1
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Yuan W, Shi X, Lee LTO. RNA therapeutics in targeting G protein-coupled receptors: Recent advances and challenges. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2024; 35:102195. [PMID: 38741614 PMCID: PMC11089380 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the major targets of existing drugs for a plethora of human diseases and dominate the pharmaceutical market. However, over 50% of the GPCRs remain undruggable. To pursue a breakthrough and overcome this situation, there is significant clinical research for developing RNA-based drugs specifically targeting GPCRs, but none has been approved so far. RNA therapeutics represent a unique and promising approach to selectively targeting previously undruggable targets, including undruggable GPCRs. However, the development of RNA therapeutics faces significant challenges in areas of RNA stability and efficient in vivo delivery. This review presents an overview of the advances in RNA therapeutics and the diverse types of nanoparticle RNA delivery systems. It also describes the potential applications of GPCR-targeted RNA drugs for various human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanjun Yuan
- Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa 999078, Macau, China
| | - Xiangyang Shi
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Nano-Biomaterials and Regenerative Medicine, College of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, People’s Republic of China
| | - Leo Tsz On Lee
- Cancer Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa 999078, Macau, China
- Ministry of Education Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology, University of Macau, Taipa 999078, Macau, China
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2
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Gangopadhyay S, Das G, Gupta S, Ghosh A, Bagale SS, Roy PK, Mandal M, Harikrishna S, Sinha S, Gore KR. 4'- C-Acetamidomethyl-2'- O-methoxyethyl Nucleic Acid Modifications Improve Thermal Stability, Nuclease Resistance, Potency, and hAgo2 Binding of Small Interfering RNAs. J Org Chem 2024; 89:3747-3768. [PMID: 38394362 DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.3c02506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
In this study, we designed the 4'-C-acetamidomethyl-2'-O-methoxyethyl (4'-C-ACM-2'-O-MOE) uridine and thymidine modifications, aiming to test them into small interfering RNAs. Thermal melting studies revealed that incorporating a single 4'-C-ACM-2'-O-MOE modification in the DNA duplex reduced thermal stability. In contrast, an increase in thermal stability was observed when the modification was introduced in DNA:RNA hybrid and in siRNAs. Thermal destabilization in DNA duplex was attributed to unfavorable entropy, which was mainly compensated by the enthalpy factor to some extent. A single 4'-C-ACM-2'-O-MOE thymidine modification at the penultimate position of the 3'-end of dT20 oligonucleotides in the presence of 3'-specific exonucleases, snake venom phosphodiesterase (SVPD), demonstrated significant stability as compared to monomer modifications including 2'-O-Me, 2'-O-MOE, and 2'-F. In gene silencing studies, we found that the 4'-C-ACM-2'-O-MOE uridine or thymidine modifications at the 3'-overhang in the passenger strand in combination with two 2'-F modifications exhibited superior RNAi activity. The results suggest that the dual modification is well tolerated at the 3'-end of the passenger strand, which reflects better siRNA stability and silencing activity. Interestingly, 4'-C-ACM-2'-O-MOE-modified siRNAs showed considerable gene silencing even after 96 h posttransfection; it showed that our modification could induce prolonged gene silencing due to improved metabolic stability. Molecular modeling studies revealed that the introduction of the 4'-C-ACM-2'-O-MOE modification at the 3'-end of the siRNA guide strand helps to anchor the strand within the PAZ domain of the hAgo2 protein. The overall results indicate that the 4'-C-ACM-2'-O-MOE uridine and thymidine modifications are promising modifications to improve the stability, potency, and hAgo2 binding of siRNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumit Gangopadhyay
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India
| | - Gourav Das
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India
| | - Shalini Gupta
- School of Applied and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata, Jadavpur 700032, India
| | - Atanu Ghosh
- School of Applied and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata, Jadavpur 700032, India
| | | | - Pritam Kumar Roy
- School of Medical Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India
| | - Mahitosh Mandal
- School of Medical Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India
| | - S Harikrishna
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Surajit Sinha
- School of Applied and Interdisciplinary Sciences, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata, Jadavpur 700032, India
| | - Kiran R Gore
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India
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3
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Pal C, Richter M, Rozners E. Synthesis and Properties of RNA Modified with Cationic Amine Internucleoside Linkage. ACS Chem Biol 2024; 19:249-253. [PMID: 38314716 PMCID: PMC11058646 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Chemical modifications of RNA are important tools for the development of RNA therapeutics. The present study reports a novel RNA backbone modification that replaces the negatively charged phosphate with a positively charged amine linkage. Despite being thermally destabilizing in RNA duplexes, the amine linkage caused a relatively modest decrease of activity of a modified short interfering RNA (siRNA). At position 2 of the guide strand, the amine modification strongly enhanced the specificity of siRNA while causing an ∼5-fold drop of on-target activity. These results support the future development of amines as cationic RNA modifications and novel tools to modulate protein-RNA interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandan Pal
- Department of Chemistry, Binghamton University, The State University of New York, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Michael Richter
- Department of Chemistry, Binghamton University, The State University of New York, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Eriks Rozners
- Department of Chemistry, Binghamton University, The State University of New York, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
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4
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Kowalski K. Synthesis and chemical transformations of glycol nucleic acid (GNA) nucleosides. Bioorg Chem 2023; 141:106921. [PMID: 37871392 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106921] [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: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Xeno nucleic acids (XNA) are an increasingly important class of hypermodified nucleic acids with great potential in bioorganic chemistry and synthetic biology. Glycol nucleic acid (GNA) is constructed from a three-carbon 1,2-propanediol (propylene glycol) backbone attached to a nucleobase entity, representing the simplest known XNA. This review is intended to present GNA nucleosides from a synthetic chemistry perspective-a perspective that serves as a starting point for biological studies. Therefore this account focuses on synthetic methods for GNA nucleoside synthesis, as well as their postsynthetic chemical transformations. The properties and biological activity of GNA constituents are also highlighted. A literature survey shows four major approaches toward GNA nucleoside scaffold synthesis. These approaches pertain to glycidol ring-opening, Mitsunobu, SN2, and dihydroxylation reactions. The general arsenal of reactions used in GNA chemistry is versatile and encompasses the Sonogashira reaction, Michael addition, silyl-Hilbert-Johnson reaction, halogenation, alkylation, cyclization, Rh-catalyzed N-allylation, Sharpless catalytic dihydroxylation, and Yb(OTf)3-catalyzed etherification. Additionally, various phosphorylation reactions have enabled the synthesis of diverse types of GNA nucleotides, dinucleoside phosphates, phosphordiamidites, and oligos. Furthermore, recent advances in GNA chemistry have resulted in the synthesis of previously unknown redox-active (ferrocenyl) and luminescent (pyrenyl and phenanthrenyl) GNA nucleosides, which are also covered in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konrad Kowalski
- University of Lodz, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Organic Chemistry, Tamka 12, PL-91403 Lodz, Poland.
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5
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Oshchepkova A, Zenkova M, Vlassov V. Extracellular Vesicles for Therapeutic Nucleic Acid Delivery: Loading Strategies and Challenges. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087287. [PMID: 37108446 PMCID: PMC10139028 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane vesicles released into the extracellular milieu by cells of various origins. They contain different biological cargoes, protecting them from degradation by environmental factors. There is an opinion that EVs have a number of advantages over synthetic carriers, creating new opportunities for drug delivery. In this review, we discuss the ability of EVs to function as carriers for therapeutic nucleic acids (tNAs), challenges associated with the use of such carriers in vivo, and various strategies for tNA loading into EVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasiya Oshchepkova
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Marina Zenkova
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Valentin Vlassov
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
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6
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Egli M, Schlegel MK, Manoharan M. Acyclic ( S)-glycol nucleic acid ( S-GNA) modification of siRNAs improves the safety of RNAi therapeutics while maintaining potency. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2023; 29:402-414. [PMID: 36725319 PMCID: PMC10019370 DOI: 10.1261/rna.079526.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Glycol nucleic acid (GNA) is an acyclic nucleic acid analog connected via phosphodiester bonds. Crystal structures of RNA-GNA chimeric duplexes indicated that nucleotides of the right-handed (S)-GNA were better accommodated in the right-handed RNA duplex than were the left-handed (R)-isomers. GNA nucleotides adopt a rotated nucleobase orientation within all duplex contexts, pairing with complementary RNA in a reverse Watson-Crick mode, which explains the inabilities of GNA C and G to form strong base pairs with complementary nucleotides. Transposition of the hydrogen bond donor and acceptor pairs using novel (S)-GNA isocytidine and isoguanosine nucleotides resulted in stable base-pairing with the complementary G and C ribonucleotides, respectively. GNA nucleotide or dinucleotide incorporation into an oligonucleotide increased resistance against 3'-exonuclease-mediated degradation. Consistent with the structural observations, small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) modified with (S)-GNA had greater in vitro potencies than identical sequences containing (R)-GNA. (S)-GNA is well tolerated in the seed regions of antisense and sense strands of a GalNAc-conjugated siRNA in vitro. The siRNAs containing a GNA base pair in the seed region had in vivo potency when subcutaneously injected into mice. Importantly, seed pairing destabilization resulting from a single GNA nucleotide at position 7 of the antisense strand mitigated RNAi-mediated off-target effects in a rodent model. Two GNA-modified siRNAs have shown an improved safety profile in humans compared with their non-GNA-modified counterparts, and several additional siRNAs containing the GNA modification are currently in clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Egli
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
| | - Mark K Schlegel
- Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA
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7
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Skiba J, Kowalczyk A, Gorski A, Dutkiewicz N, Gapińska M, Stróżek J, Woźniak K, Trzybiński D, Kowalski K. Replacement of the phosphodiester backbone between canonical nucleosides with a dirhenium carbonyl "click" linker-a new class of luminescent organometallic dinucleoside phosphate mimics. Dalton Trans 2023; 52:1551-1567. [PMID: 36655722 DOI: 10.1039/d2dt03995h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The first-in-class luminescent dinucleoside phosphate analogs with a [Re2(μ-Cl)2(CO)6(μ-pyridazine)] "click" linker as a replacement for the natural phosphate group are reported together with the synthesis of luminescent adenosine and thymidine derivatives having the [Re2(μ-Cl)2(CO)6(μ-pyridazine)] entity attached to positions 5' and 3', respectively. These compounds were synthesized by applying inverse-electron-demand Diels-Alder and copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions in three or four steps. The obtained compounds exhibited orange emission (λPL ≈ 600 nm, ΦPL ≈ 0.10, and τ = 0.33-0.61 μs) and no toxicity (except for one nucleoside) to human HeLa cervical epithelioid and Ishikawa endometrial adenocarcinoma cancer cells in vitro. Furthermore, the compounds' ability to inhibit the growth of Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli bacterial strains was moderate and only observed at a high concentration of 100 μM. Confocal microscopy imaging revealed that the "dirhenium carbonyl" dinucleosides and nucleosides localized mainly in the membranous structures of HeLa cells and uniformly inside S. aureus and E. coli bacterial cells. An interesting finding was that some of the tested compounds were also found in the nuclei of HeLa cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Skiba
- Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Łódź, Tamka 12, 91-403 Łódź, Poland.
| | - Aleksandra Kowalczyk
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland
| | - Aleksander Gorski
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Natalia Dutkiewicz
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Magdalena Gapińska
- Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Laboratory of Microscopic Imaging and Specialized Biological Techniques, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland
| | - Józef Stróżek
- Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Łódź, Tamka 12, 91-403 Łódź, Poland.
| | - Krzysztof Woźniak
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 101, 02-089 Warszawa, Poland
| | - Damian Trzybiński
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 101, 02-089 Warszawa, Poland
| | - Konrad Kowalski
- Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Łódź, Tamka 12, 91-403 Łódź, Poland.
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8
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Lee SH, Ng CX, Wong SR, Chong PP. MiRNAs Overexpression and Their Role in Breast Cancer: Implications for Cancer Therapeutics. Curr Drug Targets 2023; 24:484-508. [PMID: 36999414 DOI: 10.2174/1389450124666230329123409] [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: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs have a plethora of roles in various biological processes in the cells and most human cancers have been shown to be associated with dysregulation of the expression of miRNA genes. MiRNA biogenesis involves two alternative pathways, the canonical pathway which requires the successful cooperation of various proteins forming the miRNA-inducing silencing complex (miRISC), and the non-canonical pathway, such as the mirtrons, simtrons, or agotrons pathway, which bypasses and deviates from specific steps in the canonical pathway. Mature miRNAs are secreted from cells and circulated in the body bound to argonaute 2 (AGO2) and miRISC or transported in vesicles. These miRNAs may regulate their downstream target genes via positive or negative regulation through different molecular mechanisms. This review focuses on the role and mechanisms of miRNAs in different stages of breast cancer progression, including breast cancer stem cell formation, breast cancer initiation, invasion, and metastasis as well as angiogenesis. The design, chemical modifications, and therapeutic applications of synthetic anti-sense miRNA oligonucleotides and RNA mimics are also discussed in detail. The strategies for systemic delivery and local targeted delivery of the antisense miRNAs encompass the use of polymeric and liposomal nanoparticles, inorganic nanoparticles, extracellular vesicles, as well as viral vectors and viruslike particles (VLPs). Although several miRNAs have been identified as good candidates for the design of antisense and other synthetic modified oligonucleotides in targeting breast cancer, further efforts are still needed to study the most optimal delivery method in order to drive the research beyond preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sau Har Lee
- School of Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Taylor's University, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
- Centre for Drug Discovery and Molecular Pharmacology (CDDMP), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Taylor's University, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Chu Xin Ng
- School of Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Taylor's University, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Sharon Rachel Wong
- School of Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Taylor's University, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Pei Pei Chong
- School of Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Taylor's University, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
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9
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Ivanov GS, Tribulovich VG, Pestov NB, David TI, Amoah AS, Korneenko TV, Barlev NA. Artificial genetic polymers against human pathologies. Biol Direct 2022; 17:39. [PMID: 36474260 PMCID: PMC9727881 DOI: 10.1186/s13062-022-00353-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Originally discovered by Nielsen in 1991, peptide nucleic acids and other artificial genetic polymers have gained a lot of interest from the scientific community. Due to their unique biophysical features these artificial hybrid polymers are now being employed in various areas of theranostics (therapy and diagnostics). The current review provides an overview of their structure, principles of rational design, and biophysical features as well as highlights the areas of their successful implementation in biology and biomedicine. Finally, the review discusses the areas of improvement that would allow their use as a new class of therapeutics in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gleb S Ivanov
- Institute of Cytology, Tikhoretsky Ave 4, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 194064
- St. Petersburg State Technological Institute (Technical University), Saint Petersburg, Russia, 190013
| | - Vyacheslav G Tribulovich
- St. Petersburg State Technological Institute (Technical University), Saint Petersburg, Russia, 190013
| | - Nikolay B Pestov
- Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products, Moscow, Russia, 108819
- Phystech School of Biological and Medical Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, Russia, 141701
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, Russia, 117997
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow, Russia, 119121б
| | - Temitope I David
- Phystech School of Biological and Medical Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, Russia, 141701
| | - Abdul-Saleem Amoah
- Phystech School of Biological and Medical Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, Russia, 141701
| | - Tatyana V Korneenko
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, Russia, 117997
| | - Nikolai A Barlev
- Institute of Cytology, Tikhoretsky Ave 4, Saint Petersburg, Russia, 194064.
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow, Russia, 119121б.
- School of Medicine, Nazarbayev University, 010000, Astana, Kazakhstan.
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10
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Das G, Harikrishna S, Gore KR. Influence of Sugar Modifications on the Nucleoside Conformation and Oligonucleotide Stability: A Critical Review. CHEM REC 2022; 22:e202200174. [PMID: 36048010 DOI: 10.1002/tcr.202200174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Ribofuranose sugar conformation plays an important role in the structure and dynamics of functional nucleic acids such as siRNAs, AONs, aptamers, miRNAs, etc. To improve their therapeutic potential, several chemical modifications have been introduced into the sugar moiety over the years. The stability of the oligonucleotide duplexes as well as the formation of stable and functional protein-oligonucleotide complexes are dictated by the conformation and dynamics of the sugar moiety. In this review, we systematically categorise various ribofuranose sugar modifications employed in DNAs and RNAs so far. We discuss different stereoelectronic effects imparted by different substituents on the sugar ring and how these effects control sugar puckering. Using this data, it would be possible to predict the precise use of chemical modifications and design novel sugar-modified nucleosides for therapeutic oligonucleotides that can improve their physicochemical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gourav Das
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal-721302, India
| | - S Harikrishna
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240, USA
| | - Kiran R Gore
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal-721302, India
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11
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Hyjek-Składanowska M, Anderson BA, Mykhaylyk V, Orr C, Wagner A, Poznański J, Skowronek K, Seth P, Nowotny M. Structures of annexin A2-PS DNA complexes show dominance of hydrophobic interactions in phosphorothioate binding. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 51:1409-1423. [PMID: 36124719 PMCID: PMC9943651 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The introduction of phosphorothioate (PS) linkages to the backbone of therapeutic nucleic acids substantially increases their stability and potency. It also affects their interactions with cellular proteins, but the molecular mechanisms that underlie this effect are poorly understood. Here, we report structural and biochemical studies of interactions between annexin A2, a protein that does not possess any known canonical DNA binding domains, and phosphorothioate-modified antisense oligonucleotides. We show that a unique mode of hydrophobic interactions between a sulfur atom of the phosphorothioate group and lysine and arginine residues account for the enhanced affinity of modified nucleic acid for the protein. Our results demonstrate that this mechanism of interaction is observed not only for nucleic acid-binding proteins but can also account for the association of PS oligonucleotides with other proteins. Using the anomalous diffraction of sulfur, we showed that preference for phosphorothioate stereoisomers is determined by the hydrophobic environment around the PS linkage that comes not only from protein but also from additional structural features within the ASO such as 5-Me groups on cytosine nucleobases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malwina Hyjek-Składanowska
- Laboratory of Protein Structure, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw 02-109, Poland
| | | | | | - Christian Orr
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK
| | - Armin Wagner
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, UK
| | - Jarosław T Poznański
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Skowronek
- Biophysics and Structural Biology Facility, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Punit Seth
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Marcin Nowotny
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +48 22 597 0717; Fax: +48 22 597 0715;
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12
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Gangopadhyay S, Gore KR. Advances in siRNA therapeutics and synergistic effect on siRNA activity using emerging dual ribose modifications. RNA Biol 2022; 19:452-467. [PMID: 35352626 PMCID: PMC8973385 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2022.2052641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid-based therapeutics that control gene expression have been steadily progressing towards achieving their full clinical potential throughout the last few decades. Rapid progress has been achieved in RNAi-based therapy by optimizing high specificity and gene silencing efficiency using chemically modified siRNAs. Since 2018, four siRNA drugs – patisiran, givosiran, lumasiran, and inclisiran, were approved by the US FDA, providing a testament to the promise of RNAi therapeutics. Despite these promising results, safe and efficient siRNA delivery at the target site remains a major obstacle for efficient siRNA-based therapeutics. In this review, we have outlined the synergistic effects of emerging dual ribose modifications, including 2’,4’- and 2’,5’-modifications, 5’-E/Z-vinylphosphonate, and northern methanocarbacyclic (NMC) modifications that have contributed to drug-like effects in siRNA. These modifications enhance nuclease stability, prolong gene silencing efficiency, improve thermal stability, and exhibit high tissue accumulation. We also highlight the current progress in siRNA clinical trials. This review will help to understand the potential effects of dual ribose modifications and provides alternative ways to use extensive 2’-modifications in siRNA drugs. Moreover, the minimal number of these dual ribose modifications could be sufficient to achieve the desired therapeutic effect. In future, detailed in vivo studies using these dual ribose modifications could help to improve the therapeutic effects of siRNA. Rational design could further open doors for the rapid progress in siRNA therapeutics. ![]() ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumit Gangopadhyay
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India
| | - Kiran R Gore
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, India
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13
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Aralov AV, Gubina N, Cabrero C, Tsvetkov VB, Turaev AV, Fedeles BI, Croy RG, Isaakova EA, Melnik D, Dukova S, Ryazantsev DY, Khrulev AA, Varizhuk AM, González C, Zatsepin TS, Essigmann JM. 7,8-Dihydro-8-oxo-1,N6-ethenoadenine: an exclusively Hoogsteen-paired thymine mimic in DNA that induces A→T transversions in Escherichia coli. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:3056-3069. [PMID: 35234900 PMCID: PMC8989528 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
This work investigated the structural and biological properties of DNA containing 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-1,N6-ethenoadenine (oxo-ϵA), a non-natural synthetic base that combines structural features of two naturally occurring DNA lesions (7,8-dihydro-8-oxoadenine and 1,N6-ethenoadenine). UV-, CD-, NMR spectroscopies and molecular modeling of DNA duplexes revealed that oxo-ϵA adopts the non-canonical syn conformation (χ = 65º) and fits very well among surrounding residues without inducing major distortions in local helical architecture. The adduct remarkably mimics the natural base thymine. When considered as an adenine-derived DNA lesion, oxo-ϵA was >99% mutagenic in living cells, causing predominantly A→T transversion mutations in Escherichia coli. The adduct in a single-stranded vector was not repaired by base excision repair enzymes (MutM and MutY glycosylases) or the AlkB dioxygenase and did not detectably affect the efficacy of DNA replication in vivo. When the biological and structural data are viewed together, it is likely that the nearly exclusive syn conformation and thymine mimicry of oxo-ϵA defines the selectivity of base pairing in vitro and in vivo, resulting in lesion pairing with A during replication. The base pairing properties of oxo-ϵA, its strong fluorescence and its invisibility to enzymatic repair systems in vivo are features that are sought in novel DNA-based probes and modulators of gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey V Aralov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Nina Gubina
- Department of Biological Engineering, Department of Chemistry and Center for Environmental Health Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics RAS, Pushchino 142290, Russia
| | - Cristina Cabrero
- Instituto de Química-Física Rocasolano (IQFR-CSIC), Madrid 28006, Spain
| | - Vladimir B Tsvetkov
- Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow 119435, Russia.,World-Class Research Center "Digital biodesign and personalized healthcare", Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow 119146, Russia
| | - Anton V Turaev
- Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow 119435, Russia
| | - Bogdan I Fedeles
- Department of Biological Engineering, Department of Chemistry and Center for Environmental Health Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Robert G Croy
- Department of Biological Engineering, Department of Chemistry and Center for Environmental Health Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ekaterina A Isaakova
- Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow 119435, Russia
| | - Denis Melnik
- Center for Life Sciences, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow 143026, Russia
| | - Svetlana Dukova
- Center for Life Sciences, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow 143026, Russia
| | - Dmitriy Y Ryazantsev
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Alexei A Khrulev
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry RAS, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Anna M Varizhuk
- Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow 119435, Russia.,Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny 141701, Russia
| | - Carlos González
- Instituto de Química-Física Rocasolano (IQFR-CSIC), Madrid 28006, Spain
| | - Timofei S Zatsepin
- Center for Life Sciences, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow 143026, Russia.,Chemistry Department, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119992, Russia
| | - John M Essigmann
- Department of Biological Engineering, Department of Chemistry and Center for Environmental Health Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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14
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Kumar V, Rozners E. Fluorobenzene Nucleobase Analogues for Triplex-Forming Peptide Nucleic Acids. Chembiochem 2022; 23:e202100560. [PMID: 34889020 PMCID: PMC8935525 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202100560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
2,4-Difluorotoluene is a nonpolar isostere of thymidine that has been used as a powerful mechanistic probe to study the role of hydrogen bonding in nucleic acid recognition and interactions with polymerases. In the present study, we evaluated five fluorinated benzenes as nucleobase analogues in peptide nucleic acids designed for triple helical recognition of double helical RNA. We found that analogues having para and ortho fluorine substitution patterns (as in 2,4-difluorotoluene) selectively stabilized Hoogsteen triplets with U-A base pairs. The results were consistent with attractive electrostatic interactions akin to non-canonical F to H-N and C-H to N hydrogen bonding. The fluorinated nucleobases were not able to stabilize Hoogsteen-like triplets with pyrimidines in either G-C or A-U base pairs. Our results illustrate the ability of fluorine to engage in non-canonical base pairing and provide insights into triple helical recognition of RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vipin Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York 13902, USA
| | - Eriks Rozners
- Department of Chemistry, Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York 13902, USA
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15
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Liczner C, Hanna CC, Payne RJ, Wilds CJ. Generation of oligonucleotide conjugates via one-pot diselenide-selenoester ligation-deselenization/alkylation. Chem Sci 2022; 13:410-420. [PMID: 35126973 PMCID: PMC8729807 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc04937b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A breadth of strategies are needed to efficiently modify oligonucleotides with peptides or lipids to capitalize on their therapeutic and diagnostic potential, including the modulation of in vivo chemical stability and for applications in cell-targeting and cell-permeability. The chemical linkages typically used in peptide oligonucleotide conjugates (POCs) have limitations in terms of stability and/or ease of synthesis. Herein, we report an efficient method for POC synthesis using a diselenide-selenoester ligation (DSL)-deselenization strategy that rapidly generates a stable amide linkage between the two biomolecules. This conjugation strategy is underpinned by a novel selenide phosphoramidite building block that can be incorporated into an oligonucleotide by solid-phase synthesis to generate diselenide dimer molecules. These can be rapidly ligated with peptide selenoesters and, following in situ deselenization, lead to the efficient generation of POCs. The diselenide within the oligonucleotide also serves as a flexible functionalisation handle that can be leveraged for fluorescent labelling, as well as for alkylation to generate micelles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Liczner
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Concordia University 7141 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest Montréal Québec H4B 1R6 Canada
| | - Cameron C Hanna
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Richard J Payne
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 Australia.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Christopher J Wilds
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Concordia University 7141 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest Montréal Québec H4B 1R6 Canada
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16
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Knockdown of TRIM15 inhibits the activation of hepatic stellate cells. J Mol Histol 2021; 52:839-848. [PMID: 34142270 DOI: 10.1007/s10735-021-09997-7] [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: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Liver fibrosis is a global public health problem, and the activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is the main driving force for liver fibrosis. However, the activation mechanism of HSCs is still not fully understood. In this study, we screened out 854 differentially expressed genes [Log2 fold change absolute: log2 FC(abs) ≥ 1] in activated LX-2 cells. Subsequently, we performed functional analyses of these differentially expressed genes. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis showed that the target genes were mainly enriched in processes such as positive regulation of cell migration involved in sprouting angiogenesis, negative regulation of keratinocyte proliferation, and nuclear inclusion bodies. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genome signaling pathway enrichment analysis revealed that dysregulated genes were involved in signaling pathways such as pantothenate and coenzyme A biosynthesis and riboflavin metabolism. The microarray results were validated by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, which indicated that the microarray results were reliable and that the tripartite motif containing 15 (TRIM15) had the highest absolute value of Log2FC. Additionally, the effect of TRIM15 on the proliferation, migration, and activation of LX-2 cells was assessed using overexpression plasmids and siRNA transfections. TRIM15 promoted the proliferation and migration of LX-2 cells and positively regulated the expression of α-smooth muscle actin and type I collagen. Collectively, the data revealed the gene expression profiles of quiescent and activated LX-2 cells and the involvement of TRIM15 in the activation of LX-2 cells. Hereby, TRIM15 could be a novel target of the HSC activation mechanism.
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