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Li M, Zhong Y, Zhu M, Pang C, Xiao L, Bu Y, Li H, Diao Y, Yang C, Liu D. Identification of new AAV vectors with enhanced blood-brain barrier penetration efficiency via organ-on-a-chip. Analyst 2024; 149:3980-3988. [PMID: 38872436 DOI: 10.1039/d4an00404c] [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: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
To overcome limitations in the generalizability and efficiency of current AAV vectors, in this current study, we constructed an AAV variant library by the insertion of random heptapeptide sequences in the receptor-binding domain of the AAV9 capsid gene. We then applied a recently developed organ-on-a-chip in vitro model of the human blood-brain barrier (BBB) to iteratively enrich for variants that efficiently cross the BBB and transduce astrocyte cells. Through multiple rounds of screening, we obtained two candidate AAV variants, AAV-M6 and AAV-M8, which showed significantly higher BBB penetration efficiency than AAV9 or AAV-PHP.eB. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay showed that AAV-M6 could accumulate to a 5 times higher titer, while AAV-M8 reached a 3 times higher titer, than AAV-PHP.eB in the neural chamber of the model. The transduction assay further verified that the AAV-M6 candidate vector was able to infect HA-1800 cells after crossing the BBB, suggesting it could potentially transduce brain parenchymal cells after crossing the hCMEC/D3 layer at higher efficiency than AAV-PHP.eB. Molecular simulations suggested that the human receptor proteins, LY6D and M6PR, could bind the AAV-M6 heptapeptide insertion with high affinity. This study provides two promising candidate AAV vectors and demonstrates the use of this in vitro BBB model for scalable, high-throughput screening of gene therapies. These tools can drive investigations of the mechanisms underlying BBB permeability and the cell-type specificity of virus vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengmeng Li
- Engineering Research Centre of Molecular Medicine of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine and Molecular Diagnosis of Fujian Universities, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
| | | | - Mingyang Zhu
- Engineering Research Centre of Molecular Medicine of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine and Molecular Diagnosis of Fujian Universities, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
| | - Chunjin Pang
- Engineering Research Centre of Molecular Medicine of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine and Molecular Diagnosis of Fujian Universities, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
| | - Lu Xiao
- Engineering Research Centre of Molecular Medicine of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine and Molecular Diagnosis of Fujian Universities, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
| | - Ye Bu
- PackGene Biotech, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Huapeng Li
- PackGene Biotech, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yong Diao
- Engineering Research Centre of Molecular Medicine of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine and Molecular Diagnosis of Fujian Universities, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
| | - Chaoyong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, the Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Dan Liu
- Engineering Research Centre of Molecular Medicine of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine and Molecular Diagnosis of Fujian Universities, School of Medicine, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
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Mancinelli E, Zushi N, Takuma M, Cheng Chau CC, Parpas G, Fujie T, Pensabene V. Porous Polymeric Nanofilms for Recreating the Basement Membrane in an Endothelial Barrier-on-Chip. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:13006-13017. [PMID: 38414331 PMCID: PMC10941076 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c16134] [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: 10/28/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Organs-on-chips (OoCs) support an organotypic human cell culture in vitro. Precise representation of basement membranes (BMs) is critical for mimicking physiological functions of tissue interfaces. Artificial membranes in polyester (PES) and polycarbonate (PC) commonly used in in vitro models and OoCs do not replicate the characteristics of the natural BMs, such as submicrometric thickness, selective permeability, and elasticity. This study introduces porous poly(d,l-lactic acid) (PDLLA) nanofilms for replicating BMs in in vitro models and demonstrates their integration into microfluidic chips. Using roll-to-roll gravure coating and polymer phase separation, we fabricated transparent ∼200 nm thick PDLLA films. These nanofilms are 60 times thinner and 27 times more elastic than PES membranes and show uniformly distributed pores of controlled diameter (0.4 to 1.6 μm), which favor cell compartmentalization and exchange of large water-soluble molecules. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) on PDLLA nanofilms stretched across microchannels exhibited 97% viability, enhanced adhesion, and a higher proliferation rate compared to their performance on PES membranes and glass substrates. After 5 days of culture, HUVECs formed a functional barrier on suspended PDLLA nanofilms, confirmed by a more than 10-fold increase in transendothelial electrical resistance and blocked 150 kDa dextran diffusion. When integrated between two microfluidic channels and exposed to physiological shear stress, despite their ultrathin thickness, PDLLA nanofilms upheld their integrity and efficiently maintained separation of the channels. The successful formation of an adherent endothelium and the coculture of HUVECs and human astrocytes on either side of the suspended nanofilm validate it as an artificial BM for OoCs. Its submicrometric thickness guarantees intimate contact, a key feature to mimic the blood-brain barrier and to study paracrine signaling between the two cell types. In summary, porous PDLLA nanofilms hold the potential for improving the accuracy and physiological relevance of the OoC as in vitro models and drug discovery tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Mancinelli
- School
of Electronic and Electrical Engineering and Pollard Institute, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
- Bragg
Centre for Materials Research, University
of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Nanami Zushi
- School
of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute
of Technology, B-50, Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
| | - Megumi Takuma
- School
of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute
of Technology, B-50, Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
| | - Chalmers Chi Cheng Chau
- School
of Electronic and Electrical Engineering and Pollard Institute, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
- Bragg
Centre for Materials Research, University
of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
- School
of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Astbury Centre for Structural
Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - George Parpas
- School
of Electronic and Electrical Engineering and Pollard Institute, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
- Bragg
Centre for Materials Research, University
of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
- Leeds
Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United
Kingdom
| | - Toshinori Fujie
- School
of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute
of Technology, B-50, Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
- Living Systems
Materialogy (LiSM) Research Group, International Research Frontiers
Initiative (IRFI), Tokyo Institute of Technology, R3-23, 4259 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8503, Japan
| | - Virginia Pensabene
- School
of Electronic and Electrical Engineering and Pollard Institute, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
- Bragg
Centre for Materials Research, University
of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
- Faculty
of Medicine and Health, Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St
James’s University Hospital, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
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Mulay AR, Hwang J, Kim DH. Microphysiological Blood-Brain Barrier Systems for Disease Modeling and Drug Development. Adv Healthc Mater 2024:e2303180. [PMID: 38430211 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202303180] [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: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a highly controlled microenvironment that regulates the interactions between cerebral blood and brain tissue. Due to its selectivity, many therapeutics targeting various neurological disorders are not able to penetrate into brain tissue. Pre-clinical studies using animals and other in vitro platforms have not shown the ability to fully replicate the human BBB leading to the failure of a majority of therapeutics in clinical trials. However, recent innovations in vitro and ex vivo modeling called organs-on-chips have shown the potential to create more accurate disease models for improved drug development. These microfluidic platforms induce physiological stressors on cultured cells and are able to generate more physiologically accurate BBBs compared to previous in vitro models. In this review, different approaches to create BBBs-on-chips are explored alongside their application in modeling various neurological disorders and potential therapeutic efficacy. Additionally, organs-on-chips use in BBB drug delivery studies is discussed, and advances in linking brain organs-on-chips onto multiorgan platforms to mimic organ crosstalk are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atharva R Mulay
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Jihyun Hwang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Deok-Ho Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Center for Microphysiological Systems, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
- Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, 21218, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, 21205, USA
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Zhang L, Zhu B, Zhou X, Ning H, Zhang F, Yan B, Chen J, Ma T. ZNF787 and HDAC1 Mediate Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability in an In Vitro Model of Alzheimer's Disease Microenvironment. Neurotox Res 2024; 42:12. [PMID: 38329647 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-024-00693-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
The permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is increased in Alzheimer's disease (AD). This plays a key role in the instigation and maintenance of chronic inflammation during AD. Experiments using AD models showed that the increased permeability of the BBB was mainly caused by the decreased expression of tight junction-related proteins occludin and claudin-5. In this study, we found that ZNF787 and HDAC1 were upregulated in β-amyloid (Aβ)1-42-incubated endothelial cells, resulting in increased BBB permeability. Conversely, the silencing of ZNF787 and HDAC1 by RNAi led to reduced BBB permeability. The silencing of ZNF787 and HDAC1 enhanced the expression of occludin and claudin-5. Mechanistically, ZNF787 binds to promoter regions for occludin and claudin-5 and functions as a transcriptional regulator. Furthermore, we demonstrate that ZNF787 interacts with HDAC1, and this resulted in the downregulation of the expression of genes encoding tight junction-related proteins to increase in BBB permeability. Taken together, our study identifies critical roles for the interaction between ZNF787 and HDAC1 in regulating BBB permeability and the pathogenesis of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Zhang
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Life Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, China
| | - Baicheng Zhu
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Life Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, China
| | - Xinxin Zhou
- Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, 110034, China
| | - Hao Ning
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Life Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, China
| | - Fengying Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Nanhua Hospital, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China
| | - Bingju Yan
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, 121000, China
| | - Jiajia Chen
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China
| | - Teng Ma
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Life Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, China.
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Tian M, Ma Z, Yang GZ. Micro/nanosystems for controllable drug delivery to the brain. Innovation (N Y) 2024; 5:100548. [PMID: 38161522 PMCID: PMC10757293 DOI: 10.1016/j.xinn.2023.100548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Drug delivery to the brain is crucial in the treatment for central nervous system disorders. While significant progress has been made in recent years, there are still major challenges in achieving controllable drug delivery to the brain. Unmet clinical needs arise from various factors, including controlled drug transport, handling large drug doses, methods for crossing biological barriers, the use of imaging guidance, and effective models for analyzing drug delivery. Recent advances in micro/nanosystems have shown promise in addressing some of these challenges. These include the utilization of microfluidic platforms to test and validate the drug delivery process in a controlled and biomimetic setting, the development of novel micro/nanocarriers for large drug loads across the blood-brain barrier, and the implementation of micro-intervention systems for delivering drugs through intraparenchymal or peripheral routes. In this article, we present a review of the latest developments in micro/nanosystems for controllable drug delivery to the brain. We also delve into the relevant diseases, biological barriers, and conventional methods. In addition, we discuss future prospects and the development of emerging robotic micro/nanosystems equipped with directed transportation, real-time image guidance, and closed-loop control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingzhen Tian
- Institute of Medical Robotics, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Zhichao Ma
- Institute of Medical Robotics, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Guang-Zhong Yang
- Institute of Medical Robotics, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
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