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Esposito E, Pozza E, Contado C, Pula W, Bortolini O, Ragno D, Toldo S, Casciano F, Bondi A, Zauli E, Secchiero P, Zauli G, Melloni E. Microfluidic Fabricated Liposomes for Nutlin-3a Ocular Delivery as Potential Candidate for Proliferative Vitreoretinal Diseases Treatment. Int J Nanomedicine 2024; 19:3513-3536. [PMID: 38623081 PMCID: PMC11018138 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s452134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose Proliferative vitreoretinal diseases (PVDs) represent a heterogeneous group of pathologies characterized by the presence of retinal proliferative membranes, in whose development retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is deeply involved. As the only effective treatment for PVDs at present is surgery, we aimed to investigate the potential therapeutic activity of Nutlin-3a, a small non-genotoxic inhibitor of the MDM2/p53 interaction, on ARPE-19 cell line and on human RPE primary cells, as in vitro models of RPE and, more importantly, to formulate and evaluate Nutlin-3a loaded liposomes designed for ophthalmic administration. Methods Liposomes were produced using an innovative approach by a microfluidic device under selection of different conditions. Liposome size distribution was evaluated by photon correlation spectroscopy and centrifugal field flow fractionation, while the liposome structure was studied by transmission electron microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The Nutlin-3a entrapment capacity was evaluated by ultrafiltration and HPLC. Nutlin-3a biological effectiveness as a solution or loaded in liposomes was evaluated by viability, proliferation, apoptosis and migration assays and by morphological analysis. Results The microfluidic formulative study enabled the selection of liposomes composed of phosphatidylcholine (PC) 5.4 or 8.2 mg/mL and 10% ethanol, characterized by roundish vesicular structures with 150-250 nm mean diameters. Particularly, liposomes based on the lower PC concentration were characterized by higher stability. Nutlin-3a was effectively encapsulated in liposomes and was able to induce a significant reduction of viability and migration in RPE cell models. Conclusion Our results lay the basis for a possible use of liposomes for the ocular delivery of Nutlin-3a.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Esposito
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, I-44121, Italy
| | - Elena Pozza
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, I-44121, Italy
| | - Catia Contado
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, I-44121, Italy
| | - Walter Pula
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, I-44121, Italy
| | - Olga Bortolini
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Prevention, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, I-44121, Italy
| | - Daniele Ragno
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, I-44121, Italy
| | - Sofia Toldo
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Prevention, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, I-44121, Italy
| | - Fabio Casciano
- Department of Translational Medicine and LTTA Centre, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, I-44121, Italy
| | - Agnese Bondi
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, I-44121, Italy
| | - Enrico Zauli
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, I-44121, Italy
| | - Paola Secchiero
- Department of Translational Medicine and LTTA Centre, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, I-44121, Italy
| | - Giorgio Zauli
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Prevention, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, I-44121, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Melloni
- Department of Translational Medicine and LTTA Centre, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, I-44121, Italy
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Lodi G, Gentili V, Casciano F, Romani A, Zauli G, Secchiero P, Zauli E, Simioni C, Beltrami S, Fernandez M, Rizzo R, Voltan R. Cell cycle block by p53 activation reduces SARS-CoV-2 release in infected alveolar basal epithelial A549-hACE2 cells. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:1018761. [PMID: 36582523 PMCID: PMC9792496 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1018761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV viruses have been shown to downregulate cellular events that control antiviral defenses. They adopt several strategies to silence p53, key molecule for cell homeostasis and immune control, indicating that p53 has a central role in controlling their proliferation in the host. Specific actions are the stabilization of its inhibitor, MDM2, and the interference with its transcriptional activity. The aim of our work was to evaluate a new approach against SARS-CoV-2 by using MDM2 inhibitors to raise p53 levels and activate p53-dependent pathways, therefore leading to cell cycle inhibition. Experimental setting was performed in the alveolar basal epithelial cell line A549-hACE2, expressing high level of ACE2 receptor, to allow virus entry, as well as p53 wild-type. Cells were treated with several concentrations of Nutlin-3 or RG-7112, two known MDM2 inhibitors, for the instauration of a cell cycle block steady-state condition before and during SARS-CoV-2 infection, and for the evaluation of p53 activation and impact on virus release and related innate immune events. The results indicated an efficient cell cycle block with inhibition of the virion release and a significant inhibition of IL-6, NF-kB and IFN-λ expression. These data suggest that p53 is an efficient target for new therapies against the virus and that MDM2 inhibitors deserve to be further investigated in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giada Lodi
- Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences and LTTA Centre, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Valentina Gentili
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Fabio Casciano
- Department of Translational Medicine and LTTA Centre, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy,Interdepartmental Research Center for the Study of Multiple Sclerosis and Inflammatory and Degenerative Diseases of the Nervous System, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Arianna Romani
- Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences and LTTA Centre, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Giorgio Zauli
- Research Department, King Khaled Eye Specialistic Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Paola Secchiero
- Department of Translational Medicine and LTTA Centre, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Enrico Zauli
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Carolina Simioni
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Silvia Beltrami
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Mercedes Fernandez
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Roberta Rizzo
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy,*Correspondence: Roberta Rizzo, ; Rebecca Voltan,
| | - Rebecca Voltan
- Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences and LTTA Centre, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy,*Correspondence: Roberta Rizzo, ; Rebecca Voltan,
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Romani A, Zauli E, Zauli G, AlMesfer S, Al-Swailem S, Voltan R. MDM2 inhibitors-mediated disruption of mitochondrial metabolism: A novel therapeutic strategy for retinoblastoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1000677. [PMID: 36338723 PMCID: PMC9632280 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1000677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
MDM2 is the principal inhibitor of p53, and MDM2 inhibitors can disrupt the physical interaction between MDM2 and p53. The half-life of p53 is very short in normal cells and tissues, and an uncontrolled increase in p53 levels has potential harmful effects. It has been shown that p53 is frequently mutated in most cancers; however, p53 mutations are rare in retinoblastoma. Therefore, therapeutic strategies aimed at increasing the expression levels of wild-type p53 are attractive. In this minireview, we discuss the potential use of nutlin-3, the prototype small molecule inhibitor that disrupts the MDM2-p53 interaction, for the treatment of retinoblastoma. Although p53 has pleiotropic biological effects, the functions of p53 depend on its sub-cellular localization. In the nucleus, p53 induces the transcription of a vast array of genes, while in mitochondria, p53 regulates mitochondrial metabolism. This review also discusses the relative contribution of p53-mediated gene transcription and mitochondrial perturbation for retinoblastoma treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Romani
- Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences and Laboratorio per le Tecnologie delle Terapie Avanzate (LTTA) Centre, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Enrico Zauli
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Giorgio Zauli
- Research Department, King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saleh AlMesfer
- Research Department, King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Samar Al-Swailem
- Research Department, King Khaled Eye Specialist Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rebecca Voltan
- Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences and Laboratorio per le Tecnologie delle Terapie Avanzate (LTTA) Centre, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
- *Correspondence: Rebecca Voltan,
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