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Graceffa V. Intracellular protein delivery: New insights into the therapeutic applications and emerging technologies. Biochimie 2023; 213:82-99. [PMID: 37209808 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2023.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
The inability to cross the plasma membranes traditionally limited the therapeutic use of recombinant proteins. However, in the last two decades, novel technologies made delivering proteins inside the cells possible. This allowed researchers to unlock intracellular targets, once considered 'undruggable', bringing a new research area to emerge. Protein transfection systems display a large potential in a plethora of applications. However, their modality of action is often unclear, and cytotoxic effects are elevated, whereas experimental conditions to increase transfection efficacy and cell viability still need to be identified. Furthermore, technical complexity often limits in vivo experimentation, while challenging industrial and clinical translation. This review highlights the applications of protein transfection technologies, and then critically discuss the current methodologies and their limitations. Physical membrane perforation systems are compared to systems exploiting cellular endocytosis. Research evidence of the existence of either extracellular vesicles (EVs) or cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs)- based systems, that circumvent the endosomal systems is critically analysed. Commercial systems, novel solid-phase reverse protein transfection systems, and engineered living intracellular bacteria-based mechanisms are finally described. This review ultimately aims at finding new methodologies and possible applications of protein transfection systems, while helping the development of an evidence-based research approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Graceffa
- Cellular Health and Toxicology Research Group (CHAT), Centre for Mathematical Modelling and Intelligent Systems for Health and Environment (MISHE), Atlantic Technological University (ATU), Sligo, Ireland.
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Yang Y, Shan S, Huang Z, Wang S, Liu Z, Yong H, Liu Z, Zhang C, Song F. Increased IP3R-3 degradation induced by acrylamide promoted Ca 2+-dependent calpain activation and axon damage in rats. Toxicol Lett 2023:S0378-4274(23)00203-5. [PMID: 37353096 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2023.06.002] [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: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
Occupational and environmental exposure to acrylamide (ACR) can cause selective peripheral and central nerve fiber degeneration. IP3R-3 is an important transmembrane Ca2+ channel on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), previous studies have found that ACR could induce Ca2+-dependent calpain activation and axon injury, but the exact role of IP3R-3 in ACR neuropathy is still unclear. Here we show that ACR exposure (40mg/kg) markedly increased the ubiquitination of IP3R-3 in rat spinal cords, and promoted the degradation of IP3R-3 through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Furthermore, the normal structure of ER, especially the mitochondrial associated membranes (MAMs) component, was significantly impaired in ACR neuropathy, and the ER stress pathway was activated, which indicated that the aberrant increase of cytoplasmic Ca2+ could be attributed the destruction of IP3R-3. Further investigation demonstrated that the proteasome inhibitor MG-132 effectively rescued the IP3R-3 loss, attenuated the intracellular Ca2+ increase, and reduced the axon loss of Neuron 2a (N2a) cells following ACR exposure. Moreover, the calpain inhibitor ALLN also reduced the loss of IP3R-3 and axon injury in N2a cells, but did not alleviate the Ca2+ increase in cytosol, supporting that the abnormal ubiquitination of IP3R-3 was the upstream of the cellular Ca2+ rise and axon damage in ACR neuropathy. Taken together, our results suggested that the aberrant IP3R-3 degradation played an important role in the disturbance of Ca2+ homeostasis and the downstream axon loss in ACR neuropathy, thus providing a potential therapeutic target for ACR neurotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiyu Yang
- Department of Toxicology and Nutrition, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Shulin Shan
- Department of Toxicology and Nutrition, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Zhengcheng Huang
- Department of Toxicology and Nutrition, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Shuai Wang
- Department of Toxicology and Nutrition, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Zhaoxiong Liu
- Department of Toxicology and Nutrition, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Hui Yong
- Qingdao Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Qingdao, Shandong, 266000, China
| | - Zhidan Liu
- Department of Toxicology and Nutrition, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Cuiqin Zhang
- Department of Toxicology and Nutrition, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China; School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Fuyong Song
- Department of Toxicology and Nutrition, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China.
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Kontermann RE, Ungerechts G, Nettelbeck DM. Viro-antibody therapy: engineering oncolytic viruses for genetic delivery of diverse antibody-based biotherapeutics. MAbs 2021; 13:1982447. [PMID: 34747345 PMCID: PMC8583164 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2021.1982447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer therapeutics approved for clinical application include oncolytic viruses and antibodies, which evolved by nature, but were improved by molecular engineering. Both facilitate outstanding tumor selectivity and pleiotropic activities, but also face challenges, such as tumor heterogeneity and limited tumor penetration. An innovative strategy to address these challenges combines both agents in a single, multitasking therapeutic, i.e., an oncolytic virus engineered to express therapeutic antibodies. Such viro-antibody therapies genetically deliver antibodies to tumors from amplified virus genomes, thereby complementing viral oncolysis with antibody-defined therapeutic action. Here, we review the strategies of viro-antibody therapy that have been pursued exploiting diverse virus platforms, antibody formats, and antibody-mediated modes of action. We provide a comprehensive overview of reported antibody-encoding oncolytic viruses and highlight the achievements of 13 years of viro-antibody research. It has been shown that functional therapeutic antibodies of different formats can be expressed in and released from cancer cells infected with different oncolytic viruses. Virus-encoded antibodies have implemented direct tumor cell killing, anti-angiogenesis, or activation of adaptive immune responses to kill tumor cells, tumor stroma cells or inhibitory immune cells. Importantly, numerous reports have shown therapeutic activity complementary to viral oncolysis for these modalities. Also, challenges for future research have been revealed. Established engineering technologies for both oncolytic viruses and antibodies will enable researchers to address these challenges, facilitating the development of effective viro-antibody therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roland E Kontermann
- Institute of Cell Biology and Immunology, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany.,Stuttgart Research Center Systems Biology, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Guy Ungerechts
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Virotherapy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Cancer Therapeutics Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Dirk M Nettelbeck
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Virotherapy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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Zhang C, Ötjengerdes RM, Roewe J, Mejias R, Marschall ALJ. Applying Antibodies Inside Cells: Principles and Recent Advances in Neurobiology, Virology and Oncology. BioDrugs 2020; 34:435-462. [PMID: 32301049 PMCID: PMC7391400 DOI: 10.1007/s40259-020-00419-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
To interfere with cell function, many scientists rely on methods that target DNA or RNA due to the ease with which they can be applied. Proteins are usually the final executors of function but are targeted only indirectly by these methods. Recent advances in targeted degradation of proteins based on proteolysis-targeting chimaeras (PROTACs), ubiquibodies, deGradFP (degrade Green Fluorescent Protein) and other approaches have demonstrated the potential of interfering directly at the protein level for research and therapy. Proteins can be targeted directly and very specifically by antibodies, but using antibodies inside cells has so far been considered to be challenging. However, it is possible to deliver antibodies or other proteins into the cytosol using standard laboratory equipment. Physical methods such as electroporation have been demonstrated to be efficient and validated thoroughly over time. The expression of intracellular antibodies (intrabodies) inside cells is another way to interfere with intracellular targets at the protein level. Methodological strategies to target the inside of cells with antibodies, including delivered antibodies and expressed antibodies, as well as applications in the research areas of neurobiology, viral infections and oncology, are reviewed here. Antibodies have already been used to interfere with a wide range of intracellular targets. Disease-related targets included proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease (α-synuclein), Alzheimer's disease (amyloid-β) or Huntington's disease (mutant huntingtin [mHtt]). The applications of intrabodies in the context of viral infections include targeting proteins associated with HIV (e.g. HIV1-TAT, Rev, Vif, gp41, gp120, gp160) and different oncoviruses such as human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and Epstein-Barr virus, and they have been used to interfere with various targets related to different processes in cancer, including oncogenic pathways, proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, metastasis, angiogenesis or neo-antigens (e.g. p53, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 [HER2], signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 [STAT3], RAS-related RHO-GTPase B (RHOB), cortactin, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 [VEGFR2], Ras, Bcr-Abl). Interfering at the protein level allows questions to be addressed that may remain unanswered using alternative methods. This review addresses why direct targeting of proteins allows unique insights, what is currently feasible in vitro, and how this relates to potential therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Congcong Zhang
- Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Frankfurt/Mainz, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rina M Ötjengerdes
- Hannover Medical School (MHH), Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany
| | - Julian Roewe
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Clinical Cooperation Unit (CCU) Neuroimmunology and Brain TumorImmunology (D170), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rebeca Mejias
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Andrea L J Marschall
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute of Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Brunswick, Germany.
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Behring S, Hänsch R, Helmsing S, Schirrmann T, Schubert M. Screening for scFv-fragments that are stable and active in the cytosol. Hum Antibodies 2020; 28:149-157. [PMID: 32116242 DOI: 10.3233/hab-200402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Intrabodies are antibodies that are not secreted but bind to their antigens inside the cell producing them. Intrabodies targeting antigens in the endoplasmatic reticulum were successfully used in vitro and in vivo. However, many target antigens interesting for research or therapy are located in the reducing environment of the cytosol, where correct folding and formation of disulfide bonds cannot be ensured. The majority of different scFv fragments, when expressed in the cytosol of the cell, do not fold correctly, are not stable or cannot bind their antigen. Such scFv antibodies are therefore not suited as intrabodies.In this study, we evaluated fast and simple screening methods to identify scFv fragments that are stable and functional in the cytosol. We analyzed various phage display derived human scFv antibodies recognizing extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (Erk2) for stability and antigen binding under reducing and non-reducing conditions. Further, we developed an assay allowing to measure the interaction of the scFv intrabodies with their antigen in the cytosol of in living cells, by using a Split-Luciferase (Split-Luc) assay. ScFv fragments showing antigen binding in the cytosol could successfully be identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Behring
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute of Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Robert Hänsch
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute of Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Braunschweig, Germany
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute of Plant Biology, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Saskia Helmsing
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute of Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Thomas Schirrmann
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute of Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Braunschweig, Germany
- Yumab GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Maren Schubert
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institute of Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Braunschweig, Germany
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