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Kelly JB, Nolan AC, Zeden MS. How can we escape the ESKAPEs: Antimicrobial resistance mechanisms and what lies ahead? PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012270. [PMID: 38870133 PMCID: PMC11175505 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica B. Kelly
- Microbiology, Infectious Disease Section, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, College of Science and Engineering, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Aaron C. Nolan
- Microbiology, Infectious Disease Section, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, College of Science and Engineering, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Merve S. Zeden
- Microbiology, Infectious Disease Section, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, College of Science and Engineering, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
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2
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Pals MJ, Wijnberg L, Yildiz Ç, Velema WA. Catechol-Siderophore Mimics Convey Nucleic Acid Therapeutics into Bacteria. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202402405. [PMID: 38407513 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202402405] [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: 02/04/2024] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Antibacterial resistance is a major threat for human health. There is a need for new antibacterials to stay ahead of constantly-evolving resistant bacteria. Nucleic acid therapeutics hold promise as powerful antibiotics, but issues with their delivery hamper their applicability. Here, we exploit the siderophore-mediated iron uptake pathway to efficiently transport antisense oligomers into bacteria. We appended a synthetic siderophore to antisense oligomers targeting the essential acpP gene in Escherichia coli. Siderophore-conjugated PNA and PMO antisense oligomers displayed potent antibacterial properties. Conjugates bearing a minimal siderophore consisting of a mono-catechol group showed equally effective. Targeting the lacZ transcript resulted in dose-dependent decreased β-galactosidase production, demonstrating selective protein downregulation. Applying this concept to Acinetobacter baumannii also showed concentration-dependent growth inhibition. Whole-genome sequencing of resistant mutants and competition experiments with the endogenous siderophore verified selective uptake through the siderophore-mediated iron uptake pathway. Lastly, no toxicity towards mammalian cells was found. Collectively, we demonstrate for the first time that large nucleic acid therapeutics can be efficiently transported into bacteria using synthetic siderophore mimics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathijs J Pals
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Luuk Wijnberg
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Çağlar Yildiz
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Willem A Velema
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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3
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Wang H, Yang Y, Wang S, Badawy S, Ares I, Martínez M, Lopez-Torres B, Martínez-Larrañaga MR, Wang X, Anadón A, Martínez MA. Antimicrobial sensitisers: Gatekeepers to avoid the development of multidrug-resistant bacteria. J Control Release 2024; 369:25-38. [PMID: 38508527 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.03.031] [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: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
The resistance of multidrug-resistant bacteria to existing antibiotics forces the continued development of new antibiotics and antibacterial agents, but the high costs and long timeframe involved in the development of new agents renders the hope that existing antibiotics may again play a part. The "antibiotic adjuvant" is an indirect antibacterial strategy, but its vague concept has, in the past, limited the development speed of related drugs. In this review article, we put forward an accurate concept of a "non-self-antimicrobial sensitisers (NSAS)", to distinguish it from an "antibiotic adjuvant", and then discuss several scientific methods to restore bacterial sensitivity to antibiotics, and the sources and action mechanism of existing NSAS, in order to guide the development and further research of NSAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanfei Wang
- National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues (HZAU) and MAO Key Laboratory for Detection of Veterinary Drug Residues, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Yingying Yang
- National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues (HZAU) and MAO Key Laboratory for Detection of Veterinary Drug Residues, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Simeng Wang
- National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues (HZAU) and MAO Key Laboratory for Detection of Veterinary Drug Residues, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Sara Badawy
- MAO Laboratory for Risk Assessment of Quality and Safety of Livestock and Poultry Products, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China; Pathology Department of Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Egypt
| | - Irma Ares
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), and Research Institute Hospital, 12 de Octubre (i+12), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Martínez
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), and Research Institute Hospital, 12 de Octubre (i+12), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Bernardo Lopez-Torres
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), and Research Institute Hospital, 12 de Octubre (i+12), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - María-Rosa Martínez-Larrañaga
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), and Research Institute Hospital, 12 de Octubre (i+12), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Xu Wang
- National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues (HZAU) and MAO Key Laboratory for Detection of Veterinary Drug Residues, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China; MAO Laboratory for Risk Assessment of Quality and Safety of Livestock and Poultry Products, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China.
| | - Arturo Anadón
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), and Research Institute Hospital, 12 de Octubre (i+12), 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - María-Aránzazu Martínez
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), and Research Institute Hospital, 12 de Octubre (i+12), 28040 Madrid, Spain
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4
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MacNair CR, Rutherford ST, Tan MW. Alternative therapeutic strategies to treat antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Nat Rev Microbiol 2024; 22:262-275. [PMID: 38082064 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-023-00993-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Resistance threatens to render antibiotics - which are essential for modern medicine - ineffective, thus posing a threat to human health. The discovery of novel classes of antibiotics able to overcome resistance has been stalled for decades, with the developmental pipeline relying almost entirely on variations of existing chemical scaffolds. Unfortunately, this approach has been unable to keep pace with resistance evolution, necessitating new therapeutic strategies. In this Review, we highlight recent efforts to discover non-traditional antimicrobials, specifically describing the advantages and limitations of antimicrobial peptides and macrocycles, antibodies, bacteriophages and antisense oligonucleotides. These approaches have the potential to stem the tide of resistance by expanding the physicochemical property space and target spectrum occupied by currently approved antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig R MacNair
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Steven T Rutherford
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Man-Wah Tan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA.
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5
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Moreira L, Guimarães NM, Santos RS, Loureiro JA, Pereira MC, Azevedo NF. Promising strategies employing nucleic acids as antimicrobial drugs. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2024; 35:102122. [PMID: 38333674 PMCID: PMC10850860 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing concern because it causes microorganisms to develop resistance to drugs commonly used to treat infections. This results in increased difficulty in treating infections, leading to higher mortality rates and significant economic effects. Investing in new antimicrobial agents is, therefore, necessary to prevent and control AMR. Antimicrobial nucleic acids have arisen as potential key players in novel therapies for AMR infections. They have been designed to serve as antimicrobials and to act as adjuvants to conventional antibiotics or to inhibit virulent mechanisms. This new category of antimicrobial drugs consists of antisense oligonucleotides and oligomers, DNAzymes, and transcription factor decoys, differing in terms of structure, target molecules, and mechanisms of action. They are synthesized using nucleic acid analogs to enhance their resistance to nucleases. Because bacterial envelopes are generally impermeable to oligonucleotides, delivery into the cytoplasm typically requires the assistance of nanocarriers, which can affect their therapeutic potency. Given that numerous factors contribute to the success of these antimicrobial drugs, this review aims to provide a summary of the key advancements in the use of oligonucleotides for treating bacterial infections. Their mechanisms of action and the impact of factors such as nucleic acid design, target sequence, and nanocarriers on the antimicrobial potency are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís Moreira
- LEPABE–Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology, and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE–Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno M. Guimarães
- LEPABE–Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology, and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE–Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Rita S. Santos
- LEPABE–Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology, and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE–Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Joana A. Loureiro
- LEPABE–Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology, and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE–Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria C. Pereira
- LEPABE–Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology, and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE–Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno F. Azevedo
- LEPABE–Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology, and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- ALiCE–Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
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6
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Prescott MA, Moulton H, Pastey MK. An alternative strategy to increasing influenza virus replication for vaccine production in chicken embryo fibroblast (DF-1) cells by inhibiting interferon alpha and beta using peptide-conjugated phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers. J Med Microbiol 2024; 73. [PMID: 38353513 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.001807] [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] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction. Influenza is a global health issue causing substantial health and economic burdens on affected populations. Routine, annual vaccination for influenza virus is recommended for all persons older than 6 months of age. The propagation of the influenza virus for vaccine production is predominantly through embryonated chicken eggs.Hypothesis/Gap Statement. Many challenges face the propagation of the virus, including but not limited to low yields and lengthy production times. The development of a method to increase vaccine production in eggs or cell lines by suppressing cellular gene expression would be helpful to overcome some of the challenges facing influenza vaccine production.Aims. This study aimed to increase influenza virus titres by using a peptide-conjugated phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer (PPMO), an antisense molecule, to suppress protein expression of the host genes interferon alpha (IFN-α) and interferon beta (IFN-β) in chicken embryo fibroblast (DF-1) cells.Methods. The toxicity of PPMOs was evaluated by cytotoxicity assays, and their specificity to inhibit IFN-α and IFN-β proteins was measured by ELISA. We evaluated the potential of anti-IFN-α and anti-IFN-β PPMOs to reduce the antiviral proteins in influenza virus-infected DF-1 cells and compared the virus titres to untreated controls, nonsense-PPMO and JAK/STAT inhibitors. The effects of complementation and reconstitution of IFN-α and IFN-β proteins in PPMO-treated-infected cells were evaluated, and the virus titres were compared between treatment groups.Results. Suppression of IFN-α by PPMO resulted in significantly reduced levels of IFN-α protein in treated wells, as measured by ELISA and was shown to not have any cytotoxicity to DF-1 cells at the effective concentrations tested. Treatment of the self-directing PPMOs increased the ability of the influenza virus to replicate in DF-1 cells. Over a 2-log10 increase in viral production was observed in anti-IFN-α and IFN-β PPMO-treated wells compared to those of untreated controls at the initial viral input of 0.1 multiplicity of infection. The data from complementation and reconstitution of IFN-α and IFN-β proteins in PPMO-treated-infected cells was about 82 and 97% compared to the combined PPMO-treated but uncomplemented group and untreated group, respectively. There was a 0.5-log10 increase in virus titre when treated with anti-IFN-α and IFN-β PPMO compared to virus titre when treated with JAK/STAT inhibitors.Conclusions. This study emphasizes the utility of PPMO in allowing cell cultures to produce increased levels of influenza for vaccine production or alternatively, as a screening tool to cheaply test targets prior to the development of permanent knockouts of host gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meagan A Prescott
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis Oregon 97331, USA
- Department of Microbiology, College of Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis Oregon 97331, USA
| | - Hong Moulton
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis Oregon 97331, USA
| | - Manoj K Pastey
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis Oregon 97331, USA
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7
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Nanayakkara AK, Moustafa DA, Pifer R, Goldberg JB, Greenberg DE. Sequence specificity defines the effectiveness of PPMOs targeting Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2023; 67:e0024523. [PMID: 37610213 PMCID: PMC10508178 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00245-23] [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: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Development of new therapeutics against antibiotic resistant pathogenic bacteria is recognized as a priority across the globe. We have reported using peptide-conjugated phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PPMOs) as species-specific antibiotics. The oligo sequences, 11 bases are designed to be complementary to specific essential genes near the Shine-Dalgarno site and inhibit translation. Here, we analyzed target specificity and the impact of genetic mutations on lead PPMOs targeting the rpsJ or acpP gene of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Mutants in P. aeruginosa PAO1 were generated with four, two, or one base-pair mutations within the 11-base target sequence of the rpsJ gene. All mutants exhibited increased MICs compared to wild-type PAO1 when treated with the RpsJ PPMO, and the increase in the MICs was proportional to the number of base-pair mutations. Among single base-pair mutants, mutations in the middle of the sequence were more impactful than mutations in 5' or 3' end of the sequence. The increased MICs shown by the rpsJ mutants could be reversed by PPMOs designed to target the mutated rpsJ sequence. BALB/c mice infected intratracheally with mutants demonstrated increased lung burden when treated with RpsJ PPMO compared to wild-type PAO1-infected mice treated with RpsJ PPMO. Treating mice with a PPMOs designed to specifically target the mutant sequence was more effective against these mutant strains. These experiments confirm target specificity of two lead P. aeruginosa PPMOs and illustrate one potential mechanism of resistance that could emerge from an antisense approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. K. Nanayakkara
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - D. A. Moustafa
- Department of Pediatrics and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Center for Cystic Fibrosis and Airway Diseases Research, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - R. Pifer
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - J. B. Goldberg
- Department of Pediatrics and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Center for Cystic Fibrosis and Airway Diseases Research, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - D. E. Greenberg
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
- Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
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8
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Chan WT, Garcillán-Barcia MP, Yeo CC, Espinosa M. Type II bacterial toxin-antitoxins: hypotheses, facts, and the newfound plethora of the PezAT system. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2023; 47:fuad052. [PMID: 37715317 PMCID: PMC10532202 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuad052] [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: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are entities found in the prokaryotic genomes, with eight reported types. Type II, the best characterized, is comprised of two genes organized as an operon. Whereas toxins impair growth, the cognate antitoxin neutralizes its activity. TAs appeared to be involved in plasmid maintenance, persistence, virulence, and defence against bacteriophages. Most Type II toxins target the bacterial translational machinery. They seem to be antecessors of Higher Eukaryotes and Prokaryotes Nucleotide-binding (HEPN) RNases, minimal nucleotidyltransferase domains, or CRISPR-Cas systems. A total of four TAs encoded by Streptococcus pneumoniae, RelBE, YefMYoeB, Phd-Doc, and HicAB, belong to HEPN-RNases. The fifth is represented by PezAT/Epsilon-Zeta. PezT/Zeta toxins phosphorylate the peptidoglycan precursors, thereby blocking cell wall synthesis. We explore the body of knowledge (facts) and hypotheses procured for Type II TAs and analyse the data accumulated on the PezAT family. Bioinformatics analyses showed that homologues of PezT/Zeta toxin are abundantly distributed among 14 bacterial phyla mostly in Proteobacteria (48%), Firmicutes (27%), and Actinobacteria (18%), showing the widespread distribution of this TA. The pezAT locus was found to be mainly chromosomally encoded whereas its homologue, the tripartite omega-epsilon-zeta locus, was found mostly on plasmids. We found several orphan pezT/zeta toxins, unaccompanied by a cognate antitoxin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wai Ting Chan
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Ramiro de Maeztu, 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria Pilar Garcillán-Barcia
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria (IBBTEC), Universidad de Cantabria-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, C/Albert Einstein 22, PCTCAN, 39011 Santander, Spain
| | - Chew Chieng Yeo
- Centre for Research in Infectious Diseases and Biotechnology (CeRIDB), Faculty of Medicine
, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Jalan Sultan Mahumd, 20400 Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - Manuel Espinosa
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Ramiro de Maeztu, 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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Buthelezi LA, Pillay S, Ntuli NN, Gcanga L, Guler R. Antisense Therapy for Infectious Diseases. Cells 2023; 12:2119. [PMID: 37626929 PMCID: PMC10453568 DOI: 10.3390/cells12162119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Infectious diseases, particularly Tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, pose a significant global health challenge, with 1.6 million reported deaths in 2021, making it the most fatal disease caused by a single infectious agent. The rise of drug-resistant infectious diseases adds to the urgency of finding effective and safe intervention therapies. Antisense therapy uses antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) that are short, chemically modified, single-stranded deoxyribonucleotide molecules complementary to their mRNA target. Due to their designed target specificity and inhibition of a disease-causing gene at the mRNA level, antisense therapy has gained interest as a potential therapeutic approach. This type of therapy is currently utilized in numerous diseases, such as cancer and genetic disorders. Currently, there are limited but steadily increasing studies available that report on the use of ASOs as treatment for infectious diseases. This review explores the sustainability of FDA-approved and preclinically tested ASOs as a treatment for infectious diseases and the adaptability of ASOs for chemical modifications resulting in reduced side effects with improved drug delivery; thus, highlighting the potential therapeutic uses of ASOs for treating infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lwanda Abonga Buthelezi
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cape Town Component, Cape Town 7925, South Africa; (L.A.B.); (S.P.); (N.N.N.); (L.G.)
- Department of Pathology, Division of Immunology, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - Shandre Pillay
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cape Town Component, Cape Town 7925, South Africa; (L.A.B.); (S.P.); (N.N.N.); (L.G.)
- Department of Pathology, Division of Immunology, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - Noxolo Nokukhanya Ntuli
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cape Town Component, Cape Town 7925, South Africa; (L.A.B.); (S.P.); (N.N.N.); (L.G.)
- Department of Pathology, Division of Immunology, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - Lorna Gcanga
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cape Town Component, Cape Town 7925, South Africa; (L.A.B.); (S.P.); (N.N.N.); (L.G.)
- Department of Pathology, Division of Immunology, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - Reto Guler
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cape Town Component, Cape Town 7925, South Africa; (L.A.B.); (S.P.); (N.N.N.); (L.G.)
- Department of Pathology, Division of Immunology, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
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10
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Tekintaş Y, Temel A. Antisense oligonucleotides: a promising therapeutic option against infectious diseases. NUCLEOSIDES, NUCLEOTIDES & NUCLEIC ACIDS 2023; 43:1-39. [PMID: 37395450 DOI: 10.1080/15257770.2023.2228841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Infectious diseases have been one of the biggest health problems of humanity for centuries. Nucleic acid-based therapeutics have received attention in recent years with their effectiveness in the treatment of various infectious diseases and vaccine development studies. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the basic properties underlying the mechanism of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), their applications, and their challenges. The efficient delivery of ASOs is the greatest challenge for their therapeutic success, but this problem is overcome with new-generation antisense molecules developed with chemical modifications. The types, carrier molecules, and gene regions targeted by sequences have been summarized in detail. Research and development of antisense therapy is still in its infancy; however, gene silencing therapies appear to have the potential for faster and longer-lasting activity than conventional treatment strategies. On the other hand, realizing the potential of antisense therapy will require a large initial economic investment to ascertain the pharmacological properties and learn how to optimize them. The ability of ASOs to be rapidly designed and synthesized to target different microbes can reduce drug discovery time from 6 years to 1 year. Since ASOs are not particularly affected by resistance mechanisms, they come to the fore in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. The design-based flexibility of ASOs has enabled it to be used for different types of microorganisms/genes and successful in vitro and in vivo results have been revealed. The current review summarized a comprehensive understanding of ASO therapy in combating bacterial and viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yamaç Tekintaş
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Izmir, Türkiye
| | - Aybala Temel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Izmir, Türkiye
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11
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Ling KM, Stick SM, Kicic A. Pulmonary bacteriophage and cystic fibrosis airway mucus: friends or foes? Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1088494. [PMID: 37265479 PMCID: PMC10230084 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1088494] [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: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
For those born with cystic fibrosis (CF), hyper-concentrated mucus with a dysfunctional structure significantly impacts CF airways, providing a perfect environment for bacterial colonization and subsequent chronic infection. Early treatment with antibiotics limits the prevalence of bacterial pathogens but permanently alters the CF airway microenvironment, resulting in antibiotic resistance and other long-term consequences. With little investment into new traditional antibiotics, safe and effective alternative therapeutic options are urgently needed. One gathering significant traction is bacteriophage (phage) therapy. However, little is known about which phages are effective for respiratory infections, the dynamics involved between phage(s) and the host airway, and associated by-products, including mucus. Work utilizing gut cell models suggest that phages adhere to mucus components, reducing microbial colonization and providing non-host-derived immune protection. Thus, phages retained in the CF mucus layer result from the positive selection that enables them to remain in the mucus layer. Phages bind weakly to mucus components, slowing down the diffusion motion and increasing their chance of encountering bacterial species for subsequent infection. Adherence of phage to mucus could also facilitate phage enrichment and persistence within the microenvironment, resulting in a potent phage phenotype or vice versa. However, how the CF microenvironment responds to phage and impacts phage functionality remains unknown. This review discusses CF associated lung diseases, the impact of CF mucus, and chronic bacterial infection. It then discusses the therapeutic potential of phages, their dynamic relationship with mucus and whether this may enhance or hinder airway bacterial infections in CF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kak-Ming Ling
- Wal-Yan Respiratory Research Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- Occupation, Environment and Safety, School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Stephen Michael Stick
- Wal-Yan Respiratory Research Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- Division of Paediatrics, Medical School, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Perth Children's Hospital, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Centre for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, The University of Western Australia and Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Anthony Kicic
- Wal-Yan Respiratory Research Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- Occupation, Environment and Safety, School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
- Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Perth Children's Hospital, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Centre for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, The University of Western Australia and Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Perth, WA, Australia
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12
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Fàbrega C, Aviñó A, Navarro N, Jorge AF, Grijalvo S, Eritja R. Lipid and Peptide-Oligonucleotide Conjugates for Therapeutic Purposes: From Simple Hybrids to Complex Multifunctional Assemblies. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15020320. [PMID: 36839642 PMCID: PMC9959333 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15020320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Antisense and small interfering RNA (siRNA) oligonucleotides have been recognized as powerful therapeutic compounds for targeting mRNAs and inducing their degradation. However, a major obstacle is that unmodified oligonucleotides are not readily taken up into tissues and are susceptible to degradation by nucleases. For these reasons, the design and preparation of modified DNA/RNA derivatives with better stability and an ability to be produced at large scale with enhanced uptake properties is of vital importance to improve current limitations. In the present study, we review the conjugation of oligonucleotides with lipids and peptides in order to produce oligonucleotide conjugates for therapeutics aiming to develop novel compounds with favorable pharmacokinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carme Fàbrega
- Nucleic Acids Chemistry Group, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
- Networking Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Aviñó
- Nucleic Acids Chemistry Group, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
- Networking Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Natalia Navarro
- Nucleic Acids Chemistry Group, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
- Networking Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andreia F. Jorge
- Department of Chemistry, Coimbra Chemistry Centre (CQC), University of Coimbra, Rua Larga, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Santiago Grijalvo
- Networking Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
- Colloidal and Interfacial Chemistry Group, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ramon Eritja
- Nucleic Acids Chemistry Group, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
- Networking Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-934006145
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13
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Hör J, Jung J, Ðurica-Mitić S, Barquist L, Vogel J. INRI-seq enables global cell-free analysis of translation initiation and off-target effects of antisense inhibitors. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:e128. [PMID: 36229039 PMCID: PMC9825163 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Ribosome profiling (Ribo-seq) is a powerful method for the transcriptome-wide assessment of protein synthesis rates and the study of translational control mechanisms. Yet, Ribo-seq also has limitations. These include difficulties with the analysis of translation-modulating molecules such as antibiotics, which are often toxic or challenging to deliver into living cells. Here, we have developed in vitro Ribo-seq (INRI-seq), a cell-free method to analyze the translational landscape of a fully customizable synthetic transcriptome. Using Escherichia coli as an example, we show how INRI-seq can be used to analyze the translation initiation sites of a transcriptome of interest. We also study the global impact of direct translation inhibition by antisense peptide nucleic acid (PNA) to analyze PNA off-target effects. Overall, INRI-seq presents a scalable, sensitive method to study translation initiation in a transcriptome-wide manner without the potentially confounding effects of extracting ribosomes from living cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens Hör
- Institute for Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jakob Jung
- Institute for Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Svetlana Ðurica-Mitić
- Institute for Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Lars Barquist
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Center for Infection Research (HZI), D-97080 Würzburg, Germany,Faculty of Medicine, University of Würzburg, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jörg Vogel
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +49 931 3182576;
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14
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Halloy F, Biscans A, Bujold KE, Debacker A, Hill AC, Lacroix A, Luige O, Strömberg R, Sundstrom L, Vogel J, Ghidini A. Innovative developments and emerging technologies in RNA therapeutics. RNA Biol 2022; 19:313-332. [PMID: 35188077 PMCID: PMC8865321 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2022.2027150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA-based therapeutics are emerging as a powerful platform for the treatment of multiple diseases. Currently, the two main categories of nucleic acid therapeutics, antisense oligonucleotides and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), achieve their therapeutic effect through either gene silencing, splicing modulation or microRNA binding, giving rise to versatile options to target pathogenic gene expression patterns. Moreover, ongoing research seeks to expand the scope of RNA-based drugs to include more complex nucleic acid templates, such as messenger RNA, as exemplified by the first approved mRNA-based vaccine in 2020. The increasing number of approved sequences and ongoing clinical trials has attracted considerable interest in the chemical development of oligonucleotides and nucleic acids as drugs, especially since the FDA approval of the first siRNA drug in 2018. As a result, a variety of innovative approaches is emerging, highlighting the potential of RNA as one of the most prominent therapeutic tools in the drug design and development pipeline. This review seeks to provide a comprehensive summary of current efforts in academia and industry aimed at fully realizing the potential of RNA-based therapeutics. Towards this, we introduce established and emerging RNA-based technologies, with a focus on their potential as biosensors and therapeutics. We then describe their mechanisms of action and their application in different disease contexts, along with the strengths and limitations of each strategy. Since the nucleic acid toolbox is rapidly expanding, we also introduce RNA minimal architectures, RNA/protein cleavers and viral RNA as promising modalities for new therapeutics and discuss future directions for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Halloy
- Department of Paediatrics, Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Annabelle Biscans
- Oligonucleotide Chemistry, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&d, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Katherine E. Bujold
- Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, McMaster University, (Ontario), Canada
| | | | - Alyssa C. Hill
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Eth Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Aurélie Lacroix
- Sixfold Bioscience, Translation & Innovation Hub, London, UK
| | - Olivia Luige
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
| | - Roger Strömberg
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
| | - Linda Sundstrom
- Mechanistic and Structural Biology, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&d, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jörg Vogel
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (Hiri), Helmholtz Center for Infection Research (Hzi), Würzburg, Germany
- RNA Biology Group, Institute for Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Alice Ghidini
- Mechanistic and Structural Biology, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&d, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
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15
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Sousa SA, Feliciano JR, Pita T, Soeiro CF, Mendes BL, Alves LG, Leitão JH. Bacterial Nosocomial Infections: Multidrug Resistance as a Trigger for the Development of Novel Antimicrobials. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10080942. [PMID: 34438992 PMCID: PMC8389044 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10080942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Nosocomial bacterial infections are associated with high morbidity and mortality, posing a huge burden to healthcare systems worldwide. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with the raised hospitalization of patients and the increased use of antimicrobial agents, boosted the emergence of difficult-to-treat multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria in hospital settings. Therefore, current available antibiotic treatments often have limited or no efficacy against nosocomial bacterial infections, and novel therapeutic approaches need to be considered. In this review, we analyze current antibacterial alternatives under investigation, focusing on metal-based complexes, antimicrobial peptides, and antisense antimicrobial therapeutics. The association of new compounds with older, commercially available antibiotics and the repurposing of existing drugs are also revised in this work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sílvia A. Sousa
- Department of Bioengineering, IBB-Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal; (J.R.F.); (T.P.); (C.F.S.); (B.L.M.)
- Associate Laboratory i4HB—Institute for Health and Bioeconomy at Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
- Correspondence: (S.A.S.); (J.H.L.); Tel.: +351-218417688 (J.H.L.)
| | - Joana R. Feliciano
- Department of Bioengineering, IBB-Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal; (J.R.F.); (T.P.); (C.F.S.); (B.L.M.)
- Associate Laboratory i4HB—Institute for Health and Bioeconomy at Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Tiago Pita
- Department of Bioengineering, IBB-Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal; (J.R.F.); (T.P.); (C.F.S.); (B.L.M.)
- Associate Laboratory i4HB—Institute for Health and Bioeconomy at Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Catarina F. Soeiro
- Department of Bioengineering, IBB-Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal; (J.R.F.); (T.P.); (C.F.S.); (B.L.M.)
| | - Beatriz L. Mendes
- Department of Bioengineering, IBB-Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal; (J.R.F.); (T.P.); (C.F.S.); (B.L.M.)
- Centro de Química Estrutural, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Luis G. Alves
- Centro de Química Estrutural, Associação do Instituto Superior Técnico para a Investigação e Desenvolvimento, 1049-003 Lisboa, Portugal;
| | - Jorge H. Leitão
- Department of Bioengineering, IBB-Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal; (J.R.F.); (T.P.); (C.F.S.); (B.L.M.)
- Associate Laboratory i4HB—Institute for Health and Bioeconomy at Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
- Correspondence: (S.A.S.); (J.H.L.); Tel.: +351-218417688 (J.H.L.)
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16
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Popella L, Jung J, Popova K, Ðurica-Mitić S, Barquist L, Vogel J. Global RNA profiles show target selectivity and physiological effects of peptide-delivered antisense antibiotics. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:4705-4724. [PMID: 33849070 PMCID: PMC8096218 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Antisense peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) inhibiting mRNAs of essential genes provide a straight-forward way to repurpose our knowledge of bacterial regulatory RNAs for development of programmable species-specific antibiotics. While there is ample proof of PNA efficacy, their target selectivity and impact on bacterial physiology are poorly understood. Moreover, while antibacterial PNAs are typically designed to block mRNA translation, effects on target mRNA levels are not well-investigated. Here, we pioneer the use of global RNA-seq analysis to decipher PNA activity in a transcriptome-wide manner. We find that PNA-based antisense oligomer conjugates robustly decrease mRNA levels of the widely-used target gene, acpP, in Salmonella enterica, with limited off-target effects. Systematic analysis of several different PNA-carrier peptides attached not only shows different bactericidal efficiency, but also activation of stress pathways. In particular, KFF-, RXR- and Tat-PNA conjugates especially induce the PhoP/Q response, whereas the latter two additionally trigger several distinct pathways. We show that constitutive activation of the PhoP/Q response can lead to Tat-PNA resistance, illustrating the utility of RNA-seq for understanding PNA antibacterial activity. In sum, our study establishes an experimental framework for the design and assessment of PNA antimicrobials in the long-term quest to use these for precision editing of microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Popella
- Institute of Molecular Infection Biology (IMIB), University of Würzburg, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jakob Jung
- Institute of Molecular Infection Biology (IMIB), University of Würzburg, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Kristina Popova
- Institute of Molecular Infection Biology (IMIB), University of Würzburg, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Svetlana Ðurica-Mitić
- Institute of Molecular Infection Biology (IMIB), University of Würzburg, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Lars Barquist
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), D-97080 Würzburg, Germany.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Würzburg, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jörg Vogel
- Institute of Molecular Infection Biology (IMIB), University of Würzburg, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany.,Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), D-97080 Würzburg, Germany.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Würzburg, D-97080 Würzburg, Germany
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17
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Schafer ME, Browne H, Goldberg JB, Greenberg DE. Peptides and Antibiotic Therapy: Advances in Design and Delivery. Acc Chem Res 2021; 54:2377-2385. [PMID: 33881843 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.1c00040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance (AMR) is an increasing public health crisis worldwide. This threatens our ability to adequately care for patients with infections due to multi-drug-resistant (MDR) pathogens. As such, there is an urgent need to develop new classes of antimicrobials that are not based on currently utilized antibiotic scaffolds. One promising avenue of antimicrobial research that deserves renewed examination involves the use of peptides. Although antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been studied for a number of years, innovations in peptide design and their applications are increasingly making this approach a viable alternative to traditional small-molecule antibiotics. This review will provide updates on two ways in which peptides are being explored as antibiotics. The first topic will focus on novel types of peptides and conjugation methods that are being exploited to act as antibiotics themselves. These direct-acting modified peptides could serve as potentially useful drugs while mitigating many of the known liabilities of AMPs. The second topic relates to the use of peptides as delivery vehicles for other active compounds with antimicrobial activity. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are peptides designed to carry compounds across cell membranes and are a promising method for delivering a variety of antimicrobial compounds. When conjugated to other compounds, CPPs have been shown to be effective at increasing the uptake of both small- and large-molecular-weight compounds. This includes conjugation to antisense molecules and traditional antibiotics, resulting in increased effectiveness of these antimicrobials. One particular approach utilizes CPPs conjugated to phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PMOs). PMOs are designed to target particular pathogens in a gene-specific way. They target mRNA and block protein translation. Peptide-conjugated PMOs (PPMOs) allow for efficient delivery into the Gram-negative cytoplasm, and recent updates to their in vitro and in vivo activity are reviewed. This includes recent data to suggest that PPMOs maintain activity in the setting of multi-drug-resistant (MDR) strains, an important finding as it relates to the further development of this therapeutic approach. Other topics include the ability to have activity in the biofilm setting, a finding that likely relates to the peptide portion of the conjugate. Finally, what is known and anticipated related to the development of resistance to these peptides will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan E. Schafer
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Immunology, Cystic Fibrosis, and Sleep, Department of Pediatrics and Center for Cystic Fibrosis and Airway Diseases Research, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory University School of Medicine, 1510 Clifton Road NE, Suite 3009, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | | | - Joanna B. Goldberg
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Immunology, Cystic Fibrosis, and Sleep, Department of Pediatrics and Center for Cystic Fibrosis and Airway Diseases Research, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory University School of Medicine, 1510 Clifton Road NE, Suite 3009, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
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18
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Tekintas Y, Demir-Dora D, Erac B, Erac Y, Yilmaz O, Aydemir SS, Kocagoz ZT, Hosgor-Limoncu M. Silencing acpP gene via antisense oligonucleotide-niosome complex in clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates. Res Microbiol 2021; 172:103834. [PMID: 33894336 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2021.103834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an opportunistic Gram-negative pathogen, is one of the major causes of nosocomial infections. In addition to its physiological adaptation capacity, it can develop resistance to disinfectants and antibiotics through various mechanisms. Recently, new eradication methods are gaining attention. Therefore, in this study, an LNA-2'-O-methyl hybrid antisense oligonucleotide targeting the acyl carrier protein P (acpP) gene was introduced into P. aeruginosa isolates. The design was determined through sequence analysis and prediction of the secondary structure of mRNA by software. Niosomes were used for enhancing cellular uptake. The control of the binding and transfection ability of the sequence was determined fluorometrically by labeling with 6-Fam. The effects were determined with broth microdilution method and qPCR studies. Eight different formulations were prepared. Among these, one formulation has shown to have ASO complexation ability whose composition was 312 μl Span 80 + 69.5 mg Cholesterol+ 36.4 mg CTAB+1 ml Chloroform and 5 ml dH2O. Thus this formulation was determined as the delivery system for the next stages. Significant gene inhibition was detected at the six isolates. Results of this study suggested that niosomes can be used as a delivery system for cellular uptake of ASO and could eliminate bacterial growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yamac Tekintas
- Izmir Kâtip Celebi University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Devrim Demir-Dora
- Akdeniz University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Antalya, Turkey; Akdeniz University, Health Sciences Institute, Department of Medical Biotechnology, Antalya, Turkey; Akdeniz University, Health Sciences Institute, Department of Gene and Cell Therapy, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Bayrı Erac
- Ege University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Yasemin Erac
- Ege University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacology, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Ozlem Yilmaz
- Akdeniz University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Gene and Cell Therapy Research and Application Centre, Antalya, Turkey; Akdeniz University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biology and Genetics, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Sabire Sohret Aydemir
- Ege University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Microbiology, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Zuhtu Tanil Kocagoz
- Acıbadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, School of Medicine, Department of Medical Microbiology, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Mine Hosgor-Limoncu
- Ege University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Izmir, Turkey.
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19
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Targeting of the Essential acpP, ftsZ, and rne Genes in Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii by Antisense PNA Precision Antibacterials. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9040429. [PMID: 33921011 PMCID: PMC8071358 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9040429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Infections by carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii (CRAB), a widespread nosocomial pathogen, are becoming increasingly difficult to prevent and treat. Therefore, there is an urgent need for discovery of novel antibiotics against CRAB. Programmable, precision antisense antibiotics, e.g., based on the nucleic acid mimic PNA (peptide nucleic acid) have shown promise in this respect in the form of PNA-BPP (bacteria penetrating peptide) conjugates targeting essential bacterial genes. In the present study, we designed and synthesized a series of PNA-BPPs targeting the translation initiation region of the ftsZ, acpP, or rne gene of CRAB strains. The antimicrobial activity of the compounds and effects on gene expression level was compared to that of analogous mismatch PNA controls. Three antisense conjugates (KFF)3K-eg1-(acpP)PNA (5639), (KFF)3K-eg1-(ftsZ)PNA (5612), and (KFF)3-K-eg1-(rne)PNA (5656) exhibited complete growth inhibition against several CRAB strains at 1-2, 2-8, and 2 µM, respectively, and the compounds were bactericidal at 1-2× MIC. The bactericidal effect was correlated to reduction of target gene mRNA level using RT-qPCR, and the compounds showed no bacterial membrane disruption activity at 1-2× MIC. PNA5612 was tested against a series of 12 CRAB isolates and all were sensitive at 2-8 µM. In addition, the conjugates exhibited no cellular toxicity in the HepG2 cell line (up to 20 μM) and did not shown significant antibacterial activity against other Gram negatives (E. coli, P. aeruginosa). These results provide a starting point for discovery of antisense precision designer antibiotics for specific treatment of CRAB infections.
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20
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Hammond SM, Aartsma‐Rus A, Alves S, Borgos SE, Buijsen RAM, Collin RWJ, Covello G, Denti MA, Desviat LR, Echevarría L, Foged C, Gaina G, Garanto A, Goyenvalle AT, Guzowska M, Holodnuka I, Jones DR, Krause S, Lehto T, Montolio M, Van Roon‐Mom W, Arechavala‐Gomeza V. Delivery of oligonucleotide-based therapeutics: challenges and opportunities. EMBO Mol Med 2021; 13:e13243. [PMID: 33821570 PMCID: PMC8033518 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202013243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 53.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid-based therapeutics that regulate gene expression have been developed towards clinical use at a steady pace for several decades, but in recent years the field has been accelerating. To date, there are 11 marketed products based on antisense oligonucleotides, aptamers and small interfering RNAs, and many others are in the pipeline for both academia and industry. A major technology trigger for this development has been progress in oligonucleotide chemistry to improve the drug properties and reduce cost of goods, but the main hurdle for the application to a wider range of disorders is delivery to target tissues. The adoption of delivery technologies, such as conjugates or nanoparticles, has been a game changer for many therapeutic indications, but many others are still awaiting their eureka moment. Here, we cover the variety of methods developed to deliver nucleic acid-based therapeutics across biological barriers and the model systems used to test them. We discuss important safety considerations and regulatory requirements for synthetic oligonucleotide chemistries and the hurdles for translating laboratory breakthroughs to the clinic. Recent advances in the delivery of nucleic acid-based therapeutics and in the development of model systems, as well as safety considerations and regulatory requirements for synthetic oligonucleotide chemistries are discussed in this review on oligonucleotide-based therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sandra Alves
- Department of Human Genetics, Research and Development UnitNational Health Institute Doutor Ricardo JorgePortoPortugal
| | - Sven E Borgos
- Department of Biotechnology and NanomedicineSINTEF ASTrondheimNorway
| | - Ronald A M Buijsen
- Department of Human GeneticsLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - Rob W J Collin
- Department of Human Genetics and Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and BehaviourRadboud University Medical CenterNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Giuseppina Covello
- Department of BiologyUniversity of PadovaPadovaItaly
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology ‐ CIBIOUniversity of TrentoTrentoItaly
| | - Michela A Denti
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology ‐ CIBIOUniversity of TrentoTrentoItaly
| | - Lourdes R Desviat
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa UAM‐CSICCIBERER, IdiPazUniversidad Autónoma de MadridMadridSpain
| | | | - Camilla Foged
- Department of PharmacyFaculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagen ØDenmark
| | - Gisela Gaina
- Victor Babes National Institute of PathologyBucharestRomania
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyUniversity of BucharestBucharestRomania
| | - Alejandro Garanto
- Department of Human Genetics and Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and BehaviourRadboud University Medical CenterNijmegenThe Netherlands
- Department of PediatricsRadboud University Medical CenterNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | | | - Magdalena Guzowska
- Department of Physiological SciencesFaculty of Veterinary MedicineWarsaw University of Life Sciences – SGGWWarsawPoland
| | - Irina Holodnuka
- Institute of Microbiology and VirologyRiga Stradins UniversityRigaLatvia
| | | | - Sabine Krause
- Department of NeurologyFriedrich‐Baur‐InstituteLudwig‐Maximilians‐University of MunichMunichGermany
| | - Taavi Lehto
- Institute of TechnologyUniversity of TartuTartuEstonia
- Division of Biomolecular and Cellular MedicineDepartment of Laboratory MedicineKarolinska InstitutetHuddingeSweden
| | - Marisol Montolio
- Duchenne Parent Project EspañaMadridSpain
- Department of Cell Biology, Fisiology and ImmunologyFaculty of BiologyUniversity of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Willeke Van Roon‐Mom
- Department of Human GeneticsLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - Virginia Arechavala‐Gomeza
- Neuromuscular Disorders GroupBiocruces Bizkaia Health Research InstituteBarakaldoSpain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for ScienceBilbaoSpain
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21
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Peptide-Conjugated Phosphorodiamidate Morpholino Oligomers Retain Activity against Multidrug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa In Vitro and In Vivo. mBio 2021; 12:mBio.02411-20. [PMID: 33436433 PMCID: PMC7844538 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02411-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Numerous Gram-negative bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to multiple, if not all, classes of existing antibiotics. Multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria are a major cause of health care-associated infections in a variety of clinical settings, endangering patients who are immunocompromised or those who suffer from chronic infections, such as people with cystic fibrosis (CF). Most antimicrobials currently in the clinical pipeline are modifications of existing classes of antibiotics and are considered short-term solutions due to the emergence of resistance. Pseudomonas aeruginosa represents a major challenge for new antimicrobial drug discovery due to its versatile lifestyle, ability to develop resistance to most antibiotic classes, and capacity to form robust biofilms on surfaces and in certain hosts such as those living with cystic fibrosis (CF). A precision antibiotic approach to treating Pseudomonas could be achieved with an antisense method, specifically by using peptide-conjugated phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PPMOs). Here, we demonstrate that PPMOs targeting acpP (acyl carrier protein), lpxC (UDP-(3-O-acyl)-N-acetylglucosamine deacetylase), and rpsJ (30S ribosomal protein S10) inhibited the in vitro growth of several multidrug-resistant clinical P. aeruginosa isolates at levels equivalent to those that were effective against sensitive strains. Lead PPMOs reduced established pseudomonal biofilms alone or in combination with tobramycin or piperacillin-tazobactam. Lead PPMO dosing alone or combined with tobramycin in an acute pneumonia model reduced lung bacterial burden in treated mice at 24 h and reduced morbidity up to 5 days postinfection. PPMOs reduced bacterial burden of extensively drug-resistant P. aeruginosa in the same model and resulted in superior survival compared to conventional antibiotics. These data suggest that lead PPMOs alone or in combination with clinically relevant antibiotics represent a promising therapeutic approach for combating P. aeruginosa infections.
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22
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Ng RN, Tai AS, Chang BJ, Stick SM, Kicic A. Overcoming Challenges to Make Bacteriophage Therapy Standard Clinical Treatment Practice for Cystic Fibrosis. Front Microbiol 2021; 11:593988. [PMID: 33505366 PMCID: PMC7829477 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.593988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) are given antimicrobials as prophylaxis against bacterial lung infection, which contributes to the growing emergence of multidrug resistant (MDR) pathogens isolated. Pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa that are commonly isolated from individuals with CF are armed with an arsenal of protective and virulence mechanisms, complicating eradication and treatment strategies. While translation of phage therapy into standard care for CF has been explored, challenges such as the lack of an appropriate animal model demonstrating safety in vivo exist. In this review, we have discussed and provided some insights in the use of primary airway epithelial cells to represent the mucoenvironment of the CF lungs to demonstrate safety and efficacy of phage therapy. The combination of phage therapy and antimicrobials is gaining attention and has the potential to delay the onset of MDR infections. It is evident that efforts to translate phage therapy into standard clinical practice have gained traction in the past 5 years. Ultimately, collaboration, transparency in data publications and standardized policies are needed for clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renee N. Ng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- Wal-yan Respiratory Research Center, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Anna S. Tai
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia
- Institute for Respiratory Health, School of Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Barbara J. Chang
- The Marshall Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Training, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Stephen M. Stick
- Wal-yan Respiratory Research Center, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
- Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Perth Children’s Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia
- Center for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, The University of Western Australia and Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Anthony Kicic
- Wal-yan Respiratory Research Center, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
- Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Perth Children’s Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia
- Center for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, The University of Western Australia and Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Perth, WA, Australia
- Occupation and the Environment, School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
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23
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Vogel J. An RNA biology perspective on species-specific programmable RNA antibiotics. Mol Microbiol 2020; 113:550-559. [PMID: 32185839 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Our body is colonized by a vast array of bacteria the sum of which forms our microbiota. The gut alone harbors >1,000 bacterial species. An understanding of their individual or synergistic contributions to human health and disease demands means to interfere with their functions on the species level. Most of the currently available antibiotics are broad-spectrum, thus too unspecific for a selective depletion of a single species of interest from the microbiota. Programmable RNA antibiotics in the form of short antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) promise to achieve precision manipulation of bacterial communities. These ASOs are coupled to small peptides that carry them inside the bacteria to silence mRNAs of essential genes, for example, to target antibiotic-resistant pathogens as an alternative to standard antibiotics. There is already proof-of-principle with diverse bacteria, but many open questions remain with respect to true species specificity, potential off-targeting, choice of peptides for delivery, bacterial resistance mechanisms and the host response. While there is unlikely a one-fits-all solution for all microbiome species, I will discuss how recent progress in bacterial RNA biology may help to accelerate the development of programmable RNA antibiotics for microbiome editing and other applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jörg Vogel
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Center for Infection Research (HZI), Würzburg, Germany.,RNA Biology Group, Institute for Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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24
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John CM, Li M, Feng D, Jarvis GA. Cationic cell-penetrating peptide is bactericidal against Neisseria gonorrhoeae. J Antimicrob Chemother 2020; 74:3245-3251. [PMID: 31424547 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkz339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2019] [Revised: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) have been evaluated for intracellular delivery of molecules and several CPPs have bactericidal activity. Our objectives were to determine the effect of a 12 amino acid CPPs on survival and on the invasive and inflammatory potential of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. METHODS Survival of MDR and human challenge strains of N. gonorrhoeae grown in cell culture medium with 10% FBS was determined after treatment with the CPP and human antimicrobial peptide LL-37 for 4 h. Confocal microscopy was used to examine penetration of FITC-labelled CPP into bacterial cells. The ability of the CPP to prevent invasion of human ME-180 cervical epithelial cells and to reduce the induction of TNF-α in human THP-1 monocytic cells in response to gonococcal infection was assessed. Cytotoxicity of the CPP towards the THP-1 cells was determined. RESULTS The CPP was bactericidal, with 95%-100% killing of all gonococcal strains at 100 μM. Confocal microscopy of gonococci incubated with FITC-labelled CPP revealed the penetration of the peptide. CPP treatment of N. gonorrhoeae inhibited gonococcal invasion of ME-180 cells and reduced the expression of TNF-α induced in THP-1 cells by gonococci. The CPP showed no cytotoxicity towards human THP-1 cells. CONCLUSIONS Based on these promising results, future studies will focus on testing of CPP in the presence of other types of host cells and exploration of structural modifications of the CPP that could decrease its susceptibility to proteolysis and increase its potency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constance M John
- Center for Immunochemistry, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 4150 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Min Li
- Center for Immunochemistry, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 4150 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Dongxiao Feng
- Center for Immunochemistry, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 4150 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Gary A Jarvis
- Center for Immunochemistry, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 4150 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
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25
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Pifer R, Greenberg DE. Antisense antibacterial compounds. Transl Res 2020; 223:89-106. [PMID: 32522669 DOI: 10.1016/j.trsl.2020.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Extensive antibiotic use combined with poor historical drug stewardship practices have created a medical crisis in which once treatable bacterial infections are now increasingly unmanageable. To combat this, new antibiotics will need to be developed and safeguarded. An emerging class of antibiotics based upon nuclease-stable antisense technologies has proven valuable in preclinical testing against a variety of bacterial pathogens. This review describes the current state of development of antisense-based antibiotics, the mechanisms thus far employed by these compounds, and possible future avenues of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reed Pifer
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - David E Greenberg
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas; Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.
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26
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Abstract
Oligonucleotides can be used to modulate gene expression via a range of processes including RNAi, target degradation by RNase H-mediated cleavage, splicing modulation, non-coding RNA inhibition, gene activation and programmed gene editing. As such, these molecules have potential therapeutic applications for myriad indications, with several oligonucleotide drugs recently gaining approval. However, despite recent technological advances, achieving efficient oligonucleotide delivery, particularly to extrahepatic tissues, remains a major translational limitation. Here, we provide an overview of oligonucleotide-based drug platforms, focusing on key approaches - including chemical modification, bioconjugation and the use of nanocarriers - which aim to address the delivery challenge.
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27
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Chen Z, Nie D, Hu Y, Li M, Hou Z, Mao X, Luo X, Xue X. Efficient Delivery of Antisense Oligonucleotides by an Amphipathic Cell-Penetrating Peptide in Acinetobacter baumannii. Curr Drug Deliv 2020; 16:728-736. [PMID: 31244437 DOI: 10.2174/1567201816666190627141931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) was on the top of the list of the most threatening bacteria published by the WHO in 2017. Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) based therapy is a promising strategy for combating Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) bacteria because of its high specificity, easy design and lower induction of resistance, but poor cellular uptake by bacteria has restricted the further utilization of this therapy. METHODS Here, we used CADY, a secondary amphipathic peptide of 20 residues that could successfully carry siRNA into mammalian cells, to prepare CADY/ASOs nanoparticles (CADY-NPs) targeting acpP (encoding acyl carrier protein), and evaluated the uptake features, the inhibitory effects of CADY-NPs on gene expression and the growth of MDR-A. baumannii. RESULTS We found that CADY-NPs could be quickly internalized by drug-sensitive and MDR-A. baumannii in an energy independent manner, which could be restrained by chlorpromazine (an inhibitor of clathrin mediated endocytosis) significantly. In addition, CADY-NPs targeting acpP concentrationdependently retarded the growth of MDR-A. baumannii, which was associated with the decreased expression of targeted genes in A. baumannii. CONCLUSION In conclusion, our research is the first to demonstrate that CADY can deliver ASOs into bacteria and provide a novel strategy for the treatment of MDR-A. baumannii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhou Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 169, Changle West Road, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Dan Nie
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 169, Changle West Road, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Yue Hu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 169, Changle West Road, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Mingkai Li
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 169, Changle West Road, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Zheng Hou
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 169, Changle West Road, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Xinggang Mao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 169, Changle West Road, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Xiaoxing Luo
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 169, Changle West Road, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Xiaoyan Xue
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 169, Changle West Road, Xi'an 710032, China
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Sturge CR, Felder-Scott CF, Pifer R, Pybus C, Jain R, Geller BL, Greenberg DE. AcrAB-TolC Inhibition by Peptide-Conjugated Phosphorodiamidate Morpholino Oligomers Restores Antibiotic Activity in Vitro and in Vivo. ACS Infect Dis 2019; 5:1446-1455. [PMID: 31119935 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.9b00123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Overexpression of bacterial efflux pumps is a driver of increasing antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative pathogens. The AcrAB-TolC efflux pump has been implicated in resistance to a number of important antibiotic classes including fluoroquinolones, macrolides, and β-lactams. Antisense technology, such as peptide-conjugated phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PPMOs), can be utilized to inhibit expression of efflux pumps and restore susceptibility to antibiotics. Targeting of the AcrAB-TolC components with PPMOs revealed a sequence for acrA, which was the most effective at reducing antibiotic efflux. This acrA-PPMO enhances the antimicrobial effects of the levofloxacin and azithromycin in a panel of clinical Enterobacteriaceae strains. Additionally, acrA-PPMO enhanced azithromycin in vivo in a K. pneumoniae septicemia model. PPMOs targeting the homologous resistance-nodulation-division (RND)-efflux system in P. aeruginosa, MexAB-OprM, also enhanced potency to several classes of antibiotics in a panel of strains and in a cell culture infection model. These data suggest that PPMOs can be used as an adjuvant in antibiotic therapy to increase the efficacy or extend the spectrum of useful antibiotics against a variety of Gram-negative infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn R. Sturge
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, United States
| | - Christina F. Felder-Scott
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, United States
| | - Reed Pifer
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, United States
| | - Christine Pybus
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, United States
| | - Raksha Jain
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, United States
- Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, United States
| | - Bruce L. Geller
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, United States
| | - David E. Greenberg
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, United States
- Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, United States
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29
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Rose M, Lapuebla A, Landman D, Quale J. In Vitro and In Vivo Activity of a Novel Antisense Peptide Nucleic Acid Compound Against Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. Microb Drug Resist 2019; 25:961-965. [PMID: 31009322 DOI: 10.1089/mdr.2018.0179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii is a difficult pathogen due to its propensity to develop resistance to antibiotics. Antisense nucleic acid analogs have been proposed as a potential alternative anti-infective approach. We developed a peptide nucleic acid (PNA) compound that targets the essential Acinetobacter gene carA. The PNA oligomer was conjugated to the cell-penetrating peptide (RXR)4XB. In vitro testing of the PNA conjugate against four clinical strains of MDR-A. baumannii in minimal medium demonstrated that all four strains were inhibited at a concentration of 1.25 μM. In vivo testing of the PNA conjugate was done using a Galleria mellonella model of sepsis caused by one of the clinical strains. Preliminary testing of a variety of inocula demonstrated that an inoculum of 1 × 106 cfu was lethal to the majority of caterpillars by day 3, but not within 24 hours. The PNA compound was administered 30 minutes after an inoculum of 1 × 106 cfu at doses estimated to produce concentrations of ∼5 and 20 μM. The PNA compound had no effect at the lower dose. However, the higher dose reduced mortality from 5/28 (18%) to 0/28 (0%) at day 1 (p = 0.051) and from 19/28 (68%) to 9/28 (32%) at day 6 (p = 0.015). Antisense therapy is a novel approach to dealing with difficult MDR pathogens that could circumvent the problem of progressive resistance to available antibiotics. Further studies need to be done with additional strains and more complex in vivo model systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Rose
- Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York
| | - Amabel Lapuebla
- Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York
| | - David Landman
- Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York
| | - John Quale
- Infectious Diseases Division, Department of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York
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30
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Kotil S, Jakobsson E. Rationally designing antisense therapy to keep up with evolving bacterial resistance. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0209894. [PMID: 30645595 PMCID: PMC6333403 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Antisense molecules used as antibiotics offer the potential to keep up with acquired resistance, by redesigning the sequence of an antisense. Once bacteria acquire resistance by mutating the targeted sequence, new antisense can readily be designed by using sequence information of a target gene. However, antisense molecules require additional delivery vehicles to get into bacteria and be protected from degradation. Based on progress in the last few years it appears that, while redesigning or finding new delivery vehicle will be more difficult than redesigning the antisense cargo, it will perhaps be less difficult than finding new conventional small molecule antibiotics. In this study we propose a protocol that maximizes the combined advantages of engineered delivery vehicle and antisense cargo by decreasing the immediate growth advantage to the pathogen of mutating the entry mechanisms and increasing the advantage to the pathogen of antisense target mutations. Using this protocol, we show by computer simulation an appropriately designed antisense therapy can potentially be effective many times longer than conventional antibiotics before succumbing to resistance. While the simulations describe an in-vitro situation, based on comparison with other in-vitro studies on acquired resistance we believe the advantages of the combination antisense strategy have the potential to provide much more sustainability in vivo than conventional antibiotic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyfullah Kotil
- Program in Biophysics and Computational Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Eric Jakobsson
- Program in Biophysics and Computational Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illlinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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31
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Stewart DB. Anti-Sense Antibiotic Agents as Treatment for Bacterial Infections. Surg Infect (Larchmt) 2018; 19:831-835. [PMID: 30256744 DOI: 10.1089/sur.2018.200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Conventional antibiotic agents are overused, leading to decreased efficacy because of a rising incidence in antimicrobial resistance. Further, conventional antibiotic agents result in widespread effects to human microbiota, which can lead directly to adverse events such as Clostridium difficile infection. Methods: This review provides a narrative summary of anti-sense therapies, an approach to managing bacterial infections by pursuing specific molecular targets that disrupt the flow of information from deoxyribonucleic acid to ribonucleic acid to protein, leading to the loss of bacterial functions. Included in this article is the rationale for this approach, the current data supporting its further investigation, and the challenges and future directions in this area of research. Results: There is a compelling proof-of-concept against both gram-positive and gram-negative organisms to commend the use of modified anti-sense oligonucleotides as antimicrobial therapy. There are data demonstrating that anti-sense therapies are capable of killing bacteria, silencing antimicrobial resistance mechanisms to restore sensitivity to conventional antibiotic agents, and to target virulence pathways such as biofilm production. Further, these drugs have a significantly greater degree of organismal specificity, limiting antibiotic-associated diarrhea and lowering the risk of antibiotic-related infections such as C. difficile infection. Conclusions: Anti-sense therapies show promise as a new class of antibiotic agents, providing molecular precision that leads to specific targeting of bacterial species and bacterial functions, including virulence mechanisms beyond the reach of current antibiotic agents. Further, changing the sequence of an anti-sense oligonucleotide provides a method of dealing with antimicrobial resistance that is more time- and cost-flexible than the available options with current conventional antibiotic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- David B Stewart
- Department of Surgery, Section of Colorectal Surgery, University of Arizona , Tucson, Arizona
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32
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Pluta R, Espinosa M. Antisense and yet sensitive: Copy number control of rolling circle-replicating plasmids by small RNAs. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2018; 9:e1500. [PMID: 30074293 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2018] [Revised: 06/27/2018] [Accepted: 07/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial plasmids constitute a wealth of shared DNA amounting to about 20% of the total prokaryotic pangenome. Plasmids replicate autonomously and control their replication by maintaining a fairly constant number of copies within a given host. Plasmids should acquire a good fitness to their hosts so that they do not constitute a genetic load. Here we review some basic concepts in plasmid biology, pertaining to the control of replication and distribution of plasmid copies among daughter cells. A particular class of plasmids is constituted by those that replicate by the rolling circle mode (rolling circle-replicating [RCR]-plasmids). They are small double-stranded DNA molecules, with a rather high number of copies in the original host. RCR-plasmids control their replication by means of a small short-lived antisense RNA, alone or in combination with a plasmid-encoded transcriptional repressor protein. Two plasmid prototypes have been studied in depth, namely the staphylococcal plasmid pT181 and the streptococcal plasmid pMV158, each corresponding to the two types of replication control circuits, respectively. We further discuss possible applications of the plasmid-encoded antisense RNAs and address some future directions that, in our opinion, should be pursued in the study of these small molecules. This article is categorized under: Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > Regulatory RNAs RNA Structure and Dynamics > Influence of RNA Structure in Biological Systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radoslaw Pluta
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Protein Engineering, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Manuel Espinosa
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Ramiro de Maeztu, Madrid, Spain
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33
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Geller BL, Li L, Martinez F, Sully E, Sturge CR, Daly SM, Pybus C, Greenberg DE. Morpholino oligomers tested in vitro, in biofilm and in vivo against multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. J Antimicrob Chemother 2018; 73:1611-1619. [PMID: 29506074 PMCID: PMC6251509 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dky058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2017] [Revised: 01/24/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Klebsiella pneumoniae is an opportunistic pathogen and many strains are multidrug resistant. KPC is one of the most problematic resistance mechanisms, as it confers resistance to most β-lactams, including carbapenems. A promising platform technology for treating infections caused by MDR pathogens is the nucleic acid-like synthetic oligomers that silence bacterial gene expression by an antisense mechanism. Objectives To test a peptide-conjugated phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer (PPMO) in a mouse model of K. pneumoniae infection. Methods PPMOs were designed to target various essential genes of K. pneumoniae and screened in vitro against a panel of diverse strains. The most potent PPMOs were further tested for their bactericidal effects in broth cultures and in established biofilms. Finally, a PPMO was used to treat mice infected with a KPC-expressing strain. Results The most potent PPMOs targeted acpP, rpmB and ftsZ and had MIC75s of 0.5, 4 and 4 μM, respectively. AcpP PPMOs were bactericidal at 1-2 × MIC and reduced viable cells and biofilm mass in established biofilms. In a mouse pneumonia model, therapeutic intranasal treatment with ∼30 mg/kg AcpP PPMO improved survival by 89% and reduced bacterial burden in the lung by ∼3 logs. Survival was proportional to the dose of AcpP PPMO. Delaying treatment by 2, 8 or 24 h post-infection improved survival compared with control groups treated with PBS or scrambled sequence (Scr) PPMOs. Conclusions PPMOs have the potential to be effective therapeutic agents against KPC-expressing, MDR K. pneumoniae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce L Geller
- Department of Microbiology, 226 Nash Hall, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Lixin Li
- Department of Microbiology, 226 Nash Hall, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Fabian Martinez
- Department of Microbiology, 226 Nash Hall, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Erin Sully
- Department of Microbiology, 226 Nash Hall, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Carolyn R Sturge
- Department of Internal Medicine, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Seth M Daly
- Department of Internal Medicine, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Christine Pybus
- Department of Internal Medicine, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - David E Greenberg
- Department of Internal Medicine, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
- Department of Microbiology, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
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Daly SM, Sturge CR, Marshall-Batty KR, Felder-Scott CF, Jain R, Geller BL, Greenberg DE. Antisense Inhibitors Retain Activity in Pulmonary Models of Burkholderia Infection. ACS Infect Dis 2018; 4:806-814. [PMID: 29461800 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.7b00235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The Burkholderia cepacia complex is a group of Gram-negative bacteria that are opportunistic pathogens in immunocompromised individuals, such as those with cystic fibrosis (CF) or chronic granulomatous disease (CGD). Burkholderia are intrinsically resistant to many antibiotics and the lack of antibiotic development necessitates novel therapeutics. Peptide-conjugated phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers are antisense molecules that inhibit bacterial mRNA translation. Targeting of PPMOs to the gene acpP, which is essential for membrane synthesis, lead to defects in the membrane and ultimately bactericidal activity. Exploration of additional PPMO sequences identified the ATG and Shine-Dalgarno sites as the most efficacious for targeting acpP. The CF lung is a complex microenvironment, but PPMO inhibition was still efficacious in an artificial model of CF sputum. PPMOs had low toxicity in human CF cells at doses that were antibacterial. PPMOs also reduced the bacterial burden in the lungs of immunocompromised CyBB mice, a model of CGD. Finally, the use of multiple PPMOs was efficacious in inhibiting the growth of both Burkholderia and Pseudomonas in an in vitro model of coinfection. Due to the intrinsic resistance of Burkholderia to traditional antibiotics, PPMOs represent a novel and viable approach to the treatment of Burkholderia infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth M. Daly
- Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, Texas 75390, United States
| | - Carolyn R. Sturge
- Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, Texas 75390, United States
| | - Kimberly R. Marshall-Batty
- Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, Texas 75390, United States
| | - Christina F. Felder-Scott
- Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, Texas 75390, United States
| | - Raksha Jain
- Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, Texas 75390, United States
- Department of Microbiology, UT Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, Texas 75390, United States
| | - Bruce L. Geller
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, 226 Nash Hall, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, United States
| | - David E. Greenberg
- Department of Internal Medicine, UT Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, Texas 75390, United States
- Department of Microbiology, UT Southwestern, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, Texas 75390, United States
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Cell-Penetrating Peptides to Enhance Delivery of Oligonucleotide-Based Therapeutics. Biomedicines 2018; 6:biomedicines6020051. [PMID: 29734750 PMCID: PMC6027240 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines6020051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Revised: 04/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The promise of nucleic acid based oligonucleotides as effective genetic therapies has been held back by their low bioavailability and poor cellular uptake to target tissues upon systemic administration. One such strategy to improve upon delivery is the use of short cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) that can be either directly attached to their cargo through covalent linkages or through the formation of noncovalent nanoparticle complexes that can facilitate cellular uptake. In this review, we will highlight recent proof-of-principle studies that have utilized both of these strategies to improve nucleic acid delivery and discuss the prospects for translation of this approach for clinical application.
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Rajsbaum R. Intranasal Delivery of Peptide-Morpholinos to Knockdown Influenza Host Factors in Mice. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1565:191-199. [PMID: 28364244 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-6817-6_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Influenza viruses replicate primarily in the lung tissue of different host species. For efficient replication the virus utilizes host factors that are expressed in target cells. Cell-penetrating peptide-conjugated Morpholino oligomers (PPMOs) designed to target viral proteins have shown promising results as potential antiviral drugs in tissue culture and animal models. However, since viruses tend to have high rates of mutations, targeting viral proteins may result in viral escape mutants. An alternative approach to inhibit virus replication with PPMOs is to target host factors that are required for virus replication. Delivery of PPMO through the intranasal route has been shown to be effective in knockdown of host factors or microbial genes leading to protection against respiratory pathogens and reduced microbial burden. In addition, protective host innate antiviral immune responses in the lung can be studied by knockdown of immune signaling factors using PPMOs. Here we describe a successful approach using PPMOs to knockdown either proviral or antiviral host factors leading to changes in influenza virus replication in the lungs of mice, providing a tool to investigate immune responses and host-virus interactions in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Rajsbaum
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA.
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Daly SM, Sturge CR, Greenberg DE. Inhibition of Bacterial Growth by Peptide-Conjugated Morpholino Oligomers. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1565:115-122. [PMID: 28364238 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-6817-6_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Morpholino oligomers (MOs) are antisense molecules designed for sequence-specific binding of target mRNA. In bacteria, inhibition is hypothesized to occur by preventing translation initiation. Cell-penetrating peptides may be conjugated to the 5'- or 3'-termini of an MO to enhance cellular entry and therefore inhibition. Here we describe the three standard microbiological assays to assess in vitro antibacterial MO efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth M Daly
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Carolyn R Sturge
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - David E Greenberg
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA. .,Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA.
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Chow G, Morcos PA, Moulton HM. Aggregation and Disaggregation of Morpholino Oligomers in Solution. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1565:31-38. [PMID: 28364231 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-6817-6_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Morpholino oligomers are effective antisense molecules to regulate gene expression and the US FDA has approved a Morpholino drug for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. However, it has been observed that the antisense activities of aqueous solutions of some Morpholinos decrease over time. We hypothesize that the decreased activity is caused by the formation of soluble aggregates of the Morpholinos. Here, we analyzed three Morpholino sequences by size exclusion chromatography and found two of them have over time formed soluble aggregates in water. The degree of aggregation is sequence-, temperature-, and time-dependent. We describe a simple procedure for detecting and breaking down the aggregates to return the Morpholinos to their monomeric forms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garrick Chow
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, 105 Magruder Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | | | - Hong M Moulton
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, 105 Magruder Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA.
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Xue XY, Mao XG, Zhou Y, Chen Z, Hu Y, Hou Z, Li MK, Meng JR, Luo XX. Advances in the delivery of antisense oligonucleotides for combating bacterial infectious diseases. NANOMEDICINE-NANOTECHNOLOGY BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2018; 14:745-758. [PMID: 29341934 DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2017.12.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2017] [Revised: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Discovery and development of new antibacterial drugs against multidrug resistant bacterial strains have become more and more urgent. Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) show immense potential to control the spread of resistant microbes due to its high specificity of action, little risk to human gene expression, and easy design and synthesis to target any possible gene. However, efficient delivery of ASOs to their action sites with enough concentration remains a major obstacle, which greatly hampers their clinical application. In this study, we reviewed current progress on delivery strategies of ASOs into bacteria, focused on various non-virus gene vectors, including cell penetrating peptides, lipid nanoparticles, bolaamphiphile-based nanoparticles, DNA nanostructures and Vitamin B12. The current review provided comprehensive understanding and novel perspective for the future application of ASOs in combating bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Yan Xue
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
| | - Xing-Gang Mao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Ying Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zhou Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yue Hu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Zheng Hou
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Ming-Kai Li
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jing-Ru Meng
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiao-Xing Luo
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
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Hegarty JP, Stewart DB. Advances in therapeutic bacterial antisense biotechnology. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2017; 102:1055-1065. [PMID: 29209794 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-017-8671-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2017] [Revised: 11/16/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Antisense therapeutics are a biotechnological form of antibiotic therapy using chemical analogues of short single-stranded nucleic acid sequences modified to form stable oligomers. These molecules are termed antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) because their sequence is complementary, via Watson-Crick specific base pairing, to their target messenger RNA (mRNA). ASOs modify gene expression in this sequence-dependent manner by binding to its complementary mRNA and inhibiting its translation into protein through steric blockage and/or through RNase degradation of the ASO/RNA duplex. The widespread use of conventional antibiotics has led to the increasing emergence of multiple drug-resistant pathogenic bacteria. There is an urgent need to develop alternative therapeutic strategies to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with bacterial infections, and until recently, the use of ASOs as therapeutic agents has been essentially limited to eukaryotic cells, with ASOs as antibacterials having been largely unexplored primarily due to the poor uptake efficiency of antisense molecules by bacteria. There are conceptual advantages to bacterial antisense antibiotic therapies, including a sequence-dependent approach that allows for a rational design to multiple specific molecular targets. This review summarizes the current knowledge of antisense bacterial biotechnology and highlights the recent progress and the current obstacles in their development for therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- John P Hegarty
- College of Medicine, Department of Surgery, The Pennsylvania State University, 500 University Drive, H137, P.O. Box 850, Hershey, PA, 17033-0850, USA
| | - David B Stewart
- College of Medicine, Department of Surgery, The Pennsylvania State University, 500 University Drive, H137, P.O. Box 850, Hershey, PA, 17033-0850, USA.
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MCR-1 Inhibition with Peptide-Conjugated Phosphorodiamidate Morpholino Oligomers Restores Sensitivity to Polymyxin in Escherichia coli. mBio 2017; 8:mBio.01315-17. [PMID: 29114023 PMCID: PMC5676038 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01315-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
In late 2015, the first example of a transferrable polymyxin resistance mechanism in Gram-negative pathogens, MCR-1, was reported. Since that report, MCR-1 has been described to occur in many Gram-negative pathogens, and the mechanism of MCR-1-mediated resistance was rapidly determined: an ethanolamine is attached to lipid A phosphate groups, rendering the membrane more electropositive and repelling positively charged polymyxins. Acquisition of MCR-1 is clinically significant because polymyxins are frequently last-line antibiotics used to treat extensively resistant organisms, so acquisition of this mechanism might lead to pan-resistant strains. Therefore, the ability to inhibit MCR-1 and restore polymyxin sensitivity would be an important scientific advancement. Peptide-conjugated phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PPMOs) are antisense molecules that were designed to target mRNA, preventing translation. Peptide conjugation enhances cellular entry, but they are positively charged, so we tested our lead antibacterial PPMOs by targeting an essential Escherichia coli gene, acpP, and demonstrated that they were still effective in mcr-1-positive E. coli strains. We then designed and synthesized two PPMOs targeted to mcr-1 mRNA. Five clinical mcr-1-positive E. coli strains were resensitized to polymyxins by MCR-1 inhibition, reducing MICs 2- to 16-fold. Finally, therapeutic dosing of BALB/c mice with MCR-1 PPMO combined with colistin in a sepsis model reduced morbidity and bacterial burden in the spleen at 24 h and offered a survival advantage out to 5 days. This is the first example of a way to modulate colistin resistance with an antisense approach and may be a viable strategy to combat this globally emerging antibiotic resistance threat. Polymyxin use has been increasing as a last line of defense against Gram-negative pathogens with high-level resistance mechanisms, such as carbapenemases. The recently described MCR-1 is a plasmid-mediated mechanism of resistance to polymyxins. MCR-1 is currently found in Gram-negative organisms already possessing high-level resistance mechanisms, leaving clinicians few or no antibacterial options for infections caused by these strains. This study utilizes antisense molecules that target mRNA, preventing protein translation. Herein we describe antisense molecules that can be directly antibacterial because they target genes essential to bacterial growth or blockade of MCR-1, restoring polymyxin sensitivity. We also demonstrate that MCR-1 antisense molecules restore the efficacies of polymyxins in mouse models of E. coli septicemia. Considering all things together, we demonstrate that antisense molecules may be effective therapeutics either alone when they target an essential gene or combined with antibiotics when they target specific resistance mechanisms, such as those seen with MCR-1.
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42
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de la Fuente-Nunez C, Torres MD, Mojica FJ, Lu TK. Next-generation precision antimicrobials: towards personalized treatment of infectious diseases. Curr Opin Microbiol 2017. [PMID: 28623720 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2017.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotics started to be used almost 90 years ago to eradicate life-threatening infections. The urgency of the problem required rapid, broad-spectrum elimination of infectious agents. Since their initial discovery, these antimicrobials have saved millions of lives. However, they are not exempt from side effects, which include the indiscriminate disruption of the beneficial microbiota. Recent technological advances have enabled the development of antimicrobials that can selectively target a gene, a cellular process, or a microbe of choice. These strategies bring us a step closer to developing personalized therapies that exclusively remove disease-causing infectious agents. Here, we advocate the preservation of our beneficial microbes and provide an overview of promising alternatives to broad-spectrum antimicrobials. Specifically, we emphasize nucleic acid and peptide-based systems as a foundation for next-generation alternatives to antibiotics that do not challenge our microbiota and may help to mitigate the spread of resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cesar de la Fuente-Nunez
- Synthetic Biology Group, MIT Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Biological Engineering, and Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Harvard Biophysics Program, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA; The Center for Microbiome Informatics and Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Marcelo Dt Torres
- Synthetic Biology Group, MIT Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Biological Engineering, and Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Harvard Biophysics Program, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA; The Center for Microbiome Informatics and Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA, USA; Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Francisco Jm Mojica
- Departamento de Fisiología, Genética y Microbiología, Universidad de Alicante, Pavilion 12, 03080, Alicante, Spain
| | - Timothy K Lu
- Synthetic Biology Group, MIT Synthetic Biology Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Biological Engineering, and Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Harvard Biophysics Program, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA; The Center for Microbiome Informatics and Therapeutics, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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Cansizoglu MF, Toprak E. Fighting against evolution of antibiotic resistance by utilizing evolvable antimicrobial drugs. Curr Genet 2017; 63:973-976. [PMID: 28497241 DOI: 10.1007/s00294-017-0703-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2017] [Revised: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is a worldwide public health problem (Bush et al. in Nat Rev Microbiol 9:894-896, 2011). The lack of effective therapies against resistant bacteria globally leads to prolonged treatments, increased mortality, and inflating health care costs (Oz et al. in Mol Biol Evol 31:2387-2401, 2014; Martinez in Science 321:365-367, 2008; Lipsitch et al. in Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 97:1938-1943, 2000; Taubes in Science 321:356-361, 2008; Laxminarayan et al. in Lancet, 2016; Laxminarayan et al. in Lancet Infect Dis 13:1057-1098, 2013). Current efforts towards a solution of this problem can be boiled down to two main strategies: (1) developing of new antimicrobial agents and (2) searching for smart strategies that can restore or preserve the efficacy of existing antimicrobial agents. In this short review article, we discuss the need for evolvable antimicrobial agents, focusing on a new antimicrobial technology that utilizes peptide-conjugated phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers to inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria by targeting bacterial genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehmet Fatih Cansizoglu
- Green Center for Systems Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Erdal Toprak
- Green Center for Systems Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA. .,Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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44
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Inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by Peptide-Conjugated Phosphorodiamidate Morpholino Oligomers. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2017; 61:AAC.01938-16. [PMID: 28137807 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01938-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2016] [Accepted: 01/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a highly virulent, multidrug-resistant pathogen that causes significant morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients and is particularly devastating in patients with cystic fibrosis. Increasing antibiotic resistance coupled with decreasing numbers of antibiotics in the developmental pipeline demands novel antibacterial approaches. Here, we tested peptide-conjugated phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PPMOs), which inhibit translation of complementary mRNA from specific, essential genes in P. aeruginosa PPMOs targeted to acpP, lpxC, and rpsJ, inhibited P. aeruginosa growth in many clinical strains and activity of PPMOs could be enhanced 2- to 8-fold by the addition of polymyxin B nonapeptide at subinhibitory concentrations. The PPMO targeting acpP was also effective at preventing P. aeruginosa PAO1 biofilm formation and at reducing existing biofilms. Importantly, treatment with various combinations of a PPMO and a traditional antibiotic demonstrated synergistic growth inhibition, the most effective of which was the PPMO targeting rpsJ with tobramycin. Furthermore, treatment of P. aeruginosa PA103-infected mice with PPMOs targeting acpP, lpxC, or rpsJ significantly reduced the bacterial burden in the lungs at 24 h by almost 3 logs. Altogether, this study demonstrates that PPMOs targeting the essential genes acpP, lpxC, or rpsJ in P. aeruginosa are highly effective at inhibiting growth in vitro and in vivo These data suggest that PPMOs alone or in combination with antibiotics represent a novel approach to addressing the problems associated with rapidly increasing antibiotic resistance in P. aeruginosa.
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Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis), the causative agent of tuberculosis, uses various tactics to resist on antibiotics and evade host immunity. To control tuberculosis, antibiotics with novel mechanisms of action are urgently needed. Emerging new antibiotics and underlying novel drug targets are summarized in this paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nzungize Lambert
- a Institute of Modern Biopharmaceuticals, State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Eco-Environment and Bio-Resource of the Three Gorges Area, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education Eco-Environment of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University , Chongqing , China
| | - Abualgasim Elgaili Abdalla
- a Institute of Modern Biopharmaceuticals, State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Eco-Environment and Bio-Resource of the Three Gorges Area, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education Eco-Environment of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University , Chongqing , China.,b Department of Clinical Microbiology, College of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Omdurman , Islamic University , Omdurman , Sudan
| | - Xiangke Duan
- a Institute of Modern Biopharmaceuticals, State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Eco-Environment and Bio-Resource of the Three Gorges Area, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education Eco-Environment of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University , Chongqing , China
| | - Jianping Xie
- a Institute of Modern Biopharmaceuticals, State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Eco-Environment and Bio-Resource of the Three Gorges Area, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education Eco-Environment of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University , Chongqing , China
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46
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Lehto T, Ezzat K, Wood MJA, El Andaloussi S. Peptides for nucleic acid delivery. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2016; 106:172-182. [PMID: 27349594 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2016.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 144] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2016] [Revised: 06/08/2016] [Accepted: 06/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Nucleic acids and their synthetic oligonucleotide (ON) analogs are a group of gene therapeutic compounds which hold enormous clinical potential. Despite their undoubted potential, clinical translation of these molecules, however, has been largely held back by their limited bioavailability in the target tissues/cells. To overcome this, many different drug delivery systems have been devised. Among others, short delivery peptides, called cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs), have been demonstrated to allow for efficient delivery of nucleic acids and their ON analogs, in both cell culture and animal models. In this review, we provide brief overview of the latest advances in nucleic acid delivery with CPPs, covering the two main vectorization strategies, covalent conjugation and nanoparticle formation-based approach. In conclusion, CPP-based drug delivery systems have the capacity to overcome the hurdle of delivery and thus have the potential to facilitate the clinical translation of nucleic acid-based therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taavi Lehto
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm SE-171 77, Sweden; Institute of Technology, University of Tartu, Nooruse 1, 50411 Tartu, Estonia.
| | - Kariem Ezzat
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm SE-171 77, Sweden
| | - Matthew J A Wood
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Genetics, University of Oxford, OX13QX Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Samir El Andaloussi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm SE-171 77, Sweden; Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Genetics, University of Oxford, OX13QX Oxford, United Kingdom
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Abstract
The discovery of an ever-expanding plethora of coding and non-coding RNAs with nodal and causal roles in the regulation of lung physiology and disease is reinvigorating interest in the clinical utility of the oligonucleotide therapeutic class. This is strongly supported through recent advances in nucleic acids chemistry, synthetic oligonucleotide delivery and viral gene therapy that have succeeded in bringing to market at least three nucleic acid-based drugs. As a consequence, multiple new candidates such as RNA interference modulators, antisense, and splice switching compounds are now progressing through clinical evaluation. Here, manipulation of RNA for the treatment of lung disease is explored, with emphasis on robust pharmacological evidence aligned to the five pillars of drug development: exposure to the appropriate tissue, binding to the desired molecular target, evidence of the expected mode of action, activity in the relevant patient population and commercially viable value proposition.
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48
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Otsuka T, Brauer AL, Kirkham C, Sully EK, Pettigrew MM, Kong Y, Geller BL, Murphy TF. Antimicrobial activity of antisense peptide-peptide nucleic acid conjugates against non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae in planktonic and biofilm forms. J Antimicrob Chemother 2016; 72:137-144. [PMID: 27986898 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkw384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2016] [Revised: 08/10/2016] [Accepted: 08/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Antisense peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) are synthetic polymers that mimic DNA/RNA and inhibit bacterial gene expression in a sequence-specific manner. METHODS To assess activity against non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi), we designed six PNA-peptides that target acpP, encoding an acyl carrier protein. MICs and minimum biofilm eradication concentrations (MBECs) were determined. Resistant strains were selected by serial passages on media with a sub-MIC concentration of acpP-PNA. RESULTS The MICs of six acpP-PNA-peptides were 2.9-11 mg/L (0.63-2.5 μmol/L) for 20 clinical isolates, indicating susceptibility of planktonic NTHi. By contrast, MBECs were up to 179 mg/L (40 μmol/L). Compared with one original PNA-peptide (acpP-PNA1-3'N), an optimized PNA-peptide (acpP-PNA14-5'L) differs in PNA sequence and has a 5' membrane-penetrating peptide with a linker between the PNA and peptide. The optimized PNA-peptide had an MBEC ranging from 11 to 23 mg/L (2.5-5 μmol/L), indicating susceptibility. A resistant strain that was selected by the original acpP-PNA1-3'N had an SNP that introduced a stop codon in NTHI0044, which is predicted to encode an ATP-binding protein of a conserved ABC transporter. Deletion of NTHI0044 caused resistance to the original acpP-PNA1-3'N, but showed no effect on susceptibility to the optimized acpP-PNA14-5'L. The WT strain remained susceptible to the optimized PNA-peptide after 30 serial passages on media containing the optimized PNA-peptide. CONCLUSIONS A PNA-peptide that targets acpP, has a 5' membrane-penetrating peptide and has a linker shows excellent activity against planktonic and biofilm NTHi and is associated with a low risk for induction of resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taketo Otsuka
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA.,Clinical and Translational Research Center, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Aimee L Brauer
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA.,Clinical and Translational Research Center, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Charmaine Kirkham
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA.,Clinical and Translational Research Center, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Erin K Sully
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Melinda M Pettigrew
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Yong Kong
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, W.M. Keck Foundation Biotechnology Resource Laboratory, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Bruce L Geller
- Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Timothy F Murphy
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA .,Clinical and Translational Research Center, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
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49
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Hegarty JP, Krzeminski J, Sharma AK, Guzman-Villanueva D, Weissig V, Stewart DB. Bolaamphiphile-based nanocomplex delivery of phosphorothioate gapmer antisense oligonucleotides as a treatment for Clostridium difficile. Int J Nanomedicine 2016; 11:3607-19. [PMID: 27536102 PMCID: PMC4975145 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s109600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite being a conceptually appealing alternative to conventional antibiotics, a major challenge toward the successful implementation of antisense treatments for bacterial infections is the development of efficient oligonucleotide delivery systems. Cationic vesicles (bolasomes) composed of dequalinium chloride ("DQAsomes") have been used to deliver plasmid DNA across the cardiolipin-rich inner membrane of mitochondria. As cardiolipin is also a component of many bacterial membranes, we investigated the application of cationic bolasomes to bacteria as an oligonucleotide delivery system. Antisense sequences designed in silico to target the expression of essential genes of the bacterial pathogen, Clostridium difficile, were synthesized as 2'-O-methyl phosphorothioate gapmer antisense oligonucleotides (ASO). These antisense gapmers were quantitatively assessed for their ability to block mRNA translation using luciferase reporter and C. difficile protein expression plasmid constructs in a coupled transcription-translation system. Cationic bolaamphiphile compounds (dequalinium derivatives) of varying alkyl chain length were synthesized and bolasomes were prepared via probe sonication of an aqueous suspension. Bolasomes were characterized by particle size distribution, zeta potential, and binding capacities for anionic oligonucleotide. Bolasomes and antisense gapmers were combined to form antisense nanocomplexes. Anaerobic C. difficile log phase cultures were treated with serial doses of gapmer nanocomplexes or equivalent amounts of empty bolasomes for 24 hours. Antisense gapmers for four gene targets achieved nanomolar minimum inhibitory concentrations for C. difficile, with the lowest values observed for oligonucleotides targeting polymerase genes rpoB and dnaE. No inhibition of bacterial growth was observed from treatments at matched dosages of scrambled gapmer nanocomplexes or plain, oligonucleotide-free bolasomes compared to untreated control cultures. We describe the novel application of cationic bolasomes to deliver ASOs into bacteria. We also report the first successful in vitro antisense treatment to inhibit the growth of C. difficile.
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Affiliation(s)
- John P Hegarty
- Deparment of Surgery, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Jacek Krzeminski
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Arun K Sharma
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Diana Guzman-Villanueva
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Nanomedicine Center of Excellence in Translational Research, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, USA
| | - Volkmar Weissig
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Nanomedicine Center of Excellence in Translational Research, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, USA
| | - David B Stewart
- Deparment of Surgery, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine Hershey, PA, USA
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50
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Sully EK, Geller BL. Antisense antimicrobial therapeutics. Curr Opin Microbiol 2016; 33:47-55. [PMID: 27375107 PMCID: PMC5069135 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2016.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2016] [Revised: 05/17/2016] [Accepted: 05/31/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Antisense antimicrobial therapeutics are synthetic oligomers that silence expression of specific genes. This specificity confers an advantage over broad-spectrum antibiotics by avoiding unintended effects on commensal bacteria. The sequence-specificity and short length of antisense antimicrobials also pose little risk to human gene expression. Because antisense antimicrobials are a platform technology, they can be rapidly designed and synthesized to target almost any microbe. This reduces drug discovery time, and provides flexibility and a rational approach to drug development. Recent work has shown that antisense technology has the potential to address the antibiotic-resistance crisis, since resistance mechanisms for standard antibiotics apparently have no effect on antisense antimicrobials. Here, we describe current reports of antisense antimicrobials targeted against viruses, parasites, and bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin K Sully
- Department of Microbiology, 226 Nash Hall, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-3804, USA
| | - Bruce L Geller
- Department of Microbiology, 226 Nash Hall, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-3804, USA.
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