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Ali A, Ganguillet S, Turgay Y, Keys TG, Causa E, Fradique R, Lutz-Bueno V, Chesnov S, Tan-Lin CW, Lentsch V, Kotar J, Cicuta P, Mezzenga R, Slack E, Radiom M. Surface Cross-Linking by Macromolecular Tethers Enhances Virus-like Particles' Resilience to Mucosal Stress Factors. ACS NANO 2024; 18:3382-3396. [PMID: 38237058 PMCID: PMC10832050 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c10339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) are emerging as nanoscaffolds in a variety of biomedical applications including delivery of vaccine antigens and cargo such as mRNA to mucosal surfaces. These soft, colloidal, and proteinaceous structures (capsids) are nevertheless susceptible to mucosal environmental stress factors. We cross-linked multiple capsid surface amino acid residues using homobifunctional polyethylene glycol tethers to improve the persistence and survival of the capsid to model mucosal stressors. Surface cross-linking enhanced the stability of VLPs assembled from Acinetobacter phage AP205 coat proteins in low pH (down to pH 4.0) and high protease concentration conditions (namely, in pig and mouse gastric fluids). Additionally, it increased the stiffness of VLPs under local mechanical indentation applied using an atomic force microscopy cantilever tip. Small angle X-ray scattering revealed an increase in capsid diameter after cross-linking and an increase in capsid shell thickness with the length of the PEG cross-linkers. Moreover, surface cross-linking had no effect on the VLPs' mucus translocation and accumulation on the epithelium of in vitro 3D human nasal epithelial tissues with mucociliary clearance. Finally, it did not compromise VLPs' function as vaccines in mouse subcutaneous vaccination models. Compared to PEGylation without cross-linking, the stiffness of surface cross-linked VLPs were higher for the same length of the PEG molecule, and also the lifetimes of surface cross-linked VLPs were longer in the gastric fluids. Surface cross-linking using macromolecular tethers, but not simple conjugation of these molecules, thus offers a viable means to enhance the resilience and survival of VLPs for mucosal applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Ali
- Department
of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland
| | - Suwannee Ganguillet
- Department
of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland
| | - Yagmur Turgay
- Department
of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland
| | - Timothy G. Keys
- Department
of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland
| | - Erika Causa
- Biological
and Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K.
| | - Ricardo Fradique
- Biological
and Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K.
| | - Viviane Lutz-Bueno
- Paul
Scherrer Institute (PSI), Villigen 5232, Switzerland
- Laboratoire
Léon Brillouin, CEA-CNRS (UMR-12), CEA Saclay, Université
Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex 91191, France
| | - Serge Chesnov
- Functional
Genomics Centre Zürich (FGCZ), University of Zürich/ETH
Zürich, Zürich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Chia-Wei Tan-Lin
- Functional
Genomics Centre Zürich (FGCZ), University of Zürich/ETH
Zürich, Zürich 8057, Switzerland
| | - Verena Lentsch
- Department
of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland
| | - Jurij Kotar
- Biological
and Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K.
| | - Pietro Cicuta
- Biological
and Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K.
| | - Raffaele Mezzenga
- Department
of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland
| | - Emma Slack
- Department
of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland
| | - Milad Radiom
- Department
of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland
- Biological
and Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K.
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