1
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Casper J, Schenk SH, Parhizkar E, Detampel P, Dehshahri A, Huwyler J. Polyethylenimine (PEI) in gene therapy: Current status and clinical applications. J Control Release 2023; 362:667-691. [PMID: 37666302 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Polyethlyenimine (PEI) was introduced 1995 as a cationic polymer for nucleic acid delivery. PEI and its derivatives are extensively used in basic research and as reference formulations in the field of polymer-based gene delivery. Despite its widespread use, the number of clinical applications to date is limited. Thus, this review aims to consolidate the past applications of PEI in DNA delivery, elucidate the obstacles that hinder its transition to clinical use, and highlight potential prospects for novel iterations of PEI derivatives. The present review article is divided into three sections. The first section examines the mechanism of action employed by PEI, examining fundamental aspects of cellular delivery including uptake mechanisms, release from endosomes, and transport into the cell nucleus, along with potential strategies for enhancing these delivery phases. Moreover, an in-depth analysis is conducted concerning the mechanism underlying cellular toxicity, accompanied with approaches to overcome this major challenge. The second part is devoted to the in vivo performance of PEI and its application in various therapeutic indications. While systemic administration has proven to be challenging, alternative localized delivery routes hold promise, such as treatment of solid tumors, application as a vaccine, or serving as a therapeutic agent for pulmonary delivery. In the last section, the outcome of completed and ongoing clinical trials is summarized. Finally, an expert opinion is provided on the potential of PEI and its future applications. PEI-based formulations for nucleic acid delivery have a promising potential, it will be an important task for the years to come to introduce innovations that address PEI-associated shortcomings by introducing well-designed PEI formulations in combination with an appropriate route of administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens Casper
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Susanne H Schenk
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Elahehnaz Parhizkar
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Pascal Detampel
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ali Dehshahri
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
| | - Jörg Huwyler
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056 Basel, Switzerland.
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Alter CL, Detampel P, Schefer RB, Lotter C, Hauswirth P, Puligilla RD, Weibel VJ, Schenk SH, Heusermann W, Schürz M, Meisner-Kober N, Palivan C, Einfalt T, Huwyler J. High efficiency preparation of monodisperse plasma membrane derived extracellular vesicles for therapeutic applications. Commun Biol 2023; 6:478. [PMID: 37137966 PMCID: PMC10156699 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04859-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are highly interesting for the design of next-generation therapeutics. However, their preparation methods face challenges in standardization, yield, and reproducibility. Here, we describe a highly efficient and reproducible EV preparation method for monodisperse nano plasma membrane vesicles (nPMVs), which yields 10 to 100 times more particles per cell and hour than conventional EV preparation methods. nPMVs are produced by homogenizing giant plasma membrane vesicles following cell membrane blebbing and apoptotic body secretion induced by chemical stressors. nPMVs showed no significant differences compared to native EVs from the same cell line in cryo-TEM analysis, in vitro cellular interactions, and in vivo biodistribution studies in zebrafish larvae. Proteomics and lipidomics, on the other hand, suggested substantial differences consistent with the divergent origin of these two EV types and indicated that nPMVs primarily derive from apoptotic extracellular vesicles. nPMVs may provide an attractive source for developing EV-based pharmaceutical therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio L Alter
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
- Swiss Nanoscience Institute, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1096, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Pascal Detampel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Roman B Schefer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Claudia Lotter
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Hauswirth
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ramya D Puligilla
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Vera J Weibel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Susanne H Schenk
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Wolf Heusermann
- Imaging Core Facility, University of Basel, Spitalstrasse 41, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Melanie Schürz
- Department of Biosciences & Medical Biology, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Nicole Meisner-Kober
- Department of Biosciences & Medical Biology, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstrasse 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Cornelia Palivan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, BPR 1096, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Tomaž Einfalt
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jörg Huwyler
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056, Basel, Switzerland.
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Lötscher J, Martí I Líndez AA, Kirchhammer N, Cribioli E, Giordano Attianese GMP, Trefny MP, Lenz M, Rothschild SI, Strati P, Künzli M, Lotter C, Schenk SH, Dehio P, Löliger J, Litzler L, Schreiner D, Koch V, Page N, Lee D, Grählert J, Kuzmin D, Burgener AV, Merkler D, Pless M, Balmer ML, Reith W, Huwyler J, Irving M, King CG, Zippelius A, Hess C. Magnesium sensing via LFA-1 regulates CD8 + T cell effector function. Cell 2022; 185:585-602.e29. [PMID: 35051368 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.12.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [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: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The relevance of extracellular magnesium in cellular immunity remains largely unknown. Here, we show that the co-stimulatory cell-surface molecule LFA-1 requires magnesium to adopt its active conformation on CD8+ T cells, thereby augmenting calcium flux, signal transduction, metabolic reprogramming, immune synapse formation, and, as a consequence, specific cytotoxicity. Accordingly, magnesium-sufficiency sensed via LFA-1 translated to the superior performance of pathogen- and tumor-specific T cells, enhanced effectiveness of bi-specific T cell engaging antibodies, and improved CAR T cell function. Clinically, low serum magnesium levels were associated with more rapid disease progression and shorter overall survival in CAR T cell and immune checkpoint antibody-treated patients. LFA-1 thus directly incorporates information on the composition of the microenvironment as a determinant of outside-in signaling activity. These findings conceptually link co-stimulation and nutrient sensing and point to the magnesium-LFA-1 axis as a therapeutically amenable biologic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Lötscher
- Department of Biomedicine, Immunobiology, University of Basel and University Hospital of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Adrià-Arnau Martí I Líndez
- Department of Biomedicine, Immunobiology, University of Basel and University Hospital of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland; Department of Pathology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Medicine, CITIID, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
| | - Nicole Kirchhammer
- Department of Biomedicine, Cancer Immunology, University of Basel and University Hospital of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Elisabetta Cribioli
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, 1066 Epalinges, Switzerland; Department of Oncology, University Hospital of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Greta Maria Paola Giordano Attianese
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, 1066 Epalinges, Switzerland; Department of Oncology, University Hospital of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Marcel P Trefny
- Department of Biomedicine, Cancer Immunology, University of Basel and University Hospital of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Markus Lenz
- University of Applied Science Northwestern Switzerland, Institute for Ecopreneurship, 4132 Muttenz, Switzerland
| | - Sacha I Rothschild
- Division of Medical Oncology and Comprehensive Cancer Center, University Hospital Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland; Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research, 3008 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Paolo Strati
- Department of Lymphoma and Myeloma, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Marco Künzli
- Department of Biomedicine, Immune Cell Biology, University and University Hospital of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Claudia Lotter
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Susanne H Schenk
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Dehio
- Department of Biomedicine, Immunobiology, University of Basel and University Hospital of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jordan Löliger
- Department of Biomedicine, Immunobiology, University of Basel and University Hospital of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ludivine Litzler
- Department of Biomedicine, Immune Cell Biology, University and University Hospital of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - David Schreiner
- Department of Biomedicine, Immune Cell Biology, University and University Hospital of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Victoria Koch
- Department of Biomedicine, Cancer Immunology, University of Basel and University Hospital of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Page
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Dahye Lee
- Department of Biomedicine, Immunobiology, University of Basel and University Hospital of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jasmin Grählert
- Department of Biomedicine, Immunobiology, University of Basel and University Hospital of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dmitry Kuzmin
- Hornet Therapeutics Ltd, London SW1Y 5ES, UK; Department of Medical Oncology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Anne-Valérie Burgener
- Department of Biomedicine, Immunobiology, University of Basel and University Hospital of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Doron Merkler
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Miklos Pless
- Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research, 3008 Bern, Switzerland; Department of Oncology, Cantonal Hospital Winterthur, 8400 Winterthur, Switzerland
| | - Maria L Balmer
- Department of Biomedicine, Immunobiology, University of Basel and University Hospital of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland; Department for Biomedical Research (DBMR), University Clinic for Diabetes, Endocrinology, Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism, Inselspital, University of Bern, 3008 Bern, Switzerland; Diabetes Center Berne (DCB), 3010 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Walter Reith
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jörg Huwyler
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Melita Irving
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne, 1066 Epalinges, Switzerland; Department of Oncology, University Hospital of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Carolyn G King
- Department of Biomedicine, Immune Cell Biology, University and University Hospital of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alfred Zippelius
- Department of Biomedicine, Cancer Immunology, University of Basel and University Hospital of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland; Division of Medical Oncology and Comprehensive Cancer Center, University Hospital Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Hess
- Department of Biomedicine, Immunobiology, University of Basel and University Hospital of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland; Department of Medicine, CITIID, Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK.
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Witzigmann D, Uhl P, Sieber S, Kaufman C, Einfalt T, Schöneweis K, Grossen P, Buck J, Ni Y, Schenk SH, Hussner J, Meyer Zu Schwabedissen HE, Québatte G, Mier W, Urban S, Huwyler J. Optimization-by-design of hepatotropic lipid nanoparticles targeting the sodium-taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide. eLife 2019; 8:42276. [PMID: 31333191 PMCID: PMC6682401 DOI: 10.7554/elife.42276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Active targeting and specific drug delivery to parenchymal liver cells is a promising strategy to treat various liver disorders. Here, we modified synthetic lipid-based nanoparticles with targeting peptides derived from the hepatitis B virus large envelope protein (HBVpreS) to specifically target the sodium-taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP; SLC10A1) on the sinusoidal membrane of hepatocytes. Physicochemical properties of targeted nanoparticles were optimized and NTCP-specific, ligand-dependent binding and internalization was confirmed in vitro. The pharmacokinetics and targeting capacity of selected lead formulations was investigated in vivo using the emerging zebrafish screening model. Liposomal nanoparticles modified with 0.25 mol% of a short myristoylated HBV derived peptide, that is Myr-HBVpreS2-31, showed an optimal balance between systemic circulation, avoidance of blood clearance, and targeting capacity. Pronounced liver enrichment, active NTCP-mediated targeting of hepatocytes and efficient cellular internalization were confirmed in mice by 111In gamma scintigraphy and fluorescence microscopy demonstrating the potential use of our hepatotropic, ligand-modified nanoparticles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Witzigmann
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Philipp Uhl
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sandro Sieber
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christina Kaufman
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, INF, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tomaz Einfalt
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Katrin Schöneweis
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, INF, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Philip Grossen
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jonas Buck
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Yi Ni
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, INF, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Susanne H Schenk
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Janine Hussner
- Division of Biopharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Gabriela Québatte
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Walter Mier
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stephan Urban
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, University Hospital Heidelberg, INF, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jörg Huwyler
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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5
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Kiene K, Schenk SH, Porta F, Ernst A, Witzigmann D, Grossen P, Huwyler J. PDMS-b-PMOXA polymersomes for hepatocyte targeting and assessment of toxicity. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2017; 119:322-332. [PMID: 28720487 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2017.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2017] [Revised: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 07/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Nanoparticles, such as polymersomes, can be directed to the hepatic asialoglycoprotein receptor to achieve targeted drug delivery. In this study, we prepared asialofetuin conjugated polymersomes based on the amphiphilic di-block copolymer poly(dimethylsiloxane)-b-poly(2-methyloxazoline) (PDMS-b-PMOXA). They had an average diameter of 150nm and formed monodisperse vesicles. Drug encapsulation and sustained release was monitored using the hydrophilic model compound carboxyfluorescein. Asialoglycoprotein receptor specific uptake by HepG2 cells in vitro was energy dependent and could be competitively inhibited by the free targeting ligand. Mechanistic uptake studies revealed intracellular trafficking of asialofetuin conjugated polymersomes from early endosomes and to the lysosomal compartment. Polymersomes showed no toxicity in the MTT assay up to concentrations of 500μg/mL. In addition, acute toxicity and tolerability of our PDMS-b-PMOXA polymersome formulations was assessed in vivo using zebrafish embryos as a vertebrate screening model. In conclusion, a hepatocyte specific drug delivery system was designed, which is safe and biocompatible and which can be used to implement liver-specific targeting strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klara Kiene
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Susanne H Schenk
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Fabiola Porta
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alexandra Ernst
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dominik Witzigmann
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Philip Grossen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jörg Huwyler
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, 4056 Basel, Switzerland.
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Sieber S, Siegrist S, Schwarz S, Porta F, Schenk SH, Huwyler J. Immobilization of Enzymes on PLGA Sub-Micrometer Particles by Crosslinked Layer-by-Layer Deposition. Macromol Biosci 2017; 17. [DOI: 10.1002/mabi.201700015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2017] [Revised: 02/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sandro Sieber
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences; University of Basel; Klingelbergstrasse 50 4056 Basel Switzerland
| | - Stefan Siegrist
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences; University of Basel; Klingelbergstrasse 50 4056 Basel Switzerland
| | - Stéphanie Schwarz
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences; University of Basel; Klingelbergstrasse 50 4056 Basel Switzerland
| | - Fabiola Porta
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences; University of Basel; Klingelbergstrasse 50 4056 Basel Switzerland
| | - Susanne H. Schenk
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences; University of Basel; Klingelbergstrasse 50 4056 Basel Switzerland
| | - Jörg Huwyler
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences; University of Basel; Klingelbergstrasse 50 4056 Basel Switzerland
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Witzigmann D, Quagliata L, Schenk SH, Quintavalle C, Terracciano LM, Huwyler J. Variable asialoglycoprotein receptor 1 expression in liver disease: Implications for therapeutic intervention. Hepatol Res 2016; 46:686-96. [PMID: 26422581 DOI: 10.1111/hepr.12599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2015] [Revised: 09/07/2015] [Accepted: 09/19/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
AIM One of the most promising strategies for the treatment of liver diseases is targeted drug delivery via the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR). The success of this approach heavily depends on the ASGPR expression level on parenchymal liver cells. In this study, we assessed the mRNA and protein expression levels of the major receptor subunit, ASGR1, in hepatocytes both in vitro and in vivo. METHODS In vitro, various liver cancer-derived cell lines were evaluated. In vivo, we screened the ASGR1 mRNA on 59 hepatocellular carcinoma and matched non-neoplastic tissue using RNA microarray. In addition, 350 human liver specimens of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma or non-neoplastic liver diseases were screened for ASGR1 protein level using tissue microarray analysis. RESULTS Our data reveal that the ASGR1 mRNA expression directly correlates with the protein level. We demonstrate that the ASGR1 expression is upregulated in cirrhotic specimens and is significantly decreased with increasing hepatocellular carcinoma grade. CONCLUSION Because the ASGR1 expression levels are variable between patients, our findings suggest that ASGPR-based targeting strategies should be combined with ASGPR-companion diagnostics to maximize clinical benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Witzigmann
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Luca Quagliata
- Institute of Pathology, Molecular Pathology Division, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Susanne H Schenk
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Cristina Quintavalle
- Institute of Pathology, Molecular Pathology Division, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Luigi M Terracciano
- Institute of Pathology, Molecular Pathology Division, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jörg Huwyler
- Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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8
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Witzigmann D, Wu D, Schenk SH, Balasubramanian V, Meier W, Huwyler J. Biocompatible polymer-Peptide hybrid-based DNA nanoparticles for gene delivery. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2015; 7:10446-10456. [PMID: 25907363 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.5b01684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Currently, research on polymers to be used as gene delivery systems is one of the most important directions in both polymer science and biomedicine. In this report, we describe a five-step procedure to synthesize a novel polymer-peptide hybrid system for gene transfection. The block copolymer based on the biocompatible polymer poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) (PMOXA) was combined with the biocleavable peptide block poly(aspartic acid) (PASP) and finally modified with diethylenetriamine (DET). PMOXA-b-PASP(DET) was produced in high yield and characterized by (1)H NMR and FT-IR. Our biopolymer complexed plasmid DNA (pDNA) efficiently, and highly uniform nanoparticles with a slightly negative zeta potential were produced. The polymer-peptide hybrid system was able to efficiently transfect HEK293 and HeLa cells with GFP pDNA in vitro. Unlike the commonly used polymer, 25 kDa branched poly(ethylenimine), our biopolymer had no adverse effects on cell growth and viability. In summary, the present work provides valuable information for the design of new polymer-peptide hybrid-based gene delivery systems with biocompatible and biodegradable properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Witzigmann
- †Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, Basel CH-4056, Switzerland
| | - Dalin Wu
- ‡Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 80, Basel CH-4056, Switzerland
| | - Susanne H Schenk
- †Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, Basel CH-4056, Switzerland
| | - Vimalkumar Balasubramanian
- †Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, Basel CH-4056, Switzerland
- §Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5E, Helsinki FI-00014, Finland
| | - Wolfgang Meier
- ‡Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 80, Basel CH-4056, Switzerland
| | - Jörg Huwyler
- †Division of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50, Basel CH-4056, Switzerland
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