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Huayamares SG, Lokugamage MP, Rab R, Da Silva Sanchez AJ, Kim H, Radmand A, Loughrey D, Lian L, Hou Y, Achyut BR, Ehrhardt A, Hong JS, Sago CD, Paunovska K, Echeverri ES, Vanover D, Santangelo PJ, Sorscher EJ, Dahlman JE. High-throughput screens identify a lipid nanoparticle that preferentially delivers mRNA to human tumors in vivo. J Control Release 2023; 357:394-403. [PMID: 37028451 PMCID: PMC10227718 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023]
Abstract
Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are a clinically relevant way to deliver therapeutic mRNA to hepatocytes in patients. However, LNP-mRNA delivery to end-stage solid tumors such as head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains more challenging. While scientists have used in vitro assays to evaluate potential nanoparticles for HNSCC delivery, high-throughput delivery assays performed directly in vivo have not been reported. Here we use a high-throughput LNP assay to evaluate how 94 chemically distinct nanoparticles delivered nucleic acids to HNSCC solid tumors in vivo. DNA barcodes were used to identify LNPHNSCC, a novel LNP for systemic delivery to HNSCC solid tumors. Importantly, LNPHNSCC retains tropism to HNSCC solid tumors while minimizing off-target delivery to the liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian G Huayamares
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Melissa P Lokugamage
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Regina Rab
- Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Alejandro J Da Silva Sanchez
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA; Department of Chemical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Hyejin Kim
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Afsane Radmand
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA; Department of Chemical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - David Loughrey
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Liming Lian
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Yuning Hou
- Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Bhagelu R Achyut
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Annette Ehrhardt
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Jeong S Hong
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Cory D Sago
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Kalina Paunovska
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Elisa Schrader Echeverri
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Daryll Vanover
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Philip J Santangelo
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Eric J Sorscher
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
| | - James E Dahlman
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.
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Rab R, Ehrhardt A, Achyut BR, Joshi D, Gilbert‐Ross M, Huang C, Floyd K, Borovjagin AV, Parker WB, Sorscher EJ, Hong JS. Evaluating antitumor activity of Escherichia coli purine nucleoside phosphorylase against head and neck patient-derived xenografts. Cancer Rep (Hoboken) 2023; 6:e1708. [PMID: 36253876 PMCID: PMC9939994 DOI: 10.1002/cnr2.1708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) gene transfer represents a promising approach to treatment of head and neck malignancies. We tested recombinant adenovirus already in phase I/II clinical testing and leading-edge patient-derived xenografts (PDX) as a means to optimize this therapeutic strategy. METHODS Our experiments investigated purine base cytotoxicity, PNP enzyme activity following treatment of malignant tissue, tumor mass regression, viral receptor studies, and transduction by tropism-modified adenovirus. RESULTS Replication deficient vector efficiently transduced PDX cells and mediated significant anticancer effect following treatment with fludarabine phosphate in vivo. Either 6-methylpurine or 2-fluoroadenine (toxic molecules generated by the PNP approach) ablated head and neck cancer cell proliferation. High levels of adenovirus-3 specific receptors were detected in human tumor models, and vector was evaluated that utilizes this pathway. CONCLUSIONS Our studies provide the scientific foundation necessary to improve PNP prodrug cleavage and advance a new treatment for head and neck cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina Rab
- Department of Pediatrics and Children's Hospital of AtlantaEmory University School of MedicineAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | - Annette Ehrhardt
- Department of Pediatrics and Children's Hospital of AtlantaEmory University School of MedicineAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | - Bhagelu R. Achyut
- Winship Cancer InstituteEmory University School of MedicineAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | - Disha Joshi
- Department of Pediatrics and Children's Hospital of AtlantaEmory University School of MedicineAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | | | - Chunzi Huang
- Winship Cancer InstituteEmory University School of MedicineAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | - Katharine Floyd
- Winship Cancer InstituteEmory University School of MedicineAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | - Anton V. Borovjagin
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
| | - William B. Parker
- Department of PharmacologyUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham; PNP Therapeutics, Inc.BirminghamAlabamaUSA
| | - Eric J. Sorscher
- Department of Pediatrics and Children's Hospital of AtlantaEmory University School of MedicineAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
- Winship Cancer InstituteEmory University School of MedicineAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | - Jeong S. Hong
- Department of Pediatrics and Children's Hospital of AtlantaEmory University School of MedicineAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
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Yegutkin GG, Boison D. ATP and Adenosine Metabolism in Cancer: Exploitation for Therapeutic Gain. Pharmacol Rev 2022; 74:797-822. [PMID: 35738682 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.121.000528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Adenosine is an evolutionary ancient metabolic regulator linking energy state to physiologic processes, including immunomodulation and cell proliferation. Tumors create an adenosine-rich immunosuppressive microenvironment through the increased release of ATP from dying and stressed cells and its ectoenzymatic conversion into adenosine. Therefore, the adenosine pathway becomes an important therapeutic target to improve the effectiveness of immune therapies. Prior research has focused largely on the two major ectonucleotidases, ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 1/cluster of differentiation (CD)39 and ecto-5'-nucleotidase/CD73, which catalyze the breakdown of extracellular ATP into adenosine, and on the subsequent activation of different subtypes of adenosine receptors with mixed findings of antitumor and protumor effects. New findings, needed for more effective therapeutic approaches, require consideration of redundant pathways controlling intratumoral adenosine levels, including the alternative NAD-inactivating pathway through the CD38-ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase phosphodiesterase (ENPP)1-CD73 axis, the counteracting ATP-regenerating ectoenzymatic pathway, and cellular adenosine uptake and its phosphorylation by adenosine kinase. This review provides a holistic view of extracellular and intracellular adenosine metabolism as an integrated complex network and summarizes recent data on the underlying mechanisms through which adenosine and its precursors ATP and ADP control cancer immunosurveillance, tumor angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, cancer-associated thrombosis, blood flow, and tumor perfusion. Special attention is given to differences and commonalities in the purinome of different cancers, heterogeneity of the tumor microenvironment, subcellular compartmentalization of the adenosine system, and novel roles of purine-converting enzymes as targets for cancer therapy. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The discovery of the role of adenosine as immune checkpoint regulator in cancer has led to the development of novel therapeutic strategies targeting extracellular adenosine metabolism and signaling in multiple clinical trials and preclinical models. Here we identify major gaps in knowledge that need to be filled to improve the therapeutic gain from agents targeting key components of the adenosine metabolic network and, on this basis, provide a holistic view of the cancer purinome as a complex and integrated network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gennady G Yegutkin
- MediCity Research Laboratory and InFLAMES Flagship, University of Turku, Turku, Finland (G.G.Y.); Department of Neurosurgery, Robert Wood Johnson and New Jersey Medical Schools, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey (D.B.); and Rutgers Brain Health Institute, Piscataway, New Jersey (D.B.)
| | - Detlev Boison
- MediCity Research Laboratory and InFLAMES Flagship, University of Turku, Turku, Finland (G.G.Y.); Department of Neurosurgery, Robert Wood Johnson and New Jersey Medical Schools, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey (D.B.); and Rutgers Brain Health Institute, Piscataway, New Jersey (D.B.)
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Abstract
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world, which is the second after heart diseases. Adenoviruses (Ads) have become the promise of new therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment. The objective of this review is to discuss current advances in the applications of adenoviral vectors in cancer therapy. Adenoviral vectors can be engineered in different ways so as to change the tumor microenvironment from cold tumor to hot tumor, including; 1. by modifying Ads to deliver transgenes that codes for tumor suppressor gene (p53) and other proteins whose expression result in cell cycle arrest 2. Ads can also be modified to express tumor specific antigens, cytokines, and other immune-modulatory molecules. The other strategy to use Ads in cancer therapy is to use oncolytic adenoviruses, which directly kills tumor cells. Gendicine and Advexin are replication-defective recombinant human p53 adenoviral vectors that have been shown to be effective against several types of cancer. Gendicine was approved for treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck by the Chinese Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agency in 2003 as a first-ever gene therapy product. Oncorine and ONYX-015 are oncolytic adenoviral vectors that have been shown to be effective against some types of cancer. The Chiness FDA agency has also approved Oncorin for the treatment of head and neck cancer. Ads that were engineered to express immune-stimulatory cytokines and other immune-modulatory molecules such as TNF-α, IL-2, BiTE, CD40L, 4-1BBL, GM-CSF, and IFN have shown promising outcome in treatment of cancer. Ads can also improve therapeutic efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive cell therapy (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells). In addition, different replication-deficient adenoviral vectors (Ad5-CEA, Ad5-PSA, Ad-E6E7, ChAdOx1-MVA and Ad-transduced Dendritic cells) that were tested as anticancer vaccines have been demonstrated to induce strong antitumor immune response. However, the use of adenoviral vectors in gene therapy is limited by several factors such as pre-existing immunity to adenoviral vectors and high immunogenicity of the viruses. Thus, innovative strategies must be continually developed so as to overcome the obstacles of using adenoviral vectors in gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sintayehu Tsegaye Tseha
- Lecturer of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Biology, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia
- Department of Microbial, Cellular and Molecular Biology, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Tessarollo NG, Domingues ACM, Antunes F, da Luz JCDS, Rodrigues OA, Cerqueira OLD, Strauss BE. Nonreplicating Adenoviral Vectors: Improving Tropism and Delivery of Cancer Gene Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13081863. [PMID: 33919679 PMCID: PMC8069790 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13081863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent preclinical and clinical studies have used viral vectors in gene therapy research, especially nonreplicating adenovirus encoding strategic therapeutic genes for cancer treatment. Adenoviruses were the first DNA viruses to go into therapeutic development, mainly due to well-known biological features: stability in vivo, ease of manufacture, and efficient gene delivery to dividing and nondividing cells. However, there are some limitations for gene therapy using adenoviral vectors, such as nonspecific transduction of normal cells and liver sequestration and neutralization by antibodies, especially when administered systemically. On the other hand, adenoviral vectors are amenable to strategies for the modification of their biological structures, including genetic manipulation of viral proteins, pseudotyping, and conjugation with polymers or biological membranes. Such modifications provide greater specificity to the target cell and better safety in systemic administration; thus, a reduction of antiviral host responses would favor the use of adenoviral vectors in cancer immunotherapy. In this review, we describe the structural and molecular features of nonreplicating adenoviral vectors, the current limitations to their use, and strategies to modify adenoviral tropism, highlighting the approaches that may allow for the systemic administration of gene therapy.
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Acosta J, Pérez E, Sánchez-Murcia PA, Fillat C, Fernández-Lucas J. Molecular Basis of NDT-Mediated Activation of Nucleoside-Based Prodrugs and Application in Suicide Gene Therapy. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11010120. [PMID: 33477716 PMCID: PMC7831932 DOI: 10.3390/biom11010120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Herein we report the first proof for the application of type II 2′-deoxyribosyltransferase from Lactobacillus delbrueckii (LdNDT) in suicide gene therapy for cancer treatment. To this end, we first confirm the hydrolytic ability of LdNDT over the nucleoside-based prodrugs 2′-deoxy-5-fluorouridine (dFUrd), 2′-deoxy-2-fluoroadenosine (dFAdo), and 2′-deoxy-6-methylpurine riboside (d6MetPRib). Such activity was significantly increased (up to 30-fold) in the presence of an acceptor nucleobase. To shed light on the strong nucleobase dependence for enzymatic activity, different molecular dynamics simulations were carried out. Finally, as a proof of concept, we tested the LdNDT/dFAdo system in human cervical cancer (HeLa) cells. Interestingly, LdNDT/dFAdo showed a pronounced reduction in cellular viability with inhibitory concentrations in the low micromolar range. These results open up future opportunities for the clinical implementation of nucleoside 2′-deoxyribosyltransferases (NDTs) in cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Acosta
- Applied Biotechnology Group, European University of Madrid, c/ Tajo s/n, Villaviciosa de Odón, 28670 Madrid, Spain; (J.A.); (E.P.)
| | - Elena Pérez
- Applied Biotechnology Group, European University of Madrid, c/ Tajo s/n, Villaviciosa de Odón, 28670 Madrid, Spain; (J.A.); (E.P.)
| | - Pedro A. Sánchez-Murcia
- Division of Physiological Chemistry, Otto-Loewi Research Center, Medical University of Graz, Neue Stiftingtalstraße 6/III, A-8010 Graz, Austria;
| | - Cristina Fillat
- Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain;
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesús Fernández-Lucas
- Division of Physiological Chemistry, Otto-Loewi Research Center, Medical University of Graz, Neue Stiftingtalstraße 6/III, A-8010 Graz, Austria;
- Grupo de Investigación en Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, GICNEX, Universidad de la Costa, CUC, Calle 58 # 55-66 Barranquilla, Colombia
- Correspondence:
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The use of Trichomonas vaginalis purine nucleoside phosphorylase to activate fludarabine in the treatment of solid tumors. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2020; 85:573-583. [PMID: 31915968 DOI: 10.1007/s00280-019-04018-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Treatment with fludarabine phosphate (9-β-D-arabinofuranosyl-2-F-adenine 5'-phosphate, F-araAMP) leads to regressions and cures of human tumor xenografts that express Escherichia coli purine nucleoside phosphorylase (EcPNP). This occurs despite the fact that fludarabine (F-araA) is a relatively poor substrate for EcPNP, and is cleaved to liberate 2-fluoroadenine at a rate only 0.3% that of the natural E. coli PNP substrate, adenosine. In this study, we investigated a panel of naturally occurring PNPs to identify more efficient enzymes that may be suitable for metabolizing F-araA as part of experimental cancer therapy. We show that Trichomonas vaginalis PNP (TvPNP) cleaves F-araA with a catalytic efficiency 25-fold greater than the prototypic E. coli enzyme. Cellular extracts from human glioma cells (D54) transduced with lentivirus stably expressing TvPNP (D54/TvPNP) were found to cleave F-araA at a rate similar to extracts from D54 cells expressing EcPNP, although much less enzyme was expressed per cell in the TvPNP transduced condition. As a test of safety and efficacy using TvPNP, human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (FaDu) xenografts expressing TvPNP were studied in nude mice and shown to exhibit robust tumor regressions, albeit with partial weight loss that resolved post-therapy. F-araAMP was also a very effective treatment for mice bearing D54/TvPNP xenografts in which approximately 10% of tumor cells expressed the enzyme, indicating pronounced ability to kill non-transduced tumor cells (high bystander activity). Moreover, F-araAMP demonstrated activity against D54 tumors injected with an E1, E3 deleted adenoviral vector encoding TvPNP. In that setting, despite higher F-araA cleavage activity using TvPNP, tumor responses were similar to those obtained with EcPNP, indicating factors other than F-Ade production may limit regressions of the D54 murine xenograft model. Our results establish that TvPNP is a favorable enzyme for activating F-araA, and support further studies in combination with F-araAMP for difficult-to-treat human cancers.
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