferritin has been widely recognized as an ideal drug delivery vehicle owing to its unique cage-like structure. Coupled with intrinsic targeting ability and excellent biosafety, ferritin-based drug delivery system, recently coined as ferritin drug carrier (FDC), has sparked great interest among researchers and shown promising application potential in the biomedical field. However, the flexibility and accuracy of traditional FDCs are limited when facing with complex disease microenvironments. To meet the fast-growing requirements for precision medicine, ferritin can serve as a designable multi-module platform to fabricate smarter FDC, which we introduce here as dynamic nanoassembly-based ferritin drug carrier (DNFDC). Compared to conventional FDC, DNFDCs directly integrate required functions into their nanostructure, which can achieve dynamic transformation upon stimuli to specifically activate and exert therapeutic functions at targeted sites. In this review, we summarize the superior characteristics of ferritin that contribute to the on-demand design of DNFDC and outline the current advances in DNFDC. Moreover, the potential research directions and challenges are also discussed here. Hopefully, this review may inspire the future development of DNFDC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baoli Zhang
- CAS Engineering Laboratory for Nanozyme, Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Pharmaceutical, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Guoheng Tang
- CAS Engineering Laboratory for Nanozyme, Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Pharmaceutical, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Jiuyang He
- CAS Engineering Laboratory for Nanozyme, Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Pharmaceutical, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xiyun Yan
- CAS Engineering Laboratory for Nanozyme, Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Pharmaceutical, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China; Nanozyme Medical Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
| | - Kelong Fan
- CAS Engineering Laboratory for Nanozyme, Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Pharmaceutical, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China; Nanozyme Medical Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
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31
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Song X, Zheng Y, Zhu L, Zhang L, Meng H, Yu R, Zhang C. Development of robust and facile purification process for production of recombinant human ferritin heavy chain nanoparticle from Escherichia coli. Process Biochem 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.procbio.2021.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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32
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Qu Y, Wang L, Yin S, Zhang B, Jiao Y, Sun Y, Middelberg A, Bi J. Stability of Engineered Ferritin Nanovaccines Investigated by Combined Molecular Simulation and Experiments. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:3830-3842. [PMID: 33825471 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c00276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Human ferritin is regarded as an attractive and promising vaccine platform because of its uniform structure, good plasticity, and desirable thermal and chemical stabilities. Besides, it is biocompatible and presumed safe when used as a vaccine carrier. However, there is a lack of knowledge of how different antigen insertion sites on the ferritin nanocage impact the resulting protein stability and performance. To address this question, we selected Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1 as a model epitope and fused it at the DNA level with different insertion sites, namely, the N- and C-termini of ferritin, to engineer proteins E1F1 and F1E1, respectively. Protein properties including hydrophobicity and thermal, pH, and chemical stability were investigated both by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and by experiments. Both methods demonstrate that the insertion site plays an important role in protein properties. The C-terminus insertion (F1E1) leads to a less hydrophobic surface and more tolerance to the external influence of high temperature, pH, and high concentration of chemical denaturants compared to N-terminus insertion (E1F1). Simulated protein hydrophobicity and thermal stability by MD were in high accordance with experimental results. Thus, MD simulation can be used as a valuable tool to engineer nanovaccine candidates, cutting down costs by reducing the experimental effort and accelerating vaccine design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiran Qu
- School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
| | - Lijie Wang
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering of the Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Shuang Yin
- School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
| | - Bingyang Zhang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
| | - Yan Jiao
- School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
| | - Yan Sun
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering of the Ministry of Education, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Anton Middelberg
- School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
| | - Jingxiu Bi
- School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
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33
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Factors deciding the assembly and thermostability of the DmrB cage. Int J Biol Macromol 2021; 182:959-967. [PMID: 33872614 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.04.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Dihydromethanopterin reductase (DmrB), is a naturally occurring cage protein found in various archaeal and a few bacterial species. It exists as 24mer with cubic geometry where 8 trimeric subunits are present at the corners of each cube. Each trimer is made up of three monomeric units and six FMN, where two molecules of FMN are present at the interface of each monomer. DmrB is involved in the conversion of dihydromethanopterin to tetrahydromethanopterin using FMN as a redox equivalent. In the present study, we have used spectroscopic and biochemical techniques along with complementary bio-informatic work to understand the assembly principles of the DmrB. Our results show a concentration dependant self-assembly of DmrB which is mediated by ionic interactions. The co-factor FMN stabilizes and preserves the secondary and quaternary structure of DmrB against thermal insult, indicating that the higher order assembly of DmrB is very thermostable. Our work provides an interesting piece of information regarding the role of the co-factors in the thermostability of these classes of cage proteins. The understanding of the assembly and disassembly of this thermostable cage would enable the downstream usage of this system in various nano-biotechnological applications.
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Lv C, Zhang X, Liu Y, Zhang T, Chen H, Zang J, Zheng B, Zhao G. Redesign of protein nanocages: the way from 0D, 1D, 2D to 3D assembly. Chem Soc Rev 2021; 50:3957-3989. [PMID: 33587075 DOI: 10.1039/d0cs01349h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Compartmentalization is a hallmark of living systems. Through compartmentalization, ubiquitous protein nanocages such as viral capsids, ferritin, small heat shock proteins, and DNA-binding proteins from starved cells fulfill a variety of functions, while their shell-like structures hold great promise for various applications in the field of nanomedicine and nanotechnology. However, the number and structure of natural protein nanocages are limited, and these natural protein nanocages may not be suited for a given application, which might impede their further application as nanovehicles, biotemplates or building blocks. To overcome these shortcomings, different strategies have been developed by scientists to construct artificial protein nanocages, and 1D, 2D and 3D protein arrays with protein nanocages as building blocks through genetic and chemical modification to rival the size and functionality of natural protein nanocages. This review outlines the recent advances in the field of the design and construction of artificial protein nanocages and their assemblies with higher order, summarizes the strategies for creating the assembly of protein nanocages from zero-dimension to three dimensions, and introduces their corresponding applications in the preparation of nanomaterials, electrochemistry, and drug delivery. The review will highlight the roles of both the inter-subunit/intermolecular interactions at the key interface and the protein symmetry in constructing and controlling protein nanocage assemblies with different dimensions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyan Lv
- College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Functional Food from Plant Resources, Beijing 100083, China.
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Ma Y, Dong Y, Li X, Wang F, Zhang Y. Tumor-Penetrating Peptide-Functionalized Ferritin Enhances Antitumor Activity of Paclitaxel. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2021; 4:2654-2663. [DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.0c01613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yuanmeng Ma
- College of Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for the Chemistry and Utilization of Agro-Forest Biomass, Jiangsu Key Lab of Biomass-Based Green Fuels and Chemicals, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, P. R. China
| | - Yixin Dong
- College of Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for the Chemistry and Utilization of Agro-Forest Biomass, Jiangsu Key Lab of Biomass-Based Green Fuels and Chemicals, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, P. R. China
| | - Xun Li
- College of Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for the Chemistry and Utilization of Agro-Forest Biomass, Jiangsu Key Lab of Biomass-Based Green Fuels and Chemicals, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, P. R. China
| | - Fei Wang
- College of Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for the Chemistry and Utilization of Agro-Forest Biomass, Jiangsu Key Lab of Biomass-Based Green Fuels and Chemicals, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, P. R. China
| | - Yu Zhang
- College of Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab for the Chemistry and Utilization of Agro-Forest Biomass, Jiangsu Key Lab of Biomass-Based Green Fuels and Chemicals, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, P. R. China
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Arsenoplatin-Ferritin Nanocage: Structure and Cytotoxicity. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22041874. [PMID: 33668605 PMCID: PMC7918638 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Arsenoplatin-1 (AP-1), the prototype of a novel class of metallodrugs containing a PtAs(OH)2 core, was encapsulated within the apoferritin (AFt) nanocage. UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy measurements confirmed metallodrug encapsulation and allowed us to determine the average amount of AP-1 trapped inside the cage. The X-ray structure of AP-1-encapsulated AFt was solved at 1.50 Å. Diffraction data revealed that an AP-1 fragment coordinates the side chain of a His residue. The biological activity of AP-1-loaded AFt was comparatively tested on a few representative cancer and non-cancer cell lines. Even though the presence of the cage reduces the overall cytotoxicity of AP-1, it improves its selectivity towards cancer cells.
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Gu C, Zhang T, Lv C, Liu Y, Wang Y, Zhao G. His-Mediated Reversible Self-Assembly of Ferritin Nanocages through Two Different Switches for Encapsulation of Cargo Molecules. ACS NANO 2020; 14:17080-17090. [PMID: 33197176 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c06670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Protein nanocages represent a class of nanovehicles for a variety of applications. However, precise manipulation of self-assembly behavior of these protein nanocages in response to multiple external stimuli for custom-tailored applications remains challenging. Herein, we established a simple but effective strategy for controlling protein nanocage self-assembly that combines a dual property of His motifs (their significantly pH-dependent protonation state and their capacity to coordinate with transition metals) with its high symmetry. With this strategy, we enabled two different ferritin nanocages to disassemble into protein tetramers under neutral solution by introducing His6 motifs at the 4-fold channel interfaces. Notably, these tetramers are able to self-assemble into ferritin-like protein nanocages in response to multiple external stimuli such as transition metal ions and pH, and vice versa, indicative of a reversible self-assembly process. Furthermore, such His-mediated reversible protein self-assembly has been explored for encapsulation of bioactive cargo molecules within these reconstituted protein nanocages with higher loading efficiency under milder conditions as compared to the reported acid denaturation encapsulation method for ferritin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunkai Gu
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Functional Dairy, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Tuo Zhang
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Functional Dairy, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Chenyan Lv
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Functional Dairy, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yu Liu
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Functional Dairy, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Yingjie Wang
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Functional Dairy, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Guanghua Zhao
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Key Laboratory of Functional Dairy, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100083, China
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Himiyama T, Tsuchiya Y, Yonezawa Y, Nakamura T. Rebuilding Ring-Type Assembly of Peroxiredoxin by Chemical Modification. Bioconjug Chem 2020; 32:153-160. [PMID: 33334100 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.0c00587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Direct control of the protein quaternary structure (QS) is challenging owing to the complexity of the protein structure. As a protein with a characteristic QS, peroxiredoxin from Aeropyrum pernix K1 (ApPrx) forms a decamer, wherein five dimers associate to form a ring. Here, we disrupted and reconstituted ApPrx QS via amino acid mutations and chemical modifications targeting hot spots for protein assembly. The decameric QS of an ApPrx* mutant, wherein all cysteine residues in wild-type ApPrx were mutated to serine, was destructed to dimers via an F80C mutation. The dimeric ApPrx*F80C mutant was then modified with a small molecule and successfully assembled as a decamer. Structural analysis confirmed that an artificially installed chemical moiety potentially facilitates suitable protein-protein interactions to rebuild a native structure. Rebuilding of dodecamer was also achieved through an additional amino acid mutation. This study describes a facile method to regulate the protein assembly state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoki Himiyama
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Ikeda, Osaka 563-8577, Japan.,DBT-AIST International Laboratory for Advanced Biomedicine (DAILAB), Ikeda, Osaka 563-8577, Japan
| | - Yuko Tsuchiya
- Artificial Intelligence Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0064, Japan
| | - Yasushige Yonezawa
- High Pressure Protein Research Center, Institute of Advanced Technology, Kindai University, Kinokawa, Wakayama 649-6493, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Nakamura
- Biomedical Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Ikeda, Osaka 563-8577, Japan.,DBT-AIST International Laboratory for Advanced Biomedicine (DAILAB), Ikeda, Osaka 563-8577, Japan
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Aslan TN, Aşık E, Güray NT, Volkan M. The potential application of gold-apoferritin nanocages conjugated with 2-amino-2-deoxy-glucose for imaging of breast cancer cells. J Biol Inorg Chem 2020; 25:1139-1152. [PMID: 33128617 DOI: 10.1007/s00775-020-01830-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Development of biocompatible and multifunctional nanoprobes for tumor targeting, imaging, and therapy still remains a great challenge. Herein, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were synthesized in the cavity of horse spleen apoferritin protein (HoSAF) and protein surface was labeled with 2-amino-2-deoxy-glucose (2DG) as a cell surface glucose transport protein specific targeting probe to study the feasibility of its usage as a computer tomography (CT) contrast agent with tumor targeting capability through in vitro experiments. 2DG conjugated and gold-loaded apoferritin (Au-HoSAF-2DG) nanoparticles (NPs) showed selective targeting for human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) cells when compared to normal breast (MCF-10A) cells. This AuNP-based imaging agent was found to be non-cytotoxic in a given concentration range with an apoptotic effect upon longer exposure times towards MCF-7 cells, while MCF-10A cells were affected less. This selective cell death would also be useful for further cancer treatments with the ability of X-ray attenuation in in vitro X-ray and computed tomography (CT) imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuğba Nur Aslan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya, 42090, Turkey
| | - Elif Aşık
- Department of Biotechnology, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, 06800, Turkey
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - N Tülin Güray
- Department of Biotechnology, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, 06800, Turkey
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, 06800, Turkey
| | - Mürvet Volkan
- Department of Chemistry, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, 06800, Turkey.
- Department of Micro and Nanotechnology, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, 06800, Turkey.
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40
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Zhang C, Zhang X, Zhao G. Ferritin Nanocage: A Versatile Nanocarrier Utilized in the Field of Food, Nutrition, and Medicine. NANOMATERIALS 2020; 10:nano10091894. [PMID: 32971961 PMCID: PMC7557750 DOI: 10.3390/nano10091894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Compared with other nanocarriers such as liposomes, mesoporous silica, and cyclodextrin, ferritin as a typical protein nanocage has received considerable attention in the field of food, nutrition, and medicine owing to its inherent cavity size, excellent water solubility, and biocompatibility. Additionally, ferritin nanocage also serves as a versatile bio-template for the synthesis of a variety of nanoparticles. Recently, scientists have explored the ferritin nanocage structure for encapsulation and delivery of guest molecules such as nutrients, bioactive molecules, anticancer drugs, and mineral metal ions by taking advantage of its unique reversible disassembly and reassembly property and biomineralization. In this review, we mainly focus on the preparation and structure of ferritin-based nanocarriers, and regulation of their self-assembly. Moreover, the recent advances of their applications in food nutrient delivery and medical diagnostics are highlighted. Finally, the main challenges and future development in ferritin-directed nanoparticles’ synthesis and multifunctional applications are discussed.
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41
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Palombarini F, Di Fabio E, Boffi A, Macone A, Bonamore A. Ferritin Nanocages for Protein Delivery to Tumor Cells. Molecules 2020; 25:E825. [PMID: 32070033 PMCID: PMC7070480 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25040825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The delivery of therapeutic proteins is one of the greatest challenges in the treatment of human diseases. In this frame, ferritins occupy a very special place. Thanks to their hollow spherical structure, they are used as modular nanocages for the delivery of anticancer drugs. More recently, the possibility of encapsulating even small proteins with enzymatic or cytotoxic activity is emerging. Among all ferritins, particular interest is paid to the Archaeoglobus fulgidus one, due to its peculiar ability to associate/dissociate in physiological conditions. This protein has also been engineered to allow recognition of human receptors and used in vitro for the delivery of cytotoxic proteins with extremely promising results.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Alberto Macone
- Department of Biochemical Sciences “Alessandro Rossi Fanelli”, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (F.P.); (E.D.F.); (A.B.)
| | - Alessandra Bonamore
- Department of Biochemical Sciences “Alessandro Rossi Fanelli”, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (F.P.); (E.D.F.); (A.B.)
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42
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Li R, Ma Y, Dong Y, Zhao Z, You C, Huang S, Li X, Wang F, Zhang Y. Novel Paclitaxel-Loaded Nanoparticles Based on Human H Chain Ferritin for Tumor-Targeted Delivery. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2019; 5:6645-6654. [PMID: 33423483 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.9b01533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Paclitaxel (PTX), an excellent chemotherapeutic antitumor drug, is widely used to treat patients with various cancers. However, its clinical applications are greatly restricted by poor solubility and lack of targeting. Herein, we applied natural human H chain ferritin (HFtn) nanocages that can bind to tumor cells via interacting with the human transferritin receptor 1 (TfR1) leading to its endocytosis as the PTX carrier for the targeted delivery. PTX molecules were encapsulated into HFtn cavity using disassembly/reassembly method through adjusting pH. According to the requirements of drugs suitable for clinical trials, HFtn can be easily purified in high yields with no ligand modification or property modulation. We demonstrated that PTX molecules were successfully encapsulated in the protein nanocages. The HFtn-PTX nanoparticles exhibited similar morphology and structural characteristics to the hollow cage and showed significant cytotoxicity in vitro than the naked PTX. Flow cytometry, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and in vivo imaging of MDA-MB-231 tumor demonstrated the HFtn-PTX nanoparticles targeting ability to tumor cells. Cell apoptosis assay showed that HFtn-PTX had similar apoptotic characteristics on MDA-MB-231 cells as that of the free PTX. HFtn-PTX nanoparticles have higher in vivo therapeutic efficacy and lower systemic toxicity. The BALB/c mice model also confirmed the effectiveness of the nanoparticles. Specifically targeting to tumors and solving the solubility issue of water-insoluble drugs thus alleviating the side effects, HFtn can be an efficient hydrophobic drug delivery nanocarrier for further applications in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruike Li
- College of Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Products, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, P. R. China
| | - Yuanmeng Ma
- College of Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Products, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, P. R. China
| | - Yixin Dong
- College of Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Products, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, P. R. China
| | - Zhujun Zhao
- College of Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Products, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, P. R. China
| | - Chaoqun You
- College of Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Products, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, P. R. China.,School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210089, P. R. China
| | - Shenlin Huang
- College of Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Products, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, P. R. China
| | - Xun Li
- College of Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Products, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, P. R. China
| | - Fei Wang
- College of Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Products, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, P. R. China
| | - Yu Zhang
- College of Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Products, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, P. R. China
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43
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Wang W, Wang L, Li G, Zhao G, Zhao X, Wang H. AB loop engineered ferritin nanocages for drug loading under benign experimental conditions. Chem Commun (Camb) 2019; 55:12344-12347. [PMID: 31556881 DOI: 10.1039/c9cc05247j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Human ferritin has been explored as a potential drug nanocarrier, but extreme conditions (pH ≤ 2.0) are required for the encapsulation of drugs. Here, by engineering the AB loop of ferritin, we obtained a new ferritin variant with no new pores, which can disassemble at pH 3.0 or 4.0 and reassemble at pH 7.0. Consequently, under mild conditions, drugs can be encapsulated within this new ferritin nanocage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenming Wang
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Molecular Engineering of Education Ministry, Key Laboratory of Energy Conversion and Storage Materials of Shanxi Province, Institute of Molecular Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China.
| | - Lele Wang
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Molecular Engineering of Education Ministry, Key Laboratory of Energy Conversion and Storage Materials of Shanxi Province, Institute of Molecular Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China.
| | - Guobang Li
- Drug Discovery Center for Infectious Disease and State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
| | - Guanghua Zhao
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China.
| | - Xuan Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Molecular Engineering of Education Ministry, Key Laboratory of Energy Conversion and Storage Materials of Shanxi Province, Institute of Molecular Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China.
| | - Hongfei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Molecular Engineering of Education Ministry, Key Laboratory of Energy Conversion and Storage Materials of Shanxi Province, Institute of Molecular Science, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China.
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44
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Zheng Q, Cheng W, Zhang X, Shao R, Li Z. A pH-Induced Reversible Assembly System with Resveratrol-Controllable Loading and Release for Enhanced Tumor-Targeting Chemotherapy. NANOSCALE RESEARCH LETTERS 2019; 14:305. [PMID: 31493145 PMCID: PMC6730982 DOI: 10.1186/s11671-019-3139-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
In this report, we present a pH-induced reversible assembly system (PIRAS) based on ferritin (Ft) for targeted tumor therapy. It has been developed to easily load and release of the anticancer drug resveratrol (RV), based on its natural pH-sensitivity and unique hollow cavity of Ft. A tumor-specific target peptide Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) was conjugated onto the surface of RV-loaded Ft (RV@Ft), to form biocompatible nanoparticles (RV@Ft-RGD). The pH-sensitivity of Ft allows it to be denatured into a hollow porous nanosphere under acidic condition and renatured into a sealed hollow nanosphere under neutral condition. Using pH manipulation, RV@Ft-RGD, with a ~ 21 nm diameter, showed a high RV loading ratio of 79.6%. pH-triggered RV release was then measured at a ratio of 50.3% at pH5.0 over 24 h. Under neutral condition, the RV@Ft-RGD showed excellent stability over 20 days. Confocal fluorescence imaging showed that RV@Ft-RGD had a high cell uptake ratio and co-localization with the lysosome, mainly due to the RGD-mediated target effect. Based on the high drug loading, pH-triggered release, and tumor cell targeting effect, RV@Ft-RGD showed great cell-killing ability in vitro and in vivo. The biocompatibility in vitro and in vivo was also demonstrated to be excellent, without systematic toxicity. The design concept of PIRAS based on Ft significantly inhibits tumor growth and simultaneously further broadens the application of Ft in nanomedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingkai Zheng
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Jiaozuo People’s Hospital, Jiaozuo, Henan 454000 China
| | - Wenjing Cheng
- Health Management Center, Jiaozuo People’s Hospital, Jiaozuo, Henan 454000 China
| | - Xiaoping Zhang
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450000 China
| | - Runxia Shao
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450000 China
| | - Zhongdong Li
- Department of Hematopathology, Jiaozuo People’s Hospital, Jiaozuo, Henan 454000 China
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45
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He J, Fan K, Yan X. Ferritin drug carrier (FDC) for tumor targeting therapy. J Control Release 2019; 311-312:288-300. [PMID: 31494184 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2019.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Revised: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Ferritin is an iron storage protein that plays a key role in iron homeostasis and anti-oxidation of cells. Due to its unique architecture of 24 self-assembling subunits and hollow cavity capable of encapsulating drugs, and an outer surface that can be modified genetically and chemically for additional functionality, ferritin has recently emerged as a promising drug delivery vehicle. Recent research demonstrated that unmodified human heavy chain ferritin binds to its receptor, transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1), in different types of tumor tissues, including lung and breast cancer, thus highlighting the potential use of ferritin for tumor-targeting applications. In this review, we consider the many favorable characteristics of ferritin drug carriers (FDCs) for tumor drug delivery. In particular, compared with antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), ferritin exhibits superiority in a range of attributes, including drug loading ability, thermostability, and ease of production. Thus, the emergence of FDCs may be the next step in targeted cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiuyang He
- CAS Engineering Laboratory for Nanozyme, Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Pharmaceutical, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Kelong Fan
- CAS Engineering Laboratory for Nanozyme, Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Pharmaceutical, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Xiyun Yan
- CAS Engineering Laboratory for Nanozyme, Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Pharmaceutical, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Joint Laboratory of Nanozymes in Zhengzhou University, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University,Zhengzhou 450052, China.
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46
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Jin Y, He J, Fan K, Yan X. Ferritin variants: inspirations for rationally designing protein nanocarriers. NANOSCALE 2019; 11:12449-12459. [PMID: 31231742 DOI: 10.1039/c9nr03823j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Ferritin, a natural iron storage protein, is endowed with a unique structure, the ability to self-assemble and excellent physicochemical properties. Beyond these, genetic manipulation can easily tune the structure and functions of ferritin nanocages, which further expands the biomedical applications of ferritin. Here, we focus on human H-ferritin, a recently discovered ligand of transferrin receptor 1, to review its derived variants and related structures and properties. We hope this review will provide new insights into how to rationally design versatile protein cage nanocarriers for effective disease treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiliang Jin
- Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Pharmaceutical, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China. and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19(A) Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Jiuyang He
- Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Pharmaceutical, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Kelong Fan
- Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Pharmaceutical, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Xiyun Yan
- Key Laboratory of Protein and Peptide Pharmaceutical, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Beijing 100101, China. and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19(A) Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China. and Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, 40 N Daxue Road, Zhengzhou 450052, China
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47
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Chakraborti S, Korpi A, Kumar M, Stępień P, Kostiainen MA, Heddle JG. Three-Dimensional Protein Cage Array Capable of Active Enzyme Capture and Artificial Chaperone Activity. NANO LETTERS 2019; 19:3918-3924. [PMID: 31117758 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.9b01148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Development of protein cages for encapsulation of active enzyme cargoes and their subsequent arrangement into a controllable three-dimensional array is highly desirable. However, cargo capture is typically challenging because of difficulties in achieving reversible assembly/disassembly of protein cages in mild conditions. Herein we show that by using an unusual ferritin cage protein that undergoes triggerable assembly under mild conditions, we can achieve reversible filling with protein cargoes including an active enzyme. We demonstrate that these filled cages can be arrayed in three-dimensional crystal lattices and have an additional chaperone-like effect, increasing both thermostability and enzymatic activity of the encapsulated enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumyananda Chakraborti
- Bionanoscience and Biochemistry Laboratory, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology , Jagiellonian University , Gronostajowa 7A , 30-387 Krakow , Poland
| | - Antti Korpi
- Biohybrid Materials, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems , Aalto University , FI-00076 Aalto , Finland
| | - Mantu Kumar
- Bionanoscience and Biochemistry Laboratory, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology , Jagiellonian University , Gronostajowa 7A , 30-387 Krakow , Poland
- Postgraduate School of Molecular Medicine ; Żwirki i Wigury 61 , 02-091 Warsaw , Poland
| | - Piotr Stępień
- Bionanoscience and Biochemistry Laboratory, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology , Jagiellonian University , Gronostajowa 7A , 30-387 Krakow , Poland
| | - Mauri A Kostiainen
- Biohybrid Materials, Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems , Aalto University , FI-00076 Aalto , Finland
| | - Jonathan G Heddle
- Bionanoscience and Biochemistry Laboratory, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology , Jagiellonian University , Gronostajowa 7A , 30-387 Krakow , Poland
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48
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Monti DM, Ferraro G, Merlino A. Ferritin-based anticancer metallodrug delivery: Crystallographic, analytical and cytotoxicity studies. NANOMEDICINE-NANOTECHNOLOGY BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2019; 20:101997. [PMID: 31028889 DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2019.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The encapsulation of anticancer metal-based drugs within a protein nanocage represents a valuable strategy to improve the efficacy and selectivity of these compounds towards cancer cells. The preparation, characterization of the in vitro cytotoxicity and X-ray structures of several ferritin-metallodrug nanocomposites (mainly containing platinum-, ruthenium- and gold-based anticancer agents) are here reviewed. The molecular mechanisms of action of these Ft-metallodrug adducts are discussed and future directions in the field are outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dara Maria Monti
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, Italy
| | - Giarita Ferraro
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, Italy
| | - Antonello Merlino
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, Italy.
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49
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Chen H, Zhou K, Wang Y, Zang J, Zhao G. Self-assembly of engineered protein nanocages into reversible ordered 3D superlattices mediated by zinc ions. Chem Commun (Camb) 2019; 55:11299-11302. [DOI: 10.1039/c9cc06262a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Zinc ion triggered self-assembly of re-engineered Dps nanocages into highly ordered architectures with a bcc structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- H. Chen
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering
- China Agricultural University
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Functional Food from Plant Resources
- Beijing
| | - K. Zhou
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering
- China Agricultural University
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Functional Food from Plant Resources
- Beijing
| | - Y. Wang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering
- China Agricultural University
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Functional Food from Plant Resources
- Beijing
| | - J. Zang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering
- China Agricultural University
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Functional Food from Plant Resources
- Beijing
| | - G. Zhao
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering
- China Agricultural University
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Functional Food from Plant Resources
- Beijing
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50
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Zhou K, Chen H, Zhang S, Wang Y, Zhao G. Disulfide-mediated reversible two-dimensional self-assembly of protein nanocages. Chem Commun (Camb) 2019; 55:7510-7513. [DOI: 10.1039/c9cc03085a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Disulfide-mediated 2D protein self-assembly was achieved by single point mutation of hot spots at the C4 interface of ferritin.
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Affiliation(s)
- K. Zhou
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Functional Food from Plant Resources
- China Agricultural University
- Beijing 100083
| | - H. Chen
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Functional Food from Plant Resources
- China Agricultural University
- Beijing 100083
| | - S. Zhang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Functional Food from Plant Resources
- China Agricultural University
- Beijing 100083
| | - Y. Wang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Functional Food from Plant Resources
- China Agricultural University
- Beijing 100083
| | - G. Zhao
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health
- College of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Functional Food from Plant Resources
- China Agricultural University
- Beijing 100083
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