1
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Dixon JE, Wellington V, Elnima A, Eltaher HM. Effects of Microenvironment and Dosing on Efficiency of Enhanced Cell Penetrating Peptide Nonviral Gene Delivery. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:5014-5023. [PMID: 38313497 PMCID: PMC10831962 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c09306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
Transfection, defined as functional delivery of cell-internalized nucleic acids, is dependent on many factors linked to formulation, vector, cell type, and microenvironmental culture conditions. We previously developed a technology termed glycosaminoglycan (GAG)-binding enhanced transduction (GET) to efficiently deliver a variety of cargoes intracellularly, using GAG-binding peptides and cell penetrating peptides (CPPs) in the form of nanoparticles, using conventional cell culture. Herein, we demonstrate that the most simple GET transfection formulation (employing the FLR peptide) is relatively poor at transfecting cells at increasingly lower dosages. However, with an endosomally escaping version (FLR:FLH peptide formulations) we demonstrate more effective transfection of cells with lower quantities of plasmid (p)DNA in vitro. We assessed the ability of single and serial delivery of our formulations to readily transfect cells and determined that temperature, pH, and atmospheric pressure can significantly affect transfected cell number and expression levels. Cytocompatible temperatures that maintain high cell metabolism (20-37 °C) were the optimal for transfection. Interestingly, serial delivery can maintain and enhance expression without viability being compromised, and alkaline pH conditions can aid overall efficiencies. Positive atmospheric pressures can also improve the transgene expression levels generated by GET transfection on a single-cell level. Novel nanotechnologies and gene therapeutics such as GET could be transformative for future regenerative medicine strategies. It will be important to understand how such approaches can be optimized at the formulation and application levels in order to achieve efficacy that will be competitive with viral strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- James E. Dixon
- Regenerative
Medicine and Cellular Therapies Division, The University of Nottingham
Biodiscovery Institute (BDI), School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, U.K.
- NIHR
Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, University
of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, U.K.
| | - Vanessa Wellington
- Regenerative
Medicine and Cellular Therapies Division, The University of Nottingham
Biodiscovery Institute (BDI), School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, U.K.
| | - Alaa Elnima
- Regenerative
Medicine and Cellular Therapies Division, The University of Nottingham
Biodiscovery Institute (BDI), School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, U.K.
| | - Hoda M. Eltaher
- Regenerative
Medicine and Cellular Therapies Division, The University of Nottingham
Biodiscovery Institute (BDI), School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, U.K.
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2
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Mathews PD, Gama GS, Megiati HM, Madrid RRM, Garcia BBM, Han SW, Itri R, Mertins O. Flavonoid-Labeled Biopolymer in the Structure of Lipid Membranes to Improve the Applicability of Antioxidant Nanovesicles. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:141. [PMID: 38276511 PMCID: PMC10819309 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16010141] [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: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Nanovesicles produced with lipids and polymers are promising devices for drug and bioactive delivery and are of great interest in pharmaceutical applications. These nanovesicles can be engineered for improvement in bioavailability, patient compliance or to provide modified release or enhanced delivery. However, their applicability strongly depends on the safety and low immunogenicity of the components. Despite this, the use of unsaturated lipids in nanovesicles, which degrade following oxidation processes during storage and especially during the proper routes of administration in the human body, may yield toxic degradation products. In this study, we used a biopolymer (chitosan) labeled with flavonoid (catechin) as a component over a lipid bilayer for micro- and nanovesicles and characterized the structure of these vesicles in oxidation media. The purpose of this was to evaluate the in situ effect of the antioxidant in three different vesicular systems of medium, low and high membrane curvature. Liposomes and giant vesicles were produced with the phospholipids DOPC and POPC, and crystalline cubic phase with monoolein/DOPC. Concentrations of chitosan-catechin (CHCa) were included in all the vesicles and they were challenged in oxidant media. The cytotoxicity analysis using the MTT assay (3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide) revealed that concentrations of CHCa below 6.67 µM are non-toxic to HeLa cells. The size and zeta potential of the liposomes evidenced the degradation of their structures, which was minimized by CHCa. Similarly, the membrane of the giant vesicle, which rapidly deteriorated in oxidative solution, was protected in the presence of CHCa. The production of a lipid/CHCa composite cubic phase revealed a specific cubic topology in small-angle X-ray scattering, which was preserved in strong oxidative media. This study demonstrates the specific physicochemical characteristics introduced in the vesicular systems related to the antioxidant CHCa biopolymer, representing a platform for the improvement of composite nanovesicle applicability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick D. Mathews
- Laboratory of Nano Bio Materials (LNBM), Department of Biophysics, Paulista Medical School, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 04023-062, Brazil; (P.D.M.); (G.S.G.); (H.M.M.); (R.R.M.M.)
- Institute of Biosciences, Sao Paulo State University, Botucatu 18618-689, Brazil
| | - Gabriella S. Gama
- Laboratory of Nano Bio Materials (LNBM), Department of Biophysics, Paulista Medical School, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 04023-062, Brazil; (P.D.M.); (G.S.G.); (H.M.M.); (R.R.M.M.)
| | - Hector M. Megiati
- Laboratory of Nano Bio Materials (LNBM), Department of Biophysics, Paulista Medical School, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 04023-062, Brazil; (P.D.M.); (G.S.G.); (H.M.M.); (R.R.M.M.)
| | - Rafael R. M. Madrid
- Laboratory of Nano Bio Materials (LNBM), Department of Biophysics, Paulista Medical School, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 04023-062, Brazil; (P.D.M.); (G.S.G.); (H.M.M.); (R.R.M.M.)
| | - Bianca B. M. Garcia
- Interdisciplinary Center for Gene Therapy, Paulista Medical School, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 04023-062, Brazil; (B.B.M.G.); (S.W.H.)
| | - Sang W. Han
- Interdisciplinary Center for Gene Therapy, Paulista Medical School, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 04023-062, Brazil; (B.B.M.G.); (S.W.H.)
| | - Rosangela Itri
- Applied Physics Department, Institute of Physics, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 05508-900, Brazil;
| | - Omar Mertins
- Laboratory of Nano Bio Materials (LNBM), Department of Biophysics, Paulista Medical School, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 04023-062, Brazil; (P.D.M.); (G.S.G.); (H.M.M.); (R.R.M.M.)
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3
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Hamley IW, Castelletto V. Small-angle scattering techniques for peptide and peptide hybrid nanostructures and peptide-based biomaterials. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 318:102959. [PMID: 37473606 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2023.102959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
The use of small-angle scattering (SAS) in the study of the self-assembly of peptides and peptide conjugates (lipopeptides, polymer-peptide conjugates and others) is reviewed, highlighting selected research that illustrates different methods and analysis techniques. Both small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) are considered along with examples that exploit their unique capabilities. For SAXS, this includes the ability to perform rapid measurements enabling high throughput or fast kinetic studies and measurements under dilute conditions. For SANS, contrast variation using H2O/D2O mixtures enables the study of peptides interacting with lipids and TR-SANS (time-resolved SANS) studies of exchange kinetics and/or peptide-induced structural changes. Examples are provided of studies measuring form factors of different self-assembled structures (micelles, fibrils, nanotapes, nanotubes etc) as well as structure factors from ordered phases (lyotropic mesophases), peptide gels and hybrid materials such as membranes formed by mixing peptides with polysaccharides or peptide/liposome mixtures. SAXS/WAXS (WAXS: wide-angle x-ray scattering) on peptides and peptide hybrids is also discussed, and the review concludes with a perspective on potential future directions for research in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian W Hamley
- Department of Chemistry, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AD, UK.
| | - Valeria Castelletto
- Department of Chemistry, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AD, UK
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4
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Lourenço TC, de Mello LR, Icimoto MY, Bicev RN, Hamley IW, Castelletto V, Nakaie CR, da Silva ER. DNA-templated self-assembly of bradykinin into bioactive nanofibrils. SOFT MATTER 2023. [PMID: 37334565 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm00431g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Bradykinin (BK) is a peptide hormone that plays a crucial role in blood pressure control, regulates inflammation in the human body, and has recently been implicated in the pathophysiology of COVID-19. In this study, we report a strategy for fabricating highly ordered 1D nanostructures of BK using DNA fragments as a template for self-assembly. We have combined synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering and high-resolution microscopy to provide insights into the nanoscale structure of BK-DNA complexes, unveiling the formation of ordered nanofibrils. Fluorescence assays hint that BK is more efficient at displacing minor-groove binders in comparison with base-intercalant dyes, thus, suggesting that interaction with DNA strands is mediated by electrostatic attraction between cationic groups at BK and the high negative electron density of minor-grooves. Our data also revealed an intriguing finding that BK-DNA complexes can induce a limited uptake of nucleotides by HEK-293t cells, which is a feature that has not been previously reported for BK. Moreover, we observed that the complexes retained the native bioactivity of BK, including the ability to modulate Ca2+ response into endothelial HUVEC cells. Overall, the findings presented here demonstrate a promising strategy for the fabrication of fibrillar structures of BK using DNA as a template, which keep bioactivity features of the native peptide and may have implications in the development of nanotherapeutics for hypertension and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiago C Lourenço
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04062-000, Brazil.
| | - Lucas R de Mello
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04062-000, Brazil.
| | - Marcelo Y Icimoto
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04062-000, Brazil.
| | - Renata N Bicev
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04062-000, Brazil.
| | - Ian W Hamley
- Department of Chemistry, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6AD, UK
| | | | - Clovis R Nakaie
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04062-000, Brazil.
| | - Emerson R da Silva
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04062-000, Brazil.
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5
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Ma L, Fang X, Wang C. Peptide-based coacervates in therapeutic applications. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 10:1100365. [PMID: 36686257 PMCID: PMC9845597 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.1100365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Coacervates are droplets formed by liquid‒liquid phase separation. An increasing number of studies have reported that coacervates play an important role in living cells, such as in the generation of membraneless organelles, and peptides contribute to condensate droplet formation. Peptides with versatile functional groups and special secondary structures, including α-helices, β-sheets and intrinsically disordered regions, provide novel insights into coacervation, such as biomimetic protocells, neurodegenerative diseases, modulations of signal transmission, and drug delivery systems. In this review, we introduce different types of peptide-based coacervates and the principles of their interactions. Additionally, we summarize the thermodynamic and kinetic mechanisms of peptide-based coacervates and the associated factors, including salt, pH, and temperature, affecting the phase separation process. We illustrate recent studies on modulating the functions of peptide-based coacervates applied in biological diseases. Finally, we propose their promising broad applications and describe the challenges of peptide-based coacervates in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilusi Ma
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaocui Fang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Xiaocui Fang, ; Chen Wang,
| | - Chen Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biological Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, China,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Xiaocui Fang, ; Chen Wang,
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6
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EF4K bola-amphiphilic peptide nanomembrane: structural, energetic and dynamic properties using molecular dynamics. J Mol Liq 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2022.120651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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7
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Molecular Structure and Antibacterial Activity of Degradation Products from Cephalexin Solutions Submitted to Thermal and Photolytic Stress. ChemistrySelect 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/slct.202203032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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8
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Development of truncated elastin-like peptide analogues with improved temperature-response and self-assembling properties. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19414. [PMID: 36371418 PMCID: PMC9653453 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23940-0] [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: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional peptides, which are composed of proteinogenic natural amino acids, are expected to be used as biomaterials with minimal environmental impact. Synthesizing a functional peptide with a shorter amino acid sequence while retaining its function is a easy and economical strategy. Furthermore, shortening functional peptides helps to elucidate the mechanism of their functional core region. Truncated elastin-like peptides (ELPs) are peptides consisting of repetitive sequences, derived from the elastic protein tropoelastin, that show the thermosensitive formation of coacervates. In this study, to obtain shortened ELP analogues, we synthesized several (Phe-Pro-Gly-Val-Gly)n (FPGVG)n analogues with one or two amino acid residues deleted from each repeat sequence, such as the peptide analogues consisting of FPGV and/or FPG sequences. Among the novel truncated ELP analogues, the 16-mer (FPGV)4 exhibited a stronger coacervation ability than the 25-mer (FPGVG)5. These results indicated that the coacervation ability of truncated ELPs was affected by the amino acid sequence and not by the peptide chain length. Based on this finding, we prepared Cd2+-binding sequence-conjugated ELP analogue, AADAAC-(FPGV)4, and found that it could capture Cd2+. These results indicated that the 16-mer (FPGV)4 only composed of proteinogenic amino acids could be a new biomaterial with low environmental impact.
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9
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Nanofiber Carriers of Therapeutic Load: Current Trends. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23158581. [PMID: 35955712 PMCID: PMC9368923 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The fast advancement in nanotechnology has prompted the improvement of numerous methods for the creation of various nanoscale composites of which nanofibers have gotten extensive consideration. Nanofibers are polymeric/composite fibers which have a nanoscale diameter. They vary in porous structure and have an extensive area. Material choice is of crucial importance for the assembly of nanofibers and their function as efficient drug and biomedicine carriers. A broad scope of active pharmaceutical ingredients can be incorporated within the nanofibers or bound to their surface. The ability to deliver small molecular drugs such as antibiotics or anticancer medications, proteins, peptides, cells, DNA and RNAs has led to the biomedical application in disease therapy and tissue engineering. Although nanofibers have shown incredible potential for drug and biomedicine applications, there are still difficulties which should be resolved before they can be utilized in clinical practice. This review intends to give an outline of the recent advances in nanofibers, contemplating the preparation methods, the therapeutic loading and release and the various therapeutic applications.
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10
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de Mello LR, Carrascosa V, Rebelato E, Juliano MA, Hamley IW, Castelletto V, Vassiliades SV, Alves WA, Nakaie CR, da Silva ER. Nanostructure Formation and Cell Spheroid Morphogenesis of a Peptide Supramolecular Hydrogel. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:3434-3445. [PMID: 35274959 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c03215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Peptide-based hydrogels have attracted much attention due to their extraordinary applications in biomedicine and offer an excellent mimic for the 3D microenvironment of the extracellular matrix. These hydrated matrices comprise fibrous networks held together by a delicate balance of intermolecular forces. Here, we investigate the hydrogelation behavior of a designed decapeptide containing a tetraleucine self-assembling backbone and fibronectin-related tripeptides near both ends of the strand. We have observed that this synthetic peptide can produce hydrogel matrices entrapping >99% wt/vol % water. Ultrastructural analyses combining atomic force microscopy, small-angle neutron scattering, and X-ray diffraction revealed that amyloid-like fibrils form cross-linked networks endowed with remarkable thermal stability, the structure of which is not disrupted up to temperatures >80 °C. We also examined the interaction of peptide hydrogels with either NIH3T3 mouse fibroblasts or HeLa cells and discovered that the matrices sustain cell viability and induce morphogenesis into grape-like cell spheroids. The results presented here show that this decapeptide is a remarkable building block to prepare highly stable scaffolds simultaneously endowed with high water retention capacity and the ability to instruct cell growth into tumor-like spheroids even in noncarcinoma lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas R de Mello
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Vinicius Carrascosa
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Rebelato
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Maria A Juliano
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Ian W Hamley
- Department of Chemistry, University of Reading, Reading RGD 6AD, U.K
| | | | - Sandra V Vassiliades
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André 09210-580, Brazil
| | - Wendel A Alves
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André 09210-580, Brazil
| | - Clovis R Nakaie
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Emerson R da Silva
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
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11
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Geng J, Xia X, Teng L, Wang L, Chen L, Guo X, Belingon B, Li J, Feng X, Li X, Shang W, Wan Y, Wang H. Emerging landscape of cell-penetrating peptide-mediated nucleic acid delivery and their utility in imaging, gene-editing, and RNA-sequencing. J Control Release 2022; 341:166-183. [PMID: 34822907 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2021.11.032] [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: 09/25/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The safety issues like immunogenicity and unacceptable cancer risk of viral vectors for DNA/mRNA vaccine delivery necessitate the development of non-viral vectors with no toxicity. Among the non-viral strategies, cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) have been a topic of interest recently because of their ability to cross plasma membranes and facilitate nucleic acids delivery both in vivo and in vitro. In addition to the application in the field of gene vaccine and gene therapy, CPPs based nucleic acids delivery have been proved by its potential application like gene editing, RNA-sequencing, and imaging. Here, we focus on summarizing the recent applications and progress of CPPs-mediated nucleic acids delivery and discuss the current problems and solutions in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingping Geng
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China
| | - Xuan Xia
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical School, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China
| | - Lin Teng
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The First Clinical Medical College of China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China
| | - Lidan Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China
| | - Linlin Chen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China; Affiliated Ren He Hospital of China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China
| | - Xiangli Guo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China
| | - Bonn Belingon
- Institute of Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21210, USA
| | - Jason Li
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21210, USA
| | - Xuemei Feng
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China
| | - Xianghui Li
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China
| | - Wendou Shang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China
| | - Yingying Wan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunotherapy, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China
| | - Hu Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China.
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12
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Methods for Small-Angle Scattering Measurements on Peptiplexes of DNA with Cell-Penetrating Peptides. Methods Mol Biol 2021. [PMID: 34766290 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1752-6_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Peptiplexes are soft biomaterials formed through the noncovalent association between cell-penetrating peptides and nucleic acids. Although internalization often involves electrostatic anchoring followed by endocytosis, the mode of action of these transporters remains elusive in many cases, and proper understanding of mechanisms behind their penetrating capabilities necessarily entails structural data at the nanoscopic scale. In this chapter, we examine the structural landscape of peptiplexes, emphasizing the complex behavior of these polyelectrolyte self-assemblies and how supramolecular order impacts their translocation efficiency. We discuss experimental tools commonly used to investigate the structure of peptiplexes and pay special attention to small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) as a suitable method for unveiling their nanoscale organization. A roadmap for standard SAXS measurements in CPP/DNA samples is presented alongside a selection of observations from our own experience dealing with SAXS applied to the investigation of CPPs.
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13
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de Mello LR, Porosk L, Lourenço TC, Garcia BBM, Costa CAR, Han SW, de Souza JS, Langel Ü, da Silva ER. Amyloid-like Self-Assembly of a Hydrophobic Cell-Penetrating Peptide and Its Use as a Carrier for Nucleic Acids. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2021; 4:6404-6416. [PMID: 35006917 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.1c00601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are a topical subject potentially exploitable for creating nanotherapeutics for the delivery of bioactive loads. These compounds are often classified into three major categories according to their physicochemical characteristics: cationic, amphiphilic, and hydrophobic. Among them, the group of hydrophobic CPPs has received increasing attention in recent years due to toxicity concerns posed by highly cationic CPPs. The hexapeptide PFVYLI (P, proline; F, phenylalanine; V, valine; Y, tyrosine; L, leucine; and I, isoleucine), a fragment derived from the C-terminal portion of α1-antitrypsin, is a prototypal example of hydrophobic CPP. This sequence shows reduced cytotoxicity and a capacity of nuclear localization, and its small size readily hints at its suitability as a building block to construct nanostructured materials. In this study, we examine the self-assembling properties of PFVYLI and investigate its ability to form noncovalent complexes with nucleic acids. By using a combination of biophysical tools including synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering and atomic force microscopy-based infrared spectroscopy, we discovered that this CPP self-assembles into discrete nanofibrils with remarkable amyloidogenic features. Over the course of days, these fibrils coalesce into rodlike crystals that easily reach the micrometer range. Despite lacking cationic residues in the composition, PFVYLI forms noncovalent complexes with nucleic acids that retain β-sheet pairing found in amyloid aggregates. In vitro vectorization experiments performed with double-stranded DNA fragments indicate that complexes promote the internalization of nucleic acids, revealing that tropism toward cell membranes is preserved upon complexation. On the other hand, transfection assays with splice-correction oligonucleotides (SCOs) for luciferase expression show limited bioactivity across a narrow concentration window, suggesting that the propensity to form amyloidogenic aggregates may trigger endosomal entrapment. We anticipate that the findings presented here open perspectives for using this archetypical hydrophobic CPP in the fabrication of nanostructured scaffolds, which potentially integrate properties of amyloids and translocation capabilities of CPPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas R de Mello
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Ly Porosk
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu 50411, Estonia
| | - Thiago C Lourenço
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Bianca B M Garcia
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Carlos A R Costa
- Laboratório Nacional de Nanotecnologia (LNNano), Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM), Campinas 13083-861, Brazil
| | - Sang W Han
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | - Juliana S de Souza
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André 09210580, Brazil
| | - Ülo Langel
- Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Tartu 50411, Estonia
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm SE-10691, Sweden
| | - Emerson R da Silva
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
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14
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Liu R, Zuo R, Hudalla GA. Harnessing molecular recognition for localized drug delivery. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2021; 170:238-260. [PMID: 33484737 PMCID: PMC8274479 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
A grand challenge in drug delivery is providing the right dose, at the right anatomic location, for the right duration of time to maximize therapeutic efficacy while minimizing off-target toxicity and other deleterious side-effects. Two general modalities are receiving broad attention for localized drug delivery. In the first, referred to as "targeted accumulation", drugs or drug carriers are engineered to have targeting moieties that promote their accumulation at a specific tissue site from circulation. In the second, referred to as "local anchoring", drugs or drug carriers are inserted directly into the tissue site of interest where they persist for a specified duration of time. This review surveys recent advances in harnessing molecular recognition between proteins, peptides, nucleic acids, lipids, and carbohydrates to mediate targeted accumulation and local anchoring of drugs and drug carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renjie Liu
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Ran Zuo
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Gregory A Hudalla
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
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15
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Molecular structure and supramolecular assembly of a TGF-β1 mimetic oligopeptide. J Mol Struct 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2020.128691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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16
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Tarvirdipour S, Huang X, Mihali V, Schoenenberger CA, Palivan CG. Peptide-Based Nanoassemblies in Gene Therapy and Diagnosis: Paving the Way for Clinical Application. Molecules 2020; 25:E3482. [PMID: 32751865 PMCID: PMC7435460 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25153482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Nanotechnology approaches play an important role in developing novel and efficient carriers for biomedical applications. Peptides are particularly appealing to generate such nanocarriers because they can be rationally designed to serve as building blocks for self-assembling nanoscale structures with great potential as therapeutic or diagnostic delivery vehicles. In this review, we describe peptide-based nanoassemblies and highlight features that make them particularly attractive for the delivery of nucleic acids to host cells or improve the specificity and sensitivity of probes in diagnostic imaging. We outline the current state in the design of peptides and peptide-conjugates and the paradigms of their self-assembly into well-defined nanostructures, as well as the co-assembly of nucleic acids to form less structured nanoparticles. Various recent examples of engineered peptides and peptide-conjugates promoting self-assembly and providing the structures with wanted functionalities are presented. The advantages of peptides are not only their biocompatibility and biodegradability, but the possibility of sheer limitless combinations and modifications of amino acid residues to induce the assembly of modular, multiplexed delivery systems. Moreover, functions that nature encoded in peptides, such as their ability to target molecular recognition sites, can be emulated repeatedly in nanoassemblies. Finally, we present recent examples where self-assembled peptide-based assemblies with "smart" activity are used in vivo. Gene delivery and diagnostic imaging in mouse tumor models exemplify the great potential of peptide nanoassemblies for future clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shabnam Tarvirdipour
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; (S.T.); (X.H.); (V.M.)
- Department of Biosystem Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Xinan Huang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; (S.T.); (X.H.); (V.M.)
| | - Voichita Mihali
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; (S.T.); (X.H.); (V.M.)
| | - Cora-Ann Schoenenberger
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; (S.T.); (X.H.); (V.M.)
| | - Cornelia G. Palivan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; (S.T.); (X.H.); (V.M.)
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