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Zhao D, Rong Y, Li D, He C, Chen X. Thermo-induced physically crosslinked polypeptide-based block copolymer hydrogels for biomedical applications. Regen Biomater 2023; 10:rbad039. [PMID: 37265604 PMCID: PMC10229375 DOI: 10.1093/rb/rbad039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Stimuli-responsive synthetic polypeptide-containing block copolymers have received considerable attention in recent years. Especially, unique thermo-induced sol-gel phase transitions were observed for elaborately-designed amphiphilic diblock copolypeptides and a range of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-polypeptide block copolymers. The thermo-induced gelation mechanisms involve the evolution of secondary conformation, enhanced intramolecular interactions, as well as reduced hydration and increased chain entanglement of PEG blocks. The physical parameters, including polymer concentrations, sol-gel transition temperatures and storage moduli, were investigated. The polypeptide hydrogels exhibited good biocompatibility in vitro and in vivo, and displayed biodegradation periods ranging from 1 to 5 weeks. The unique thermo-induced sol-gel phase transitions offer the feasibility of minimal-invasive injection of the precursor aqueous solutions into body, followed by in situ hydrogel formation driven by physiological temperature. These advantages make polypeptide hydrogels interesting candidates for diverse biomedical applications, especially as injectable scaffolds for 3D cell culture and tissue regeneration as well as depots for local drug delivery. This review focuses on recent advances in the design and preparation of injectable, thermo-induced physically crosslinked polypeptide hydrogels. The influence of composition, secondary structure and chirality of polypeptide segments on the physical properties and biodegradation of the hydrogels are emphasized. Moreover, the studies on biomedical applications of the hydrogels are intensively discussed. Finally, the major challenges in the further development of polypeptide hydrogels for practical applications are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
- College of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Yan Rong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
| | - Dong Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
- College of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | | | - Xuesi Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
- College of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
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2
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Supramolecular assembly of a trivalent peptide hydrogel vaccine for cancer immunotherapy. Acta Biomater 2023; 158:535-546. [PMID: 36632876 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.12.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Vaccination shows great promise in cancer immunotherapy. However, the induction of robust and broad therapeutic CD8 T cell immunity against tumors is challenging due to the essential heterogenicity of tumor antigen expression. Recently, bioinspired materials have reshaped the field of cancer nanomedicine. Herein, a bioinspired nanofibrous trivalent peptide hydrogel vaccine was constructed using the spontaneous supramolecular co-assembly of three antigenic epitope-conjugated peptides, which could mimic the fibrillar structure and biological function of the extracellular matrix and naturally occurring protein assembly. The hydrogel vaccine could be accurately and flexibly adjusted to load each antigenic peptide at a defined ratio, which facilitated the antigen presentation of dendritic cells and significantly improved the initiation of CD8 T cell response and the secretion of interferon-γ (IFN-γ). C57BL/6 mice were immunized with the trivalent peptide hydrogel vaccine, where it elicited a high broad-spectrum antitumor CD8 T cell response that significantly inhibited the growth of B16 tumors in the absence of additional immunoadjuvants or delivery systems. In summary, the supramolecular assembly of triple antigenic epitope-conjugated peptides offers a simple, customizable, and versatile approach for the development of cancer vaccines with remarkable therapeutic efficacy, thereby providing a highly versatile platform for the application of personalized multivalent tumor vaccines. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: (1) We report a feasible, versatile and bioinspired approach to manufacture a multivalent peptide-based hydrogel cancer vaccine in the absence of additional adjuvants, which closely mimics immune niches, co-delivers antigen epitopes, greatly promotes antigen presentation to DCs and their subsequent homing to dLNs and elicits a broad-spectrum antitumor CD8 T cell response, resulting in significant inhibition of B16 tumor growth. (2) This feasible and efficient co-assembly strategy provides an attractive platform for engineering a range of multivalent vaccines at defined ratios to further enhance antigen-specific T cell responses. This approach may also be used for personalized immunotherapy with neo-epitopes.
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3
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Murphy RD, Garcia RV, Oh SJ, Wood TJ, Jo KD, Read de Alaniz J, Perkins E, Hawker CJ. Tailored Polypeptide Star Copolymers for 3D Printing of Bacterial Composites Via Direct Ink Writing. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2207542. [PMID: 36305041 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202207542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Hydrogels hold much promise for 3D printing of functional living materials; however, challenges remain in tailoring mechanical robustness as well as biological performance. In addressing this challenge, the modular synthesis of functional hydrogels from 3-arm diblock copolypeptide stars composed of an inner poly(l-glutamate) domain and outer poly(l-tyrosine) or poly(l-valine) blocks is described. Physical crosslinking due to ß-sheet assembly of these star block copolymers gives mechanical stability during extrusion printing and the selective incorporation of methacrylate units allows for subsequent photocrosslinking to occur under biocompatible conditions. This permits direct ink writing (DIW) printing of bacteria-based mixtures leading to 3D objects with high fidelity and excellent bacterial viability. The tunable stiffness of different copolypeptide networks enables control over proliferation and colony formation for embedded Escherichia coli bacteria as demonstrated via isopropyl ß-d-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) induction of green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression. This translation of molecular structure to network properties highlights the versatility of these polypeptide hydrogel systems with the combination of writable structures and biological activity illustrating the future potential of these 3D-printed biocomposites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert D Murphy
- Materials Research Laboratory (MRL), University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, D02 YN77, Ireland
| | - Ronnie V Garcia
- Materials Research Laboratory (MRL), University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Seung J Oh
- Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL), US Army Corps Engineers Engineering Research and Development Center (USACE ERDC), Champaign, IL, 61822, USA
| | - Tanner J Wood
- Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL), US Army Corps Engineers Engineering Research and Development Center (USACE ERDC), Champaign, IL, 61822, USA
| | - Kyoo D Jo
- Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL), US Army Corps Engineers Engineering Research and Development Center (USACE ERDC), Champaign, IL, 61822, USA
| | - Javier Read de Alaniz
- Materials Research Laboratory (MRL), University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Ed Perkins
- Environmental Laboratory (EL), USACE ERDC, Vicksburg, MS, 39180, USA
| | - Craig J Hawker
- Materials Research Laboratory (MRL), University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
- Materials Department, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
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4
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Flexibility, size and hydrophobicity of alkyl side groups in methoxy-poly (ethylene glycol)-polypeptide for the nano-assembly and thermo-sensitivity. POLYMER 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2022.125499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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5
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Koga T, Oatari Y, Motoda H, Nishimura SN, Sasaki Y, Okamoto Y, Yamamoto D, Shioi A, Higashi N. Star-Shaped Peptide-Polymer Hybrids as Fast pH-Responsive Supramolecular Hydrogels. Biomacromolecules 2022; 23:2941-2950. [PMID: 35714282 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c00411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Significant challenges have gone into the design of smart hydrogels, with numerous potential applications in the industrial, cosmetic, and biomedical fields. Herein, we report the synthesis of novel 4-arm self-assembling peptide-polyethylene glycol (PEG) hybrid star-shaped polymers and their comprehensive hydrogel properties. β-sheet-forming oligopeptides with alternating hydrophobic Leu/ionizable Glu repeats and Cys residues were successfully conjugated to 4-arm PEG via a thiol-maleimide click reaction. The hybrid star-shaped polymers demonstrated good cytocompatibility and reversible β-sheet (lightly acidic pH)-to-random coil (neutral and basic pH) transition in dilute aqueous solutions. At increasing polymer concentrations up to 0.5 wt %, the star-shaped polymers formed transparent hydrogels with shear-thinning and self-healing behaviors via β-sheet self-assembly, as well as a conformation-dependent gel-sol transition. Interestingly, the star-shaped polymers responded rapidly to pH changes, causing gelation to occur rapidly within a few seconds from the change in pH. Hydrogel characteristics could be modulated by manipulating the length and net charge of the peptide blocks. Furthermore, these star-shaped polymers served as satisfactory network scaffolds that could respond to dynamic environmental changes in the pH-oscillation system, owing to their excellent gelation capability and pH sensitivity. As such, they are highly favorable for diverse applications, such as pH-responsive controlled release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoyuki Koga
- Department of Molecular Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Doshisha University, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0321, Japan
| | - Yuta Oatari
- Department of Molecular Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Doshisha University, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0321, Japan
| | - Hideki Motoda
- Department of Molecular Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Doshisha University, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0321, Japan
| | - Shin-Nosuke Nishimura
- Department of Molecular Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Doshisha University, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0321, Japan
| | - Yoko Sasaki
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Doshisha University, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0321, Japan
| | - Yasunao Okamoto
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Doshisha University, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0321, Japan
| | - Daigo Yamamoto
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Doshisha University, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0321, Japan
| | - Akihisa Shioi
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Doshisha University, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0321, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Higashi
- Department of Molecular Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Doshisha University, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0321, Japan
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6
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Song H, Su Q, Shi W, Huang P, Zhang C, Zhang C, Liu Q, Wang W. Antigen epitope-TLR7/8a conjugate as self-assembled carrier-free nanovaccine for personalized immunotherapy. Acta Biomater 2022; 141:398-407. [PMID: 35007785 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2022.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Epitope-based vaccine is a promising personalized cancer immunotherapy; however, a simple and effective approach for its bulk manufacturing is challenging. Current vaccination strategies complicate the process by introducing unnecessary components such as additional delivery carriers, and assembly units. Herein, a type of toll-like receptor 7/8 agonist-epitope conjugate (termed as TLR7/8a-epitope) has been developed as a self-assembled and carrier-free nano vaccine platform, which effectively introduces the antigen and adjuvant with maximum precision, resulting in significantly enhanced dendritic cells (DCs) activation through the MyD88-dependent TLR signaling pathway. TLR7/8a-epitope nanovaccine can prolong the local retention and increase drainage efficiency into the lymph node, eliciting a significantly higher level of CD8 T-cell immunity than those of conventional vaccine formulations. The immunization with TLR7/8a-epitope nanovaccine in mice can not only resist the invasion of B16 cancer cells, but also produce significant therapeutic effects against established B16 melanoma tumors. Therefore, the TLR7/8a-epitope nanovaccine, developed by the direct chemical conjugation of antigen peptide with immunoadjuvant, has great advantages of clear and leanest compositions, controllable and definite preparation process, and remarkable therapeutic effects, representing a new appraoch for personalized cancer immunotherapy. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Herein, a kind of toll-like receptor 7/8 agonist-epitope conjugate was developed and spontaneously self-assemble into nanostructure in aqueous solution without the use of any additional constituents, which can be termed as unique carrier-free nanovaccine platform, providing effectually the leanest vaccine components with maximally and precisely loading of antigen and adjuvant. Significantly, the nanovaccine augmented the immunogenicity of antigenic peptide by increasing DCs activation through MyD88-mediated TLR signaling pathways and promoting T-cell priming. Moreover, nanovaccines could prolong the local retention and further increase the efficiency of drainage into dLNs, which was contributing to efficient initiation of epitope-specific memory and effector T-cell immune responses, leading to effective prophylactic and therapeutic antitumor effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huijuan Song
- Institute of Radiation Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, China
| | - Qi Su
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biomaterial Research, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, China
| | - Weifeng Shi
- Medical University of Tianjin, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Pingsheng Huang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biomaterial Research, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, China; Key Laboratory of Innovative Cardiovascular Devices, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, China.
| | - Chuangnian Zhang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biomaterial Research, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, China; Key Laboratory of Innovative Cardiovascular Devices, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biomaterial Research, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, China
| | - Qiang Liu
- Institute of Radiation Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, China.
| | - Weiwei Wang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biomaterial Research, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, China; Key Laboratory of Innovative Cardiovascular Devices, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, China.
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7
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Zhang Y, Han Y, Peng Y, Lei J, Chang F. Bionic Biphasic Composite Scaffold with Osteochondrogenic Factors for Regeneration of Full-Thickness Osteochondral Defect. Biomater Sci 2022; 10:1713-1723. [PMID: 35229096 DOI: 10.1039/d2bm00103a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Full-thickness osteochondral defects lack the capability to self-repair owing to their complicated hierarchical structure. At present, clinical treatments including microfracture etc. have shown some efficacy; however, the newborn tissue exhibits...
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanbo Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, P. R. China
| | - Yu Han
- Department of Orthopedics, Jilin Central General Hospital, Jilin, P. R. China
| | - Yachen Peng
- Department of Orthopedics, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, P. R. China
| | - Jie Lei
- Department of MR, Changchun FAW General Hospital, Changchun, P. R. China
| | - Fei Chang
- Department of Orthopedics, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, P. R. China.
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8
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Munoz-Garcia J, Jubelin C, Loussouarn A, Goumard M, Griscom L, Renodon-Cornière A, Heymann MF, Heymann D. In vitro three-dimensional cell cultures for bone sarcomas. J Bone Oncol 2021; 30:100379. [PMID: 34307011 PMCID: PMC8287221 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbo.2021.100379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bone sarcomas are rare tumour entities that arise from the mesenchyme most of which are highly heterogeneous at the cellular, genetic and epigenetic levels. The three main types are osteosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, and chondrosarcoma. These oncological entities are characterised by high morbidity and mortality and an absence of significant therapeutic improvement in the last four decades. In the field of oncology, in vitro cultures of cancer cells have been extensively used for drug screening unfortunately with limited success. Indeed, despite the massive knowledge acquired from conventional 2D culture methods, scientific community has been challenged by the loss of efficacy of drugs when moved to clinical trials. The recent explosion of new 3D culture methods is paving the way to more relevant in vitro models mimicking the in vivo tumour environment (e.g. bone structure) with biological responses close to the in vivo context. The present review gives a brief overview of the latest advances of the 3D culture methods used for studying primary bone sarcomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Munoz-Garcia
- Université de Nantes, INSERM, Nantes, France.,Institut de Cancérologie de l'Ouest, Tumour Heterogeneity and Precision Medicine Laboratory, Saint-Herblain, France
| | - Camille Jubelin
- Université de Nantes, INSERM, Nantes, France.,Institut de Cancérologie de l'Ouest, Tumour Heterogeneity and Precision Medicine Laboratory, Saint-Herblain, France.,Atlantic Bone Screen, Saint-Herblain, France
| | | | - Matisse Goumard
- Université de Nantes, INSERM, Nantes, France.,Institut de Cancérologie de l'Ouest, Tumour Heterogeneity and Precision Medicine Laboratory, Saint-Herblain, France
| | | | | | - Marie-Françoise Heymann
- Université de Nantes, INSERM, Nantes, France.,Institut de Cancérologie de l'Ouest, Tumour Heterogeneity and Precision Medicine Laboratory, Saint-Herblain, France
| | - Dominique Heymann
- Université de Nantes, INSERM, Nantes, France.,Institut de Cancérologie de l'Ouest, Tumour Heterogeneity and Precision Medicine Laboratory, Saint-Herblain, France.,University of Sheffield, Department of Oncology and Metabolism, Medical School, Sheffield, UK
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9
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Dual thermoresponsive mPEG-b-poly(O-benzyl-l-threonine acid) hydrogel based on β-sheet nano-structural disassembly and PEG dehydration. POLYMER 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2021.123841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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10
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Ma W, Chu I. Self‐assembly
and
sol‐to‐gel
transition of thermosensitive
methoxy‐polyethylene glycol‐polyalanine
block copolymer hydrogels. J Appl Polym Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/app.50025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wei‐Chun Ma
- Department of Chemical Engineering National Tsing Hua University Hsinchu Taiwan
| | - I‐Ming Chu
- Department of Chemical Engineering National Tsing Hua University Hsinchu Taiwan
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11
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Gerrits L, Hammink R, Kouwer PHJ. Semiflexible polymer scaffolds: an overview of conjugation strategies. Polym Chem 2021. [DOI: 10.1039/d0py01662d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Semiflexible polymers are excellent scaffolds for the presentation of a wide variety of (bio)molecules. This manuscript reviews advantages and challenges of the most common conjugation strategies for the major classes of semiflexible polymers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lotte Gerrits
- Institute for Molecules and Materials
- Radboud University
- 6525 AJ Nijmegen
- The Netherlands
| | - Roel Hammink
- Department of Tumor Immunology
- Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences
- Radboud University Medical Center
- 6525 GA Nijmegen
- The Netherlands
| | - Paul H. J. Kouwer
- Institute for Molecules and Materials
- Radboud University
- 6525 AJ Nijmegen
- The Netherlands
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12
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Wang B, Feng C, Dang J, Zhu Y, Yang X, Zhang T, Zhang R, Li J, Tang J, Shen C, Shen L, Dong J, Zhang X. Preparation of Fibroblast Suppressive Poly(ethylene glycol)- b-poly(l-phenylalanine)/Poly(ethylene glycol) Hydrogel and Its Application in Intrauterine Fibrosis Prevention. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2020; 7:311-321. [PMID: 33455202 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.0c01390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Intrauterine adhesions (IUA) often occur as a result of trauma to the basal layer after curettage, postpartum hemorrhage, or surgical miscarriage. Endometrial fibrosis is the primary pathological feature of IUA. The characteristic features of IUA include excessive deposition and reorganization of the extracellular matrix, replacing the normal endometrium. To prevent uterine fibrosis after injury, we prepared and evaluated a type of fibroblast suppressive hydrogel. Poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(l-phenylalanine) (PEBP) copolymers were successfully synthesized by ring opening polymerization of l-Phenylalanine N-carboxyanhydride, initiated by methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol)-amine. Injectable PEBP/PEG hydrogels were subsequently formed through π-π accumulations between PEBP macromolecules and hydrogen bonds among PEBP, PEG, and H2O molecules. PEBP/PEG hydrogel could suppress the proliferation of fibroblasts due to the action of l-Phe, released sustainably from PEBP/PEG gels. Lastly, the in vivo preventive effect of PEBP/PEG hydrogel on fibrosis was evaluated in a rat uterine curettage model. It was found that PEBP/PEG hydrogel suppressed uterine fibrosis caused by curettage and promoted embryo implantation in injured uterine by regulating the expression and interactions of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) and Muc-4. PEBP/PEG hydrogels have the potential for application in uterine adhesion prevention owing to their fibrosis preventive and pregnancy promotiing effects on uterine tissue after injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Wang
- Medical Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province & Department of Chemistry, School of Preclinical Medicine, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong 637000, P. R. China
| | - Chengmin Feng
- Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Clinical Medicine, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong 637000, P. R. China
| | - Jiafeng Dang
- Gynecology and Obstetrics, Department of Clinical Medicine, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong 637000, P. R. China
| | - Yanghui Zhu
- School of Pharmacy, North Sichuan Medical College, 637000 Nanchong, P. R. China
| | - Xiaomei Yang
- Department of Clinical Medicine, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, P. R. China
| | - Ting Zhang
- Department of Clinical Medicine, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, P. R. China
| | - Ruqin Zhang
- Department of Clinical Medicine, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, P. R. China
| | - Jiawen Li
- Department of Clinical Medicine, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, P. R. China
| | - Jing Tang
- Department of Clinical Medicine, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, P. R. China
| | - Chengyi Shen
- Medical Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province & Institute of Morphological Research, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, P. R. China
| | - Lunhua Shen
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong 637000, P. R. China
| | - Jun Dong
- Department of Chemistry, School of Preclinical Medicine, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong 637000, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoming Zhang
- Medical Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province & Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong 637000, P. R. China
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13
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Liu J, Zhang Y, Li Q, Feng Z, Huang P, Wang W, Liu J. Development of injectable thermosensitive polypeptide hydrogel as facile radioisotope and radiosensitizer hotspot for synergistic brachytherapy. Acta Biomater 2020; 114:133-145. [PMID: 32688087 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2020.07.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Brachytherapy is considered to be an unparalleled form of conformal radiation therapy, which involves the delivery of radiation directly to tumor lesions or the postoperative cavity. With the development of specific applicators, the exploitation of in situ drug-delivery platform introduces opportunities for the synchronous administration of radiosensitizers. In this study, an iodine-131 (I131)-labeled injectable thermosensitive methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(tyrosine) hydrogel (denoted as PETyr-I131) was developed via a facile method. The radioactive source of I131 was immobilized at the subcutaneous injection site and monitored via single-photon emission computed tomography in real time, and hematological and histopathological analyses revealed no obvious side effects. Additionally, the SmacN7 peptide conjugated with cell membrane-permeable oligosarginine (denoted as SmacN7-R9) was used to enhance the radiosensitivity of cancer cells, as confirmed by the results of reactive oxygen species detection, DNA damage assay, cell apoptosis assay, and clonogenic evaluation. Importantly, a synergistic brachytherapy treatment effect on tumor-bearing nude mice was achieved. The proposed thermosensitive supramolecular hydrogel platform, which conformally immobilizes radionuclides and delivers radiosensitizers by virtue of its proximity to the site of the primary tumor or the postoperative cavity, has great potential for achieving synergistic treatment outcomes with reduced radiation-related side effects. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: In this work, a kind of radioiodinated thermosensitive supramolecular hydrogel was developed, which was facilely used as the radioactive source for brachytherapy. Meanwhile, SmacN7-R9 peptide was combined as a model radiosensitizer to facilitate the activation of tumor cell apoptosis pathways and promotion of radiation-induced cytotoxicity. Synergistic brachytherapy outcomes were achieved from the in vitro and in vivo evaluations. Therefore, from the practical standpoint, this thermosensitive supramolecular hydrogel platform holds great potential for the 3D-conformally immobilizing radionuclide and delivering radiosensitizer by virtue of its proximity to the site of primary tumor lesions or postoperative cavity, resulting in synergetic treatment outcomes with reduced radiation associated side effects.
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14
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Centore R, Totsingan F, Amason AC, Lyons S, Zha RH, Gross RA. Self-Assembly-Assisted Kinetically Controlled Papain-Catalyzed Formation of mPEG- b-Phe(Leu) x. Biomacromolecules 2020; 21:493-507. [PMID: 31820938 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.9b01237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Self-assembling peptide materials are promising next-generation materials with applications that include tissue engineering scaffolds, drug delivery, bionanomedicine, and enviro-responsive materials. Despite these advances, synthetic methods to form peptides and peptide-polymer conjugates still largely rely on solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) and N-carboxyanhydride ring-opening polymerization (NCA-ROP), while green methods remain largely undeveloped. This work demonstrates a protease-catalyzed peptide synthesis (PCPS) capable of directly grafting leucine ethyl ester (Leu-OEt) from the C-terminus of a methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-phenylalanine ethyl ester macroinitiator in a one-pot, aqueous reaction. By using the natural tendency of the growing hydrophobic peptide segment to self-assemble, a large narrowing of the (Leu)x distributions for both mPEG45-b-Phe(Leu)x and oligo(Leu)x coproducts, relative to oligo(Leu)x synthesized in the absence of a macroinitiator (mPEG45-Phe-OEt), was achieved. A mechanism is described where in situ β-sheet coassembly of mPEG45-b-Phe(Leu)x and oligo(Leu)x coproducts during polymerization prevents peptide hydrolysis, providing a means to control the degree of polymerization (DP) and dispersity of diblock (Leu)x segments (matrix-assisted laser desorption time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) x = 5.1, dispersity ≤ 1.02). The use of self-assembly to control the uniformity of peptides synthesized by PCPS paves the way for precise peptide block copolymer architectures with various polymer backbones and amino acid compositions synthesized by a green process.
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Song H, Yang P, Huang P, Zhang C, Kong D, Wang W. Injectable polypeptide hydrogel-based co-delivery of vaccine and immune checkpoint inhibitors improves tumor immunotherapy. Theranostics 2019; 9:2299-2314. [PMID: 31149045 PMCID: PMC6531311 DOI: 10.7150/thno.30577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 02/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy, an attractive option for cancer treatment, necessitates the direct stimulation of immune cells in vivo and the simultaneous effective inhibition of immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments. Methods: In the present study, we developed an injectable PEG-b-poly(L-alanine) hydrogel for co-delivery of a tumor vaccine and dual immune checkpoint inhibitors to increase tumor immunotherapy efficacy. Tumor cell lysates, granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and immune checkpoint inhibitors (anti-CTLA-4/PD-1 antibody) were readily encapsulated in the porous hydrogel during the spontaneous self-assembly of polypeptide in aqueous solution. Results: Sustained release of tumor antigens and GM-CSF persistently recruited and activated dendritic cells (DCs) and induced a strong T-cell response in vivo, which was further enhanced by the immune checkpoint therapy. The hydrogel vaccine also upregulated the production of IgG and the secretion of cytokines including IFN-γ, IL-4, and TNF-α. Importantly, the hydrogel-based combination therapy had superior immunotherapy effects against melanoma and 4T-1 tumor in comparison with the vaccine alone or in addition with a single immune checkpoint blockade. In studying the underlying mechanism, we found that the hydrogel-based combinatorial immunotherapy not only significantly increased the activated effector CD8+ T cells within the spleens and tumors of vaccinated mice, but also reduced the ratio of Tregs. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that the polypeptide hydrogel can be used as an effective sustained delivery platform for vaccines and immune checkpoint inhibitors, providing an advanced combinatorial immunotherapy approach for cancer treatment.
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Huang P, Wang X, Liang X, Yang J, Zhang C, Kong D, Wang W. Nano-, micro-, and macroscale drug delivery systems for cancer immunotherapy. Acta Biomater 2019; 85:1-26. [PMID: 30579043 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2018.12.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Revised: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapy is moving to the frontier of cancer treatment. Drug delivery systems (DDSs) have greatly advanced the development of cancer immunotherapeutic regimen and combination treatment. DDSs can spatiotemporally present tumor antigens, drugs, immunostimulatory molecules, or adjuvants, thus enabling the modulation of immune cells including dendritic cells (DCs) or T-cells directly in vivo and thereby provoking robust antitumor immune responses. Cancer vaccines, immune checkpoint blockade, and adoptive cell transfer have shown promising therapeutic efficiency in clinic, and the incorporation of DDSs may further increase antitumor efficiency while decreasing adverse side effects. This review focuses on the use of nano-, micro-, and macroscale DDSs for co-delivery of different immunostimulatory factors to reprogram the immune system to combat cancer. Regarding to nanoparticle-based DDSs, we emphasize the nanoparticle-based tumor immune environment modulation or as an addition to gene therapy, photodynamic therapy, or photothermal therapy. For microparticle or capsule-based DDSs, an overview of the carrier type, fabrication approach, and co-delivery of tumor vaccines and adjuvants is introduced. Finally, macroscale DDSs including hydrogels and scaffolds are also included and their role in personalized vaccine delivery and adoptive cell transfer therapy are described. Perspective and clinical translation of DDS-based cancer immunotherapy is also discussed. We believe that DDSs hold great potential in advancing the fundamental research and clinical translation of cancer immunotherapy. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Immunotherapy is moving to the frontier of cancer treatment. Drug delivery systems (DDSs) have greatly advanced the development of cancer immunotherapeutic regimen and combination treatment. In this comprehensive review, we focus on the use of nano-, micro-, and macroscale DDSs for the co-delivery of different immunostimulatory factors to reprogram the immune system to combat cancer. We also propose the perspective on the development of next-generation DDS-based cancer immunotherapy. This review indicates that DDSs can augment the antitumor T-cell immunity and hold great potential in advancing the fundamental research and clinical translation of cancer immunotherapy by simultaneously delivering dual or multiple immunostimulatory drugs.
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Zhou X, Li Z. Advances and Biomedical Applications of Polypeptide Hydrogels Derived from α-Amino Acid N-Carboxyanhydride (NCA) Polymerizations. Adv Healthc Mater 2018; 7:e1800020. [PMID: 29869375 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201800020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Revised: 03/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Polypeptide hydrogels, having the ability to mimic certain properties of natural, native extracellular matrix components, are being actively designed and described for various applications in the construction of tissue engineering scaffolds, living cell encapsulation, and drug delivery systems. Compared to conventional hydrogels, polypeptide hydrogels possess biocompatibility, biodegradability, bioactivity, functional diversity, and structural advantage based on the unique secondary structures (α-helix and β-sheet). Furthermore, the progresses in functional N-carboxyanhydride polymerization combined with advanced orthogonal conjugation techniques significantly promote the development of the polypeptide materials. This progress report focuses on the recent advances in designing and engineering polypeptide hydrogels obtained from ring opening polymerization, highlighting the precise manipulation of their properties for biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianfeng Zhou
- Key Lab of Biobased Polymer Materials of Shandong Provincial Education Department; School of Polymer Science and Engineering; Qingdao University of Science and Technology; Qingdao 266042 China
- Department of Polymer Science; University of Akron; Akron OH 44325 USA
| | - Zhibo Li
- Key Lab of Biobased Polymer Materials of Shandong Provincial Education Department; School of Polymer Science and Engineering; Qingdao University of Science and Technology; Qingdao 266042 China
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Guanine-cytosine base-pairings crosslinked ROS-sensitive supramolecular hydrogels with improved rheological properties. Eur Polym J 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2018.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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Song H, Huang P, Niu J, Shi G, Zhang C, Kong D, Wang W. Injectable polypeptide hydrogel for dual-delivery of antigen and TLR3 agonist to modulate dendritic cells in vivo and enhance potent cytotoxic T-lymphocyte response against melanoma. Biomaterials 2018; 159:119-129. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2017] [Revised: 10/13/2017] [Accepted: 01/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Huang P, Song H, Zhang Y, Liu J, Cheng Z, Liang XJ, Wang W, Kong D, Liu J. FRET-enabled monitoring of the thermosensitive nanoscale assembly of polymeric micelles into macroscale hydrogel and sequential cognate micelles release. Biomaterials 2017; 145:81-91. [PMID: 28858720 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2017.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2017] [Revised: 07/04/2017] [Accepted: 07/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Thermosensitive "micellar hydrogel" is prepared based on poly(ε-caprolactone-co- 1,4,8-trioxa[4.6]spiro-9-undecanone)-b-poly(ethylene glycol)- b-poly(ε-caprolactone- co-1,4,8-trioxa[4.6]spiro-9-undecanone) (PECT) triblock copolymer. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) is adopted to explore its assembly (formation) and disassembly (degradation) mechanism within the range of 10 nm. Results prove that the thermosensitive non-covalent aggregation of micelles facilitates the hydrogel formation and the sustained shedding of cognate micelles induces the hydrogel degradation, during which polymers are steadily incorporated in micelles without any micelle disassembly or reassembly. It is confirmed that using multiple-tags based imaging technology, such as FRET imaging, the fate of macro biodegradable materials in vitro and in vivo can be followed at a precise nano even molecular level. Such an unique hydrogel composed of nothing more than PECT micelles can act as not only an injectable nanomedicine reservoir by subcutaneous or peri-tissue administration, but also an advanced "combo" macroscale platform for co-delivery of multi-modal therapeutic agents. Our findings also indicate that biological stimuli (e.g., temperature, enzymes)-induced non-covalent micelle self-assembly may provide us an effective strategy to prepare a macroscale device from nanoscale subunits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pingsheng Huang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biomaterial Research, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, China
| | - Huijuan Song
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biomaterial Research, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, China
| | - Yumin Zhang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Radiation Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, China
| | - Jinjian Liu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Radiation Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, China
| | - Zhen Cheng
- Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford and Bio-X Program, Canary Center at Stanford for Cancer Early Detection, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5484, USA
| | - Xing-Jie Liang
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Weiwei Wang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biomaterial Research, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, China.
| | - Deling Kong
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biomaterial Research, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, China
| | - Jianfeng Liu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Institute of Radiation Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300192, China.
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