1
|
Ooi YJ, Huang C, Lau K, Chew SY, Park JG, Chan-Park MB. Nontoxic, Biodegradable Hyperbranched Poly(β-amino ester)s for Efficient siRNA Delivery and Gene Silencing. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2024; 16:14093-14112. [PMID: 38449351 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c10620] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated gene silencing is a promising therapeutic approach to treat various diseases, but safe and efficient delivery remains a major challenge to its clinical application. Non-viral gene vectors, such as poly(β-amino esters) (pBAEs), have emerged as a potential candidate due to their biodegradability, low toxicity profile, ease of synthesis, and high gene transfection efficiency for both DNA and siRNA delivery. However, achieving significant gene silencing using pBAEs often requires a large amount of polymer carrier (with polymer/siRNA weight ratio >100) or high siRNA dose (>100 nM), which might potentially exacerbate toxicity concerns during delivery. To overcome these barriers, we designed and optimized a series of hyperbranched pBAEs capable of efficiently condensing siRNA and achieving excellent silencing efficiency at a lower polymer/siRNA weight ratio (w/w) and siRNA dose. Through modulation of monomer combinations and branching density, we identified the top-performing hyperbranched pBAEs, named as h(A2B3)-1, which possess good siRNA condensation ability, low cytotoxicity, and high cellular uptake efficiency. Compared with Lipofectamine 2000, h(A2B3)-1 achieved lower cytotoxicity and higher siRNA silencing efficiency in HeLa cells at a polymer/siRNA weight ratio of 30 and 30 nM siRNA dose. Notably, h(A2B3)-1 enhanced the gene uptake in primary neural cells and effectively silenced the target gene in hard-to-transfect primary cortical neurons and oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, with gene knockdown efficiencies of 34.8 and 53.4% respectively. By incorporating a bioreducible disulfide compartment into the polymer backbone, the cytocompatibility of the h(A2B3)-1 was greatly enhanced while maintaining their good transfection efficiency. Together, the low cytotoxicity and high siRNA transfection efficiency of hyperbranched h(A2B3)-1 in this study demonstrated their great potential as a non-viral gene vector for efficient siRNA delivery and RNAi-mediated gene silencing. This provides valuable insight into the future development of safe and efficient non-viral siRNA delivery systems as well as their translation into clinical applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ying Jie Ooi
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637459, Singapore
| | - Chongquan Huang
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637459, Singapore
- Neuroscience@NTU, Interdisciplinary Graduate Programme, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637459, Singapore
| | - Kieran Lau
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637459, Singapore
| | - Sing Yian Chew
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637459, Singapore
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 636921, Singapore
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Jong Gu Park
- Welgene Inc, 693, Namcheon-ro, Namcheon-myeon, Gyeongsan-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do 38695, Republic of Korea
| | - Mary B Chan-Park
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637459, Singapore
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 636921, Singapore
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Cao Y, He Z, Chen Q, He X, Su L, Yu W, Zhang M, Yang H, Huang X, Li J. Helper-Polymer Based Five-Element Nanoparticles (FNPs) for Lung-Specific mRNA Delivery with Long-Term Stability after Lyophilization. Nano Lett 2022; 22:6580-6589. [PMID: 35969167 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c01784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) carrying therapeutic mRNAs hold great promise in treating lung-associated diseases like viral infections, tumors, and genetic disorders. However, because of their thermodynamically unstable nature, traditional LNPs carrying mRNAs need to be stored at low temperatures, which hinders their prevalence. Herein, an efficient lung-specific mRNA delivery platform named five-element nanoparticles (FNPs) is developed in which helper-polymer poly(β-amino esters) (PBAEs) and DOTAP are used in combination. The new strategy endows FNPs with high stability by increasing the charge repulsion between nanoparticles and the binding force of the aliphatic chains within the nanoparticles. The structure-activity relationship (SAR) shows that PBAEs with E1 end-caps, higher degrees of polymerization, and longer alkyl side chains exhibit higher hit rates. Lyophilized FNP formulations can be stably stored at 4 °C for at least 6 months. Overall, a novel delivery platform with high efficiency, specificity, and stability was developed for advancing mRNA-based therapies for lung-associated diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Cao
- Gene Editing Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Zongxing He
- Gene Editing Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Qimingxing Chen
- Gene Editing Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Xiaoyan He
- Gene Editing Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Lili Su
- Gene Editing Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Wenxia Yu
- Gene Editing Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Mingming Zhang
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Huiying Yang
- Department of Pharmacy, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Xingxu Huang
- Gene Editing Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Jianfeng Li
- Gene Editing Center, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Mastorakos P, Song E, Zhang C, Berry S, Park HW, Kim YE, Park JS, Lee S, Suk JS, Hanes J. Biodegradable DNA Nanoparticles that Provide Widespread Gene Delivery in the Brain. Small 2016; 12:678-85. [PMID: 26680637 PMCID: PMC4913277 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201502554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2015] [Revised: 10/16/2015] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Successful gene therapy of neurological disorders is predicated on achieving widespread and uniform transgene expression throughout the affected disease area in the brain. However, conventional gene vectors preferentially travel through low-resistance perivascular spaces and/or are confined to the administration site even with the aid of a pressure-driven flow provided by convection-enhanced delivery. Biodegradable DNA nanoparticles offer a safe gene delivery platform devoid of adverse effects associated with virus-based or synthetic nonbiodegradable systems. Using a state-of-the-art biodegradable polymer, poly(β-amino ester), colloidally stable sub-100 nm DNA nanoparticles are engineered with a nonadhesive polyethylene glycol corona that are able to avoid the adhesive and steric hindrances imposed by the extracellular matrix. Following convection enhanced delivery, these brain-penetrating nanoparticles are able to homogeneously distribute throughout the rodent striatum and mediate widespread and high-level transgene expression. These nanoparticles provide a biodegradable DNA nanoparticle platform enabling uniform transgene expression patterns in vivo and hold promise for the treatment of neurological diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Mastorakos
- Center for Nanomedicine, at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 400 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21297, USA
| | - Eric Song
- Center for Nanomedicine, at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins 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
| | - Clark Zhang
- Center for Nanomedicine, at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 400 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Av., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Sneha Berry
- Center for Nanomedicine, at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins 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
| | - Hee Won Park
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Young Eun Kim
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Jong Sung Park
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University, 601 N. Caroline St, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Seulki Lee
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University, 601 N. Caroline St, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|