1
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Ghosh D, Coulter SM, Laverty G, Holland C, Doutch JJ, Vassalli M, Adams DJ. Metal Cross-Linked Supramolecular Gel Noodles: Structural Insights and Antibacterial Assessment. Biomacromolecules 2024; 25:3169-3177. [PMID: 38684138 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.4c00300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Achieving precise control over gelator alignment and morphology is crucial for crafting tailored materials and supramolecular structures with distinct properties. We successfully aligned the self-assembled micelles formed by a functionalized dipeptide 2NapFF into long 1-D "gel noodles" by cross-linking with divalent metal chlorides. We identify the most effective cross-linker for alignment, enhancing mechanical stability, and imparting functional properties. Our study shows that Group 2 metal ions are particularly suited for creating mechanically robust yet flexible gel noodles because of their ionic and nondirectional bonding with carboxylate groups. In contrast, the covalent nature and high directional bonds of d-block metal ions with carboxylates tend to disrupt the self-assembly of 2NapFF. Furthermore, the 2NapFF-Cu noodles demonstrated selective antibacterial activity, indicating that the potent antibacterial property of the copper(II) ion is preserved within the cross-linked system. By merging insights into molecular alignment, gel extrusion processing, and integrating specific functionalities, we illustrate how the versatility of dipeptide-based gels can be utilized in creating next-generation soft materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipankar Ghosh
- School of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, U.K
| | - Sophie M Coulter
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, U.K
| | - Garry Laverty
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, U.K
| | - Chris Holland
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Sheffield University, Mappin Street, Sheffield S1 3JD, U.K
| | - James J Doutch
- ISIS Pulsed Neutron and Muon Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, U.K
| | - Massimo Vassalli
- Centre for the Cellular Microenvironment, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8LT, U.K
| | - Dave J Adams
- School of Chemistry, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, U.K
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2
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Saunders C, Foote JEJ, Wojciechowski JP, Cammack A, Pedersen SV, Doutch JJ, Barriga HMG, Holme MN, Penders J, Chami M, Najer A, Stevens MM. Revealing Population Heterogeneity in Vesicle-Based Nanomedicines Using Automated, Single Particle Raman Analysis. ACS Nano 2023; 17:11713-11728. [PMID: 37279338 PMCID: PMC10311594 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c02452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The intrinsic heterogeneity of many nanoformulations is currently challenging to characterize on both the single particle and population level. Therefore, there is great opportunity to develop advanced techniques to describe and understand nanomedicine heterogeneity, which will aid translation to the clinic by informing manufacturing quality control, characterization for regulatory bodies, and connecting nanoformulation properties to clinical outcomes to enable rational design. Here, we present an analytical technique to provide such information, while measuring the nanocarrier and cargo simultaneously with label-free, nondestructive single particle automated Raman trapping analysis (SPARTA). We first synthesized a library of model compounds covering a range of hydrophilicities and providing distinct Raman signals. These compounds were then loaded into model nanovesicles (polymersomes) that can load both hydrophobic and hydrophilic cargo into the membrane or core regions, respectively. Using our analytical framework, we characterized the heterogeneity of the population by correlating the signal per particle from the membrane and cargo. We found that core and membrane loading can be distinguished, and we detected subpopulations of highly loaded particles in certain cases. We then confirmed the suitability of our technique in liposomes, another nanovesicle class, including the commercial formulation Doxil. Our label-free analytical technique precisely determines cargo location alongside loading and release heterogeneity in nanomedicines, which could be instrumental for future quality control, regulatory body protocols, and development of structure-function relationships to bring more nanomedicines to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Saunders
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - James E. J. Foote
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan P. Wojciechowski
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Ana Cammack
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Simon V. Pedersen
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - James J. Doutch
- ISIS
Neutron and Muon Source, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Didcot OX11 ODE, United Kingdom
| | - Hanna M. G. Barriga
- Department
of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Margaret N. Holme
- Department
of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jelle Penders
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Mohamed Chami
- BioEM
Lab, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Adrian Najer
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Molly M. Stevens
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
- Department
of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
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3
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Najer A, Blight J, Ducker CB, Gasbarri M, Brown JC, Che J, Høgset H, Saunders C, Ojansivu M, Lu Z, Lin Y, Yeow J, Rifaie-Graham O, Potter M, Tonkin R, Penders J, Doutch JJ, Georgiadou A, Barriga HMG, Holme MN, Cunnington AJ, Bugeon L, Dallman MJ, Barclay WS, Stellacci F, Baum J, Stevens MM. Potent Virustatic Polymer-Lipid Nanomimics Block Viral Entry and Inhibit Malaria Parasites In Vivo. ACS Cent Sci 2022; 8:1238-1257. [PMID: 36188342 PMCID: PMC9092191 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.1c01368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Infectious diseases continue to pose a substantial burden on global populations, requiring innovative broad-spectrum prophylactic and treatment alternatives. Here, we have designed modular synthetic polymer nanoparticles that mimic functional components of host cell membranes, yielding multivalent nanomimics that act by directly binding to varied pathogens. Nanomimic blood circulation time was prolonged by reformulating polymer-lipid hybrids. Femtomolar concentrations of the polymer nanomimics were sufficient to inhibit herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) entry into epithelial cells, while higher doses were needed against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Given their observed virustatic mode of action, the nanomimics were also tested with malaria parasite blood-stage merozoites, which lose their invasive capacity after a few minutes. Efficient inhibition of merozoite invasion of red blood cells was demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo using a preclinical rodent malaria model. We envision these nanomimics forming an adaptable platform for developing pathogen entry inhibitors and as immunomodulators, wherein nanomimic-inhibited pathogens can be secondarily targeted to sites of immune recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Najer
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
- Department
of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Joshua Blight
- Department
of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | | | - Matteo Gasbarri
- Institute
of Materials, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale
de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jonathan C. Brown
- Department
of Infectious Disease, Imperial College
London, London, W2 1PG, U.K.
| | - Junyi Che
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Håkon Høgset
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Catherine Saunders
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Miina Ojansivu
- Department
of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Zixuan Lu
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Yiyang Lin
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Jonathan Yeow
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Omar Rifaie-Graham
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Michael Potter
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Renée Tonkin
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Jelle Penders
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - James J. Doutch
- Rutherford
Appleton Laboratory, ISIS Neutron and Muon
Source, STFC, Didcot OX11 ODE, U.K.
| | - Athina Georgiadou
- Department
of Infectious Disease, Imperial College
London, London, W2 1PG, U.K.
| | - Hanna M. G. Barriga
- Department
of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Margaret N. Holme
- Department
of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Laurence Bugeon
- Department
of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | | | - Wendy S. Barclay
- Department
of Infectious Disease, Imperial College
London, London, W2 1PG, U.K.
| | - Francesco Stellacci
- Institute
of Materials, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale
de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Institute
of Bioengineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale
de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jake Baum
- Department
of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Molly M. Stevens
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.
- Department
of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
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4
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Barriga HM, Pence IJ, Holme MN, Doutch JJ, Penders J, Nele V, Thomas MR, Carroni M, Stevens MM. Coupling Lipid Nanoparticle Structure and Automated Single-Particle Composition Analysis to Design Phospholipase-Responsive Nanocarriers. Adv Mater 2022; 34:e2200839. [PMID: 35358374 PMCID: PMC7615489 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202200839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are versatile structures with tunable physicochemical properties that are ideally suited as a platform for vaccine delivery and RNA therapeutics. A key barrier to LNP rational design is the inability to relate composition and structure to intracellular processing and function. Here Single Particle Automated Raman Trapping Analysis (SPARTA) is combined with small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering (SAXS/SANS) techniques to link LNP composition with internal structure and morphology and to monitor dynamic LNP-phospholipase D (PLD) interactions. This analysis demonstrates that PLD, a key intracellular trafficking mediator, can access the entire LNP lipid membrane to generate stable, anionic LNPs. PLD activity on vesicles with matched amounts of enzyme substrate is an order of magnitude lower, indicating that the LNP lipid membrane structure can be used to control enzyme interactions. This represents an opportunity to design enzyme-responsive LNP solutions for stimuli-responsive delivery and diseases where PLD is dysregulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna M.G. Barriga
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm SE-171 77, Sweden
| | - Isaac J. Pence
- Department of Materials, Department of Bioengineering,and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Margaret N. Holme
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm SE-171 77, Sweden
| | - James J. Doutch
- ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, STFC, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Didcot OX11 ODE, UK
| | - Jelle Penders
- Department of Materials, Department of Bioengineering,and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Valeria Nele
- Department of Materials, Department of Bioengineering,and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Michael R. Thomas
- Department of Materials, Department of Bioengineering,and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Marta Carroni
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Science for Life Laboratory Stockholm University, Stockholm 171 65, Sweden
| | - Molly M. Stevens
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm SE-171 77, Sweden
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5
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Constantinou AP, Nele V, Doutch JJ, S. Correia J, Moiseev RV, Cihova M, Gaboriau DCA, Krell J, Khutoryanskiy VV, Stevens MM, Georgiou TK. Investigation of the Thermogelation of a Promising Biocompatible ABC Triblock Terpolymer and Its Comparison with Pluronic F127. Macromolecules 2022; 55:1783-1799. [PMID: 35431333 PMCID: PMC9007541 DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.1c02123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
![]()
Thermoresponsive polymers with the
appropriate structure form physical
networks upon changes in temperature, and they find utility in formulation
science, tissue engineering, and drug delivery. Here, we report a
cost-effective biocompatible alternative, namely OEGMA30015-b-BuMA26-b-DEGMA13, which forms gels at low concentrations (as low as 2% w/w);
OEGMA300, BuMA, and DEGMA stand for oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl
ether methacrylate (MM = 300 g mol–1), n-butyl methacrylate, and di(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate,
respectively. This polymer is investigated in depth and is compared
to its commercially available counterpart, Poloxamer P407 (Pluronic
F127). To elucidate the differences in their macroscale gelling behavior,
we investigate their nanoscale self-assembly by means of small-angle
neutron scattering and simultaneously recording their rheological
properties. Two different gelation mechanisms are revealed. The triblock
copolymer inherently forms elongated micelles, whose length increases
by temperature to form worm-like micelles, thus promoting gelation.
In contrast, Pluronic F127’s micellization is temperature-driven,
and its gelation is attributed to the close packing of the micelles.
The gel structure is analyzed through cryogenic scanning and transmission
electron microscopy. Ex vivo gelation study upon intracameral injections
demonstrates excellent potential for its application to improve drug
residence in the eye.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Valeria Nele
- Department of Materials, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - James J. Doutch
- ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, STFC, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot OX11 ODE, UK
| | - Joana S. Correia
- Department of Materials, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Roman V. Moiseev
- Reading School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, Whiteknights, P.O. Box 224, Reading RG66AD, UK
| | - Martina Cihova
- Department of Materials, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - David C. A. Gaboriau
- Facility for Imaging by Light Microscopy, NHLI, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Jonathan Krell
- Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Vitaliy V. Khutoryanskiy
- Reading School of Pharmacy, University of Reading, Whiteknights, P.O. Box 224, Reading RG66AD, UK
| | - Molly M. Stevens
- Department of Materials, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
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6
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Nele V, Holme MN, Rashid MH, Barriga HMG, Le TC, Thomas MR, Doutch JJ, Yarovsky I, Stevens MM. Design of Lipid-Based Nanocarriers via Cation Modulation of Ethanol-Interdigitated Lipid Membranes. Langmuir 2021; 37:11909-11921. [PMID: 34581180 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c02076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Short-chain alcohols (i.e., ethanol) can induce membrane interdigitation in saturated-chain phosphatidylcholines (PCs). In this process, alcohol molecules intercalate between phosphate heads, increasing lateral separation and favoring hydrophobic interactions between opposing acyl chains, which interpenetrate forming an interdigitated phase. Unraveling mechanisms underlying the interactions between ethanol and model lipid membranes has implications for cell biology, biochemistry, and for the formulation of lipid-based nanocarriers. However, investigations of ethanol-lipid membrane systems have been carried out in deionized water, which limits their applicability. Here, using a combination of small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering, small-angle neutron scattering, and all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we analyzed the effect of varying CaCl2 and NaCl concentrations on ethanol-induced interdigitation. We observed that while ethanol addition leads to the interdigitation of bulk phase 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) bilayers in the presence of CaCl2 and NaCl regardless of the salt concentration, the ethanol-induced interdigitation of vesicular DPPC depends on the choice of cation and its concentration. These findings unravel a key role for cations in the ethanol-induced interdigitation of lipid membranes in either bulk phase or vesicular form.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Nele
- Department of Materials, Department of Bioengineering and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K
| | - Margaret N Holme
- Department of Materials, Department of Bioengineering and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - M Harunur Rashid
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
- Department of Mathematics and Physics, North South University, Bashundhara, Dhaka 1229, Bangladesh
| | - Hanna M G Barriga
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tu C Le
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
| | - Michael R Thomas
- Department of Materials, Department of Bioengineering and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K
- London Centre for Nanotechnology and Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, 17-19 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AH, U.K
| | - James J Doutch
- ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, STFC, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot OX11 ODE, U.K
| | - Irene Yarovsky
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
| | - Molly M Stevens
- Department of Materials, Department of Bioengineering and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
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7
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Sanchez-Fernandez A, Jackson AJ, Prévost SF, Doutch JJ, Edler KJ. Long-Range Electrostatic Colloidal Interactions and Specific Ion Effects in Deep Eutectic Solvents. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:14158-14168. [PMID: 34459188 PMCID: PMC8431340 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c04781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
While the traditional consensus dictates that high ion concentrations lead to negligible long-range electrostatic interactions, we demonstrate that electrostatic correlations prevail in deep eutectic solvents where intrinsic ion concentrations often surpass 2.5 M. Here we present an investigation of intermicellar interactions in 1:2 choline chloride:glycerol and 1:2 choline bromide:glycerol using small-angle neutron scattering. Our results show that long-range electrostatic repulsions between charged colloidal particles occur in these solvents. Interestingly, micelle morphology and electrostatic interactions are modulated by specific counterion condensation at the micelle interface despite the exceedingly high concentration of the native halide from the solvent. This modulation follows the trends described by the Hofmeister series for specific ion effects. The results are rationalized in terms of predominant ion-ion correlations, which explain the reduction in the effective ionic strength of the continuum and the observed specific ion effects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrew J. Jackson
- European
Spallation Source, Box
176, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
- Department
of Physical Chemistry, Lund University, Lund, SE-221 00, Sweden
| | | | - James J. Doutch
- ISIS
Neutron and Muon Source, Science and Technology
Facilities Council, Rutherford Appleton
Laboratory, Didcot, OX11 0QX, U.K.
| | - Karen J. Edler
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, U.K.
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8
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Eves BJ, Doutch JJ, Terry AE, Yin H, Moulin M, Haertlein M, Forsyth VT, Flagmeier P, Knowles TPJ, Dias DM, Lotze G, Seddon AM, Squires AM. Elongation rate and average length of amyloid fibrils in solution using isotope-labelled small-angle neutron scattering. RSC Chem Biol 2021; 2:1232-1238. [PMID: 34458836 PMCID: PMC8341957 DOI: 10.1039/d1cb00001b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
We demonstrate a solution method that allows both elongation rate and average fibril length of assembling amyloid fibrils to be estimated. The approach involves acquisition of real-time neutron scattering data during the initial stages of seeded growth, using contrast matched buffer to make the seeds effectively invisible to neutrons. As deuterated monomers add on to the seeds, the labelled growing ends give rise to scattering patterns that we model as cylinders whose increase in length with time gives an elongation rate. In addition, the absolute intensity of the signal can be used to determine the number of growing ends per unit volume, which in turn provides an estimate of seed length. The number of ends did not change significantly during elongation, demonstrating that any spontaneous or secondary nucleation was not significant compared with growth on the ends of pre-existing fibrils, and in addition providing a method of internal validation for the technique. Our experiments on initial growth of alpha synuclein fibrils using 1.2 mg ml-1 seeds in 2.5 mg ml-1 deuterated monomer at room temperature gave an elongation rate of 6.3 ± 0.5 Å min-1, and an average seed length estimate of 4.2 ± 1.3 μm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben J Eves
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath Bath UK
| | - James J Doutch
- ISIS Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, STFC, Chilton Didcot OX11 0QX UK
| | - Ann E Terry
- MAX IV Laboratory, Lund University P.O. Box 118 Lund 221 00 Sweden
| | - Han Yin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath Bath UK
| | - Martine Moulin
- Life Sciences Group, Institut Laue Langevin 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9 France
| | - Michael Haertlein
- Life Sciences Group, Institut Laue Langevin 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9 France
| | - V Trevor Forsyth
- Life Sciences Group, Institut Laue Langevin 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9 France
- School of Chemistry & Physics Keele University Staffordshire ST5 5BG UK
| | - Patrick Flagmeier
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, University of Cambridge Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
| | - Tuomas P J Knowles
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, University of Cambridge Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
| | - David M Dias
- Department of Chemistry, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3QZ UK
| | - Gudrun Lotze
- MAX IV Laboratory, Lund University P.O. Box 118 Lund 221 00 Sweden
| | - Annela M Seddon
- School of Physics, HH Wills Physics Laboratory, Tyndall Avenue, University of Bristol Bristol BS8 1TL UK
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9
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Zhang X, Contini C, Constantinou AP, Doutch JJ, Georgiou TK. How does the hydrophobic content of methacrylate
ABA
triblock copolymers affect polymersome formation? Journal of Polymer Science 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/pol.20210371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xinmo Zhang
- Department of Materials Royal School of Mines Exhibition Road London SW7 2AZ UK
| | - Claudia Contini
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub Imperial College London 82 Wood Lane London W12 0BZ UK
| | - Anna P. Constantinou
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub Imperial College London 82 Wood Lane London W12 0BZ UK
| | - James J. Doutch
- ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Didcot UK
| | - Theoni K. Georgiou
- Department of Materials Royal School of Mines Exhibition Road London SW7 2AZ UK
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10
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Potter M, Najer A, Klöckner A, Zhang S, Holme MN, Nele V, Che J, Massi L, Penders J, Saunders C, Doutch JJ, Edwards AM, Ces O, Stevens MM. Controlled Dendrimersome Nanoreactor System for Localized Hypochlorite-Induced Killing of Bacteria. ACS Nano 2020; 14:17333-17353. [PMID: 33290039 PMCID: PMC7760217 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c07459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is a serious global health problem necessitating new bactericidal approaches such as nanomedicines. Dendrimersomes (DSs) have recently become a valuable alternative nanocarrier to polymersomes and liposomes due to their molecular definition and synthetic versatility. Despite this, their biomedical application is still in its infancy. Inspired by the localized antimicrobial function of neutrophil phagosomes and the versatility of DSs, a simple three-component DS-based nanoreactor with broad-spectrum bactericidal activity is presented. This was achieved by encapsulation of glucose oxidase (GOX) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) within DSs (GOX-MPO-DSs), self-assembled from an amphiphilic Janus dendrimer, that possesses a semipermeable membrane. By external addition of glucose to GOX-MPO-DS, the production of hypochlorite (-OCl), a highly potent antimicrobial, by the enzymatic cascade was demonstrated. This cascade nanoreactor yielded a potent bactericidal effect against two important multidrug resistant pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), not observed for H2O2 producing nanoreactors, GOX-DS. The production of highly reactive species such as -OCl represents a harsh bactericidal approach that could also be cytotoxic to mammalian cells. This necessitates the development of strategies for activating -OCl production in a localized manner in response to a bacterial stimulus. One option of locally releasing sufficient amounts of substrate using a bacterial trigger (released toxins) was demonstrated with lipidic glucose-loaded giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs), envisioning, e.g., implant surface modification with nanoreactors and GUVs for localized production of bactericidal agents in the presence of bacterial growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Potter
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
- Department
of Chemistry and Institute of Chemical Biology, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
| | - Adrian Najer
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Anna Klöckner
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
- MRC
Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Shaodong Zhang
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Margaret N. Holme
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
- Department
of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Valeria Nele
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Junyi Che
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Lucia Massi
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Jelle Penders
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Catherine Saunders
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - James J. Doutch
- Rutherford
Appleton Laboratory, ISIS Neutron and Muon
Source, STFC, Didcot OX11 ODE, U.K.
| | - Andrew M. Edwards
- MRC
Centre for Molecular Bacteriology and Infection, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Oscar Ces
- Department
of Chemistry and Institute of Chemical Biology, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
| | - Molly M. Stevens
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical
Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
- Department
of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
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11
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Massi L, Najer A, Chapman R, Spicer CD, Nele V, Che J, Booth MA, Doutch JJ, Stevens MM. Tuneable peptide cross-linked nanogels for enzyme-triggered protein delivery. J Mater Chem B 2020; 8:8894-8907. [PMID: 33026394 DOI: 10.1039/d0tb01546f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Many diseases are associated with the dysregulated activity of enzymes, such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). This dysregulation can be leveraged in drug delivery to achieve disease- or site-specific cargo release. Self-assembled polymeric nanoparticles are versatile drug carrier materials due to the accessible diversity of polymer chemistry. However, efficient loading of sensitive cargo, such as proteins, and introducing functional enzyme-responsive behaviour remain challenging. Herein, peptide-crosslinked, temperature-sensitive nanogels for protein delivery were designed to respond to MMP-7, which is overexpressed in many pathologies including cancer and inflammatory diseases. The incorporation of N-cyclopropylacrylamide (NCPAM) into N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM)-based copolymers enabled us to tune the polymer lower critical solution temperature from 33 to 44 °C, allowing the encapsulation of protein cargo and nanogel-crosslinking at slightly elevated temperatures. This approach resulted in nanogels that were held together by MMP-sensitive peptides for enzyme-specific protein delivery. We employed a combination of cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), small angle neutron scattering (SANS), and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) to precisely decipher the morphology, self-assembly mechanism, enzyme-responsiveness, and model protein loading/release properties of our nanogel platform. Simple variation of the peptide linker sequence and combining multiple different crosslinkers will enable us to adjust our platform to target specific diseases in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Massi
- Department of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
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12
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Nele V, Schutt CE, Wojciechowski JP, Kit-Anan W, Doutch JJ, Armstrong JPK, Stevens MM. Ultrasound-Triggered Enzymatic Gelation. Adv Mater 2020; 32:e1905914. [PMID: 31922627 PMCID: PMC7180077 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201905914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Revised: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Hydrogels are formed using various triggers, including light irradiation, pH adjustment, heating, cooling, or chemical addition. Here, a new method for forming hydrogels is introduced: ultrasound-triggered enzymatic gelation. Specifically, ultrasound is used as a stimulus to liberate liposomal calcium ions, which then trigger the enzymatic activity of transglutaminase. The activated enzyme catalyzes the formation of fibrinogen hydrogels through covalent intermolecular crosslinking. The catalysis and gelation processes are monitored in real time and both the enzyme kinetics and final hydrogel properties are controlled by varying the initial ultrasound exposure time. This technology is extended to microbubble-liposome conjugates, which exhibit a stronger response to the applied acoustic field and are also used for ultrasound-triggered enzymatic hydrogelation. To the best of the knowledge, these results are the first instance in which ultrasound is used as a trigger for either enzyme catalysis or enzymatic hydrogelation. This approach is highly versatile and can be readily applied to different ion-dependent enzymes or gelation systems. Moreover, this work paves the way for the use of ultrasound as a remote trigger for in vivo hydrogelation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Nele
- Department of Materials, Department of Bioengineering and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Carolyn E Schutt
- Department of Materials, Department of Bioengineering and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Jonathan P Wojciechowski
- Department of Materials, Department of Bioengineering and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Worrapong Kit-Anan
- Department of Materials, Department of Bioengineering and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - James J Doutch
- ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, STFC, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, OX11 ODE, UK
| | - James P K Armstrong
- Department of Materials, Department of Bioengineering and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Molly M Stevens
- Department of Materials, Department of Bioengineering and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
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13
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Nele V, Holme MN, Kauscher U, Thomas MR, Doutch JJ, Stevens MM. Effect of Formulation Method, Lipid Composition, and PEGylation on Vesicle Lamellarity: A Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Study. Langmuir 2019; 35:6064-6074. [PMID: 30977658 PMCID: PMC6506804 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b04256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Liposomes are well-established systems for drug delivery and biosensing applications. The design of a liposomal carrier requires careful choice of lipid composition and formulation method. These determine many vesicle properties including lamellarity, which can have a strong effect on both encapsulation efficiency and the efflux rate of encapsulated active compounds. Despite this, a comprehensive study on how the lipid composition and formulation method affect vesicle lamellarity is still lacking. Here, we combine small-angle neutron scattering and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy to study the effect of three different well-established formulation methods followed by extrusion through 100 nm polycarbonate membranes on the resulting vesicle membrane structure. Specifically, we examine vesicles formulated from the commonly used phospholipids 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl- sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC), 1,2-dipalmitoyl- sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) and 1,2-dioleoyl- sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) via film hydration followed by (i) agitation on a shaker or (ii) freeze-thawing, or (iii) the reverse-phase evaporation vesicle method. After extrusion, up to half of the total lipid content is still assembled into multilamellar structures. However, we achieved unilamellar vesicle populations when as little as 0.1 mol % PEG-modified lipid was included in the vesicle formulation. Interestingly, DPPC with 5 mol % PEGylated lipid produces a combination of cylindrical micelles and vesicles. In conclusion, our results provide important insights into the effect of the formulation method and lipid composition on producing liposomes with a defined membrane structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Nele
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Margaret N. Holme
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
- Department
of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
- E-mail: (M.N.H.)
| | - Ulrike Kauscher
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - Michael R. Thomas
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
| | - James J. Doutch
- ISIS
Neutron and Muon Source, STFC, Rutherford
Appleton Laboratory, Didcot OX11 ODE, U.K.
| | - Molly M. Stevens
- Department
of Materials, Department of Bioengineering, and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
- Department
of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
- E-mail: (M.M.S.)
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14
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Doutch JJ, Quantock AJ, Joyce NC, Meek KM. Ultraviolet light transmission through the human corneal stroma is reduced in the periphery. Biophys J 2012; 102:1258-64. [PMID: 22455908 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2012.02.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2011] [Revised: 01/25/2012] [Accepted: 02/06/2012] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This article investigates in vitro light transmission through the human cornea in the ultraviolet (UV) portion of the electromagnetic spectrum as a function of position across the cornea from center to periphery. Spectrophotometry was used to measure UV transmission in the wavelength range 310-400 nm, from the central cornea to its periphery. UV transmission decreases away from the center, and this is attributed to scattering and absorbance. Corneal endothelial cells, which line the back of the cornea and are more numerous in the periphery, therefore receive a lower dose of UV than do those in the central cornea. This is consistent with the recent observation that endothelial cells in the corneal periphery exhibit less nuclear oxidative DNA damage than those in the central cornea.
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Affiliation(s)
- James J Doutch
- School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
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