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Krishnan MA, Alimi OA, Pan T, Kuss M, Korade Z, Hu G, Liu B, Duan B. Engineering Neurotoxin-Functionalized Exosomes for Targeted Delivery to the Peripheral Nervous System. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:102. [PMID: 38258111 PMCID: PMC10818718 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16010102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The administration of therapeutics to peripheral nerve tissue is challenging due to the complexities of peripheral neuroanatomy and the limitations imposed by the blood-nerve barrier (BNB). Therefore, there is a pressing need to enhance delivery effectiveness and implement targeted delivery methods. Recently, erythrocyte-derived exosomes (Exos) have gained widespread attention as biocompatible vehicles for therapeutics in clinical applications. However, engineering targeted Exos for the peripheral nervous system (PNS) is still challenging. This study aims to develop a targeted Exo delivery system specifically designed for presynaptic terminals of peripheral nerve tissue. The clostridium neurotoxin, tetanus toxin-C fragment (TTC), was tethered to the surface of red blood cell (RBC)-derived Exos via a facile and efficient bio-orthogonal click chemistry method without a catalyst. Additionally, Cyanine5 (Cy5), a reactive fluorescent tag, was also conjugated to track Exo movement in both in vitro and in vivo models. Subsequently, Neuro-2a, a mouse neuronal cell line, was treated with dye-labeled Exos with/without TTC in vitro, and the results indicated that TTC-Exos exhibited more efficient accumulation along the soma and axonal circumference, compared to their unmodified counterparts. Further investigation, using a mouse model, revealed that within 72 h of intramuscular administration, engineered TTC-Exos were successfully transported into the neuromuscular junction and sciatic nerve tissues. These results indicated that TTC played a crucial role in the Exo delivery system, improving the affinity to peripheral nerves. These promising results underscore the potential of using targeted Exo carriers to deliver therapeutics for treating peripheral neuropathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mena Asha Krishnan
- Mary and Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (M.A.K.); (O.A.A.); (T.P.); (M.K.)
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Olawale A. Alimi
- Mary and Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (M.A.K.); (O.A.A.); (T.P.); (M.K.)
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Tianshu Pan
- Mary and Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (M.A.K.); (O.A.A.); (T.P.); (M.K.)
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Mitchell Kuss
- Mary and Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (M.A.K.); (O.A.A.); (T.P.); (M.K.)
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Zeljka Korade
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA;
- Child Health Research Institute, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Guoku Hu
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA;
| | - Bo Liu
- Mary and Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (M.A.K.); (O.A.A.); (T.P.); (M.K.)
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Bin Duan
- Mary and Dick Holland Regenerative Medicine Program, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA; (M.A.K.); (O.A.A.); (T.P.); (M.K.)
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
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Sleigh JN, Schiavo G. Neuroscience highlights in 2022: cytoskeletal transport. Lancet Neurol 2023; 22:25-27. [PMID: 36517163 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(22)00482-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- James N Sleigh
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases and UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, and UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Giampietro Schiavo
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases and UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, and UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, UK
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Banack SA, Dunlop RA, Stommel EW, Mehta P, Cox PA. miRNA extracted from extracellular vesicles is a robust biomarker of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Neurol Sci 2022; 442:120396. [PMID: 36081303 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2022.120396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES We examined miRNA biomarkers for ALS extracted from extracellular vesicles in blood samples using a large and diverse patient and control population. Different blood collection and storage protocols by different investigators could impact repeatability of miRNA analysis. We tested the hypotheses that miRNA extracted from extracellular vesicles using immunoaffinity purification techniques are robust and repeatable across investigators, laboratories and in a broad ALS population. METHODS De-identified patient blood plasma samples obtained from the U.S. National ALS Biorepository were compared with plasma from non-ALS controls. Extracellular vesicles were extracted and isolated using L1CAM immunoaffinity purification. Total RNA was extracted, and miRNA quantified using qPCR following careful quality control measures. Gene fold expressions of eight miRNAs were compared using a Mann-Whitney two-tailed test. RESULTS One hundred blinded, blood plasma samples were analyzed. Thirty-five men and 15 women with ALS were compared with controls consisting of 30 men and 20 women. None of the ALS patient cohort reported family members with ALS suggesting sporadic ALS. Five of the eight biomarkers previously published were found to significantly discriminate ALS patient samples from control samples. DISCUSSION The methods used in this study provide a repeatable measure of miRNA biomarkers that statistically differentiate ALS patient samples from control samples. The broad inclusion criteria for both the ALS patient cohort and controls along with the collection of blood samples by different investigators suggest that these methods are robust and represent good candidates for further research and development aimed at clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Elijah W Stommel
- Department of Neurology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, USA
| | - Paul Mehta
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, National ALS Registry (CDC/ATSDR), Atlanta, GA, USA
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Coleman MP. Axon Biology in ALS: Mechanisms of Axon Degeneration and Prospects for Therapy. Neurotherapeutics 2022; 19:1133-1144. [PMID: 36207571 PMCID: PMC9587191 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-022-01297-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 10/10/2022] Open
Abstract
This review addresses the longstanding debate over whether amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a 'dying back' or 'dying forward' disorder in the light of new gene identifications and the increased understanding of mechanisms of action for previously identified ALS genes. While the topological pattern of pathology in animal models, and more anecdotally in patients is indeed 'dying back', this review discusses how this fits with the fact that many of the major initiating events are thought to occur within the soma. It also discusses how widely varying ALS risk factors, including some impacting axons directly, may combine to drive a common pathway involving TAR DNA binding protein 43 (TDP-43) and neuromuscular junction (NMJ) denervation. The emerging association between sterile alpha and TIR motif-containing 1 (SARM1), a protein so far mostly associated with axon degeneration, and sporadic ALS is another major theme. The strengths and limitations of the current evidence supporting an association are considered, along with ways in which SARM1 could become activated in ALS. The final section addresses SARM1-based therapies along with the prospects for targeting other axonal steps in ALS pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P Coleman
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0PY, UK.
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Tetanus Toxin Fragment C: Structure, Drug Discovery Research and Production. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15060756. [PMID: 35745675 PMCID: PMC9227095 DOI: 10.3390/ph15060756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Tetanus toxoid (TTd) plays an important role in the pharmaceutical world, especially in vaccines. The toxoid is obtained after formaldehyde treatment of the tetanus toxin. In parallel, current emphasis in the drug discovery field is put on producing well-defined and safer drugs, explaining the interest in finding new alternative proteins. The tetanus toxin fragment C (TTFC) has been extensively studied both as a neuroprotective agent for central nervous system disorders owing to its neuronal properties and as a carrier protein in vaccines. Indeed, it is derived from a part of the tetanus toxin and, as such, retains its immunogenic properties without being toxic. Moreover, this fragment has been well characterized, and its entire structure is known. Here, we propose a systematic review of TTFC by providing information about its structural features, its properties and its methods of production. We also describe the large uses of TTFC in the field of drug discovery. TTFC can therefore be considered as an attractive alternative to TTd and remarkably offers a wide range of uses, including as a carrier, delivery vector, conjugate, booster, inducer, and neuroprotector.
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