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Jiang X, Wang N, Liu C, Zhuo Y, Liang L, Gan Y, Yu M. Oral delivery of nucleic acid therapeutics: Challenges, strategies, and opportunities. Drug Discov Today 2023; 28:103507. [PMID: 36690175 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2023.103507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
In recent decades, advances in chemical synthesis and delivery systems have accelerated the development of therapeutic nucleic acids, several of which have been approved by the Us Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Oral nucleic acid delivery is preferred because of its simplicity and patient compliance, but it still presents distinct challenges. The negative charge, hydrophilicity, and large molecular weight of nucleic acids combined with in vivo gastrointestinal (GI) barriers (e.g., acidic pH, enzymes, mucus, and intestinal epithelial cells) severely hinder their delivery efficacy. Recently, various nanoparticles (NPs), ranging from polymeric to lipid-based (L)NPs and extracellular vesicles (EVs), have been extensively explored to address these obstacles. In this review, we describe the physiological barriers in the GI tract and summarize recent advances in NP-based oral nucleic acid therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohe Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research and Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ning Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research and Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research and Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yan Zhuo
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research and Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330000, China
| | - Li Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research and Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yong Gan
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research and Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China; NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Pharmaceutical Excipients, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Miaorong Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research and Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.
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Abstract
Introduction: Prion diseases are a class of rare and fatal neurodegenerative diseases for which no cure is currently available. They are characterized by conformational conversion of cellular prion protein (PrPC) into the disease-associated 'scrapie' isoform (PrPSc). Under an etiological point of view, prion diseases can be divided into acquired, genetic, and idiopathic form, the latter of which are the most frequent.Areas covered: Therapeutic approaches targeting prion diseases are based on the use of chemical and nature-based compounds, targeting either PrPC or PrPSc or other putative player in pathogenic mechanism. Other proposed anti-prion treatments include passive and active immunization strategies, peptides, aptamers, and PrPC-directed RNA interference techniques. The treatment efficacy has been mainly assessed in cell lines or animal models of the disease testing their ability to reduce prion accumulation.Expert opinion: The assessed strategies focussing on the identification of an efficient anti-prion therapy faced various issues, which go from permeation of the blood brain barrier to immunological tolerance of the host. Indeed, the use of combinatory approaches, which could boost a synergistic anti-prion effect and lower the potential side effects of single treatments and may represent an extreme powerful and feasible way to tackle prion disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Zattoni
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore Di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Legname
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore Di Studi Avanzati (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
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3
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Minikel EV, Zhao HT, Le J, O'Moore J, Pitstick R, Graffam S, Carlson GA, Kavanaugh MP, Kriz J, Kim JB, Ma J, Wille H, Aiken J, McKenzie D, Doh-Ura K, Beck M, O'Keefe R, Stathopoulos J, Caron T, Schreiber SL, Carroll JB, Kordasiewicz HB, Cabin DE, Vallabh SM. Prion protein lowering is a disease-modifying therapy across prion disease stages, strains and endpoints. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:10615-10631. [PMID: 32776089 PMCID: PMC7641729 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Lowering of prion protein (PrP) expression in the brain is a genetically validated therapeutic hypothesis in prion disease. We recently showed that antisense oligonucleotide (ASO)-mediated PrP suppression extends survival and delays disease onset in intracerebrally prion-infected mice in both prophylactic and delayed dosing paradigms. Here, we examine the efficacy of this therapeutic approach across diverse paradigms, varying the dose and dosing regimen, prion strain, treatment timepoint, and examining symptomatic, survival, and biomarker readouts. We recapitulate our previous findings with additional PrP-targeting ASOs, and demonstrate therapeutic benefit against four additional prion strains. We demonstrate that <25% PrP suppression is sufficient to extend survival and delay symptoms in a prophylactic paradigm. Rise in both neuroinflammation and neuronal injury markers can be reversed by a single dose of PrP-lowering ASO administered after the detection of pathological change. Chronic ASO-mediated suppression of PrP beginning at any time up to early signs of neuropathology confers benefit similar to constitutive heterozygous PrP knockout. Remarkably, even after emergence of frank symptoms including weight loss, a single treatment prolongs survival by months in a subset of animals. These results support ASO-mediated PrP lowering, and PrP-lowering therapeutics in general, as a promising path forward against prion disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Vallabh Minikel
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Prion Alliance, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Henry and Allison McCance Center for Brain Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Hien T Zhao
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Jason Le
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Jill O'Moore
- McLaughlin Research Institute, Great Falls, MT 59405, USA
| | - Rose Pitstick
- McLaughlin Research Institute, Great Falls, MT 59405, USA
| | | | | | | | - Jasna Kriz
- Cervo Brain Research Center, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1J 2G3, Canada
| | | | - Jiyan Ma
- Center for Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Holger Wille
- University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2M8, Canada
| | - Judd Aiken
- University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2M8, Canada
| | | | - Katsumi Doh-Ura
- Department of Neurochemistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
| | - Matthew Beck
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Rhonda O'Keefe
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | | | - Tyler Caron
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Stuart L Schreiber
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | | | | | | | - Sonia M Vallabh
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Prion Alliance, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
- Henry and Allison McCance Center for Brain Health, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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4
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The Role of Vesicle Trafficking Defects in the Pathogenesis of Prion and Prion-Like Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21197016. [PMID: 32977678 PMCID: PMC7582986 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21197016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases are fatal and transmissible neurodegenerative diseases in which the cellular form of the prion protein ‘PrPc’, misfolds into an infectious and aggregation prone isoform termed PrPSc, which is the primary component of prions. Many neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and polyglutamine diseases, such as Huntington’s disease, are considered prion-like disorders because of the common characteristics in the propagation and spreading of misfolded proteins that they share with the prion diseases. Unlike prion diseases, these are non-infectious outside experimental settings. Many vesicular trafficking impairments, which are observed in prion and prion-like disorders, favor the accumulation of the pathogenic amyloid aggregates. In addition, many of the vesicular trafficking impairments that arise in these diseases, turn out to be further aggravating factors. This review offers an insight into the currently known vesicular trafficking defects in these neurodegenerative diseases and their implications on disease progression. These findings suggest that these impaired trafficking pathways may represent similar therapeutic targets in these classes of neurodegenerative disorders.
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Colini Baldeschi A, Vanni S, Zattoni M, Legname G. Novel regulators of PrP C expression as potential therapeutic targets in prion diseases. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2020; 24:759-776. [PMID: 32631090 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2020.1782384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Prion diseases are rare and fatal neurodegenerative disorders. The key molecular event in these disorders is the misfolding of the physiological form of the cellular prion protein, PrPC, leading to the accumulation of a pathological isoform, PrPSc, with unique features. Both isoforms share the same primary sequence, lacking detectable differences in posttranslational modification, a major hurdle for their biochemical or biophysical independent characterization. The mechanism underlying the conversion of PrPC to PrPSc is not completely understood, so finding an effective therapy to cure prion disorders is extremely challenging. AREAS COVERED This review discusses the strategies for decreasing prion replication and throws a spotlight on the relevance of PrPC in the prion accumulation process. EXPERT OPINION PrPC is the key substrate for prion pathology; hence, the most promising therapeutic approach appears to be the targeting of PrPC to block the production of the infectious isoform. The use of RNA interference and antisense oligonucleotide technologies may offer opportunities for treatment because of their success in clinical trials for other neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Colini Baldeschi
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore Di Studi Avanzati (SISSA) , Trieste, Italy
| | - Silvia Vanni
- Osteoncology and Rare Tumors Center, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per Lo Studio E La Cura Dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS , Meldola, Italy
| | - Marco Zattoni
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore Di Studi Avanzati (SISSA) , Trieste, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Legname
- Laboratory of Prion Biology, Department of Neuroscience, Scuola Internazionale Superiore Di Studi Avanzati (SISSA) , Trieste, Italy
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6
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Development of Artificial Plasma Membranes Derived Nanovesicles Suitable for Drugs Encapsulation. Cells 2020; 9:cells9071626. [PMID: 32640653 PMCID: PMC7408059 DOI: 10.3390/cells9071626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are considered as promising nanoparticle theranostic tools in many pathological contexts. The increasing clinical employment of therapeutic nanoparticles is contributing to the development of a new research area related to the design of artificial EVs. To this aim, different approaches have been described to develop mimetic biologically functional nanovescicles. In this paper, we suggest a simplified procedure to generate plasma membrane-derived nanovesicles with the possibility to efficiently encapsulate different drugs during their spontaneously assembly. After physical and molecular characterization by Tunable Resistive Pulse Sensing (TRPS) technology, transmission electron microscopy, and flow cytometry, as a proof of principle, we have loaded into mimetic EVs the isoquinoline alkaloid Berberine chloride and the chemotherapy compounds Temozolomide or Givinostat. We demonstrated the fully functionality of these nanoparticles in drug encapsulation and cell delivery, showing, in particular, a similar cytotoxic effect of direct cell culture administration of the anticancer drugs. In conclusion, we have documented the possibility to easily generate scalable nanovesicles with specific therapeutic cargo modifications useful in different drug delivery contexts.
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7
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Krance SH, Luke R, Shenouda M, Israwi AR, Colpitts SJ, Darwish L, Strauss M, Watts JC. Cellular models for discovering prion disease therapeutics: Progress and challenges. J Neurochem 2020; 153:150-172. [PMID: 31943194 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.14956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Prions, which cause fatal neurodegenerative disorders such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, are misfolded and infectious protein aggregates. Currently, there are no treatments available to halt or even delay the progression of prion disease in the brain. The infectious nature of prions has resulted in animal paradigms that accurately recapitulate all aspects of prion disease, and these have proven to be instrumental for testing the efficacy of candidate therapeutics. Nonetheless, infection of cultured cells with prions provides a much more powerful system for identifying molecules capable of interfering with prion propagation. Certain lines of cultured cells can be chronically infected with various types of mouse prions, and these models have been used to unearth candidate anti-prion drugs that are at least partially efficacious when administered to prion-infected rodents. However, these studies have also revealed that not all types of prions are equal, and that drugs active against mouse prions are not necessarily effective against prions from other species. Despite some recent progress, the number of cellular models available for studying non-mouse prions remains limited. In particular, human prions have proven to be particularly challenging to propagate in cultured cells, which has severely hindered the discovery of drugs for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. In this review, we summarize the cellular models that are presently available for discovering and testing drugs capable of blocking the propagation of prions and highlight challenges that remain on the path towards developing therapies for prion disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saffire H Krance
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Russell Luke
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Marc Shenouda
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ahmad R Israwi
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sarah J Colpitts
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lina Darwish
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Maximilian Strauss
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Joel C Watts
- Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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8
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TAG-RNAi overcomes off-target effects in cancer models. Oncogene 2019; 39:935-945. [PMID: 31558799 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-019-1020-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Revised: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
RNA interference offers therapeutic opportunities for the clinical targeting of otherwise undruggable oncogenes. However RNAi can have off-target effects that considerably increase treatment risks. To manage these side effects and allow an easy subtraction of their activity in healthy tissues, we present here the TAG-RNAi approach where cells that are not designated targets do not have the mRNA tag. Using TAG-RNAi we first established the off-target signatures of three different siRNAs specific to the Cyclin D1 oncogene by RNA-sequencing of cultured cancer cells expressing a FLAG-HA-tagged-Cyclin D1. Then, by symmetrical allografts of tagged-cancer cells and untagged controls on the left and right flanks of model mice, we demonstrate that TAG-RNAi is a reliable approach to study the functional impact of any oncogene without off-target bias. Finally we show, as examples, that mutation-specific TAG-RNAi can be applied to downregulate two oncogenic mutants, KRAS-G12V or BRAF-V600E, while sparing the expression of the wild-type proteins. TAG-RNAi will thus avoid the traditional off-target limitations of RNAi in future experimental approaches.
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9
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Raymond GJ, Zhao HT, Race B, Raymond LD, Williams K, Swayze EE, Graffam S, Le J, Caron T, Stathopoulos J, O'Keefe R, Lubke LL, Reidenbach AG, Kraus A, Schreiber SL, Mazur C, Cabin DE, Carroll JB, Minikel EV, Kordasiewicz H, Caughey B, Vallabh SM. Antisense oligonucleotides extend survival of prion-infected mice. JCI Insight 2019; 5:131175. [PMID: 31361599 PMCID: PMC6777807 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.131175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion disease is a fatal, incurable neurodegenerative disease of humans and other mammals caused by conversion of cellular prion protein (PrPC) into a self-propagating neurotoxic conformer (prions; PrPSc). Strong genetic proofs of concept support lowering PrP expression as a therapeutic strategy. Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) can provide a practical route to lowering 1 target mRNA in the brain, but their development for prion disease has been hindered by 3 unresolved issues from prior work: uncertainty about mechanism of action, unclear potential for efficacy against established prion infection, and poor tolerability of drug delivery by osmotic pumps. Here, we test ASOs delivered by bolus intracerebroventricular injection to intracerebrally prion-infected WT mice. Prophylactic treatments given every 2–3 months extended survival times 61%–98%, and a single injection at 120 days after infection, near the onset of clinical signs, extended survival 55% (87 days). In contrast, a nontargeting control ASO was ineffective. Thus, PrP lowering is the mechanism of action of ASOs effective against prion disease in vivo, and infrequent — or even single — bolus injections of ASOs can slow prion neuropathogenesis and markedly extend survival, even when initiated near clinical signs. These findings should empower development of PrP-lowering therapy for prion disease. ASO-mediated prion protein suppression delays disease and extends survival, even in mice with established prion infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory J Raymond
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Hamilton, Montana, USA
| | | | - Brent Race
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Hamilton, Montana, USA
| | - Lynne D Raymond
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Hamilton, Montana, USA
| | - Katie Williams
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Hamilton, Montana, USA
| | - Eric E Swayze
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc., Carlsbad, California, USA
| | - Samantha Graffam
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jason Le
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tyler Caron
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Rhonda O'Keefe
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lori L Lubke
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Hamilton, Montana, USA
| | | | - Allison Kraus
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Hamilton, Montana, USA
| | | | - Curt Mazur
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc., Carlsbad, California, USA
| | | | | | - Eric Vallabh Minikel
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Hamilton, Montana, USA.,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Prion Alliance, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Byron Caughey
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Hamilton, Montana, USA
| | - Sonia M Vallabh
- Laboratory of Persistent Viral Diseases, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Hamilton, Montana, USA.,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Prion Alliance, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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10
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Relaño-Ginés A, Lehmann S, Crozet C. Cell-based therapy against prion diseases. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2018; 44:8-14. [PMID: 30472550 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2018.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2018] [Revised: 10/13/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Despite multiple efforts to find treatments, prion diseases are still incurable. The currently available therapeutic strategies are mostly based on compounds to inhibit pathological PrP (PrPSc) accumulation, and cellular PrP (PrPC) conversion into PrPSc. However, they cannot reverse the pathological changes already present in the brain. Cell-based therapeutic strategies could promote the repair of the pre-existing brain damage. The few available data come mostly from preclinical studies using neural stem cells, bone marrow-derived microglia and mesenchymal stem cells, as cell sources. Moreover, the benefits of cell-based therapeutic strategies could be linked not only to the replacement of damaged cells, but also to the secretion of trophic factors by the grafted cells that might modulate inflammation, cell death, or endogenous neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aroa Relaño-Ginés
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapies (IRMB), Neural Stem Cell, MSC and Neurodegenerative Diseases - U1183 INSERM (Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale), 80 rue Augustin Fliche, 34295 Montpellier, France; Université de Montpellier, 163 rue Auguste Broussonet, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Sylvain Lehmann
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapies (IRMB), Neural Stem Cell, MSC and Neurodegenerative Diseases - U1183 INSERM (Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale), 80 rue Augustin Fliche, 34295 Montpellier, France; Université de Montpellier, 163 rue Auguste Broussonet, 34090 Montpellier, France; Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire de Montpellier, 191 Av. du Doyen Gaston Giraud, 34295 Montpellier, France
| | - Carole Crozet
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapies (IRMB), Neural Stem Cell, MSC and Neurodegenerative Diseases - U1183 INSERM (Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale), 80 rue Augustin Fliche, 34295 Montpellier, France.
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11
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Relaño-Ginés A, Lehmann S, Brillaud E, Belondrade M, Casanova D, Hamela C, Vincent C, Poupeau S, Sarniguet J, Alvarez T, Arnaud JD, Maurel JC, Crozet C. Lithium as a disease-modifying agent for prion diseases. Transl Psychiatry 2018; 8:163. [PMID: 30135493 PMCID: PMC6105724 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0209-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2017] [Revised: 06/12/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Prion diseases still remain incurable despite multiple efforts to develop a treatment. Therefore, it is important to find strategies to at least reduce the symptoms. Lithium has been considered as a neuroprotective agent for years, and the objective of this preclinical study was to evaluate the efficacy of lithium delivered as a water-in-oil microemulsion (Aonys®). This delivery system allows using low doses of lithium and to avoid the toxicity observed in chronic treatments. C57BL/6J mice were intracranially inoculated with ME7 prion-infected brain homogenates and then were treated with lithium from day 90 post inoculation until their death. Lithium was administered at traditional doses (16 mg/kg/day) by the gavage route and at lower doses (40 or 160 µg/kg/day; Aonys®) by the rectal mucosa route. Low doses of lithium (Aonys®) improved the survival of prion-inoculated mice, and also decreased vacuolization, astrogliosis, and neuronal loss compared with controls (vehicle alone). The extent of the protective effects in mice treated with low-dose lithium was comparable or even higher than what was observed in mice that received lithium at the traditional dose. These results indicate that lithium administered using this innovative delivery system could represent a potential therapeutic approach not only for prion diseases but also for other neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Relaño-Ginés
- 0000 0001 2097 0141grid.121334.6Institut de Médecine Régénératrice et de Biothérapie (I.M.R.B.), Physiopathologie, diagnostic et thérapie cellulaire des affections neurodégénératives—Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Université de Montpellier U1183 Centre Hospitalo, Universitaire de Montpellier, Montpellier, France ,grid.433120.7Institut de Génétique Humaine, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique-UPR1142, Montpellier, France
| | - S. Lehmann
- 0000 0001 2097 0141grid.121334.6Institut de Médecine Régénératrice et de Biothérapie (I.M.R.B.), Physiopathologie, diagnostic et thérapie cellulaire des affections neurodégénératives—Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Université de Montpellier U1183 Centre Hospitalo, Universitaire de Montpellier, Montpellier, France ,grid.433120.7Institut de Génétique Humaine, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique-UPR1142, Montpellier, France
| | - E. Brillaud
- Medesis Pharma SA, Avenue du Golf, Baillargues, France
| | - M. Belondrade
- grid.433120.7Institut de Génétique Humaine, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique-UPR1142, Montpellier, France
| | - D. Casanova
- grid.433120.7Institut de Génétique Humaine, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique-UPR1142, Montpellier, France
| | - C. Hamela
- grid.433120.7Institut de Génétique Humaine, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique-UPR1142, Montpellier, France
| | - C. Vincent
- Medesis Pharma SA, Avenue du Golf, Baillargues, France
| | - S. Poupeau
- Medesis Pharma SA, Avenue du Golf, Baillargues, France
| | - J. Sarniguet
- Medesis Pharma SA, Avenue du Golf, Baillargues, France
| | - T. Alvarez
- 0000 0001 2097 0141grid.121334.6Etablissement Confiné d’Expérimentation BioCampus, Université Montpellier, Campus Triolet, Bâtiment 53, CECEMA, Montpellier, France
| | - J. D. Arnaud
- 0000 0001 2097 0141grid.121334.6Etablissement Confiné d’Expérimentation BioCampus, Université Montpellier, Campus Triolet, Bâtiment 53, CECEMA, Montpellier, France
| | - J. C. Maurel
- Medesis Pharma SA, Avenue du Golf, Baillargues, France
| | - C. Crozet
- 0000 0001 2097 0141grid.121334.6Institut de Médecine Régénératrice et de Biothérapie (I.M.R.B.), Physiopathologie, diagnostic et thérapie cellulaire des affections neurodégénératives—Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Université de Montpellier U1183 Centre Hospitalo, Universitaire de Montpellier, Montpellier, France ,grid.433120.7Institut de Génétique Humaine, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique-UPR1142, Montpellier, France
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Inability of DNAzymes to cleave RNA in vivo is due to limited Mg[Formula: see text] concentration in cells. EUROPEAN BIOPHYSICS JOURNAL: EBJ 2017; 47:333-343. [PMID: 29248953 DOI: 10.1007/s00249-017-1270-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 11/18/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Sequence specific cleavage of RNA can be achieved by hammerhead ribozymes as well as DNAzymes. They comprise a catalytic core sequence flanked by regions that form double strands with complementary RNA. While different types of ribozymes have been discovered in natural organisms, DNAzymes derive from in vitro selection. Both have been used for therapeutic down-regulation of harmful proteins by reducing drastically the corresponding mRNA concentration. A priori DNAzymes appear advantageous because of the higher haemolytic stability and better cost effectiveness when compared to RNA. In the present work the 10-23 DNAzyme was applied to knockdown expression of the prion protein (PrP), the sole causative agent of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. We selected accessible target sequences on the PrP mRNA based on a sequential folding algorithm. Very high effectivity of DNAzymes was found for cleavage of RNA in vitro, but activity in neuroblastoma cells was very low. However, siRNA directed to the identical target sequences reduced expression of PrP in the same cell type. According to our analysis, three Mg[Formula: see text] bind cooperatively to the DNAzyme to exert full activity. However, free ATP binds the Mg[Formula: see text] ions more strongly and already stoichiometric amounts of Mg[Formula: see text] and ATP inhibited the activity of DNAzymes drastically. In contrast, natural ribozymes form three-dimensional structures close to the cleavage site that stabilize the active conformation at much lower Mg[Formula: see text] concentrations. For DNAzymes, however, a similar stabilization is not known and therefore DNAzymes need higher free Mg[Formula: see text] concentrations than that available inside the cell.
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BACE1 inhibition by microdose lithium formulation NP03 rescues memory loss and early stage amyloid neuropathology. Transl Psychiatry 2017; 7:e1190. [PMID: 28763060 PMCID: PMC5611736 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2017.169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2017] [Revised: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Lithium is first-line therapy for bipolar affective disorder and has recently been shown to have protective effects in populations at risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the mechanism underlying this protection is poorly understood and consequently limits its possible therapeutic application in AD. Moreover, conventional lithium formulations have a narrow therapeutic window and are associated with a severe side effect profile. Here we evaluated a novel microdose formulation of lithium, coded NP03, in a well-characterized rat model of progressive AD-like amyloid pathology. This formulation allows microdose lithium delivery to the brain in the absence of negative side effects. We found that NP03 rescued key initiating components of AD pathology, including inactivating GSK-3β, reducing BACE1 expression and activity, and reducing amyloid levels. Notably, NP03 rescued memory loss, impaired CRTC1 promoter binding of synaptic plasticity genes and hippocampal neurogenesis. These results raise the possibility that NP03 be of therapeutic value in the early or preclinical stages of AD.
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Jensen K, Dela Pena-Ponce MG, Piatak M, Shoemaker R, Oswald K, Jacobs WR, Fennelly G, Lucero C, Mollan KR, Hudgens MG, Amedee A, Kozlowski PA, Estes JD, Lifson JD, Van Rompay KKA, Larsen M, De Paris K. Balancing Trained Immunity with Persistent Immune Activation and the Risk of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Infection in Infant Macaques Vaccinated with Attenuated Mycobacterium tuberculosis or Mycobacterium bovis BCG Vaccine. CLINICAL AND VACCINE IMMUNOLOGY : CVI 2017; 24:e00360-16. [PMID: 27655885 PMCID: PMC5216431 DOI: 10.1128/cvi.00360-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Our goal is to develop a pediatric combination vaccine to protect the vulnerable infant population against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and tuberculosis (TB) infections. The vaccine consists of an auxotroph Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain that coexpresses HIV antigens. Utilizing an infant rhesus macaque model, we have previously shown that this attenuated M. tuberculosis (AMtb)-simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) vaccine is immunogenic, and although the vaccine did not prevent oral SIV infection, a subset of vaccinated animals was able to partially control virus replication. However, unexpectedly, vaccinated infants required fewer SIV exposures to become infected compared to naive controls. Considering that the current TB vaccine, Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), can induce potent innate immune responses and confer pathogen-unspecific trained immunity, we hypothesized that an imbalance between enhanced myeloid cell function and immune activation might have influenced the outcome of oral SIV challenge in AMtb-SIV-vaccinated infants. To address this question, we used archived samples from unchallenged animals from our previous AMtb-SIV vaccine studies and vaccinated additional infant macaques with BCG or AMtb only. Our results show that vaccinated infants, regardless of vaccine strain or regimen, had enhanced myeloid cell responses. However, CD4+ T cells were concurrently activated, and the persistence of these activated target cells in oral and/or gastrointestinal tissues may have facilitated oral SIV infection. Immune activation was more pronounced in BCG-vaccinated infant macaques than in AMtb-vaccinated infant macaques, indicating a role for vaccine attenuation. These findings underline the importance of understanding the interplay of vaccine-induced immunity and immune activation and its effect on HIV acquisition risk and outcome in infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara Jensen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Center for AIDS Research, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Myra Grace Dela Pena-Ponce
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Center for AIDS Research, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Michael Piatak
- AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Rebecca Shoemaker
- AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Kelli Oswald
- AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Glenn Fennelly
- Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Carissa Lucero
- AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Katie R Mollan
- Lineberger Cancer Center and Center for AIDS Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Michael G Hudgens
- Gillings School of Global Public Health and Center for AIDS Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Angela Amedee
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Pamela A Kozlowski
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Parasitology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Jacob D Estes
- AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Lifson
- AIDS and Cancer Virus Program, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Koen K A Van Rompay
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Michelle Larsen
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kristina De Paris
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Center for AIDS Research, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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15
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Marelli C, Maschat F. The P42 peptide and Peptide-based therapies for Huntington's disease. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2016; 11:24. [PMID: 26984770 PMCID: PMC4794846 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-016-0405-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2015] [Accepted: 03/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative hereditary disease clinically characterised by the presence of involuntary movements, behavioural problems and cognitive decline. The disease-onset is usually between 30 and 50 years of age. HD is a rare disorder affecting approximately 1.3 in 10,000 people in the European Union. It is caused by an expanded CAG repeat in the first exon of the Huntingtin (HTT) gene, leading to an abnormal form of the Huntingtin protein (Htt) (polyQHtt), containing N-terminus, enlarged polyglutamine strands of variable length that stick together to form aggregates and nuclear inclusions in the damaged brain cells. Treatments currently used for Huntington's disease are symptomatic and aimed at temporally relieving the symptoms of the disease; although some promising therapies are on study, there is no drug capable of stopping disease progression either in the form of delaying onset or slowing disability progression. The utilization of peptides interacting with polyQ stretches or with Htt protein to prevent misfolding and aggregation of the expanded polyQ protein is a fascinating idea, because of low potential toxicity and ability to target very initial steps in the pathophysiological cascade of the disease, such as aggregation or cleavage process. Indeed, several therapeutic peptides have been developed and were found to significantly slow down the progression of symptoms in experimental models of Huntington's disease. This review is essentially focusing on the latest development concerning peptide strategy. In particular, we focused on a 23aa peptide P42, which is a part of the Htt protein. It is expected to work principally by preventing the abnormal Htt protein from sticking together, thereby preventing pathological consequences of aggregation and improving the symptoms of the disease. In the meantime, as P42 is part of the Htt protein, some therapeutic properties might be linked to the physiological actions of the peptide itself, considered as a functional domain of the Htt protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Marelli
- Université de Montpellier, Montpellier F-34095, France; Inserm U1198 MMDN, Montpellier F-34095, France; EPHE, Paris F-75014, France, Montpellier, France.,Department of Neurology, Gui de Chauliac University Hospital, Montpellier, France
| | - Florence Maschat
- Université de Montpellier, Montpellier F-34095, France; Inserm U1198 MMDN, Montpellier F-34095, France; EPHE, Paris F-75014, France, Montpellier, France.
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