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Hartl N, Gabold B, Adams F, Uhl P, Oerter S, Gätzner S, Metzger M, König AC, Hauck SM, Appelt-Menzel A, Mier W, Fricker G, Merkel OM. Overcoming the blood-brain barrier? - prediction of blood-brain permeability of hydrophobically modified polyethylenimine polyplexes for siRNA delivery into the brain with in vitro and in vivo models. J Control Release 2023; 360:613-629. [PMID: 37437848 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.07.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a highly selective biological barrier that represents a major bottleneck in the treatment of all types of central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) offers in principle a promising therapeutic approach, e.g., for brain tumors, by downregulating brain tumor-related genes and inhibiting tumor growth via RNA interference. In an effort to develop efficient siRNA nanocarriers for crossing the BBB, we utilized polyethyleneimine (PEI) polymers hydrophobically modified with either stearic-acid (SA) or dodecylacrylamide (DAA) subunits and evaluated their suitability for delivering siRNA across the BBB in in vitro and in vivo BBB models depending on their structure. Physicochemical characteristics of siRNA-polymer complexes (polyplexes (PXs)), e.g., particle size and surface charge, were measured by dynamic light scattering and laser Doppler anemometry, whereas siRNA condensation ability of polymers and polyplex stability was evaluated by spectrophotometric methods. The composition of the biomolecule corona that absorbs on polyplexes upon encountering physiological fluids was investigated by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and by a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) method. Cellular internalization abilities of PXs into brain endothelial cells (hCMEC/D3) was confirmed, and a BBB permeation assay using a human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived BBB model revealed similar abilities to cross the BBB for all formulations under physiological conditions. However, biodistribution studies of radiolabeled PXs in mice were inconsistent with in vitro results as the detected amount of radiolabeled siRNA in the brain delivered with PEI PXs was higher compared to PEI-SA PXs. Taken together, PEI PXs were shown to be a suitable nanocarrier to deliver small amounts of siRNA across the BBB into the brain but more sophisticated human BBB models that better represent physiological conditions and biodistribution are required to provide highly predictive in vitro data for human CNS drug development in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natascha Hartl
- Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics, Butenandtstr. 5-13, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Bettina Gabold
- Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics, Butenandtstr. 5-13, 81377, Munich, Germany
| | - Friederike Adams
- University of Stuttgart, Institute of Polymer Chemistry, Macromolecular Materials and Fiber Chemistry, Pfaffenwaldring 55, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Philipp Uhl
- University Hospital Heidelberg, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sabrina Oerter
- Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research (ISC), Translational Center Regenerative Therapies (TLC-RT), 97070 Würzburg, Germany; University Hospital Würzburg, Chair of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (TERM), 97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sabine Gätzner
- Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research (ISC), Translational Center Regenerative Therapies (TLC-RT), 97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Marco Metzger
- Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research (ISC), Translational Center Regenerative Therapies (TLC-RT), 97070 Würzburg, Germany; University Hospital Würzburg, Chair of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (TERM), 97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ann-Christine König
- Helmholtz Centrum Munich - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Research Unit Protein Science, Heidemannsstr. 1, 80939, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefanie M Hauck
- Helmholtz Centrum Munich - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Research Unit Protein Science, Heidemannsstr. 1, 80939, Munich, Germany
| | - Antje Appelt-Menzel
- Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research (ISC), Translational Center Regenerative Therapies (TLC-RT), 97070 Würzburg, Germany; University Hospital Würzburg, Chair of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (TERM), 97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Walter Mier
- University Hospital Heidelberg, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Gert Fricker
- University of Heidelberg, Institute for Pharmacy & Molekular Biotechnology, Im Neuenheimer Feld 329, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Olivia M Merkel
- Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics, Butenandtstr. 5-13, 81377, Munich, Germany.
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2
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Rossow L, Veitl S, Vorlová S, Wax JK, Kuhn AE, Maltzahn V, Upcin B, Karl F, Hoffmann H, Gätzner S, Kallius M, Nandigama R, Scheld D, Irmak S, Herterich S, Zernecke A, Ergün S, Henke E. LOX-catalyzed collagen stabilization is a proximal cause for intrinsic resistance to chemotherapy. Oncogene 2018; 37:4921-4940. [PMID: 29780168 PMCID: PMC6127085 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-018-0320-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [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: 02/13/2018] [Revised: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The potential of altering the tumor ECM to improve drug response remains fairly unexplored. To identify targets for modification of the ECM aiming to improve drug response and overcome resistance, we analyzed expression data sets from pre-treatment patient cohorts. Cross-evaluation identified a subset of chemoresistant tumors characterized by increased expression of collagens and collagen-stabilizing enzymes. We demonstrate that strong collagen expression and stabilization sets off a vicious circle of self-propagating hypoxia, malignant signaling, and aberrant angiogenesis that can be broken by an appropriate auxiliary intervention: Interfering with collagen stabilization by inhibition of lysyl oxidases significantly enhanced response to chemotherapy in various tumor models, even in metastatic disease. Inhibition of collagen stabilization by itself can reduce or enhance tumor growth depending on the tumor type. The mechanistical basis for this behavior is the dependence of the individual tumor on nutritional supply on one hand and on high tissue stiffness for FAK signaling on the other.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonie Rossow
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology II, Universität Würzburg, Koellikerstrasse 6, 97070, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Simona Veitl
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology II, Universität Würzburg, Koellikerstrasse 6, 97070, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sandra Vorlová
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Strasse 2, 97082, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jacqueline K Wax
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology II, Universität Würzburg, Koellikerstrasse 6, 97070, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Anja E Kuhn
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology II, Universität Würzburg, Koellikerstrasse 6, 97070, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Verena Maltzahn
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology II, Universität Würzburg, Koellikerstrasse 6, 97070, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Berin Upcin
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology II, Universität Würzburg, Koellikerstrasse 6, 97070, Würzburg, Germany.,School of Health Sciences, Bilgi University, 34440, Beyoğlu İstanbul, Turkey
| | - Franziska Karl
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology II, Universität Würzburg, Koellikerstrasse 6, 97070, Würzburg, Germany.,Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Strasse 2, 97082, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Helene Hoffmann
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology II, Universität Würzburg, Koellikerstrasse 6, 97070, Würzburg, Germany.,Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Strasse 2, 97082, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sabine Gätzner
- Institute of Tissue Engineering, Universität Würzburg, Roentgenring 11, 97070, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Kallius
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology II, Universität Würzburg, Koellikerstrasse 6, 97070, Würzburg, Germany.,Graduate School of Life Science, Josef-Schneider-Strasse 2, 97082, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Rajender Nandigama
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology II, Universität Würzburg, Koellikerstrasse 6, 97070, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Daniela Scheld
- Zentrallabor, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Strasse 2, 97082, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ster Irmak
- School of Health Sciences, Bilgi University, 34440, Beyoğlu İstanbul, Turkey
| | - Sabine Herterich
- Zentrallabor, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Strasse 2, 97082, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Alma Zernecke
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Strasse 2, 97082, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Süleyman Ergün
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology II, Universität Würzburg, Koellikerstrasse 6, 97070, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Erik Henke
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology II, Universität Würzburg, Koellikerstrasse 6, 97070, Würzburg, Germany. .,Graduate School of Life Science, Josef-Schneider-Strasse 2, 97082, Würzburg, Germany.
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3
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Schuerlein S, Schwarz T, Krziminski S, Gätzner S, Hoppensack A, Schwedhelm I, Schweinlin M, Walles H, Hansmann J. A versatile modular bioreactor platform for Tissue Engineering. Biotechnol J 2016; 12. [PMID: 27492568 PMCID: PMC5333457 DOI: 10.1002/biot.201600326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [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: 05/12/2016] [Revised: 07/24/2016] [Accepted: 07/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Tissue Engineering (TE) bears potential to overcome the persistent shortage of donor organs in transplantation medicine. Additionally, TE products are applied as human test systems in pharmaceutical research to close the gap between animal testing and the administration of drugs to human subjects in clinical trials. However, generating a tissue requires complex culture conditions provided by bioreactors. Currently, the translation of TE technologies into clinical and industrial applications is limited due to a wide range of different tissue‐specific, non‐disposable bioreactor systems. To ensure a high level of standardization, a suitable cost‐effectiveness, and a safe graft production, a generic modular bioreactor platform was developed. Functional modules provide robust control of culture processes, e.g. medium transport, gas exchange, heating, or trapping of floating air bubbles. Characterization revealed improved performance of the modules in comparison to traditional cell culture equipment such as incubators, or peristaltic pumps. By combining the modules, a broad range of culture conditions can be achieved. The novel bioreactor platform allows using disposable components and facilitates tissue culture in closed fluidic systems. By sustaining native carotid arteries, engineering a blood vessel, and generating intestinal tissue models according to a previously published protocol the feasibility and performance of the bioreactor platform was demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Schuerlein
- University Hospital Wuerzburg; Department Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (TERM); Wuerzburg Germany
| | - Thomas Schwarz
- Translational Center Wuerzburg of the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology (IGB); Wuerzburg Germany
| | - Steffan Krziminski
- Translational Center Wuerzburg of the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology (IGB); Wuerzburg Germany
| | - Sabine Gätzner
- University Hospital Wuerzburg; Department Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (TERM); Wuerzburg Germany
| | - Anke Hoppensack
- University Hospital Wuerzburg; Department Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (TERM); Wuerzburg Germany
| | - Ivo Schwedhelm
- University Hospital Wuerzburg; Department Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (TERM); Wuerzburg Germany
| | - Matthias Schweinlin
- University Hospital Wuerzburg; Department Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (TERM); Wuerzburg Germany
| | - Heike Walles
- University Hospital Wuerzburg; Department Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (TERM); Wuerzburg Germany
- Translational Center Wuerzburg of the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology (IGB); Wuerzburg Germany
| | - Jan Hansmann
- University Hospital Wuerzburg; Department Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (TERM); Wuerzburg Germany
- Translational Center Wuerzburg of the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology (IGB); Wuerzburg Germany
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4
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Röhrig F, Vorlová S, Hoffmann H, Wartenberg M, Escorcia FE, Keller S, Tenspolde M, Weigand I, Gätzner S, Manova K, Penack O, Scheinberg DA, Rosenwald A, Ergün S, Granot Z, Henke E. VEGF-ablation therapy reduces drug delivery and therapeutic response in ECM-dense tumors. Oncogene 2016; 36:1-12. [PMID: 27270432 PMCID: PMC5237662 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2016.182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [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: 10/11/2015] [Revised: 02/29/2016] [Accepted: 04/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The inadequate transport of drugs into the tumor tissue caused by its abnormal vasculature is a major obstacle to the treatment of cancer. Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) drugs can cause phenotypic alteration and maturation of the tumor's vasculature. However, whether this consistently improves delivery and subsequent response to therapy is still controversial. Clinical results indicate that not all patients benefit from antiangiogenic treatment, necessitating the development of criteria to predict the effect of these agents in individual tumors. We demonstrate that, in anti-VEGF-refractory murine tumors, vascular changes after VEGF ablation result in reduced delivery leading to therapeutic failure. In these tumors, the impaired response after anti-VEGF treatment is directly linked to strong deposition of fibrillar extracellular matrix (ECM) components and high expression of lysyl oxidases. The resulting condensed, highly crosslinked ECM impeded drug permeation, protecting tumor cells from exposure to small-molecule drugs. The reduced vascular density after anti-VEGF treatment further decreased delivery in these tumors, an effect not compensated by the improved vessel quality. Pharmacological inhibition of lysyl oxidases improved drug delivery in various tumor models and reversed the negative effect of VEGF ablation on drug delivery and therapeutic response in anti-VEGF-resistant tumors. In conclusion, the vascular changes after anti-VEGF therapy can have a context-dependent negative impact on overall therapeutic efficacy. A determining factor is the tumor ECM, which strongly influences the effect of anti-VEGF therapy. Our results reveal the prospect to revert a possible negative effect and to potentiate responsiveness to antiangiogenic therapy by concomitantly targeting ECM-modifying enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Röhrig
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.,Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.,Graduate School of Life Science, Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - S Vorlová
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - H Hoffmann
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.,Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.,Graduate School of Life Science, Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - M Wartenberg
- Institute of Pathology, Universität Würzburg, and Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken (CCCMF), Würzburg, Germany
| | - F E Escorcia
- Molecular Pharmacology and Chemistry Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - S Keller
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - M Tenspolde
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - I Weigand
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - S Gätzner
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - K Manova
- Molecular Cytology Core Facility, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - O Penack
- Medizinische Klinik mit Schwerpunkt Hämatologie, Onkologie und Tumorimmunologie Universitätsklinikum Charité, Berlin, Germany
| | - D A Scheinberg
- Molecular Pharmacology and Chemistry Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - A Rosenwald
- Institute of Pathology, Universität Würzburg, and Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken (CCCMF), Würzburg, Germany
| | - S Ergün
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Z Granot
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada and Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - E Henke
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.,Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.,Graduate School of Life Science, Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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5
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Schütze F, Röhrig F, Vorlová S, Gätzner S, Kuhn A, Ergün S, Henke E. Inhibition of Lysyl Oxidases Improves Drug Diffusion and Increases Efficacy of Cytotoxic Treatment in 3D Tumor Models. Sci Rep 2015; 5:17576. [PMID: 26620400 PMCID: PMC4665164 DOI: 10.1038/srep17576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [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: 06/17/2015] [Accepted: 11/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumors are characterized by a rigid, highly cross-linked extracellular matrix (ECM), which impedes homogeneous drug distribution and potentially protects malignant cells from exposure to therapeutics. Lysyl oxidases are major contributors to tissue stiffness and the elevated expression of these enzymes observed in most cancers might influence drug distribution and efficacy. We examined the effect of lysyl oxidases on drug distribution and efficacy in 3D in vitro assay systems. In our experiments elevated lysyl oxidase activity was responsible for reduced drug diffusion under hypoxic conditions and consequently impaired cytotoxicity of various chemotherapeutics. This effect was only observed in 3D settings but not in 2D-cell culture, confirming that lysyl oxidases affect drug efficacy by modification of the ECM and do not confer a direct desensitizing effect. Both drug diffusion and efficacy were strongly enhanced by inhibition of lysyl oxidases. The results from the in vitro experiments correlated with tumor drug distribution in vivo, and predicted response to therapeutics in murine tumor models. Our results demonstrate that lysyl oxidase activity modulates the physical barrier function of ECM for small molecule drugs influencing their therapeutic efficacy. Targeting this process has the potential to significantly enhance therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of malignant diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friedrich Schütze
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology II, Universität Würzburg Koellikerstrasse 6, Würzburg, 97070, Germany
| | - Florian Röhrig
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology II, Universität Würzburg Koellikerstrasse 6, Würzburg, 97070, Germany
| | - Sandra Vorlová
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg Josef-Schneider-Strasse 2, Würzburg, 97080, Germany
| | - Sabine Gätzner
- Institute of Tissue Engineering, Universität Würzburg Roentgenring 11, Würzburg, 97070, Germany
| | - Anja Kuhn
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology II, Universität Würzburg Koellikerstrasse 6, Würzburg, 97070, Germany
| | - Süleyman Ergün
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology II, Universität Würzburg Koellikerstrasse 6, Würzburg, 97070, Germany
| | - Erik Henke
- Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology II, Universität Würzburg Koellikerstrasse 6, Würzburg, 97070, Germany.,Graduate School for Life Science, Universität Würzburg Josef-Schneider-Strasse 2, Würzburg, 97080, Germany
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