1
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Kumar R, Le N, Oviedo F, Brown ME, Reineke TM. Combinatorial Polycation Synthesis and Causal Machine Learning Reveal Divergent Polymer Design Rules for Effective pDNA and Ribonucleoprotein Delivery. JACS Au 2022; 2:428-442. [PMID: 35252992 PMCID: PMC8889556 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.1c00467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The development of polymers that can replace engineered viral vectors in clinical gene therapy has proven elusive despite the vast portfolios of multifunctional polymers generated by advances in polymer synthesis. Functional delivery of payloads such as plasmids (pDNA) and ribonucleoproteins (RNP) to various cellular populations and tissue types requires design precision. Herein, we systematically screen a combinatorially designed library of 43 well-defined polymers, ultimately identifying a lead polycationic vehicle (P38) for efficient pDNA delivery. Further, we demonstrate the versatility of P38 in codelivering spCas9 RNP and pDNA payloads to mediate homology-directed repair as well as in facilitating efficient pDNA delivery in ARPE-19 cells. P38 achieves nuclear import of pDNA and eludes lysosomal processing far more effectively than a structural analogue that does not deliver pDNA as efficiently. To reveal the physicochemical drivers of P38's gene delivery performance, SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) are computed for nine polyplex features, and a causal model is applied to evaluate the average treatment effect of the most important features selected by SHAP. Our machine learning interpretability and causal inference approach derives structure-function relationships underlying delivery efficiency, polyplex uptake, and cellular viability and probes the overlap in polymer design criteria between RNP and pDNA payloads. Together, combinatorial polymer synthesis, parallelized biological screening, and machine learning establish that pDNA delivery demands careful tuning of polycation protonation equilibria while RNP payloads are delivered most efficaciously by polymers that deprotonate cooperatively via hydrophobic interactions. These payload-specific design guidelines will inform further design of bespoke polymers for specific therapeutic contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramya Kumar
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414, United States
| | - Ngoc Le
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414, United States
| | - Felipe Oviedo
- Nanite
Inc., 6 Liberty Square
#6128, Boston, Massachusetts 02109, United States
| | - Mary E. Brown
- University
Imaging Centers, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414, United States
| | - Theresa M. Reineke
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414, United States
- Nanite
Inc., 6 Liberty Square
#6128, Boston, Massachusetts 02109, United States
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2
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Holmgaard AB, Askou AL, Jensen EG, Alsing S, Bak RO, Mikkelsen JG, Corydon TJ. Targeted Knockout of the Vegfa Gene in the Retina by Subretinal Injection of RNP Complexes Containing Cas9 Protein and Modified sgRNAs. Mol Ther 2021; 29:191-207. [PMID: 33022212 PMCID: PMC7791085 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2020.09.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The therapeutic effect of retinal gene therapy using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing and knockout applications is dependent on efficient and safe delivery of gene-modifying tool kits. Recently, transient administration of single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) and SpCas9 proteins delivered as ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) has provided potent gene knockout in vitro. To improve efficacy of CRISPR-based gene therapy, we delivered RNPs containing SpCas9 protein complexed to chemically modified sgRNAs (msgRNAs). In K562 cells, msgRNAs significantly increased the insertion/deletion (indel) frequency (25%) compared with unmodified counterparts leading to robust knockout of the VEGFA gene encoding vascular endothelial growth factor A (96% indels). Likewise, in HEK293 cells, lipoplexes containing varying amounts of RNP and EGFP mRNA showed efficient VEGFA knockout (43% indels) and strong EGFP expression, indicative of efficacious functional knockout using small amounts of RNP. In mice, subretinal injections of equivalent lipoplexes yielded 6% indels in Vegfa of isolated EGFP-positive RPE cells. However, signs of toxicity following delivery of lipoplexes containing high amounts of RNP were observed. Although the mechanism resulting in the varying efficacy remains to be elucidated, our data suggest that a single subretinal injection of RNPs carrying msgRNAs and SpCas9 induces targeted retinal indel formation, thus providing a clinically relevant strategy relying on nonviral delivery of short-lived nuclease activity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anne Louise Askou
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | | | - Sidsel Alsing
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Rasmus O Bak
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies (AIAS), Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | | | - Thomas J Corydon
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark; Department of Ophthalmology, Aarhus University Hospital, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark.
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3
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Kansara VS, Cooper M, Sesenoglu-Laird O, Muya L, Moen R, Ciulla TA. Suprachoroidally Delivered DNA Nanoparticles Transfect Retina and Retinal Pigment Epithelium/Choroid in Rabbits. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2020; 9:21. [PMID: 33364076 PMCID: PMC7745627 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.9.13.21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose This study evaluated ocular tolerability and transfectability of nonviral DNA nanoparticles (DNPs) after microneedle-based suprachoroidal (SC) administration, in comparison to subretinal (SR) administration. Methods The DNPs consisted of a single copy of plasmid DNA with a polyubiquitin C/luciferase transcriptional cassette compacted with 10 kDa PEG-substituted lysine 30-mer peptides (CK30PEG10k). New Zealand White rabbits (n = 4 per group) received a unilateral SC injection (0.1 mL via a microneedle technique) of ellipsoid-shaped DNPs, rod-shaped DNPs, or saline (negative control). A cohort of rabbits (n = 4) also received a single unilateral SR injection (0.05 mL via a transvitreal approach) of rod-shaped DNPs. At day 7, luciferase activity was measured in the retina and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)–choroid via bioluminescence assay. A cohort of rabbits received a SC injection of analogous DNPs to assess spread of DNP injectate in the suprachoroidal space (SCS) via optical coherent tomography and histology. Results Suprachoroidal injection of DNPs resulted in reversible opening of the SCS circumferentially and posteriorly and was generally well tolerated, with no significant ocular examination score changes, intraocular pressure abnormalities, or changes in electroretinography amplitudes on day 7 compared to the baseline. High luciferase activity was observed in the retina and RPE-choroid of eyes that received SC DNPs (rod and ellipsoid shape) and SR DNPs (rod shape) compared to controls. The mean luciferase activity in RPE-choroid and retina was comparable between SC and SR administrations. Transfection in the RPE-choroid was approximately 10-fold higher than in the retina after either SC or SR administration of DNPs. Conclusions Suprachoroidal and SR administration of DNPs resulted in comparable transfection of retina and RPE-choroid. Translational Relevance Suprachoroidal delivery of DNPs offers the potential to precisely target chorioretinal tissues while avoiding surgical risks associated with SR injection, and it may offer an office-based nonsurgical gene therapy option for the treatment of retinal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mark Cooper
- Copernicus Therapeutics, Inc., Cleveland, OH, USA
| | | | - Leroy Muya
- Clearside Biomedical, Inc., Alpharetta, GA, USA
| | - Robert Moen
- Copernicus Therapeutics, Inc., Cleveland, OH, USA
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4
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Zeng M, Alshehri F, Zhou D, Lara-Sáez I, Wang X, Li X, A S, Xu Q, Zhang J, Wang W. Efficient and Robust Highly Branched Poly(β-amino ester)/Minicircle COL7A1 Polymeric Nanoparticles for Gene Delivery to Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Keratinocytes. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2019; 11:30661-30672. [PMID: 31390173 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b13135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [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: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) is a severe congenital skin fragility disease caused by COL7A1 mutations that result in type VII collagen (C7) deficiency. Herein, we report a synergistic polyplex system that can efficiently restore C7 expression in RDEB keratinocytes. A highly branched multifunctional poly(β-amino ester) (HPAE), termed as HC32-122, was optimized systematically as the high-performance gene delivery vector for keratinocytes, achieving much higher transfection capability than polyethylenimine, SuperFect, and Lipofectamine 2000 without inducing obvious cytotoxicity. Concurrently, a 12 kb length minicircle DNA encoding ∼9 kb full-length COL7A1 (MCC7) devoid of bacterial sequence was biosynthesized as the therapeutic gene. Combining the highly potent polymer and the miniaturized gene structure, HC32-122/MCC7 polyplexes achieve 96.4% cellular uptake efficiency, 4019-fold COL7A1 mRNA enhancement, and robust recombinant C7 expression. Structure-property investigations reveal that HC32-122 can effectively condense MCC7 to form small, uniform, compact, and positively charged spherical nanoparticles with high DNA release flexibility. Moreover, formulation study shows that sucrose is conductive to lyophilized HC32-122/DNA polyplexes for maintaining the transfection capability. Direct frozen polyplexes can maintain full gene transfection capability after one-year storage. High efficiency, biocompatibility, facile manipulation, and long-term stability make the HC32-122/MCC7 system a promising bench-to-bed candidate for treating the debilitating RDEB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Zeng
- Charles Institute of Dermatology , University College Dublin , Dublin D04 V1W8 , Ireland
- Department of Dermatology , The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University , Hefei 230022 , China
| | - Fatma Alshehri
- Charles Institute of Dermatology , University College Dublin , Dublin D04 V1W8 , Ireland
- Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University , Riyadh 11671 , Saudi Arabia
| | - Dezhong Zhou
- Charles Institute of Dermatology , University College Dublin , Dublin D04 V1W8 , Ireland
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology , Xi'an Jiaotong University , Xi'an , Shaanxi 710049 , China
| | - Irene Lara-Sáez
- Charles Institute of Dermatology , University College Dublin , Dublin D04 V1W8 , Ireland
| | - Xi Wang
- Charles Institute of Dermatology , University College Dublin , Dublin D04 V1W8 , Ireland
| | - Xiaolin Li
- Charles Institute of Dermatology , University College Dublin , Dublin D04 V1W8 , Ireland
| | - Sigen A
- Charles Institute of Dermatology , University College Dublin , Dublin D04 V1W8 , Ireland
| | - Qian Xu
- Charles Institute of Dermatology , University College Dublin , Dublin D04 V1W8 , Ireland
| | - Jing Zhang
- Charles Institute of Dermatology , University College Dublin , Dublin D04 V1W8 , Ireland
| | - Wenxin Wang
- Charles Institute of Dermatology , University College Dublin , Dublin D04 V1W8 , Ireland
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5
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Künnapuu K, Veiman K, Porosk L, Rammul E, Kiisholts K, Langel Ü, Kurrikoff K. Tumor gene therapy by systemic delivery of plasmid DNA with cell-penetrating peptides. FASEB Bioadv 2019; 1:105-114. [PMID: 32123824 PMCID: PMC6996304 DOI: 10.1096/fba.1026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Revised: 08/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene therapy is a prospective strategy for treating cancer. However, finding efficient and tumor-specific gene delivery vectors remains an issue. Tumor responsive cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) PepFect144 (PF144) has previously been shown to deliver reporter gene encoding plasmid DNA specifically into tumors upon systemic administration, but its capability to reduce tumor growth has not yet been evaluated. Here, we study the potential of PF144-based anti-angiogenic gene delivery to inhibit tumor growth by silencing vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in tumors. This approach led to the inhibition of tumor growth in both the HT1080 fibrosarcoma model and orthotopic 4T1 breast tumor model. We additionally saw that the addition of αvβ3 integrin targeting did not further improve the tumor sensitive CPPs. Our results suggest that activatable cell-penetrating peptide PF144 is a promising nonviral plasmid DNA delivery vector for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ly Porosk
- Institute of TechnologyUniversity of TartuTartuEstonia
| | - Evelin Rammul
- Institute of TechnologyUniversity of TartuTartuEstonia
| | | | - Ülo Langel
- Institute of TechnologyUniversity of TartuTartuEstonia
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, The Arrhenius Laboratories for Natural SciencesStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
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6
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McCrudden CM, McBride JW, McCaffrey J, Ali AA, Dunne NJ, Kett VL, Coulter JA, Robson T, McCarthy HO. Systemic RALA/iNOS Nanoparticles: A Potent Gene Therapy for Metastatic Breast Cancer Coupled as a Biomarker of Treatment. Mol Ther Nucleic Acids 2017; 6:249-258. [PMID: 28325291 PMCID: PMC5363505 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2016.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Revised: 12/08/2016] [Accepted: 12/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to determine the therapeutic benefit of a nanoparticular formulation for the delivery of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene therapy in a model of breast cancer metastasis. Nanoparticles comprising a cationic peptide vector, RALA, and plasmid DNA were formulated and characterized using a range of physiochemical analyses. Nanoparticles complexed using iNOS plasmids and RALA approximated 60 nm in diameter with a charge of 25 mV. A vector neutralization assay, performed to determine the immunogenicity of nanoparticles in immunocompetent C57BL/6 mice, revealed that no vector neutralization was evident. Nanoparticles harboring iNOS plasmids (constitutively active cytomegalovirus [CMV]-driven or transcriptionally regulated human osteocalcin [hOC]-driven) evoked iNOS protein expression and nitrite accumulation and impaired clonogenicity in the highly aggressive MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer model. Micrometastases of MDA-MB-231-luc-D3H1 cells were established in female BALB/c SCID mice by intracardiac delivery. Nanoparticulate RALA/CMV-iNOS or RALA/hOC-iNOS increased median survival in mice bearing micrometastases by 27% compared with controls and also provoked elevated blood nitrite levels. Additionally, iNOS gene therapy sensitized MDA-MB-231-luc-D3H1 tumors to docetaxel treatment. Studies demonstrated that systemically delivered RALA-iNOS nanoparticles have therapeutic potential for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Furthermore, detection of nitrite levels in the blood serves as a reliable biomarker of treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cian M McCrudden
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland
| | - John W McBride
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland
| | - Joanne McCaffrey
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University College Cork, Cork T12 YN60, Ireland
| | - Ahlam A Ali
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland
| | - Nicholas J Dunne
- School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland
| | - Vicky L Kett
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland
| | - Jonathan A Coulter
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland
| | - Tracy Robson
- Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 123 St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Helen O McCarthy
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland.
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7
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May RD, Tekari A, Frauchiger DA, Krismer A, Benneker LM, Gantenbein B. Efficient Nonviral Transfection of Primary Intervertebral Disc Cells by Electroporation for Tissue Engineering Application. Tissue Eng Part C Methods 2016; 23:30-37. [PMID: 27968705 DOI: 10.1089/ten.tec.2016.0355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Low back pain (LBP) is an increasing global health problem associated with intervertebral disc (IVD) trauma and degeneration. Current treatment options include surgical interventions with partial unsatisfactory outcomes reported such as failure to relieve LBP, nonunions, nerve injuries, or adjacent segment disease. Cell-based therapy and tissue engineered IVD constructs supplemented with transfected disc cells that incorporate factors enhancing matrix synthesis represent an appealing approach to regenerate the IVD. Gene delivery approaches using transient nonviral gene therapy by electroporation are of a high clinical translational value since the incorporated DNA is lost after few cell generations, leaving the host's genome unmodified. Human primary cells isolated from clinically relevant samples were generally found very hard to transfect compared to cell lines. In this study, we present a range of parameters (voltage pulse, number, and duration) from the Neon® Transfection System for efficient transfection of human and bovine IVD cells. To demonstrate efficiency, these primary cells were exemplarily transfected with the commercially available plasmid pCMV6-AC-GFP tagged with copepod turbo green fluorescent protein. Flow cytometry was subsequently applied to quantify transfection efficiency. Our results showed that two pulses of 1400 V for 20 ms revealed good and reproducible results for both human and bovine IVD cells with efficiencies ≥47%. The presented parameters allow for successful human and bovine IVD cell transfection and provide an opportunity for subsequent regenerative medicine application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahel D May
- 1 Tissue and Organ Mechanobiology, Institute for Surgical Technology and Biomechanics, University of Bern , Bern, Switzerland
| | - Adel Tekari
- 1 Tissue and Organ Mechanobiology, Institute for Surgical Technology and Biomechanics, University of Bern , Bern, Switzerland
| | - Daniela A Frauchiger
- 1 Tissue and Organ Mechanobiology, Institute for Surgical Technology and Biomechanics, University of Bern , Bern, Switzerland
| | - Anna Krismer
- 1 Tissue and Organ Mechanobiology, Institute for Surgical Technology and Biomechanics, University of Bern , Bern, Switzerland .,2 Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern , Bern, Switzerland
| | - Lorin M Benneker
- 2 Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern , Bern, Switzerland
| | - Benjamin Gantenbein
- 1 Tissue and Organ Mechanobiology, Institute for Surgical Technology and Biomechanics, University of Bern , Bern, Switzerland
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8
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Abstract
The field of genome engineering has created new possibilities for gene therapy, including improved animal models of disease, engineered cell therapies, and in vivo gene repair. The most significant challenge for the clinical translation of genome engineering is the development of safe and effective delivery vehicles. A large body of work has applied genome engineering to genetic modification in vitro, and clinical trials have begun using cells modified by genome editing. Now, promising preclinical work is beginning to apply these tools in vivo. This article summarizes the development of genome engineering platforms, including meganucleases, zinc finger nucleases, TALENs, and CRISPR/Cas9, and their flexibility for precise genetic modifications. The prospects for the development of safe and effective viral and nonviral delivery vehicles for genome editing are reviewed, and promising advances in particular therapeutic applications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher E Nelson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708.,Center for Genomic & Computational Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708
| | - Charles A Gersbach
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708.,Center for Genomic & Computational Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708.,Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708;
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9
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Kaneti L, Bronshtein T, Malkah Dayan N, Kovregina I, Letko Khait N, Lupu-Haber Y, Fliman M, Schoen BW, Kaneti G, Machluf M. Nanoghosts as a Novel Natural Nonviral Gene Delivery Platform Safely Targeting Multiple Cancers. Nano Lett 2016; 16:1574-82. [PMID: 26901695 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b04237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [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: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Nanoghosts derived from mesenchymal stem cells and retaining their unique surface-associated tumor-targeting capabilities were redesigned as a selective and safe universal nonviral gene-therapy platform. pDNA-loaded nanoghosts efficiently targeted and transfected diverse cancer cells, in vitro and in vivo, in subcutaneous and metastatic orthotopic tumor models, leading to no adverse effects. Nanoghosts loaded with pDNA encoding for a cancer-toxic gene inhibited the growth of metastatic orthotopic lung cancer and subcutaneous prostate cancer models and dramatically prolonged the animals' survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Limor Kaneti
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology , Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Tomer Bronshtein
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology , Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Natali Malkah Dayan
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology , Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Inna Kovregina
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology , Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Nitzan Letko Khait
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology , Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Yael Lupu-Haber
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology , Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Miguel Fliman
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology , Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Beth W Schoen
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology , Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Galoz Kaneti
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology , Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Marcelle Machluf
- Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology , Haifa 3200003, Israel
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10
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Abstract
Nonviral gene therapy using gemini surfactants is a unique approach to medicine that can be adapted toward the treatment of various diseases. Recently, gemini surfactants have been utilized as candidates for the formation of nonviral vectors. The chemical structure of the surfactant (variations in the alkyl tail length and spacer/head group) and the resulting physicochemical properties of the lipoplexes are critical parameters for efficient gene transfection. Moreover, studying the interaction of the surfactant with DNA can help in designing an efficient vector and understanding how transfection complexes overcome various cellular barriers. Part I of this review provides an overview of various types of gemini surfactants designed for gene therapy and their transfection efficiency; and Part II will focus on different novel methods utilized to understand the interactions between the gemini and DNA in a lipoplex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taksim Ahmed
- School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave. W., Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada.,Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, 144 College Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3M2, Canada
| | - Amany O Kamel
- School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave. W., Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada.,Department of Pharmaceutics & Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Khalifa El-Maamon Street, Abbasiya Square, Cairo 11566, Egypt
| | - Shawn D Wettig
- School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave. W., Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada.,Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave. W., Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
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11
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Abstract
Nonviral gene delivery, provides distinct treatment modalities for the inherited and acquired diseases, relies upon the encapsulation of a gene of interest, which is then ideally delivered to the target cells. Variations in the chemical structure of gemini surfactants and subsequent physicochemical characteristics of the gemini-based lipoplexes and their impact on efficient gene transfection were assessed in part I, which was published in first March 2016 issue of Nanomedicine (1103). In order to design an efficient vector using gemini surfactants, the interaction of the surfactant with DNA and other components of the delivery system must be characterized, and more critically, well understood. Such studies will help to understand how nonviral transfection complexes, in general, overcome various cellular barriers. The Langmuir-Blodgett monolayer studies, atomic force microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, isothermal titration calorimetry, small-angle x-ray scattering, are extensively used to evaluate the interaction behavior of gemini surfactants with DNA and other vector components. Part II of this review focuses on the use of these unique techniques to understand their interaction with DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taksim Ahmed
- School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave. W., Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada.,Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, 144 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3M2, Canada
| | - Amany O Kamel
- School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave. W., Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada.,Department of Pharmaceutics & Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Khalifa El-Maamon Street, Abbasiya Square, Cairo 11566, Egypt
| | - Shawn D Wettig
- School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave. W., Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada.,Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave. W., Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
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12
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Mastorakos P, Zhang C, Berry S, Oh Y, Lee S, Eberhart CG, Woodworth GF, Suk JS, Hanes J. Highly PEGylated DNA Nanoparticles Provide Uniform and Widespread Gene Transfer in the Brain. Adv Healthc Mater 2015; 4:1023-33. [PMID: 25761435 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201400800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [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: 12/15/2014] [Revised: 02/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Gene delivery to the central nervous system (CNS) has potential as a means for treating numerous debilitating neurological diseases. Nonviral gene vector platforms are tailorable and can overcome key limitations intrinsic to virus-mediated delivery; however, lack of clinical efficacy with nonviral systems to date may be attributed to limited gene vector dispersion and transfection in vivo. It is shown that the brain extracellular matrix (ECM) strongly limits penetration of polymer-based gene vector nanoparticles (NP) through the brain parenchyma, even when they are very small (<60 nm) and coated with a polyethylene glycol (PEG) corona of typical density. Following convection enhanced delivery (CED), conventional gene vectors are confined to the injection site, presumably by adhesive interactions with the brain ECM and do not provide gene expression beyond the point of administration. In contrast, it is found that incorporating highly PEGylated polymers allows the production of compacted (≈43 nm) and colloidally stable DNA NP that avoid adhesive trapping within the brain parenchyma. When administered by CED into the rat striatum, highly PEGylated DNA NP distribute throughout and provide broad transgene expression without vector-induced toxicity. The use of these brain-penetrating gene vectors, in conjunction with CED, offers an avenue to improve gene therapy for CNS diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Mastorakos
- Center for Nanomedicine; The Wilmer Eye Institute; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; 400 N. Broadway Baltimore MD 21231 USA
- Department of Ophthalmology; The Wilmer Eye Institute; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; 600 N. Wolfe Street Baltimore MD 21297 USA
| | - Clark Zhang
- Center for Nanomedicine; The Wilmer Eye Institute; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; 400 N. Broadway Baltimore MD 21231 USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; 720 Rutland Avenue Baltimore MD 21205 USA
| | - Sneha Berry
- Center for Nanomedicine; The Wilmer Eye Institute; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; 400 N. Broadway Baltimore MD 21231 USA
- Center for Biotechnology Education; Krieger School of Arts and Sciences; Johns Hopkins University; 3400 N. Charles Street Baltimore MD 21218 USA
| | - Yumin Oh
- Center for Nanomedicine; The Wilmer Eye Institute; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; 400 N. Broadway Baltimore MD 21231 USA
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science; Johns Hopkins University; 601 N. Caroline Street Baltimore MD 21287 USA
| | - Seulki Lee
- Center for Nanomedicine; The Wilmer Eye Institute; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; 400 N. Broadway Baltimore MD 21231 USA
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science; Johns Hopkins University; 601 N. Caroline Street Baltimore MD 21287 USA
| | - Charles G. Eberhart
- Department of Pathology; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; 600 N. Wolfe Street Baltimore MD 21287 USA
| | - Graeme F. Woodworth
- Departments of Neurological Surgery Anatomy and Neurobiology; University of Maryland School of Medicine; 22 S. Greene Street Baltimore MD 21201 USA
| | - Jung Soo Suk
- Center for Nanomedicine; The Wilmer Eye Institute; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; 400 N. Broadway Baltimore MD 21231 USA
- Department of Ophthalmology; The Wilmer Eye Institute; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; 600 N. Wolfe Street Baltimore MD 21297 USA
| | - Justin Hanes
- Center for Nanomedicine; The Wilmer Eye Institute; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; 400 N. Broadway Baltimore MD 21231 USA
- Department of Ophthalmology; The Wilmer Eye Institute; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; 600 N. Wolfe Street Baltimore MD 21297 USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; 720 Rutland Avenue Baltimore MD 21205 USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Johns Hopkins University; 3400 N. Charles Street Baltimore MD 21218 USA
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Kwok A, Eggimann GA, Reymond JL, Darbre T, Hollfelder F. Peptide dendrimer/lipid hybrid systems are efficient DNA transfection reagents: structure--activity relationships highlight the role of charge distribution across dendrimer generations. ACS Nano 2013; 7:4668-4682. [PMID: 23682947 PMCID: PMC3715887 DOI: 10.1021/nn400343z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2013] [Accepted: 04/30/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Efficient DNA delivery into cells is the prerequisite of the genetic manipulation of organisms in molecular and cellular biology as well as, ultimately, in nonviral gene therapy. Current reagents, however, are relatively inefficient, and structure-activity relationships to guide their improvement are hard to come by. We now explore peptide dendrimers as a new type of transfection reagent and provide a quantitative framework for their evaluation. A collection of dendrimers with cationic and hydrophobic amino acid motifs (such as KK, KA, KH, KL, and LL) distributed across three dendrimer generations was synthesized by a solid-phase protocol that provides ready access to dendrimers in milligram quantities. In conjunction with a lipid component (DOTMA/DOPE), the best reagent, G1,2,3-KL ((LysLeu)8(LysLysLeu)4(LysLysLeu)2LysGlySerCys-NH2), improves transfection by 6-10-fold over commercial reagents under their respective optimal conditions. Emerging structure-activity relationships show that dendrimers with cationic and hydrophobic residues distributed in each generation are transfecting most efficiently. The trigenerational dendritic structure has an advantage over a linear analogue worth up to an order of magnitude. The success of placing the decisive cationic charge patterns in inner shells rather than previously on the surface of macromolecules suggests that this class of dendrimers significantly differs from existing transfection reagents. In the future, this platform may be tuned further and coupled to cell-targeting moieties to enhance transfection and cell specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert Kwok
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1GA, United Kingdom
| | - Gabriela A. Eggimann
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Louis Reymond
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Tamis Darbre
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Florian Hollfelder
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1GA, United Kingdom
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Abstract
Background Glioma is still one of the most complicated forms of brain tumor to remove completely due to its location and the lack of an efficient means to specifically eliminate tumor cells. For these reasons, this study has examined the effectiveness of a nonviral gene therapy approach utilizing a tumor-selective killer gene on a brain tumor xenograft model. Methods and results The therapeutic apoptin gene was recombined into the JDK plasmid and delivered into human brain tumor cells (U87MG) by using a polyamidoamine dendrimer with an arginine surface (PAM-RG4). Studies in vitro showed that the PAM-RG4/apoptin plasmid polyplex exhibited a particularly high transfection activity of .40%. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, 4′,6-Diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) TUNEL assay, DAPI staining, and caspase-3 activity assay verified that the tumor cells had undergone apoptosis induced by apoptin. For in vivo studies, the polyplex was injected into tumors, which were induced by injecting U87MG cells intradermally into nude mice. Based on hematoxylin and eosin staining, epidermal growth factor receptor immunohistochemistry results and tumor volume measurement results, tumor growth was effectively inhibited and no specific edema, irritation, or other harm to the skin was observed after polyplex injection. The in vivo expression of apoptin and the induction of apoptosis were verified by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis, TUNEL assay, and DAPI staining. Conclusion The PAM-RG4/apoptin gene polyplex is a strong candidate for brain tumor therapeutics because of the synergistic effect of the carrier’s high transfection efficiency (35%–40%) in glioma cells and the selective apoptosis-inducing activity of apoptin in tumor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songhie An
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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