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Ranjan S, Bosch S, Lukkari H, Schirmer J, Aaltonen N, Nieminen HJ, Lehto VP, Urtti A, Lajunen T, Rilla K. Development of Focused Ultrasound-Assisted Nanoplexes for RNA Delivery. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 14:1089. [PMID: 38998694 PMCID: PMC11243722 DOI: 10.3390/nano14131089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
RNA-based therapeutics, including siRNA, have obtained recognition in recent years due to their potential to treat various chronic and rare diseases. However, there are still limitations to lipid-based drug delivery systems in the clinical use of RNA therapeutics due to the need for optimization in the design and the preparation process. In this study, we propose adaptive focused ultrasound (AFU) as a drug loading technique to protect RNA from degradation by encapsulating small RNA in nanoliposomes, which we term nanoplexes. The AFU method is non-invasive and isothermal, as nanoplexes are produced without direct contact with any external materials while maintaining precise temperature control according to the desired settings. The controllability of sample treatments can be effectively modulated, allowing for a wide range of ultrasound intensities to be applied. Importantly, the absence of co-solvents in the process eliminates the need for additional substances, thereby minimizing the potential for cross-contaminations. Since AFU is a non-invasive method, the entire process can be conducted under sterile conditions. A minimal volume (300 μL) is required for this process, and the treatment is speedy (10 min in this study). Our in vitro experiments with silencer CD44 siRNA, which performs as a model therapeutic drug in different mammalian cell lines, showed encouraging results (knockdown > 80%). To quantify gene silencing efficacy, we employed quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Additionally, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques were employed to capture images of nanoplexes. These images revealed the presence of individual nanoparticles measuring approximately 100-200 nm in contrast with the random distribution of clustered complexes observed in ultrasound-untreated samples of liposome nanoparticles and siRNA. AFU holds great potential as a standardized liposome processing and loading method because its process is fast, sterile, and does not require additional solvents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjeev Ranjan
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, 70210 Kuopio, Finland
- Medical Ultrasonics Laboratory (MEDUSA), Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University, 02150 Espoo, Finland
| | - Stef Bosch
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, 70210 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Hannamari Lukkari
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, 70210 Kuopio, Finland
- FinVector Oy, 70210 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Johanna Schirmer
- Nanoscience Center, Department of Chemistry, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Niina Aaltonen
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, 70210 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Heikki J Nieminen
- Medical Ultrasonics Laboratory (MEDUSA), Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Aalto University, 02150 Espoo, Finland
| | - Vesa-Pekka Lehto
- Department of Technical Physics, University of Eastern Finland, 70210 Kuopio, Finland
| | - Arto Urtti
- School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, 70210 Kuopio, Finland
- Drug Research Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tatu Lajunen
- School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, 70210 Kuopio, Finland
- Drug Research Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kirsi Rilla
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Eastern Finland, 70210 Kuopio, Finland
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Bielas R, Kubiak T, Molcan M, Dobosz B, Rajnak M, Józefczak A. Biocompatible Hydrogel-Based Liquid Marbles with Magnetosomes. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 17:99. [PMID: 38203953 PMCID: PMC10779466 DOI: 10.3390/ma17010099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Liquid marbles are widely known for their potential biomedical applications, especially due to their versatility and ease of preparation. In the present work, we prepared liquid marbles with various cores composed of water, agar-based hydrogels, magnetic fluids, or non-aqueous substances. As a coating material, we used biocompatible particles of plant origin, such as turmeric grains and Lycopodium pollen. Additionally, we provided marbles with magnetic properties by incorporating either magnetosomes or iron oxide nanoparticles as a powder or by injecting another magnetic fluid. Structures obtained in this way were stable and susceptible to manipulation by an external magnetic field. The properties of the magnetic components of our marbles were verified using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). Our approach to encapsulation of active substances such as antibiotics within a protective hydrogel core opens up new perspectives for the delivery of hydrophobic payloads to the inherently hydrophilic biological environment. Additionally, hydrogel marbles enriched with magnetic materials showed promise as biocompatible heating agents under alternating magnetic fields. A significant innovation of our research was also the fabrication of composite structures in which the gel-like core was surrounded without mixing by a magnetic fluid covered on the outside by the particle shell. Our liquid marbles, especially those with a hydrogel core and magnetic content, due to the ease of preparation and favorable properties, have great potential for biomedical use. The fact that we were able to simultaneously produce, functionalize (by filling with predefined cargo), and manipulate (by means of an external magnetic field) several marbles also seems to be important from an application point of view.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafał Bielas
- Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 2, 61-614 Poznań, Poland;
| | - Tomasz Kubiak
- Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 2, 61-614 Poznań, Poland;
| | - Matus Molcan
- Institute of Experimental Physics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Watsonova 47, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia; (M.M.); (M.R.)
| | - Bernadeta Dobosz
- Institute of Physics, Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 2, 61-614 Poznań, Poland;
| | - Michal Rajnak
- Institute of Experimental Physics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Watsonova 47, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia; (M.M.); (M.R.)
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, Technical University of Košice, Letná 9, 042 00 Košice, Slovakia
| | - Arkadiusz Józefczak
- Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 2, 61-614 Poznań, Poland;
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