Generation of a caged lentiviral vector through an unnatural amino acid for photo-switchable transduction

Technological advances in the use of viral and non-viral vectors for delivering genetic and non-genetic cargos for cancer therapy

The burden of cancer is increasing globally. Several challenges facing its mainstream treatment approaches have formed the basis for the development of targeted delivery systems to carry and distribute anti-cancer payloads to their defined targets. This site-specific delivery of drug molecules and gene payloads to selectively target druggable biomarkers aimed at inducing cell death while sparing normal cells is the principal goal for cancer therapy. An important advantage of a delivery vector either viral or non-viral is the cumulative ability to penetrate the haphazardly arranged and immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment of solid tumours and or withstand antibody-mediated immune response. Biotechnological approaches incorporating rational protein engineering for the development of targeted delivery systems which may serve as vehicles for packaging and distribution of anti-cancer agents to selectively target and kill cancer cells are highly desired. Over the years, these chemically and genetically modified delivery systems have aimed at distribution and selective accumulation of drug molecules at receptor sites resulting in constant maintenance of high drug bioavailability for effective anti-tumour activity. In this review, we highlighted the state-of-the art viral and non-viral drug and gene delivery systems and those under developments focusing on cancer therapy.

Soft nano and microstructures for the photomodulation of cellular signaling and behavior

Photoresponsive soft materials are everywhere in the nature, from human's retina tissues to plants, and have been the inspiration for engineers in the development of modern biomedical materials. Light as an external stimulus is particularly attractive because it is relatively cheap, noninvasive to superficial biological tissues, can be delivered contactless and offers high spatiotemporal control. In the biomedical field, soft materials that respond to long wavelength or that incorporate a photon upconversion mechanism are desired to overcome the limited UV-visible light penetration into biological tissues. Upon light exposure, photosensitive soft materials respond through mechanisms of isomerization, crosslinking or cleavage, hyperthermia, photoreactions, electrical current generation, among others. In this review, we discuss the most recent applications of photosensitive soft materials in the modulation of cellular behavior, for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, in drug delivery and for phototherapies.

Current Progress of CAR-NK Therapy in Cancer Treatment

Simple Summary

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T and -natural killer (NK) therapies are promising in cancer treatment. CAR-NK therapy gains great attention due to the lack of adverse effects observed in CAR-T therapies and to the NK cells’ unique mechanisms of recognizing target cells. Off-the-shelf products are in urgent need, not only for good yields, but also for lower cost and shorter preparation time. The current progress of CAR-NK therapy is discussed.

Abstract

CD8⁺ T cells and natural killer (NK) cells eliminate target cells through the release of lytic granules and Fas ligand (FasL)-induced target cell apoptosis. The introduction of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) makes these two types of cells selective and effective in killing cancer cells. The success of CAR-T therapy in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and other types of blood cancers proved that the immunotherapy is an effective approach in fighting against cancers, yet adverse effects, such as graft versus host disease (GvHD) and cytokine release syndrome (CRS), cannot be ignored for the CAR-T therapy. CAR-NK therapy, then, has its advantage in lacking these adverse effects and works as effective as CAR-T in terms of killing. Despite these, NK cells are known to be hard to transduce, expand in vitro, and sustain shorter in vivo comparing to infiltrated T cells. Moreover, CAR-NK therapy faces challenges as CAR-T therapy does, e.g., the time, the cost, and the potential biohazard due to the use of animal-derived products. Thus, enormous efforts are needed to develop safe, effective, and large-scalable protocols for obtaining CAR-NK cells. Here, we reviewed current progress of CAR-NK therapy, including its biological properties, CAR compositions, preparation of CAR-NK cells, and clinical progresses. We also discussed safety issues raised from genetic engineering. We hope this review is instructive to the research community and a broad range of readers.

Integrase deficient lentiviral vector: prospects for safe clinical applications

HIV-1 derived lentiviral vector is an efficient transporter for delivering desired genetic materials into the targeted cells among many viral vectors. Genetic material transduced by lentiviral vector is integrated into the cell genome to introduce new functions, repair defective cell metabolism, and stimulate certain cell functions. Various measures have been administered in different generations of lentiviral vector systems to reduce the vector's replicating capabilities. Despite numerous demonstrations of an excellent safety profile of integrative lentiviral vectors, the precautionary approach has prompted the development of integrase-deficient versions of these vectors. The generation of integrase-deficient lentiviral vectors by abrogating integrase activity in lentiviral vector systems reduces the rate of transgenes integration into host genomes. With this feature, the integrase-deficient lentiviral vector is advantageous for therapeutic implementation and widens its clinical applications. This short review delineates the biology of HIV-1-erived lentiviral vector, generation of integrase-deficient lentiviral vector, recent studies involving integrase-deficient lentiviral vectors, limitations, and prospects for neoteric clinical use.

Spatially Defined Gene Delivery into Native Cells with the Red Light-Controlled OptoAAV Technology

The OptoAAV technology allows spatially defined delivery of transgenes into native target cells down to single-cell resolution by the illumination with cell-compatible and tissue-penetrating red light. The system is based on an adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector of serotype 2 with an engineered capsid (OptoAAV) and a photoreceptor-containing adapter protein mediating the interaction of the OptoAAV with the surface of the target cell in response to low doses of red and far-red light. In this article, we first provide detailed protocols for the production, purification, and analysis of the OptoAAV and the adapter protein. Afterward, we describe in detail the application of the OptoAAV system for the light-controlled transduction of human cells with global and patterned illumination. © 2022 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Production, purification, and analysis of PhyB-DARPin_EGFR adapter protein Basic Protocol 2: Production, purification, and analysis of OptoAAV Basic Protocol 3: Red light-controlled viral transduction with the OptoAAV system Support Protocol: Spatially resolved transduction of two transgenes with the OptoAAV system.

Spatiotemporally confined red light-controlled gene delivery at single-cell resolution using adeno-associated viral vectors

Methodologies for the controlled delivery of genetic information into target cells are of utmost importance for genetic engineering in both fundamental and applied research. However, available methods for efficient gene transfer into user-selected or even single cells suffer from low throughput, the need for complicated equipment, high invasiveness, or side effects by off-target viral uptake. Here, we engineer an adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector system that transfers genetic information into native target cells upon illumination with cell-compatible red light. This OptoAAV system allows adjustable and spatially resolved gene transfer down to single-cell resolution and is compatible with different cell lines and primary cells. Moreover, the sequential application of multiple OptoAAVs enables spatially resolved transduction with different transgenes. The approach presented is likely extendable to other classes of viral vectors and is expected to foster advances in basic and applied genetic research.

Viral vector platforms within the gene therapy landscape

Throughout its 40-year history, the field of gene therapy has been marked by many transitions. It has seen great strides in combating human disease, has given hope to patients and families with limited treatment options, but has also been subject to many setbacks. Treatment of patients with this class of investigational drugs has resulted in severe adverse effects and, even in rare cases, death. At the heart of this dichotomous field are the viral-based vectors, the delivery vehicles that have allowed researchers and clinicians to develop powerful drug platforms, and have radically changed the face of medicine. Within the past 5 years, the gene therapy field has seen a wave of drugs based on viral vectors that have gained regulatory approval that come in a variety of designs and purposes. These modalities range from vector-based cancer therapies, to treating monogenic diseases with life-altering outcomes. At present, the three key vector strategies are based on adenoviruses, adeno-associated viruses, and lentiviruses. They have led the way in preclinical and clinical successes in the past two decades. However, despite these successes, many challenges still limit these approaches from attaining their full potential. To review the viral vector-based gene therapy landscape, we focus on these three highly regarded vector platforms and describe mechanisms of action and their roles in treating human disease.

Materials promoting viral gene delivery

Therapeutic viral gene delivery is an emerging technology which aims to correct genetic mutations by introducing new genetic information to cells either to correct a faulty gene or to initiate cell death in oncolytic treatments. In recent years, significant scientific progress has led to several clinical trials resulting in the approval of gene therapies for human treatment. However, successful therapies remain limited due to a number of challenges such as inefficient cell uptake, low transduction efficiency (TE), limited tropism, liver toxicity and immune response. To adress these issues and increase the number of available therapies, additives from a broad range of materials like polymers, peptides, lipids, nanoparticles, and small molecules have been applied so far. The scope of this review is to highlight these selected delivery systems from a materials perspective.

Strategies for the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease: Beyond Dopamine

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second-leading cause of dementia and is characterized by a progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra alongside the presence of intraneuronal α-synuclein-positive inclusions. Therapies to date have been directed to the restoration of the dopaminergic system, and the prevention of dopaminergic neuronal cell death in the midbrain. This review discusses the physiological mechanisms involved in PD as well as new and prospective therapies for the disease. The current data suggest that prevention or early treatment of PD may be the most effective therapeutic strategy. New advances in the understanding of the underlying mechanisms of PD predict the development of more personalized and integral therapies in the years to come. Thus, the development of more reliable biomarkers at asymptomatic stages of the disease, and the use of genetic profiling of patients will surely permit a more effective treatment of PD.