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Chimeric virus-like particles (VLPs) designed from shrimp nodavirus (MrNV) capsid protein specifically target EGFR-positive human colorectal cancer cells. Sci Rep 2021; 11:16579. [PMID: 34400669 PMCID: PMC8367941 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95891-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Recombinant MrNV capsid protein has been shown to effectively deliver plasmid DNA and dsRNA into Sf9 insect cells and shrimp tissues. To extend its application to cancer cell-targeting drug delivery, we created three different types of chimeric MrNV virus-like particles (VLPs) (R-MrNV, I-MrNV, and E-MrNV) that have specificity toward the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a cancer cell biomarker, by incorporating the EGFR-specific GE11 peptide at 3 different locations within the host cell recognition site of the capsid. All three chimeric MrNV-VLPs preserved the ability to form a mulberry-like VLP structure and to encapsulate EGFP DNA plasmid with an efficiency comparable to that previously reported for normal MrNV (N-MrNV). Compared to N-MrNV, the chimeric R-MrNV and E-MrNV carrying the exposed GE-11 peptide showed a significantly enhanced binding and internalization abilities that were specific towards EGFR expression in colorectal cancer cells (SW480). Specific targeting of chimeric MrNV to EGFR was proven by both EGFR silencing with siRNA vector and a competition with excess GE-11 peptide as well as the use of EGFR-negative colorectal cells (SW620) and breast cancer cells (MCF7). We demonstrated here that both chimeric R-MrNV and E-MrNV could be used to encapsulate cargo such as exogenous DNA and deliver it specifically to EGFR-positive cells. Our study presents the potential use of surface-modified VLPs of shrimp virus origin as nanocontainers for targeted cancer drug delivery.
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Chen CC, Baikoghli MA, Cheng RH. Protein-based nanoplatform for detection of tumorigenic polyps in the colon via noninvasive mucosal routes. Pharm Pat Anal 2021; 10:13-24. [PMID: 33467938 PMCID: PMC7818166 DOI: 10.4155/ppa-2020-0034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The use of nanoparticulate systems to diagnose and treat tumors has gained momentum with the rapid development of nanomedicine. Many nanotheranostics fail due to insufficient bioavailability and low accumulation at the tumor site, resulting in undesirable side effects. We describe the use of an engineered hepatitis E viral nanoparticle (HEVNP) with enhanced bioavailability, tissue retention and mucosal penetration capacities. HEVNP is a modular nanocapsule that can encapsulate heterologous nucleotides, proteins and inorganic metals, such as ferrite oxide nanoparticles. Additionally, the exterior protruding arms of HEVNP is composed of loops that are used for chemical coupling of targeting and therapeutic peptides. We propose the use of HEVNP to target colorectal cancer (i.e., polyps) with imaging-guided delivery using colonoscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Chieh Chen
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Department of Dermatology, University of California, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA
- Astrid Pharma Corp., Davis, CA 95618, USA
| | - Mo A Baikoghli
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), HiLIFE, PO Box 20, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - R Holland Cheng
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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Lee EB, Kim JH, Hur W, Choi JE, Kim SM, Park DJ, Kang BY, Lee GW, Yoon SK. Liver-specific Gene Delivery Using Engineered Virus-Like Particles of Hepatitis E Virus. Sci Rep 2019; 9:1616. [PMID: 30733562 PMCID: PMC6367430 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-38533-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 12/31/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) possess great potential for organ-specific transport of therapeutic agents due to their central cavity surrounded by viral capsid proteins and similar tropism to their original viruses. The N-terminal truncated second open reading frame (Nt-ORF2) of the hepatotropic hepatitis E virus (HEV) forms VLPs via self-assembly. In the present study, we investigated whether HEV-LPs could deliver foreign genes specifically to the liver. HEV-LPs were obtained from Nt-ORF2 expression in Huh7 cells that were transduced with recombinant baculoviruses and purified by continuous density gradient centrifugation. The purified HEV-LPs efficiently penetrated liver-derived cell lines and the liver tissues. To evaluate HEV-LPs as gene delivery tools, we encapsulated foreign plasmids in HEV-LPs with disassembly/reassembly systems. Green fluorescence was detected at higher frequency in liver-derived Huh7 cells treated with HEV-LPs bearing GFP-encoding plasmids than in control cells. Additionally, HEV-LPs bearing Bax-encoding plasmids induced apoptotic signatures in Huh7 cells. In conclusion, HEV-LPs produced in mammalian cells can encapsulate foreign genes in their central cavity and specifically transport these genes to liver-derived cells, where they are expressed. The present study could contribute to advances in liver-targeted gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun Byul Lee
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center & WHO Collaborating Center of Viral Hepatitis, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Hee Kim
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center & WHO Collaborating Center of Viral Hepatitis, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea
- am SCIENCES, C-912, SK V1 GL Metrocity, 128, Beobwonro, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05854, Republic of Korea
| | - Wonhee Hur
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center & WHO Collaborating Center of Viral Hepatitis, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Eun Choi
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center & WHO Collaborating Center of Viral Hepatitis, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea
- 1014, A Building Gangseo-Hangang-Xi Tower 401 Yangcheon-ro, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, 157-801, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Min Kim
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center & WHO Collaborating Center of Viral Hepatitis, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Jun Park
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center & WHO Collaborating Center of Viral Hepatitis, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung-Yoon Kang
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center & WHO Collaborating Center of Viral Hepatitis, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Gil Won Lee
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center & WHO Collaborating Center of Viral Hepatitis, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Kew Yoon
- The Catholic University Liver Research Center & WHO Collaborating Center of Viral Hepatitis, Department of Biomedicine & Health Sciences, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea.
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Zhao Z, Kantamneni H, He S, Pelka S, Venkataraman AS, Kwon M, Libutti SK, Pierce M, Moghe PV, Ganapathy V, Tan MC. Surface-Modified Shortwave-Infrared-Emitting Nanophotonic Reporters for Gene-Therapy Applications. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2018; 4:2305-2363. [PMID: 30417087 PMCID: PMC6226244 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.8b00378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Gene therapy is emerging as the next generation of therapeutic modality with United States Food and Drug Administration approved gene-engineered therapy for cancer and a rare eye-related disorder, but the challenge of real-time monitoring of on-target therapy response remains. In this study, we have designed a theranostic nanoparticle composed of shortwave-infrared-emitting rare-earth-doped nanoparticles (RENPs) capable of delivering genetic cargo and of real-time response monitoring. We showed that the cationic coating of RENPs with branched polyethylenimine (PEI) does not have a significant impact on cellular toxicity, which can be further reduced by selectively modifying the surface characteristics of the PEI coating using counter-ions and expanding their potential applications in photothermal therapy. We showed the tolerability and clearance of a bolus dose of RENPs@PEI in mice up to 7 days after particle injection in addition to the RENPs@PEI ability to distinctively discern lung tumor lesions in a breast cancer mouse model with an excellent signal-to-noise ratio. We also showed the availability of amine functional groups in the collapsed PEI chain conformation on RENPs, which facilitates the loading of genetic cargo that hybridizes with target gene in an in vitro cancer model. The real-time monitoring and delivery of gene therapy at on-target sites will enable the success of an increased number of gene- and cell-therapy products in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenghuan Zhao
- Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Road, Singapore 487372
| | - Harini Kantamneni
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, The State University of New Jersey, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Shuqing He
- Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Road, Singapore 487372
| | - Sandra Pelka
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Aiyer Sandhya Venkataraman
- Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Road, Singapore 487372
| | - Mijung Kwon
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 195 Little Albany Street, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901, United States
| | - Steven K. Libutti
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 195 Little Albany Street, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901, United States
| | - Mark Pierce
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Prabhas V. Moghe
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Vidya Ganapathy
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Mei Chee Tan
- Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 8 Somapah Road, Singapore 487372
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Structural characterization of site-modified nanocapsid with monodispersed gold clusters. Sci Rep 2017; 7:17048. [PMID: 29213060 PMCID: PMC5719084 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-17171-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis E Virus-like particles self-assemble in to noninfectious nanocapsids that are resistant to proteolytic/acidic mucosal delivery conditions. Previously, the nanocapsid was engineered to specifically bind and enter breast cancer cells, where successful tumor targeting was demonstrated in animal models. In the present study, the nanocapsid surface was modified with a solvent-exposed cysteine to conjugate monolayer protected gold nanoclusters (AuNC). Unlike commercially available gold nanoparticles, AuNCs monodisperse in water and are composed of a discrete number of gold atoms, forming a crystalline gold core. Au102 pMBA44 (Au102) was an ideal conjugate given its small 2.5 nm size and detectability in cryoEM. Au102 was bound directly to nanocapsid surface cysteines via direct ligand exchange. In addition, Au102 was functionalized with a maleimide linker (Au102_C6MI) for maleimide-thiol conjugation to nanocapsid cysteines. The AuNC-bound nanocapsid constructs were conjugated in various conditions. We found Au102_C6MI to bind nanocapsid more efficiently, while Au102 remained more soluble over time. Nanocapsids conjugated to Au102_C6MI were imaged in cryoEM for single particle reconstruction to localize AuNC position on the nanocapsid surface. We resolved five unique high intensity volumes that formed a ring-shaped density at the 5-fold symmetry center. This finding was further supported by independent rigid modeling.
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