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Navalón-López M, Castells-Colldeforns P, Pujals S, Fornaguera C, Borrós S. PExM: polyplex expansion microscopy for cell trafficking studies. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:11969-11976. [PMID: 38874918 DOI: 10.1039/d4nr00917g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Nanomedicine is a field at the intersection of nanotechnology and medicine, promising due to its potential to revolutionize healthcare. Despite its long trajectory, there is still a long road ahead for its full development, and smart design of nanomedicines is still a challenge. Among other problems, this is due to the scarcity of tools available for the precise visualization and comprehension of nano-bio interactions, impeding progress towards the clinical phase. One of the developed tools that stands out to be a strong nanoscopy technique for studying nano-delivery systems within cellular environments is expansion microscopy (ExM). This technique was used for tissue and cell expansion and most recently for lipid molecule expansion inside cells. Herein, we present for the first time polyplex expansion microscopy (PExM); a comprehensive examination of ExM as an already developed technique, but adapted for expanding polymer based nanocarriers, in particular polyplexes within cells, allowing the analysis of their trafficking. With our method set up, PExM will be extensively used for the study of polyplex nanoparticle cell trafficking, becoming a high-resolution technique which can also be applied to primary amine containing polymeric nanoparticles without requiring expensive super-resolution microscopes.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Navalón-López
- Grup d'Enginyeria de Materials (Gemat), Institut Químic de Sarrià (IQS), Universitat Ramon Llull (URL), Via Augusta 390, 08017, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Pau Castells-Colldeforns
- Grup d'Enginyeria de Materials (Gemat), Institut Químic de Sarrià (IQS), Universitat Ramon Llull (URL), Via Augusta 390, 08017, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Silvia Pujals
- Institute of Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), Carrer Jordi Girona 18-24, 08034, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Cristina Fornaguera
- Grup d'Enginyeria de Materials (Gemat), Institut Químic de Sarrià (IQS), Universitat Ramon Llull (URL), Via Augusta 390, 08017, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Salvador Borrós
- Grup d'Enginyeria de Materials (Gemat), Institut Químic de Sarrià (IQS), Universitat Ramon Llull (URL), Via Augusta 390, 08017, Barcelona, Spain.
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Perramón M, Navalón-López M, Fernández-Varo G, Moreno-Lanceta A, García-Pérez R, Faneca J, López-Moya M, Fornaguera C, García-Villoria J, Morales-Ruiz M, Melgar-Lesmes P, Borrós S, Jiménez W. Liver-targeted nanoparticles delivering nitric oxide reduce portal hypertension in cirrhotic rats. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 171:116143. [PMID: 38219387 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) is a small vasodilator playing a key role in the pathogenesis of portal hypertension. Here, we assessed the potential therapeutic effect of a NO donor targeted to the liver by poly(beta-amino ester) nanoparticles (pBAE NPs) in experimental cirrhosis. Retinol-functionalized NO donor pBAE NPs (Ret pBAE NPs) were synthetized with the aim of actively targeting the liver. Administration of Ret pBAE NPs resulted in uptake and transfection by the liver and spleen. NPs were not found in other organs or the systemic circulation. Treatment with NO donor Ret pBAE NPs (30 mg/ kg body weight) significantly decreased aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase and portal pressure (9.75 ± 0.64 mmHg) compared to control NPs (13.4 ± 0.53 mmHg) in cirrhotic rats. There were no effects on mean arterial pressure and cardiac output. Liver-targeted NO donor NPs reduced collagen fibers and steatosis, activation of hepatic stellate cells and mRNA expression of profibrogenic and proinflammatory genes. Finally, Ret pBAE NPs displayed efficient transfection in human liver slices. Overall, liver-specific NO donor NPs effectively target the liver and mitigated inflammation and portal hypertension in cirrhotic rats. The use of Ret pBAE may prove to be an effective therapeutic strategy to treat advanced liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meritxell Perramón
- Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Service, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Madrid, Spain.
| | - María Navalón-López
- Grup d'Enginyeria de Materials (Gemat), Institut Químic de Sarrià (IQS), Universitat Ramon Llull (URL), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Guillermo Fernández-Varo
- Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Service, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Madrid, Spain
| | - Alazne Moreno-Lanceta
- Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Service, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rocío García-Pérez
- Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery & Transplantation, General & Digestive Surgery Service, Digestive & Metabolic Disease Institute (ICMDM) of Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. Department of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joana Faneca
- Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Service, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mario López-Moya
- Grup d'Enginyeria de Materials (Gemat), Institut Químic de Sarrià (IQS), Universitat Ramon Llull (URL), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Fornaguera
- Grup d'Enginyeria de Materials (Gemat), Institut Químic de Sarrià (IQS), Universitat Ramon Llull (URL), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Judith García-Villoria
- Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Service, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Morales-Ruiz
- Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Service, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Madrid, Spain; Department of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pedro Melgar-Lesmes
- Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Service, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Madrid, Spain; Department of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA
| | - Salvador Borrós
- Grup d'Enginyeria de Materials (Gemat), Institut Químic de Sarrià (IQS), Universitat Ramon Llull (URL), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Wladimiro Jiménez
- Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Service, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Madrid, Spain; Department of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Fornaguera C, Torres-Coll A, Olmo L, Garcia-Fernandez C, Guerra-Rebollo M, Borrós S. Engineering oncogene-targeted anisamide-functionalized pBAE nanoparticles as efficient lung cancer antisense therapies. RSC Adv 2023; 13:29986-30001. [PMID: 37842686 PMCID: PMC10573942 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra05830a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the leading causes of worldwide death, mainly due to the lack of efficient and safe therapies. Currently, NSCLC standard of care for consist on the use of traditional chemotherapeutics, non-selectively distributed through the whole body, thus causing severe side effects while not achieving high efficacy outcomes. Consequently, the need of novel therapies, targeted to modify specific subcellular routes aberrantly expressed only in tumor cells is still urgent. In this context, the delivery of siRNAs that can know-down overexpressed oncogenes, such as mTOR, could become the promised targeted therapy. However, siRNA effective delivery remains a challenge due to its compromised stability in biological fluids and its inability to cross biological and plasmatic membranes. Therefore, polymeric nanoparticles that efficiently encapsulate siRNAs and are selectively targeted to tumor cells could play a pivotal role. Accordingly, we demonstrate in this work that oligopeptide end-modified poly(beta aminoester) (OM-pBAE) polymers can efficiently complex siRNA in small nanometric particles using very low polymer amounts, protecting siRNA from nucleases attack. These nanoparticles are stable in the presence of serum, advantageous fact in terms of in vivo use. We also demonstrated that they efficiently transfect cells in vitro, in the presence of serum and are able to knock down target gene expression. Moreover, we demonstrated their antitumor efficacy by encapsulating mTOR siRNA, as a model antisense therapy, which showed specific lung tumor cell growth inhibition in vitro and in vivo. Finally, through the addition of anisamide functionalization to the surface of the nanoparticles, we proved that they become selective to lung tumor cells, while not affecting healthy cells. Therefore, our results are a first step in the discovery of a tumor cell-targeted efficient silencing nanotherapy for NSCLC patients survival improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Fornaguera
- Grup d'Enginyeria de Materials (Gemat), Institut Químic de Sarrià (IQS), Universitat Ramon Llull (URL) Spain
| | - Antoni Torres-Coll
- Grup d'Enginyeria de Materials (Gemat), Institut Químic de Sarrià (IQS), Universitat Ramon Llull (URL) Spain
| | - Laura Olmo
- Grup d'Enginyeria de Materials (Gemat), Institut Químic de Sarrià (IQS), Universitat Ramon Llull (URL) Spain
| | - Coral Garcia-Fernandez
- Grup d'Enginyeria de Materials (Gemat), Institut Químic de Sarrià (IQS), Universitat Ramon Llull (URL) Spain
| | - Marta Guerra-Rebollo
- Grup d'Enginyeria de Materials (Gemat), Institut Químic de Sarrià (IQS), Universitat Ramon Llull (URL) Spain
| | - Salvador Borrós
- Grup d'Enginyeria de Materials (Gemat), Institut Químic de Sarrià (IQS), Universitat Ramon Llull (URL) Spain
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