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Singh S, Deshetty UM, Ray S, Oladapo A, Horanieh E, Buch S, Periyasamy P. Non-Coding RNAs in HIV Infection, NeuroHIV, and Related Comorbidities. Cells 2024; 13:898. [PMID: 38891030 PMCID: PMC11171711 DOI: 10.3390/cells13110898] [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: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
NeuroHIV affects approximately 30-60% of people living with HIV-1 (PLWH) and is characterized by varying degrees of cognitive impairments, presenting a multifaceted challenge, the underlying cause of which is chronic, low-level neuroinflammation. Such smoldering neuroinflammation is likely an outcome of lifelong reliance on antiretrovirals coupled with residual virus replication in the brains of PLWH. Despite advancements in antiretroviral therapeutics, our understanding of the molecular mechanism(s) driving inflammatory processes in the brain remains limited. Recent times have seen the emergence of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) as critical regulators of gene expression, underlying the neuroinflammatory processes in HIV infection, NeuroHIV, and their associated comorbidities. This review explores the role of various classes of ncRNAs and their regulatory functions implicated in HIV infection, neuropathogenesis, and related conditions. The dysregulated expression of ncRNAs is known to exacerbate the neuroinflammatory responses, thus contributing to neurocognitive impairments in PLWH. This review also discusses the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of ncRNAs in HIV infection and its comorbidities, suggesting their utility as non-invasive biomarkers and targets for modulating neuroinflammatory pathways. Understanding these regulatory roles could pave the way for novel diagnostic strategies and therapeutic interventions in the context of HIV and its comorbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Shilpa Buch
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5880, USA; (S.S.); (U.M.D.); (S.R.); (A.O.); (E.H.)
| | - Palsamy Periyasamy
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-5880, USA; (S.S.); (U.M.D.); (S.R.); (A.O.); (E.H.)
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2
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Li K, Zhang Q. Eliminating the HIV tissue reservoir: current strategies and challenges. Infect Dis (Lond) 2024; 56:165-182. [PMID: 38149977 DOI: 10.1080/23744235.2023.2298450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is still one of the most widespread and harmful infectious diseases in the world. The presence of reservoirs housing the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) represents a significant impediment to the development of clinically applicable treatments on a large scale. The viral load in the blood can be effectively reduced to undetectable levels through antiretroviral therapy (ART), and a higher concentration of HIV is sequestered in various tissues throughout the body, forming the tissue reservoir - the source of viremia after interruption treatment. METHODS We take the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) as a guideline for this review. In June 2023, we used the Pubmed, Embase, and Scopus databases to search the relevant literature published in the last decade. RESULTS Here we review the current strategies and treatments for eliminating the HIV tissue reservoirs: early and intensive therapy, gene therapy (including ribozyme, RNA interference, RNA aptamer, zinc finger enzyme, transcriptional activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/associated nuclease 9 (CRISPR/Cas9)), 'Shock and Kill', 'Block and lock', immunotherapy (including therapeutic vaccines, broadly neutralising antibodies (bNAbs), chimeric antigen receptor T-cell immunotherapy (CAR-T)), and haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). CONCLUSION The existence of an HIV reservoir is the main obstacle to the complete cure of AIDS. Choosing the appropriate strategy to deplete the HIV reservoir and achieve a functional cure for AIDS is the focus and difficulty of current research. So far, there has been a lot of research and progress in reducing the HIV reservoir, but in general, the current research is still very preliminary. Much research is still needed to properly assess the reliability, effectiveness, and necessity of these strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kangpeng Li
- National Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- National Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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3
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Cisneros E, Sherwani N, Lanier OL, Peppas NA. Targeted delivery methods for RNA interference are necessary to obtain a potential functional cure for HIV/AIDS. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2023; 199:114970. [PMID: 37385543 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2023.114970] [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: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is of great interest in many different therapeutic areas including infectious diseases such as immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). Thanks to current, advanced treatments for HIV, the diagnosis is no longer a death sentence. However, even with these treatments, latency is suggested to persist in T-lymphocyte-rich tissues including gut-associated lymphatic tissue (GALT), spleen, and bone marrow making HIV an incurable disease. Therefore, it is important to design systems that can effectively deliver therapeutics to these tissues to fight latent infection and find a functional cure. Numerous therapeutics ranging from small molecules to cell therapies have been explored as a cure for HIV but have failed to maintain therapeutic longevity. RNA interference (RNAi) provides a unique opportunity to achieve a functional cure for those who suffer from chronic HIV/AIDS by suppressing replication of the virus. However, RNA has certain imitations in delivery as it cannot be delivered without a carrier due to its negative charge and degradation from endogenous nucleases. Here, we provide a detailed analysis of explored systems for siRNA delivery for HIV/AIDS in the context of RNA therapeutic design and nanoparticle design. In addition, we suggest strategies that should be used to target specific tissues that are rich in lymphatic tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan Cisneros
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA; Institute of Biomaterials, Drug Delivery, and Regenerative Medicine, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Najia Sherwani
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Olivia L Lanier
- Institute of Biomaterials, Drug Delivery, and Regenerative Medicine, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Nicholas A Peppas
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA; Institute of Biomaterials, Drug Delivery, and Regenerative Medicine, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA; Department of Surgery and Perioperative Care, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
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4
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Kurakula H, Vaishnavi S, Sharif MY, Ellipilli S. Emergence of Small Interfering RNA-Based Gene Drugs for Various Diseases. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:20234-20250. [PMID: 37323391 PMCID: PMC10268023 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c01703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Small molecule, peptide, and protein-based drugs have been developed over decades to treat various diseases. The importance of gene therapy as an alternative to traditional drugs has increased after the discovery of gene-based drugs such as Gendicine for cancer and Neovasculgen for peripheral artery disease. Since then, the pharma sector is focusing on developing gene-based drugs for various diseases. After the discovery of the RNA interference (RNAi) mechanism, the development of siRNA-based gene therapy has been accelerated immensely. siRNA-based treatment for hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis (hATTR) using Onpattro and acute hepatic porphyria (AHP) by Givlaari and three more FDA-approved siRNA drugs has set up a milestone and further improved the confidence for the development of gene therapeutics for a spectrum of diseases. siRNA-based gene drugs have more advantages over other gene therapies and are under study to treat different types of diseases such as viral infections, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and many more. However, there are a few bottlenecks to realizing the full potential of siRNA-based gene therapy. They include chemical instability, nontargeted biodistribution, undesirable innate immune responses, and off-target effects. This review provides a comprehensive view of siRNA-based gene drugs: challenges associated with siRNA delivery, their potential, and future prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harshini Kurakula
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Engineering and Sciences, SRM University-AP, Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh 522240, India
| | - Swetha Vaishnavi
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Engineering and Sciences, SRM University-AP, Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh 522240, India
| | - Mohammed Yaseen Sharif
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Engineering and Sciences, SRM University-AP, Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh 522240, India
| | - Satheesh Ellipilli
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Engineering and Sciences, SRM University-AP, Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh 522240, India
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5
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Kamga Youmbi FI, Kengne Tchendji V, Tayou Djamegni C. P-FARFAR2: A multithreaded greedy approach to sampling low-energy RNA structures in Rosetta FARFAR2. Comput Biol Chem 2023; 104:107878. [PMID: 37167861 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2023.107878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
RNA (ribonucleic acid) structure prediction finds many applications in health science and drug discovery due to its importance in several life regulatory processes. But despite significant advances in the close field of protein prediction, RNA 3D structure still poses a tremendous challenge to predict, especially for large sequences. In this regard, the approach unfolded by Rosetta FARFAR2 (Fragment Assembly of RNA with Full-Atom Refinement, version 2) has shown promising results, but the algorithm is non-deterministic by nature. In this paper, we develop P-FARFAR2: a parallel enhancement of FARFAR2 that increases its ability to assemble low-energy structures via multithreaded exploration of random configurations in a greedy manner. This strategy, appearing in the literature under the term "parallel mechanism", is made viable through two measures: first, the synchronization window is coarsened to several Monte Carlo cycles; second, all but one of the threads are differentiated as auxiliary and set to perform a weakened version of the problem. Following empirical analysis on a diverse range of RNA structures, we report achieving statistical significance in lowering the energy levels of ensuing samples. And consequently, despite the moderate-to-weak correlation between energy levels and prediction accuracy, this achievement happens to propagate to accuracy measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vianney Kengne Tchendji
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Dschang, PO Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon.
| | - Clémentin Tayou Djamegni
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Dschang, PO Box 67, Dschang, Cameroon; Department of Computer Engineering, University of Dschang, PO Box 134, Bandjoun, Cameroon.
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6
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Abosalha AK, Ahmad W, Boyajian J, Islam P, Ghebretatios M, Schaly S, Thareja R, Arora K, Prakash S. A comprehensive update of siRNA delivery design strategies for targeted and effective gene silencing in gene therapy and other applications. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2023; 18:149-161. [PMID: 36514963 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2022.2155630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION RNA interference (RNAi) using small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a promising strategy to control many genetic disorders by targeting the mRNA of underlying genes and degrade it. However, the delivery of siRNA to targeted organs is highly restricted by several intracellular and extracellular barriers. AREAS COVERED This review discusses various design strategies developed to overcome siRNA delivery obstacles. The applied techniques involve chemical modification, bioconjugation to specific ligands, and carrier-mediated strategies. Nanotechnology-based systems like liposomes, niosomes, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), dendrimers, and polymeric nanoparticles (PNs) are also discussed. EXPERT OPINION Although the mechanism of siRNA as a gene silencer is well-established, only a few products are available as therapeutics. There is a great need to develop and establish siRNA delivery systems that protects siRNAs and delivers them efficiently to the desired sitesare efficient and capable of targeted delivery. Several diseases are reported to be controlled by siRNA at their early stages. However, their targeted delivery is a daunting challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Khaled Abosalha
- Biomedical Technology and Cell Therapy Research Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University H3A 2B4, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Pharmaceutical Technology department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
| | - Waqar Ahmad
- Biomedical Technology and Cell Therapy Research Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University H3A 2B4, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jacqueline Boyajian
- Biomedical Technology and Cell Therapy Research Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University H3A 2B4, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Paromita Islam
- Biomedical Technology and Cell Therapy Research Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University H3A 2B4, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Merry Ghebretatios
- Biomedical Technology and Cell Therapy Research Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University H3A 2B4, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sabrina Schaly
- Biomedical Technology and Cell Therapy Research Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University H3A 2B4, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Rahul Thareja
- Biomedical Technology and Cell Therapy Research Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University H3A 2B4, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Karan Arora
- Biomedical Technology and Cell Therapy Research Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University H3A 2B4, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Satya Prakash
- Biomedical Technology and Cell Therapy Research Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University H3A 2B4, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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7
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Targeted Nanocarrier Delivery of RNA Therapeutics to Control HIV Infection. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14071352. [PMID: 35890248 PMCID: PMC9324444 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14071352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Our understanding of HIV infection has greatly advanced since the discovery of the virus in 1983. Treatment options have improved the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS, turning it from a fatal disease into a chronic, manageable infection. Despite all this progress, a cure remains elusive. A major barrier to attaining an HIV cure is the presence of the latent viral reservoir, which is established early in infection and persists for the lifetime of the host, even during prolonged anti-viral therapy. Different cure strategies are currently being explored to eliminate or suppress this reservoir. Several studies have shown that a functional cure may be achieved by preventing infection and also inhibiting reactivation of the virus from the latent reservoir. Here, we briefly describe the main HIV cure strategies, focussing on the use of RNA therapeutics, including small interfering RNA (siRNA) to maintain HIV permanently in a state of super latency, and CRISPR gRNA to excise the latent reservoir. A challenge with progressing RNA therapeutics to the clinic is achieving effective delivery into the host cell. This review covers recent nanotechnological strategies for siRNA delivery using liposomes, N-acetylgalactosamine conjugation, inorganic nanoparticles and polymer-based nanocapsules. We further discuss the opportunities and challenges of those strategies for HIV treatment.
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8
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Nanoparticle-based strategies to target HIV-infected cells. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2022; 213:112405. [PMID: 35255375 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2022.112405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Antiretroviral drugs employed for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections have remained largely ineffective due to their poor bioavailability, numerous adverse effects, modest uptake in infected cells, undesirable drug-drug interactions, the necessity for long-term drug therapy, and lack of access to tissues and reservoirs. Nanotechnology-based interventions could serve to overcome several of these disadvantages and thereby improve the therapeutic efficacy of antiretrovirals while reducing the morbidity and mortality due to the disease. However, attempts to use nanocarriers for the delivery of anti-retroviral drugs have started gaining momentum only in the past decade. This review explores in-depth the various nanocarriers that have been employed for the treatment of HIV infections highlighting their merits and possible demerits.
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9
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Specific properties of shRNA-mediated CCR5 downregulation that enhance the inhibition of HIV-1 infection in combination with shRNA targeting HIV-1 rev. Mol Biol Rep 2022; 49:11187-11192. [PMID: 36098885 PMCID: PMC9618491 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-022-07899-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Treatment with RNAi against HIV-1 transcripts efficiently inhibits viral replication but induces selection of escape mutants; therefore, the CCR5 coreceptor was suggested as an additional target. Blocking viral and host transcripts improved the antiviral effect. We have used short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting the human CCR5 (shCCR5) or the HIV-1 rev (shRev) transcripts to demonstrate distinctive properties of anti-CCR5 shRNA: shCCR5 induced more sustained protection than shRev; partial reduction in CCR5 expression substantially decreased HIV-1 infection, and shCCR5 performed better than shRev in the mixed shRNA-treated and untreated cultures. These observations indicate that CCR5 inhibitors should be conveniently included in HIV-1 gene silencing treatment schedules when only a certain cell fraction is protected to further reduce endogenous virus in a properly ART-treated HIV-1 infected individual.
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10
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Nguyen H, Wilson H, Jayakumar S, Kulkarni V, Kulkarni S. Efficient Inhibition of HIV Using CRISPR/Cas13d Nuclease System. Viruses 2021; 13:1850. [PMID: 34578431 PMCID: PMC8473377 DOI: 10.3390/v13091850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently discovered Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/Cas13 proteins are programmable RNA-guided ribonucleases that target single-stranded RNA (ssRNA). CRISPR/Cas13-mediated RNA targeting has emerged as a powerful tool for detecting and eliminating RNA viruses. Here, we demonstrate the effectiveness of CRISPR/Cas13d to inhibit HIV-1 replication. We designed guide RNAs (gRNAs) targeting highly conserved regions of HIV-1. RfxCas13d (CasRx) in combination with HIV-specific gRNAs efficiently inhibited HIV-1 replication in cell line models. Furthermore, simultaneous targeting of four distinct, non-overlapping sites in the HIV-1 transcript resulted in robust inhibition of HIV-1 replication. We also show the effective HIV-1 inhibition in primary CD4+ T-cells and suppression of HIV-1 reactivated from latently infected cells using the CRISPR/Cas13d system. Our study demonstrates the utility of the CRISPR/Cas13d nuclease system to target acute and latent HIV infection and provides an alternative treatment modality against HIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoang Nguyen
- Host-Pathogen Interaction Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78227, USA; (H.N.); (H.W.); (S.J.)
| | - Hannah Wilson
- Host-Pathogen Interaction Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78227, USA; (H.N.); (H.W.); (S.J.)
| | - Sahana Jayakumar
- Host-Pathogen Interaction Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78227, USA; (H.N.); (H.W.); (S.J.)
| | - Viraj Kulkarni
- Disease Intervention and Prevention Program; Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78227, USA;
| | - Smita Kulkarni
- Host-Pathogen Interaction Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78227, USA; (H.N.); (H.W.); (S.J.)
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11
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Lin H, Li G, Peng X, Deng A, Ye L, Shi L, Wang T, He J. The Use of CRISPR/Cas9 as a Tool to Study Human Infectious Viruses. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:590989. [PMID: 34513721 PMCID: PMC8430244 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.590989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) systems are a set of versatile gene-editing toolkit that perform diverse revolutionary functions in various fields of application such as agricultural practices, food industry, biotechnology, biomedicine, and clinical research. Specially, as a novel antiviral method of choice, CRISPR/Cas9 system has been extensively and effectively exploited to fight against human infectious viruses. Infectious diseases including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), human papillomavirus (HPV), and other viruses are still global threats with persistent potential to probably cause pandemics. To facilitate virus removals, the CRISPR/Cas9 system has already been customized to confer new antiviral capabilities into host animals either by modifying host genome or by directly targeting viral inherent factors in the form of DNA. Although several limitations and difficulties still need to be conquered, this technology holds great promises in the treatment of human viral infectious diseases. In this review, we will first present a brief biological feature of CRISPR/Cas9 systems, which includes a description of CRISPR/Cas9 structure and composition; thereafter, we will focus on the investigations and applications that employ CRISPR/Cas9 system to combat several human infectious viruses and discuss challenges and future perspectives of using this new platform in the preclinical and clinical settings as an antiviral strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huafeng Lin
- Changsha Hospital for Maternal and Child Health Care of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.,Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Gang Li
- Institute of Biomedicine and Department of Cell Biology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiangwen Peng
- Changsha Hospital for Maternal and Child Health Care of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Aimin Deng
- Changsha Hospital for Maternal and Child Health Care of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Lei Ye
- Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lei Shi
- Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tuanmei Wang
- Changsha Hospital for Maternal and Child Health Care of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Jun He
- Changsha Hospital for Maternal and Child Health Care of Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
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12
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Wan Q, Liu X, Zu Y. Oligonucleotide aptamers for pathogen detection and infectious disease control. Theranostics 2021; 11:9133-9161. [PMID: 34522231 PMCID: PMC8419047 DOI: 10.7150/thno.61804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
During an epidemic or pandemic, the primary task is to rapidly develop precise diagnostic approaches and effective therapeutics. Oligonucleotide aptamer-based pathogen detection assays and control therapeutics are promising, as aptamers that specifically recognize and block pathogens can be quickly developed and produced through simple chemical synthesis. This work reviews common aptamer-based diagnostic techniques for communicable diseases and summarizes currently available aptamers that target various pathogens, including the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Moreover, this review discusses how oligonucleotide aptamers might be leveraged to control pathogen propagation and improve host immune system responses. This review offers a comprehensive data source to the further develop aptamer-based diagnostics and therapeutics specific for infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Youli Zu
- Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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13
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Lipid Nanocarriers for Anti-HIV Therapeutics: A Focus on Physicochemical Properties and Biotechnological Advances. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13081294. [PMID: 34452255 PMCID: PMC8398060 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13081294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Since HIV was first identified, and in a relatively short period of time, AIDS has become one of the most devastating infectious diseases of the 21st century. Classical antiretroviral therapies were a major step forward in disease treatment options, significantly improving the survival rates of HIV-infected individuals. Even though these therapies have greatly improved HIV clinical outcomes, antiretrovirals (ARV) feature biopharmaceutic and pharmacokinetic problems such as poor aqueous solubility, short half-life, and poor penetration into HIV reservoir sites, which contribute to the suboptimal efficacy of these regimens. To overcome some of these issues, novel nanotechnology-based strategies for ARV delivery towards HIV viral reservoirs have been proposed. The current review is focused on the benefits of using lipid-based nanocarriers for tuning the physicochemical properties of ARV to overcome biological barriers upon administration. Furthermore, a correlation between these properties and the potential therapeutic outcomes has been established. Biotechnological advancements using lipid nanocarriers for RNA interference (RNAi) delivery for the treatment of HIV infections were also discussed.
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14
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Herrera-Carrillo E, Gao Z, Berkhout B. CRISPR therapy towards an HIV cure. Brief Funct Genomics 2021; 19:201-208. [PMID: 31711197 DOI: 10.1093/bfgp/elz021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Revised: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Tools based on RNA interference (RNAi) and the recently developed clustered regularly short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) system enable the selective modification of gene expression, which also makes them attractive therapeutic reagents for combating HIV infection and other infectious diseases. Several parallels can be drawn between the RNAi and CRISPR-Cas9 platforms. An ideal RNAi or CRISPR-Cas9 therapeutic strategy for treating infectious or genetic diseases should exhibit potency, high specificity and safety. However, therapeutic applications of RNAi and CRISPR-Cas9 have been challenged by several major limitations, some of which can be overcome by optimal design of the therapy or the design of improved reagents. In this review, we will discuss some advantages and limitations of anti-HIV strategies based on RNAi and CRISPR-Cas9 with a focus on the efficiency, specificity, off-target effects and delivery methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Herrera-Carrillo
- Department of Medical Microbiology Laboratory of Experimental Virology Amsterdam UMC, AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Zongliang Gao
- Department of Medical Microbiology Laboratory of Experimental Virology Amsterdam UMC, AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ben Berkhout
- Department of Medical Microbiology Laboratory of Experimental Virology Amsterdam UMC, AMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
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15
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Jamalkhah M, Asaadi Y, Azangou-Khyavy M, Khanali J, Soleimani M, Kiani J, Arefian E. MSC-derived exosomes carrying a cocktail of exogenous interfering RNAs an unprecedented therapy in era of COVID-19 outbreak. J Transl Med 2021; 19:164. [PMID: 33888147 PMCID: PMC8061879 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-021-02840-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The onset of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has resulted in ever-increasing casualties worldwide, and after 15 months, standard therapeutic regimens are yet to be discovered. MAIN BODY Due to the regenerative and immunomodulatory function of MSCs, they can serve as a suitable therapeutic option in alleviating major COVID-19 complications like acute respiratory distress syndrome. However, the superior properties of their cognate exosomes as a cell-free product make them preferable in the clinic. Herein, we discuss the current clinical status of these novel therapeutic strategies in COVID-19 treatment. We then delve into the potential of interfering RNAs incorporation as COVID-19 gene therapy and introduce targets involved in SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis. Further, we present miRNAs and siRNAs candidates with promising results in targeting the mentioned targets. CONCLUSION Finally, we present a therapeutic platform of mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes equipped with exogenous iRNAs, that can be employed as a novel therapeutic modality in COVID-19 management aiming to prevent further viral spread within the lung, hinder the virus life cycle and pathogenesis such as immune suppression, and ultimately, enhance the antiviral immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monire Jamalkhah
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Yasaman Asaadi
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Javad Khanali
- School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masoud Soleimani
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Jafar Kiani
- Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Ehsan Arefian
- Department of Microbiology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
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16
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Soobramoney C, Parboosing R. siRNAs and viruses: The good, the bad and the way forward. Curr Mol Pharmacol 2021; 15:143-158. [PMID: 33881977 DOI: 10.2174/1874467214666210420113427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
There are no available antivirals for many viruses or strains, while current antivirals are limited by toxicity and drug resistance. Therefore, alternative strategies, such as RNA interference (RNAi) are required. RNAi suppresses gene expression of any mRNA, making it an attractive candidate for antiviral therapeutics. Studies have evaluated siRNAs in a range of viruses, with some showing promising results. However, issues with stability and delivery of siRNAs remain. These may be minimized by modifying the siRNA structure, using an efficient delivery vector and targeting multiple regions of a virus's genome in a single dose. Finding these solutions could accelerate the progress of RNAi-based antivirals. This review highlights selected examples of antiviral siRNAs, limitations of RNAi and strategies to overcome these limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Raveen Parboosing
- Department of Virology, University of KwaZulu Natal/ National Health Laboratory Services, Durban, South Africa
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17
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Could gene therapy cure HIV? Life Sci 2021; 277:119451. [PMID: 33811896 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) continues to be a major global public health issue, having claimed almost 33 million lives so far. According to the recent report of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2019, about 38 million people are living with AIDS. Hence, finding a solution to overcome this life-threatening virus can save millions of lives. Scientists and medical doctors have prescribed HIV patients with specific drugs for many years. Methods such antiretroviral therapy (ART) or latency-reversing agents (LRAs) have been used for a while to treat HIV patients, however they have some side effects and drawbacks causing their application to be not quite successful. Instead, the application of gene therapy which refers to the utilization of the therapeutic delivery of nucleic acids into a patient's cells as a drug to treat disease has shown promising results to control HIV infection. Therefore, in this review, we will summarize recent advances in gene therapy approach against HIV.
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18
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Monty MA, Islam MA, Nan X, Tan J, Tuhin IJ, Tang X, Miao M, Wu D, Yu L. Emerging role of RNA interference in immune cells engineering and its therapeutic synergism in immunotherapy. Br J Pharmacol 2021; 178:1741-1755. [PMID: 33608889 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
RNAi effectors (e.g. siRNA, shRNA and miRNA) can trigger the silencing of specific genes causing alteration of genomic functions becoming a new therapeutic area for the treatment of infectious diseases, neurodegenerative disorders and cancer. In cancer treatment, RNAi effectors showed potential immunomodulatory actions by down-regulating immuno-suppressive proteins, such as PD-1 and CTLA-4, which restrict immune cell function and present challenges in cancer immunotherapy. Therefore, compared with extracellular targeting by antibodies, RNAi-mediated cell-intrinsic disruption of inhibitory pathways in immune cells could promote an increased anti-tumour immune response. Along with non-viral vectors, DNA-based RNAi strategies might be a more promising method for immunomodulation to silence multiple inhibitory pathways in T cells than immune checkpoint blockade antibodies. Thus, in this review, we discuss diverse RNAi implementation strategies, with recent viral and non-viral mediated RNAi synergism to immunotherapy that augments the anti-tumour immunity. Finally, we provide the current progress of RNAi in clinical pipeline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masuma Akter Monty
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Md Ariful Islam
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xu Nan
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingwen Tan
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Israth Jahan Tuhin
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaowen Tang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Miao Miao
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Depei Wu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Lei Yu
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
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19
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Zou M, Du Y, Liu R, Zheng Z, Xu J. Nanocarrier-delivered small interfering RNA for chemoresistant ovarian cancer therapy. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2021; 12:e1648. [PMID: 33682310 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death in women in the United States. Because success in early screening is limited, and most patients with advanced disease develop resistance to multiple treatment modalities, the overall prognosis of ovarian cancer is poor. Despite the revolutionary role of surgery and chemotherapy in curing ovarian cancer, recurrence remains a major challenge in treatment. Thus, improving our understanding of the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer is essential for developing more effective treatments. In this review, we analyze the underlying molecular mechanisms leading to chemotherapy resistance. We discuss the clinical benefits and potential challenges of using nanocarrier-delivered small interfering RNA to treat chemotherapy-resistant ovarian cancer. We aim to elicit collaborative studies on nanocarrier-delivered small interfering RNA to improve the long-term survival rate and quality of life of patients with ovarian cancer. This article is categorized under: RNA Methods > RNA Nanotechnology Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > RNAi: Mechanisms of Action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyuan Zou
- Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yue Du
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Ruizhen Liu
- The First People's Hospital of Wu'an, Wu'an, Hebei, China
| | - Zeliang Zheng
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jian Xu
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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20
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Gatta AK, Josyula VR. Small interfering RNA: a tailored approach to explore the therapeutic potential in COVID-19. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2021; 23:640-642. [PMID: 33520405 PMCID: PMC7826051 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2020.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Aditya Kiran Gatta
- Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Venkata Rao Josyula
- Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
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21
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Pandey AK, Verma S. An in silico analysis of effective siRNAs against COVID-19 by targeting the leader sequence of SARS-CoV-2. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 4:e107. [PMID: 33786418 PMCID: PMC7995175 DOI: 10.1002/acg2.107] [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: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a retrovirus having genome size of around 30 kb. Its genome contains a highly conserved leader sequence at its 5' end, which is added to all subgenomic mRNAs at their 5' terminus by a discontinuous transcription mechanism and regulates their translation. Targeting the leader sequence by RNA interference can be an effective approach to inhibit the viral replication. In the present study an in-silico prediction of highly effective siRNAs was performed to target the leader sequence using the online software siDirect version 2.0. Low seed-duplex stability, exact complementarity with target, at least three mismatches with any off-target and least number of off-targets, were considered as effective criteria for highly specific siRNA. Further validation of siRNA affinity for the target was accomplished by molecular docking by HNADOCK online server. Our results revealed four potential siRNAs, of which siRNA having guide strand sequence 5'GUUUAGAGAACAGAUCUACAA3' met almost all specificity criteria with no off-targets for guide strand. Molecular docking of all predicted siRNAs (guide strand) with the target leader sequence depicted highest binding score of -327.45 for above-mentioned siRNA. Furthermore, molecular docking of the passenger strand of the best candidate with off-target sequences gave significantly low binding scores. Hence, 5'GUUUAGAGAACAGAUCUACAA3' siRNA possess great potential to silence the leader sequence of SARS-CoV-2 with least off-target effect. Present study provides great scope for development of gene therapy against the prevailing COVID-19 disease, thus further research in this concern is urgently demanded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anand Kumar Pandey
- Department of Biotechnology Engineering Institute of Engineering and Technology Bundelkhand University Jhansi India
| | - Shalja Verma
- Department of Biotechnology Engineering Institute of Engineering and Technology Bundelkhand University Jhansi India.,Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology Indian Institute of Technology New Delhi India.,NIMR-ICMR New Delhi India
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22
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Maina EK, Adan AA, Mureithi H, Muriuki J, Lwembe RM. A Review of Current Strategies Towards the Elimination of Latent HIV-1 and Subsequent HIV-1 Cure. Curr HIV Res 2021; 19:14-26. [PMID: 32819259 PMCID: PMC8573729 DOI: 10.2174/1570162x18999200819172009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Background During the past 35 years, highly effective ART has saved the lives of millions of people worldwide by suppressing viruses to undetectable levels. However, this does not translate to the absence of viruses in the body as HIV persists in latent reservoirs. Indeed, rebounded HIV has been recently observed in the Mississippi and California infants previously thought to have been cured. Hence, much remains to be learned about HIV latency, and the search for the best strategy to eliminate the reservoir is the direction current research is taking. A systems-level approach that fully recapitulates the dynamics and complexity of HIV-1 latency In vivo and is applicable in human therapy is prudent for HIV eradication to be more feasible. Objectives The main barriers preventing the cure of HIV with antiretroviral therapy have been identified, progress has been made in the understanding of the therapeutic targets to which potentially eradicating drugs could be directed, integrative strategies have been proposed, and clinical trials with various alternatives are underway. The aim of this review is to provide an update on the main advances in HIV eradication, with particular emphasis on the obstacles and the different strategies proposed. The core challenges of each strategy are highlighted and the most promising strategy and new research avenues in HIV eradication strategies are proposed. Methods A systematic literature search of all English-language articles published between 2015 and 2019, was conducted using MEDLINE (PubMed) and Google scholar. Where available, medical subject headings (MeSH) were used as search terms and included: HIV, HIV latency, HIV reservoir, latency reactivation, and HIV cure. Additional search terms consisted of suppression, persistence, establishment, generation, and formation. A total of 250 articles were found using the above search terms. Out of these, 89 relevant articles related to HIV-1 latency establishment and eradication strategies were collected and reviewed, with no limitation of study design. Additional studies (commonly referenced and/or older and more recent articles of significance) were selected from bibliographies and references listed in the primary resources. Results In general, when exploring the literature, there are four main strategies heavily researched that provide promising strategies to the elimination of latent HIV: Haematopoietic Stem-Cell Transplantation, Shock and Kill Strategy, Gene-specific transcriptional activation using RNA-guided CRISPR-Cas9 system, and Block and Lock strategy. Most of the studies of these strategies are applicable in vitro, leaving many questions about the extent to which, or if any, these strategies are applicable to complex picture In vivo. However, the success of these strategies at least shows, in part, that HIV-1 can be cured, though some strategies are too invasive and expensive to become a standard of care for all HIV-infected patients. Conclusion Recent advances hold promise for the ultimate cure of HIV infection. A systems-level approach that fully recapitulates the dynamics and complexity of HIV-1 latency In vivo and applicable in human therapy is prudent for HIV eradication to be more feasible. Future studies aimed at achieving a prolonged HIV remission state are more likely to be successful if they focus on a combination strategy, including the block and kill, and stem cell approaches. These strategies propose a functional cure with minimal toxicity for patients. It is believed that the cure of HIV infection will be attained in the short term if a strategy based on purging the reservoirs is complemented with an aggressive HAART strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward K Maina
- Centre for Microbiology Research-Kenya medical Research Institute, P.O Box 54840-00200, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Asma A Adan
- Centre for Microbiology Research-Kenya medical Research Institute, P.O Box 54840-00200, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Haddison Mureithi
- Centre for Microbiology Research-Kenya medical Research Institute, P.O Box 54840-00200, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Joseph Muriuki
- Centre for Virology Research-Kenya medical Research Institute, P.O Box 54840-00200, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Raphael M Lwembe
- Centre for Virology Research-Kenya medical Research Institute, P.O Box 54840-00200, Nairobi, Kenya
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23
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Macchione MA, Aristizabal Bedoya D, Figueroa FN, Muñoz-Fernández MÁ, Strumia MC. Nanosystems Applied to HIV Infection: Prevention and Treatments. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E8647. [PMID: 33212766 PMCID: PMC7697905 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) are a global health concern worldwide as they cause acute diseases, infertility, and significant mortality. Among the bacterial, viral, and parasitic pathogens that can be sexually transmitted, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has caused one of the most important pandemic diseases, which is acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). 32.7 million people have died from AIDS-related illnesses since the start of the epidemic. Moreover, in 2019, 38 million people were living with HIV worldwide. The need to deal with this viral infection becomes more obvious, because it represents not only a problem for public health, but also a substantial economic problem. In this context, it is necessary to focus efforts on developing methods for prevention, detection and treatment of HIV infections that significantly reduce the number of newly infected people and provide a better quality of life for patients. For several decades, biomedical research has been developed allowing quick solutions through the contribution of effective tools. One of them is the use of polymers as vehicles, drug carrier agents, or as macromolecular prodrugs. Moreover, nanosystems (NSs) play an especially important role in the diagnosis, prevention, and therapy against HIV infection. The purpose of this work is to review recent research into diverse NSs as potential candidates for prevention and treatment of HIV infection. Firstly, this review highlights the advantages of using nanosized structures for these medical applications. Furthermore, we provide an overview of different types of NSs used for preventing or combating HIV infection. Then, we briefly evaluate the most recent developments associated with prevention and treatment alternatives. Additionally, the implications of using different NSs are also addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micaela A. Macchione
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Av. Haya de la Torre y Av. Medina Allende, Córdoba X5000HUA, Argentina; (M.A.M.); (D.A.B.); (F.N.F.)
- Instituto Académico Pedagógico de Ciencias Humanas, Universidad Nacional de Villa María, Arturo Jauretche 1555, Villa María, Córdoba X5220XAO, Argentina
- Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos y Química Aplicada (IPQA), CONICET, Av. Velez Sárfield 1611, Córdoba X5000HUA, Argentina
| | - Dariana Aristizabal Bedoya
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Av. Haya de la Torre y Av. Medina Allende, Córdoba X5000HUA, Argentina; (M.A.M.); (D.A.B.); (F.N.F.)
- Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos y Química Aplicada (IPQA), CONICET, Av. Velez Sárfield 1611, Córdoba X5000HUA, Argentina
| | - Francisco N. Figueroa
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Av. Haya de la Torre y Av. Medina Allende, Córdoba X5000HUA, Argentina; (M.A.M.); (D.A.B.); (F.N.F.)
- Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos y Química Aplicada (IPQA), CONICET, Av. Velez Sárfield 1611, Córdoba X5000HUA, Argentina
| | - María Ángeles Muñoz-Fernández
- Immunology Section, Laboratorio InmunoBiología Molecular, Instituto Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón (HGUGM), Spanish HIV HGM BioBank, C/Dr. Esquerdo 46, 28007 Madrid, Spain;
- Plataforma de Laboratorio, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain
- Networking Research Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), 28007 Madrid, Spain
| | - Miriam C. Strumia
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Av. Haya de la Torre y Av. Medina Allende, Córdoba X5000HUA, Argentina; (M.A.M.); (D.A.B.); (F.N.F.)
- Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos y Química Aplicada (IPQA), CONICET, Av. Velez Sárfield 1611, Córdoba X5000HUA, Argentina
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Ernst MPT, Broeders M, Herrero-Hernandez P, Oussoren E, van der Ploeg AT, Pijnappel WWMP. Ready for Repair? Gene Editing Enters the Clinic for the Treatment of Human Disease. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2020; 18:532-557. [PMID: 32775490 PMCID: PMC7393410 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2020.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
We present an overview of clinical trials involving gene editing using clustered interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), or zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs) and discuss the underlying mechanisms. In cancer immunotherapy, gene editing is applied ex vivo in T cells, transgenic T cell receptor (tTCR)-T cells, or chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells to improve adoptive cell therapy for multiple cancer types. This involves knockouts of immune checkpoint regulators such as PD-1, components of the endogenous TCR and histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA) complex to generate universal allogeneic CAR-T cells, and CD7 to prevent self-destruction in adoptive cell therapy. In cervix carcinoma caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), E6 and E7 genes are disrupted using topically applied gene editing machinery. In HIV infection, the CCR5 co-receptor is disrupted ex vivo to generate HIV-resistant T cells, CAR-T cells, or hematopoietic stem cells. In β-thalassemia and sickle cell disease, hematopoietic stem cells are engineered ex vivo to induce the production of fetal hemoglobin. AAV-mediated in vivo gene editing is applied to exploit the liver for systemic production of therapeutic proteins in hemophilia and mucopolysaccharidoses, and in the eye to restore splicing of the CEP920 gene in Leber's congenital amaurosis. Close consideration of safety aspects and education of stakeholders will be essential for a successful implementation of gene editing technology in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martijn P T Ernst
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Mike Broeders
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Pablo Herrero-Hernandez
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Esmee Oussoren
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ans T van der Ploeg
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - W W M Pim Pijnappel
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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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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Mucus-penetrating PEGylated polysuccinimide-based nanocarrier for intravaginal delivery of siRNA battling sexually transmitted infections. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2020; 196:111287. [PMID: 32768985 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2020.111287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Intravaginal delivery of siRNA for prevention of sexually transmitted infections faces obstacles such as the acidic environment and vaginal mucus barrier. To achieve effective protection and delivery of siRNA, we developed a polysuccinimide (PSI)-based nanocarrier (PSI-PEG-API-PMA, PPAP) by conjugating methoxy polyethylene glycol amine (Me-PEG-NH2, Mw 5000), 1-(3-aminopropyl)imidazole (API), and 1-pyrenemethylamine hydrochloride (PMA) to PSI. PPAP demonstrated a spherical self-assembled nanostructure before and after encapsulation of a model siRNA. Variable electrostatic interaction between API and siRNA at acidic vs. neutral pH accomplished significantly lower burst release at pH 4.2 (4 ± 1%) than pH 7.0 (26 ± 5%) within 1 h. PEGylation enabled siRNA-PPAP to achieve higher mucus penetration efficiency (64 ± 17%) than free siRNA (27 ± 5%) for 24 h. Moreover, in vitro study showed minimal toxicity, successful internalization of siRNA-PPAP in HeLa cells and improved gene knockdown (97.5 ± 0.4%). Overall, PPAP is promising for developing preventative treatments for battling sexually transmitted infections.
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27
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Cunha-Santos C, Perdigao PRL, Martin F, Oliveira JG, Cardoso M, Manuel A, Taveira N, Goncalves J. Inhibition of HIV replication through siRNA carried by CXCR4-targeted chimeric nanobody. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 77:2859-2870. [PMID: 31641784 PMCID: PMC11104913 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-019-03334-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Small interfering RNA (siRNA) application in therapy still faces a major challenge with the lack of an efficient and specific delivery system. Current vehicles are often responsible for poor efficacy, safety concerns, and burden costs of siRNA-based therapeutics. Here, we describe a novel strategy for targeted delivery of siRNA molecules to inhibit human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Specific membrane translocation of siRNA inhibitor was addressed by an engineered nanobody targeting the HIV co-receptor CXCR4 (NbCXCR4) in fusion with a single-chain variable fragment (4M5.3) that carried the FITC-conjugated siRNA. 4M5.3-NbCXCR4 conjugate (4M5.3X4) efficiently targeted CXCR4+ T lymphocytes, specifically translocating siRNA by receptor-mediated endocytosis. Targeted delivery of siRNA directed to the mRNA of HIV transactivator tat silenced Tat-driven viral transcription and inhibited the replication of distinct virus clades. In summary, we have shown that the engineered nanobody chimera developed in this study constitutes an efficient and specific delivery method of siRNAs through CXCR4 receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catarina Cunha-Santos
- Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology Department, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Pedro Ricardo Lucas Perdigao
- Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology Department, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Francisco Martin
- HIV Evolution, Epidemiology and Prevention Department, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Joana Gomes Oliveira
- Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology Department, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Miguel Cardoso
- Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology Department, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ana Manuel
- Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology Department, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Nuno Taveira
- HIV Evolution, Epidemiology and Prevention Department, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar Egas Moniz (CiiEM), Instituto Universitário Egas Moniz, Monte de Caparica, Portugal
| | - Joao Goncalves
- Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology Department, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisbon, Portugal.
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Yin L, Zhao F, Sun H, Wang Z, Huang Y, Zhu W, Xu F, Mei S, Liu X, Zhang D, Wei L, Cen S, Hu S, Liang C, Guo F. CRISPR-Cas13a Inhibits HIV-1 Infection. MOLECULAR THERAPY-NUCLEIC ACIDS 2020; 21:147-155. [PMID: 32585623 PMCID: PMC7321785 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2020.05.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas provides bacteria and archaea with immunity against invading phages and foreign plasmid DNA and has been successfully adapted for gene editing in a variety of species. The class 2 type VI CRISPR-Cas effector Cas13a targets and cleaves RNA, providing protection against RNA phages. Here we report the repurposing of CRISPR-Cas13a to inhibit human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection through targeting HIV-1 RNA and diminishing viral gene expression. We observed strong inhibition of HIV-1 infection by CRISPR-Cas13a in human cells. We showed that CRISPR-Cas13a not only diminishes the level of newly synthesized viral RNA, either from the transfected plasmid DNA or from the viral DNA, which is integrated into cellular DNA, but it also targets and destroys the viral RNA that enters cells within viral capsid, leading to strong inhibition of HIV-1 infection. Together, our results suggest that CRISPR-Cas13a provides a potential novel tool to treat viral diseases in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Yin
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, P.R. China
| | - Fei Zhao
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, P.R. China
| | - Hong Sun
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, P.R. China
| | - Zhen Wang
- McGill University AIDS Centre, Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada
| | - Yu Huang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, P.R. China
| | - Weijun Zhu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, P.R. China
| | - Fengwen Xu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, P.R. China
| | - Shan Mei
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoman Liu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, P.R. China
| | - Di Zhang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, P.R. China
| | - Liang Wei
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, P.R. China
| | - Shan Cen
- Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, P.R. China
| | - Siqi Hu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, P.R. China.
| | - Chen Liang
- McGill University AIDS Centre, Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada.
| | - Fei Guo
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology, and Center for AIDS Research, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, P.R. China.
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29
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Schwarzer R, Gramatica A, Greene WC. Reduce and Control: A Combinatorial Strategy for Achieving Sustained HIV Remissions in the Absence of Antiretroviral Therapy. Viruses 2020; 12:v12020188. [PMID: 32046251 PMCID: PMC7077203 DOI: 10.3390/v12020188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) indefinitely persists, despite effective antiretroviral therapy (ART), within a small pool of latently infected cells. These cells often display markers of immunologic memory and harbor both replication-competent and -incompetent proviruses at approximately a 1:100 ratio. Although complete HIV eradication is a highly desirable goal, this likely represents a bridge too far for our current and foreseeable technologies. A more tractable goal involves engineering a sustained viral remission in the absence of ART––a “functional cure.” In this setting, HIV remains detectable during remission, but the size of the reservoir is small and the residual virus is effectively controlled by an engineered immune response or other intervention. Biological precedence for such an approach is found in the post-treatment controllers (PTCs), a rare group of HIV-infected individuals who, following ART withdrawal, do not experience viral rebound. PTCs are characterized by a small reservoir, greatly reduced inflammation, and the presence of a poorly understood immune response that limits viral rebound. Our goal is to devise a safe and effective means for replicating durable post-treatment control on a global scale. This requires devising methods to reduce the size of the reservoir and to control replication of this residual virus. In the following sections, we will review many of the approaches and tools that likely will be important for implementing such a “reduce and control” strategy and for achieving a PTC-like sustained HIV remission in the absence of ART.
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30
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Li Z, Zou Z, Jiang Z, Huang X, Liu Q. Biological Function and Application of Picornaviral 2B Protein: A New Target for Antiviral Drug Development. Viruses 2019; 11:v11060510. [PMID: 31167361 PMCID: PMC6630369 DOI: 10.3390/v11060510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Picornaviruses are associated with acute and chronic diseases. The clinical manifestations of infections are often mild, but infections may also lead to respiratory symptoms, gastroenteritis, myocarditis, meningitis, hepatitis, and poliomyelitis, with serious impacts on human health and economic losses in animal husbandry. Thus far, research on picornaviruses has mainly focused on structural proteins such as VP1, whereas the non-structural protein 2B, which plays vital roles in the life cycle of the viruses and exhibits a viroporin or viroporin-like activity, has been overlooked. Viroporins are viral proteins containing at least one amphipathic α-helical structure, which oligomerizes to form transmembrane hydrophilic pores. In this review, we mainly summarize recent research data on the viroporin or viroporin-like activity of 2B proteins, which affects the biological function of the membrane, regulates cell death, and affects the host immune response. Considering these mechanisms, the potential application of the 2B protein as a candidate target for antiviral drug development is discussed, along with research challenges and prospects toward realizing a novel treatment strategy for picornavirus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zengbin Li
- School of Public Health, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China.
| | - Zixiao Zou
- Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China.
| | - Zeju Jiang
- Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China.
| | - Xiaotian Huang
- Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China.
| | - Qiong Liu
- Department of Medical Microbiology, School of Medicine, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China.
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31
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Kamalzare S, Noormohammadi Z, Rahimi P, Atyabi F, Irani S, Tekie FSM, Mottaghitalab F. Carboxymethyl dextran‐trimethyl chitosan coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles: An effective siRNA delivery system for HIV‐1 Nef. J Cell Physiol 2019; 234:20554-20565. [DOI: 10.1002/jcp.28655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Revised: 03/16/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Kamalzare
- Department of Biology, School of Basic Sciences Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University (IAU) Tehran Iran
| | - Zahra Noormohammadi
- Department of Biology, School of Basic Sciences Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University (IAU) Tehran Iran
| | - Pooneh Rahimi
- Department of Hepatitis and AIDS Pasteur Institute of Iran Tehran Iran
| | - Fatemeh Atyabi
- Department of Pharmaceutics Tehran University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran
- Nanotechnology Research Centre Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran
| | - Shiva Irani
- Department of Biology, School of Basic Sciences Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University (IAU) Tehran Iran
| | | | - Fatemeh Mottaghitalab
- Nanotechnology Research Centre Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences Tehran Iran
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32
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Small RNAs to treat human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection by gene therapy. Curr Opin Virol 2019; 38:10-20. [PMID: 31112858 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2019.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Revised: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Current drug therapies for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV) infection are effective in preventing progression to acquired immune deficiency syndrome but do not eliminate the infection and are associated with unwanted side effects. A potential alternative is to modify the genome of patient cells via gene therapy to confer HIV resistance to these cells. Small RNAs are the largest and most diverse group of anti-HIV genes that have been developed for engineering HIV resistant cells. In this review, we summarize progress on the three major classes of anti-HIV RNAs including short hairpin RNAs that use the RNA interference pathway, RNA decoys and aptamers that bind specifically to a protein or RNA as well as ribozymes that mediate cleavage of specific targets. We also review methods used for the delivery of these genes into the genome of patient cells and provide some perspectives on the future of small RNAs in HIV therapy.
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33
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Ramishetti S, Peer D. Engineering lymphocytes with RNAi. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2019; 141:55-66. [PMID: 30529305 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2018.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Revised: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Lymphocytes are the gatekeepers of the body's immune system and are involved in pathogenesis if their surveillance is stalled by inhibitory molecules or when they act as mediators for viral entry. Engineering lymphocytes in order to restore their functions is an unmet need in immunological disorders, cancer and in lymphotropic viral infections. Recently, the FDA approved several therapeutic antibodies for blocking inhibitory signals on T cells. This has revolutionized the field of solid tumor care, together with chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy that did the same for hematological malignancies. RNA interference (RNAi) is a promising approach where gene function can be inhibited in almost all types of cells. However, manipulation of genes in lymphocyte subsets are difficult due to their hard-to-transfect nature and in vivo targeting remains challenging as they are dispersed throughout the body. The ability of RNAi molecules to gain entry into cells is almost impossible without delivery strategy. Nanotechnology approaches are rapidly growing and their impact in the field of drug and gene delivery applications to transport payloads inside cells have been extensively studied. Here we discuss various technologies available for RNAi delivery to lymphocytes. We shed light on the importance of targeting molecules in order to target lymphocytes in vivo. In addition, we discuss recent developments of RNAi delivery to lymphocyte subsets, and detail the potential implication for the future of molecular medicine in leukocytes implicated diseases.
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34
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Patters BJ, Kumar S. The role of exosomal transport of viral agents in persistent HIV pathogenesis. Retrovirology 2018; 15:79. [PMID: 30577804 PMCID: PMC6303896 DOI: 10.1186/s12977-018-0462-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, despite great advances in antiretroviral therapy, remains a lifelong affliction. Though current treatment regimens can effectively suppress viral load to undetectable levels and preserve healthy immune function, they cannot fully alleviate all symptoms caused by the presence of the virus, such as HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders. Exosomes are small vesicles that transport cellular proteins, RNA, and small molecules between cells as a mechanism of intercellular communication. Recent research has shown that HIV proteins and RNA can be packaged into exosomes and transported between cells, to pathogenic effect. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the diverse mechanisms involved in the sorting of viral elements into exosomes and the damage those exosomal agents can inflict. In addition, potential therapeutic options to counteract exosome-mediated HIV pathogenesis are reviewed and considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J Patters
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Santosh Kumar
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA.
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35
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Levanova A, Poranen MM. RNA Interference as a Prospective Tool for the Control of Human Viral Infections. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2151. [PMID: 30254624 PMCID: PMC6141738 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi), which is mediated by small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) derived from viral genome or its replicative intermediates, is a natural antiviral defense in plants, fungi, and invertebrates. Whether RNAi naturally protects humans from viral invasion is still a matter of debate. Nevertheless, exogenous siRNAs are able to halt viral infection in mammals. The current review critically evaluates the production of antiviral siRNAs, delivery techniques to the infection sites, as well as provides an overview of antiviral siRNAs in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alesia Levanova
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Minna M Poranen
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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36
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To accelerate the Zika beat: Candidate design for RNA interference-based therapy. Virus Res 2018; 255:133-140. [DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2018.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Revised: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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37
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Kretova OV, Gorbacheva MA, Fedoseeva DM, Kravatsky YV, Chechetkin VR, Tchurikov NA. Mutation Frequencies in HIV-1 Genome in Regions Containing Efficient RNAi Targets As Calculated from Ultra-Deep Sequencing Data. Mol Biol 2018. [DOI: 10.1134/s002689331803007x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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38
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Cao S, Woodrow KA. Nanotechnology approaches to eradicating HIV reservoirs. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2018; 138:48-63. [PMID: 29879528 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2018.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Revised: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 06/02/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The advent of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has transformed HIV-1 infection into a controllable chronic disease, but these therapies are incapable of eradicating the virus to bring about an HIV cure. Multiple strategies have been proposed and investigated to eradicate latent viral reservoirs from various biological sanctuaries. However, due to the complexity of HIV infection and latency maintenance, a single drug is unlikely to eliminate all HIV reservoirs and novel strategies may be needed to achieve better efficacy while limiting systemic toxicity. In this review, we describe HIV latency in cellular and anatomical reservoirs, and present an overview of current strategies for HIV cure with a focus on their challenges for clinical translation. Then we provide a summary of nanotechnology solutions that have been used to address challenges in HIV cure by delivering physicochemically diverse agents for combination therapy or targeting HIV reservoir sites. We also review nanocarrier-based gene delivery and immunotherapy used in cancer treatment but may have potential applications in HIV cure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shijie Cao
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Kim A Woodrow
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA.
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39
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Qureshi A, Tantray VG, Kirmani AR, Ahangar AG. A review on current status of antiviral siRNA. Rev Med Virol 2018; 28:e1976. [PMID: 29656441 PMCID: PMC7169094 DOI: 10.1002/rmv.1976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2017] [Revised: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Viral diseases like influenza, AIDS, hepatitis, and Ebola cause severe epidemics worldwide. Along with their resistant strains, new pathogenic viruses continue to be discovered so creating an ongoing need for new antiviral treatments. RNA interference is a cellular gene‐silencing phenomenon in which sequence‐specific degradation of target mRNA is achieved by means of complementary short interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules. Short interfering RNA technology affords a potential tractable strategy to combat viral pathogenesis because siRNAs are specific, easy to design, and can be directed against multiple strains of a virus by targeting their conserved gene regions. In this review, we briefly summarize the current status of siRNA therapy for representative examples from different virus families. In addition, other aspects like their design, delivery, medical significance, bioinformatics resources, and limitations are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abid Qureshi
- Biomedical Informatics Center, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Srinagar, India
| | - Vaqar Gani Tantray
- Biomedical Informatics Center, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Srinagar, India
| | - Altaf Rehman Kirmani
- Biomedical Informatics Center, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Srinagar, India
| | - Abdul Ghani Ahangar
- Biomedical Informatics Center, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Srinagar, India
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40
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Yu L, Tian X, Gao C, Wu P, Wang L, Feng B, Li X, Wang H, Ma D, Hu Z. Genome editing for the treatment of tumorigenic viral infections and virus-related carcinomas. Front Med 2018; 12:497-508. [PMID: 29651774 PMCID: PMC7088620 DOI: 10.1007/s11684-017-0572-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 06/22/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Viral infections cause at least 10%-15% of all human carcinomas. Over the last century, the elucidation of viral oncogenic roles in many cancer types has provided fundamental knowledge on carcinogenetic mechanisms and established a basis for the early intervention of virus-related cancers. Meanwhile, rapidly evolving genome-editing techniques targeting viral DNA/RNA have emerged as novel therapeutic strategies for treating virus-related carcinogenesis and have begun showing promising results. This review discusses the recent advances of genome-editing tools for treating tumorigenic viruses and their corresponding cancers, the challenges that must be overcome before clinically applying such genome-editing technologies, and more importantly, the potential solutions to these challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan Yu
- Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.,Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Xun Tian
- Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Chun Gao
- Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Ping Wu
- Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Liming Wang
- Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Bei Feng
- Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Xiaomin Li
- Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Ding Ma
- Cancer Biology Research Center (Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education), Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China. .,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Zheng Hu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China. .,Department of Gynecological Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
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41
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Ataie Kachoie E, Behjatnia SAA, Kharazmi S. Expression of Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) coat protein genes in plants using cotton leaf curl Multan betasatellite-based vector. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0190403. [PMID: 29304063 PMCID: PMC5755781 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0190403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2017] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
It has already been demonstrated that a betasatellite associated with cotton leaf curl Multan virus (CLCuMB) can be used as a plant and animal gene delivery vector to plants. To examine the ability of CLCuMB as a tool to transfer coat protein genes of HIV-1 to plants, two recombinant CLCuMB constructs in which the CLCuMB βC1 ORF was replaced with two HIV-1 genes fractions including a 696 bp DNA fragment related to the HIV-1 p24 gene and a 1501 bp DNA fragment related to the HIV-1 gag gene were constructed. Gag is the HIV-1 coat protein gene and p24 is a component of the particle capsid. Gag and p24 are used for vaccine production. Recombinant constructs were inoculated to Nicotiana glutinosa and N. benthamiana plants in the presence of an Iranian isolate of Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV-[Ab]) as a helper virus. PCR analysis of inoculated plants indicated that p24 gene was successfully replicated in inoculated plants, but the gag gene was not. Real-time PCR and ELISA analysis of N. glutinosa and N. benthamiana plants containing the replicative forms of recombinant construct of CLCuMB/p24 indicated that p24 was expressed in these plants. This CLCuMB-based expression system offers the possibility of mass production of recombinant HIV-1 p24 protein in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sara Kharazmi
- Institute of Biotechnology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
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42
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Scarborough RJ, Gatignol A. RNA Interference Therapies for an HIV-1 Functional Cure. Viruses 2017; 10:E8. [PMID: 29280961 PMCID: PMC5795421 DOI: 10.3390/v10010008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Revised: 12/20/2017] [Accepted: 12/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
HIV-1 drug therapies can prevent disease progression but cannot eliminate HIV-1 viruses from an infected individual. While there is hope that elimination of HIV-1 can be achieved, several approaches to reach a functional cure (control of HIV-1 replication in the absence of drug therapy) are also under investigation. One of these approaches is the transplant of HIV-1 resistant cells expressing anti-HIV-1 RNAs, proteins or peptides. Small RNAs that use RNA interference pathways to target HIV-1 replication have emerged as competitive candidates for cell transplant therapy and have been included in all gene combinations that have so far entered clinical trials. Here, we review RNA interference pathways in mammalian cells and the design of therapeutic small RNAs that use these pathways to target pathogenic RNA sequences. Studies that have been performed to identify anti-HIV-1 RNA interference therapeutics are also reviewed and perspectives on their use in combination gene therapy to functionally cure HIV-1 infection are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Scarborough
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A0G4, Canada.
| | - Anne Gatignol
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A0G4, Canada.
- Department of Medicine, Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A0G4, Canada.
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Wooley DP, Sharma P, Weinstein JR, Kotha Lakshmi Narayan P, Schaffer DV, Excoffon KJDA. A directed evolution approach to select for novel Adeno-associated virus capsids on an HIV-1 producer T cell line. J Virol Methods 2017; 250:47-54. [PMID: 28918073 PMCID: PMC6112236 DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2017.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2017] [Revised: 09/09/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
A directed evolution approach was used to select for Adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsids that would exhibit more tropism toward an HIV-1 producer T cell line with the long-term goal of developing improved gene transfer vectors. A library of AAV variants was used to infect H9 T cells previously infected or uninfected by HIV-1 followed by AAV amplification with wild-type adenovirus. Six rounds of biological selection were performed, including negative selection and diversification after round three. The H9 T cells were successfully infected with all three wild-type viruses (AAV, adenovirus, and HIV-1). Four AAV cap mutants best representing the small number of variants emerging after six rounds of selection were chosen for further study. These mutant capsids were used to package an AAV vector and subsequently used to infect H9 cells that were previously infected or uninfected by HIV-1. A quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay was performed to measure cell-associated AAV genomes. Two of the four cap mutants showed a significant increase in the amount of cell-associated genomes as compared to wild-type AAV2. This study shows that directed evolution can be performed successfully to select for mutants with improved tropism for a T cell line in the presence of HIV-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawn P Wooley
- Neuroscience, Cell Biology, and Physiology, Wright State University, 3640 Colonel Glenn Highway, Dayton, OH, 45435, USA.
| | - Priyanka Sharma
- Biological Sciences, Wright State University, Dayton, OH, 45435, USA.
| | - John R Weinstein
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
| | | | - David V Schaffer
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
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Kwarteng A, Ahuno ST, Kwakye-Nuako G. The therapeutic landscape of HIV-1 via genome editing. AIDS Res Ther 2017; 14:32. [PMID: 28705213 PMCID: PMC5513397 DOI: 10.1186/s12981-017-0157-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2017] [Accepted: 05/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Current treatment for HIV-1 largely relies on chemotherapy through the administration of antiretroviral drugs. While the search for anti-HIV-1 vaccine remain elusive, the use of highly active antiretroviral therapies (HAART) have been far-reaching and has changed HIV-1 into a manageable chronic infection. There is compelling evidence, including several side-effects of ARTs, suggesting that eradication of HIV-1 cannot depend solely on antiretrovirals. Gene therapy, an expanding treatment strategy, using RNA interference (RNAi) and programmable nucleases such as meganuclease, zinc finger nuclease (ZFN), transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN), and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated proteins (CRISPR-Cas9) are transforming the therapeutic landscape of HIV-1. TALENS and ZFNS are structurally similar modular systems, which consist of a FokI endonuclease fused to custom-designed effector proteins but have been largely limited, particularly ZFNs, due to their complexity and cost of protein engineering. However, the newly developed CRISPR-Cas9 system, consists of a single guide RNA (sgRNA), which directs a Cas9 endonuclease to complementary target sites, and serves as a superior alternative to the previous protein-based systems. The techniques have been successfully applied to the development of better HIV-1 models, generation of protective mutations in endogenous/host cells, disruption of HIV-1 genomes and even reactivating latent viruses for better detection and clearance by host immune response. Here, we focus on gene editing-based HIV-1 treatment and research in addition to providing perspectives for refining these techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Kwarteng
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), PMB, Kumasi, Ghana
- Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Samuel Terkper Ahuno
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), PMB, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Godwin Kwakye-Nuako
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, College of Health and Allied Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
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Six Highly Conserved Targets of RNAi Revealed in HIV-1-Infected Patients from Russia Are Also Present in Many HIV-1 Strains Worldwide. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2017; 8:330-344. [PMID: 28918033 PMCID: PMC5537207 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2017.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Revised: 07/10/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
RNAi has been suggested for use in gene therapy of HIV/AIDS, but the main problem is that HIV-1 is highly variable and could escape attack from the small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) due to even single nucleotide substitutions in the potential targets. To exhaustively check the variability in selected RNA targets of HIV-1, we used ultra-deep sequencing of six regions of HIV-1 from the plasma of two independent cohorts of patients from Russia. Six RNAi targets were found that are invariable in 82%-97% of viruses in both cohorts and are located inside the domains specifying reverse transcriptase (RT), integrase, vpu, gp120, and p17. The analysis of mutation frequencies and their characteristics inside the targets suggests a likely role for APOBEC3G (apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide-like 3G, A3G) in G-to-A mutations and a predominant effect of RT biases in the detected variability of the virus. The lowest frequency of mutations was detected in the central part of all six targets. We also discovered that the identical RNAi targets are present in many HIV-1 strains from many countries and from all continents. The data are important for both the understanding of the patterns of HIV-1 mutability and properties of RT and for the development of gene therapy approaches using RNAi for the treatment of HIV/AIDS.
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Ojha CR, Lapierre J, Rodriguez M, Dever SM, Zadeh MA, DeMarino C, Pleet ML, Kashanchi F, El-Hage N. Interplay between Autophagy, Exosomes and HIV-1 Associated Neurological Disorders: New Insights for Diagnosis and Therapeutic Applications. Viruses 2017; 9:v9070176. [PMID: 28684681 PMCID: PMC5537668 DOI: 10.3390/v9070176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2017] [Revised: 06/16/2017] [Accepted: 06/28/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The autophagy–lysosomal pathway mediates a degradative process critical in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis as well as the preservation of proper organelle function by selective removal of damaged proteins and organelles. In some situations, cells remove unwanted or damaged proteins and RNAs through the release to the extracellular environment of exosomes. Since exosomes can be transferred from one cell to another, secretion of unwanted material to the extracellular environment in exosomes may have an impact, which can be beneficial or detrimental, in neighboring cells. Exosome secretion is under the influence of the autophagic system, and stimulation of autophagy can inhibit exosomal release and vice versa. Neurons are particularly vulnerable to degeneration, especially as the brain ages, and studies indicate that imbalances in genes regulating autophagy are a common feature of many neurodegenerative diseases. Cognitive and motor disease associated with severe dementia and neuronal damage is well-documented in the brains of HIV-infected individuals. Neurodegeneration seen in the brain in HIV-1 infection is associated with dysregulation of neuronal autophagy. In this paradigm, we herein provide an overview on the role of autophagy in HIV-associated neurodegenerative disease, focusing particularly on the effect of autophagy modulation on exosomal release of HIV particles and how this interplay impacts HIV infection in the brain. Specific autophagy–regulating agents are being considered for therapeutic treatment and prevention of a broad range of human diseases. Various therapeutic strategies for modulating specific stages of autophagy and the current state of drug development for this purpose are also evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chet Raj Ojha
- Department of Immunology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
| | - Jessica Lapierre
- Department of Immunology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
| | - Myosotys Rodriguez
- Department of Immunology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
| | - Seth M Dever
- Department of Immunology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
| | - Mohammad Asad Zadeh
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Manassas, VA 20110, USA.
| | - Catherine DeMarino
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Manassas, VA 20110, USA.
| | - Michelle L Pleet
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Manassas, VA 20110, USA.
| | - Fatah Kashanchi
- Laboratory of Molecular Virology, School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Manassas, VA 20110, USA.
| | - Nazira El-Hage
- Department of Immunology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
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Acharya R, Saha S, Ray S, Hazra S, Mitra MK, Chakraborty J. siRNA-nanoparticle conjugate in gene silencing: A future cure to deadly diseases? MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING. C, MATERIALS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS 2017; 76:1378-1400. [DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2017.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2016] [Revised: 01/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/01/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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Kuehnl A, Musiol A, Raabe CA, Rescher U. Emerging functions as host cell factors - an encyclopedia of annexin-pathogen interactions. Biol Chem 2017; 397:949-59. [PMID: 27366904 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2016-0183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2016] [Accepted: 06/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases and drug-resistant infectious agents call for the development of innovative antimicrobial strategies. With pathogenicity now considered to arise from the complex and bi-directional interplay between a microbe and the host, host cell factor targeting has emerged as a promising approach that might overcome the limitations of classical antimicrobial drug development and could open up novel and efficient therapeutic strategies. Interaction with and modulation of host cell membranes is a recurrent theme in the host-microbe relationship. In this review, we provide an overview of what is currently known about the role of the Ca2+ dependent, membrane-binding annexin protein family in pathogen-host interactions, and discuss their emerging functions as host cell derived auxiliary proteins in microbe-host interactions and host cell targets.
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Huleihel L, Scarritt ME, Badylak SF. The Influence of Extracellular RNA on Cell Behavior in Health, Disease and Regeneration. CURRENT PATHOBIOLOGY REPORTS 2017; 5:13-22. [PMID: 28944104 PMCID: PMC5604481 DOI: 10.1007/s40139-017-0121-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW An overview of the role of extracellular RNAs (exRNA) in the regulation of homeostasis, disease progression, and regeneration is provided herein. Several exRNAs have been identified as potential biomarkers for disease and disease progression. In addition, the potential of exRNAs as a therapeutic modality is discussed. RECENT FINDINGS Fibrotic diseases of the lung, liver, and heart, among other organs share a number of identical exRNAs which play key roles in disease pathogenesis. Though regeneration is limited to only a few tissues in humans, small RNAs (e.g. microRNA) have been shown to be involved in the regenerative process of tissues such as liver and bone. The regulation of healing versus disease appears to be balanced by small RNAs. Because small RNAs are critical to health, they are being investigated as drug targets in multiple ongoing clinical trials. Preclinical studies suggest that promoting or blocking specific small RNAs can provide a novel therapeutic approach. SUMMARY exRNA can be utilized for both detection and treatment of disease. Natural and synthetic RNA carriers are being investigated as delivery methods for small RNA molecules. Current and future investigations are likely to lead to expanded applications for exRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luai Huleihel
- McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
| | - Michelle E. Scarritt
- McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
| | - Stephen F. Badylak
- McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
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Chin WX, Ang SK, Chu JJH. Recent advances in therapeutic recruitment of mammalian RNAi and bacterial CRISPR-Cas DNA interference pathways as emerging antiviral strategies. Drug Discov Today 2017; 22:17-30. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2016.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2016] [Revised: 07/20/2016] [Accepted: 08/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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