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Feng S, Rcheulishvili N, Jiang X, Zhu P, Pan X, Wei M, Wang PG, Ji Y, Papukashvili D. A review on Gaucher disease: therapeutic potential of β-glucocerebrosidase-targeted mRNA/saRNA approach. Int J Biol Sci 2024; 20:2111-2129. [PMID: 38617529 PMCID: PMC11008270 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.87741] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Gaucher disease (GD), a rare hereditary lysosomal storage disorder, occurs due to a deficiency in the enzyme β-glucocerebrosidase (GCase). This deficiency leads to the buildup of substrate glucosylceramide (GlcCer) in macrophages, eventually resulting in various complications. Among its three types, GD2 is particularly severe with neurological involvements. Current treatments, such as enzyme replacement therapy (ERT), are not effective for GD2 and GD3 due to their inability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Other treatment approaches, such as gene or chaperone therapies are still in experimental stages. Additionally, GD treatments are costly and can have certain side effects. The successful use of messenger RNA (mRNA)-based vaccines for COVID-19 in 2020 has sparked interest in nucleic acid-based therapies. Remarkably, mRNA technology also offers a novel approach for protein replacement purposes. Additionally, self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) technology shows promise, potentially producing more protein at lower doses. This review aims to explore the potential of a cost-effective mRNA/saRNA-based approach for GD therapy. The use of GCase-mRNA/saRNA as a protein replacement therapy could offer a new and promising direction for improving the quality of life and extending the lifespan of individuals with GD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunping Feng
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Nino Rcheulishvili
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518000, China
- Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | | | - Pan Zhu
- Cheerland Biomedicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xuehua Pan
- Shenzhen Pengbo Biotech Co. Ltd, Shenzhen, China
| | - Meilan Wei
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Peng George Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Yang Ji
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Dimitri Papukashvili
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518000, China
- Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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Golombek S, Hoffmann T, Hann L, Mandler M, Schmidhuber S, Weber J, Chang YT, Mehling R, Ladinig A, Knecht C, Leyens J, Schlensak C, Wendel HP, Schneeberger A, Avci-Adali M. Improved tropoelastin synthesis in the skin by codon optimization and nucleotide modification of tropoelastin-encoding synthetic mRNA. Mol Ther Nucleic Acids 2023; 33:642-654. [PMID: 37650117 PMCID: PMC10462787 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2023.07.035] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Loss of elastin due to aging, disease, or injury can lead to impaired tissue function. In this study, de novo tropoelastin (TE) synthesis is investigated in vitro and in vivo using different TE-encoding synthetic mRNA variants after codon optimization and nucleotide modification. Codon optimization shows a strong effect on protein synthesis without affecting cell viability in vitro, whereas nucleotide modifications strongly modulate translation and reduce cell toxicity. Selected TE mRNA variants (3, 10, and 30 μg) are then analyzed in vivo in porcine skin after intradermal application. Administration of 30 μg of native TE mRNA with a me1 Ψ modification or 10 and 30 μg of unmodified codon-optimized TE mRNA is required to increase TE protein expression in vivo. In contrast, just 3 μg of a codon-optimized TE mRNA variant with the me1 Ψ modification is able to increase protein expression. Furthermore, skin toxicity is investigated in vitro by injecting 30 μg of mRNA of selected TE mRNA variants into a human full-thickness skin model, and no toxic effects are observed. Thereby, for the first time, an increased dermal TE synthesis by exogenous administration of synthetic mRNA is demonstrated in vivo. Codon optimization of a synthetic mRNA can significantly increase protein expression and therapeutic outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Golombek
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 7/1, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Ludmilla Hann
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 7/1, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Markus Mandler
- Accanis Biotech, Karl-Farkas-Gasse 22, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | | | - Josefin Weber
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 7/1, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Young-Tae Chang
- Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Roman Mehling
- Werner Siemens Imaging Center, Department of Preclinical Imaging and Radiopharmacy, Eberhard Karls University, Röntgenweg 13, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andrea Ladinig
- University Clinic for Swine, Department of Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinärplatz 1, Vienna 1210, Austria
| | - Christian Knecht
- University Clinic for Swine, Department of Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinärplatz 1, Vienna 1210, Austria
| | - Johanna Leyens
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 7/1, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christian Schlensak
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 7/1, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hans Peter Wendel
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 7/1, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Meltem Avci-Adali
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Tübingen, Calwerstraße 7/1, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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Miliotou AN, Foltopoulou PF, Ingendoh-Tsakmakidis A, Tsiftsoglou AS, Vizirianakis IS, Pappas IS, Papadopoulou LC. Protein Transduction Domain-Mediated Delivery of Recombinant Proteins and In Vitro Transcribed mRNAs for Protein Replacement Therapy of Human Severe Genetic Mitochondrial Disorders: The Case of Sco2 Deficiency. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15. [PMID: 36678915 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15010286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial disorders represent a heterogeneous group of genetic disorders with variations in severity and clinical outcomes, mostly characterized by respiratory chain dysfunction and abnormal mitochondrial function. More specifically, mutations in the human SCO2 gene, encoding the mitochondrial inner membrane Sco2 cytochrome c oxidase (COX) assembly protein, have been implicated in the mitochondrial disorder fatal infantile cardioencephalomyopathy with COX deficiency. Since an effective treatment is still missing, a protein replacement therapy (PRT) was explored using protein transduction domain (PTD) technology. Therefore, the human recombinant full-length mitochondrial protein Sco2, fused to TAT peptide (a common PTD), was produced (fusion Sco2 protein) and successfully transduced into fibroblasts derived from a SCO2/COX-deficient patient. This PRT contributed to effective COX assembly and partial recovery of COX activity. In mice, radiolabeled fusion Sco2 protein was biodistributed in the peripheral tissues of mice and successfully delivered into their mitochondria. Complementary to that, an mRNA-based therapeutic approach has been more recently considered as an innovative treatment option. In particular, a patented, novel PTD-mediated IVT-mRNA delivery platform was developed and applied in recent research efforts. PTD-IVT-mRNA of full-length SCO2 was successfully transduced into the fibroblasts derived from a SCO2/COX-deficient patient, translated in host ribosomes into a nascent chain of human Sco2, imported into mitochondria, and processed to the mature protein. Consequently, the recovery of reduced COX activity was achieved, thus suggesting the potential of this mRNA-based technology for clinical translation as a PRT for metabolic/genetic disorders. In this review, such research efforts will be comprehensibly presented and discussed to elaborate their potential in clinical application and therapeutic usefulness.
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Vavilis T, Stamoula E, Ainatzoglou A, Sachinidis A, Lamprinou M, Dardalas I, Vizirianakis IS. mRNA in the Context of Protein Replacement Therapy. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15010166. [PMID: 36678793 PMCID: PMC9866414 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15010166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein replacement therapy is an umbrella term used for medical treatments that aim to substitute or replenish specific protein deficiencies that result either from the protein being absent or non-functional due to mutations in affected patients. Traditionally, such an approach requires a well characterized but arduous and expensive protein production procedure that employs in vitro expression and translation of the pharmaceutical protein in host cells, followed by extensive purification steps. In the wake of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, mRNA-based pharmaceuticals were recruited to achieve rapid in vivo production of antigens, proving that the in vivo translation of exogenously administered mRNA is nowadays a viable therapeutic option. In addition, the urgency of the situation and worldwide demand for mRNA-based medicine has led to an evolution in relevant technologies, such as in vitro transcription and nanolipid carriers. In this review, we present preclinical and clinical applications of mRNA as a tool for protein replacement therapy, alongside with information pertaining to the manufacture of modified mRNA through in vitro transcription, carriers employed for its intracellular delivery and critical quality attributes pertaining to the finished product.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theofanis Vavilis
- Laboratory of Biology and Genetics, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
- Department of Dentistry, European University Cyprus, Nicosia 2404, Cyprus
- Correspondence:
| | - Eleni Stamoula
- Centre of Systems Biology, Department of Biotechnology, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Alexandra Ainatzoglou
- Centre of Systems Biology, Department of Biotechnology, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Athanasios Sachinidis
- 4th Department of Internal Medicine, Hippokration General Hospital, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Malamatenia Lamprinou
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Ioannis Dardalas
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Ioannis S. Vizirianakis
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
- Department of Life & Health Sciences, School of Sciences and Engineering, University of Nicosia, Nicosia 1700, Cyprus
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Kleinboehl E, Laoharawee K, Moriarity B. Primary B cell engineering for therapeutic research. Trends Mol Med 2022; 28:528-529. [PMID: 35430120 PMCID: PMC9936666 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2022.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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Abstract
Herein, a bile acid-inspired triple padlock oral gene delivery platform is developed, facilitating the protection of the therapeutic gene from gastrointestinal degradation, selective intestinal accumulation through a bile acid-specific transporter, and transportation of pDNA NPs through the enterohepatic recycling system. This nonviral oral gene delivery nanoparticle exhibits excellent gene expression kinetics in in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo studies. A single oral dose leads to maintaining normoglycemia for up to 7 days in three different diabetes mouse models and 14 days in diabetic monkeys. Also, the optimized dosage form can reduce nonfast blood glucose levels and hemoglobin A1C within a normal range from the last stage diabetes conditions with a reduction of weight gain from changes of food uptake behavior after treatment once weekly for 20 weeks. Taken together, the current findings could improve the current painful treatment experience of diabetics and thus improve their quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Shatil Shahriar
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea National University of Transportation, Chungju-27469, Republic of Korea
- KB Biomed Inc., Chungju 27469, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong Man An
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea National University of Transportation, Chungju-27469, Republic of Korea
- KB Biomed Inc., Chungju 27469, Republic of Korea
- Department of Bioengineering, College of Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Mohammad Nazmul Hasan
- Department of Green BioEngineering, Korea National University of Transportation, Chungju-27469, Republic of Korea
| | - Sachin S Surwase
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon-34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeu-Chun Kim
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon-34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Yun Lee
- Department of Bioengineering, College of Engineering, and BK21 PLUS Future Biopharmaceutical Human Resources Training and Research Team, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungpil Cho
- 4D Biomaterials Center, Korea National University of Transportation, Jeungpyeong 27909, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Kyu Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea National University of Transportation, Chungju-27469, Republic of Korea
- KB Biomed Inc., Chungju 27469, Republic of Korea
- Department of Green BioEngineering, Korea National University of Transportation, Chungju-27469, Republic of Korea
- 4D Biomaterials Center, Korea National University of Transportation, Jeungpyeong 27909, Republic of Korea
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Trepotec Z, Lichtenegger E, Plank C, Aneja MK, Rudolph C. Delivery of mRNA Therapeutics for the Treatment of Hepatic Diseases. Mol Ther 2019; 27:794-802. [PMID: 30655211 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2018.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Revised: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Promising improvements in the field of transcript therapeutics have clearly enhanced the potential of mRNA as a new pillar for protein replacement therapies. Synthetic mRNAs are engineered to replace mutated mRNAs and to be immunologically inconspicuous and highly stable while maximizing protein expression. Approaches to deliver mRNA into the cellular cytoplasm safely and efficiently have been further developed so that two mRNA-based approaches replacing vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) have now made it into clinical trials. These studies bring mRNA therapeutics for protein replacement therapy closer to clinical realization. Herein, we provide an overview of preclinical and clinical developments of mRNA therapeutics for liver diseases.
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Cheng Q, Wei T, Jia Y, Farbiak L, Zhou K, Zhang S, Wei Y, Zhu H, Siegwart DJ. Dendrimer-Based Lipid Nanoparticles Deliver Therapeutic FAH mRNA to Normalize Liver Function and Extend Survival in a Mouse Model of Hepatorenal Tyrosinemia Type I. Adv Mater 2018; 30:e1805308. [PMID: 30368954 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201805308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Revised: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
mRNA-mediated protein replacement represents a promising concept for the treatment of liver disorders. Children born with fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase (FAH) mutations suffer from Hepatorenal Tyrosinemia Type 1 (HT-1) resulting in renal dysfunction, liver failure, neurological impairments, and cancer. Protein replacement therapy using FAH mRNA offers tremendous potential to cure HT-1, but is currently hindered by the development of effective mRNA carriers that can function in diseased livers. Structure-guided, rational optimization of 5A2-SC8 mRNA-loaded dendrimer lipid nanoparticles (mDLNPs) increases delivery potency of FAH mRNA, resulting in functional FAH protein and sustained normalization of body weight and liver function in FAH-/- knockout mice. Optimization using luciferase mRNA produces DLNP carriers that are efficacious at mRNA doses as low as 0.05 mg kg-1 in vivo. mDLNPs transfect > 44% of all hepatocytes in the liver, yield high FAH protein levels (0.5 mg kg-1 mRNA), and are well tolerated in a knockout mouse model with compromised liver function. Genetically engineered FAH-/- mice treated with FAH mRNA mDLNPs have statistically equivalent levels of TBIL, ALT, and AST compared to wild type C57BL/6 mice and maintain normal weight throughout the month-long course of treatment. This study provides a framework for the rational optimization of LNPs to improve delivery of mRNA broadly and introduces a specific and viable DLNP carrier with translational potential to treat genetic diseases of the liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Cheng
- Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Tuo Wei
- Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Yuemeng Jia
- Children's Research Institute, Departments of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Lukas Farbiak
- Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Kejin Zhou
- Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Shuyuan Zhang
- Children's Research Institute, Departments of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Yonglong Wei
- Children's Research Institute, Departments of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Hao Zhu
- Children's Research Institute, Departments of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Daniel J Siegwart
- Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
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