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Tiwade PB, Ma Y, VanKeulen-Miller R, Fenton OS. A Lung-Expressing mRNA Delivery Platform with Tunable Activity in Hypoxic Environments. J Am Chem Soc 2024. [PMID: 38874565 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c04565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Messenger RNA (mRNA) delivery platforms often facilitate protein expression in the liver following intravenous injection and have been optimized for use in normally oxygenated cells (21% O2 atmosphere). However, there is a growing need for mRNA therapy in diseases affecting non-liver organs, such as the lungs. Additionally, many diseases are characterized by hypoxia (<21% O2 atmosphere), a state of abnormally low oxygenation in cells and tissues that can reduce the efficacy of mRNA therapies by upwards of 80%. Here, we report a Tunable Lung-Expressing Nanoparticle Platform (TULEP) for mRNA delivery, whose properties can be readily tuned for optimal expression in hypoxic environments. Briefly, our study begins with the synthesis and characterization of a novel amino acrylate polymer that can be effectively complexed with mRNA payloads into TULEPs. We study the efficacy and mechanism of mRNA delivery using TULEP, including analysis of the cellular association, endocytosis mechanisms, endosomal escape, and protein expression in a lung cell line. We then evaluate TULEP under hypoxic conditions and address hypoxia-related deficits in efficacy by making our system tunable with adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Finally, we conclude our study with an in vivo analysis of mRNA expression, biodistribution, and tolerability of the TULEP platform in mice. In presenting these data, we hope that our work highlights the utility of TULEPs for tunable and effective mRNA delivery while more broadly highlighting the utility of considering oxygen levels when developing mRNA delivery platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Palas Balakdas Tiwade
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Yutian Ma
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Rachel VanKeulen-Miller
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Owen S Fenton
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
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Simonsen JB. Lipid nanoparticle-based strategies for extrahepatic delivery of nucleic acid therapies - challenges and opportunities. J Control Release 2024; 370:763-772. [PMID: 38621638 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.04.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
The advent of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) containing ionizable cationic lipids has enabled the encapsulation, stabilization, and intracellular delivery of nucleic acid payloads, leading to FDA-approved siRNA-based therapy and mRNA-based vaccines. Other nucleic acid-based therapeutic modalities, including protein replacement and CRISPR-mediated gene knockout and editing, are being tested in clinical trials, in many cases, for the treatment of liver-related diseases. However, to fully exploit these therapies beyond the liver, improvements in their delivery to extrahepatic targets are needed. Towards this end, both active targeting strategies based on targeting ligands grafted onto LNPs and passive targeting relying on physicochemical LNP parameters such as surface composition, charge, and size are being evaluated. Often, the latter strategy depends on the interaction of LNPs with blood components, forming what is known as the biomolecular corona. Here, I discuss potential challenges related to current LNP-based targeting strategies and the studies of the biomolecular corona on LNPs. I propose potential solutions to overcome some of these obstacles and present approaches currently being tested in preclinical and clinical studies, which face fewer biological barriers than traditional organ-targeting approaches.
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Yang Z, Liu Y, Zhao H. CAR T treatment beyond cancer: Hope for immunomodulatory therapy of non-cancerous diseases. Life Sci 2024; 344:122556. [PMID: 38471620 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Engineering a patient's own T cells to accurately identify and eliminate cancer cells has effectively cured individuals afflicted with previously incurable hematologic cancers. These findings have stimulated research into employing chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T therapy across various areas within the field of oncology. However, evidence from both clinical and preclinical investigations emphasize the broader potential of CAR T therapy, extending beyond oncology to address autoimmune disorders, persistent infections, cardiac fibrosis, age-related ailments and other conditions. Concurrently, the advent of novel technologies and platforms presents additional avenues for utilizing CAR T therapy in non-cancerous contexts. This review provides an overview of the rationale behind CAR T therapy, delineates ongoing challenges in its application to cancer treatment, summarizes recent findings in non-cancerous diseases, and engages in discourse regarding emerging technologies that bear relevance. The review delves into prospective applications of this therapeutic approach across a diverse range of scenarios. Lastly, the review underscores concerns related to precision and safety, while also outlining the envisioned trajectory for extending CAR T therapy beyond cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhibo Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, 3201 Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Hanzhong, Shaanxi 723000, China
| | - Yingfeng Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianshui First People's Hospital, Tianshui, Gansu 741000, China
| | - Hai Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266005, China.
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Li Y, Hu Z, Li Y, Wu X. Charting new paradigms for CAR-T cell therapy beyond current Achilles heels. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1409021. [PMID: 38751430 PMCID: PMC11094207 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1409021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) cell therapy has made remarkable strides in treating hematological malignancies. However, the widespread adoption of CAR-T cell therapy is hindered by several challenges. These include concerns about the long-term and complex manufacturing process, as well as efficacy factors such as tumor antigen escape, CAR-T cell exhaustion, and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Additionally, safety issues like the risk of secondary cancers post-treatment, on-target off-tumor toxicity, and immune effector responses triggered by CAR-T cells are significant considerations. To address these obstacles, researchers have explored various strategies, including allogeneic universal CAR-T cell development, infusion of non-activated quiescent T cells within a 24-hour period, and in vivo induction of CAR-T cells. This review comprehensively examines the clinical challenges of CAR-T cell therapy and outlines strategies to overcome them, aiming to chart pathways beyond its current Achilles heels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhenhua Hu
- Department of Health and Nursing, Nanfang College of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuanyuan Li
- Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan, China
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyan Wu
- Department of Pediatrics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Lederman MM, Greenspan NS. Interview with Drew Weissman, 2023 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine. Pathog Immun 2024; 9:22-37. [PMID: 38774127 PMCID: PMC11107418 DOI: 10.20411/pai.v9i1.698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Drew Weissman, MD, PhD, received the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine together with Katalin Karikó, PhD. Dr. Weissman received his bachelor's and master's degrees from Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, in 1981. He received his MD and PhD in 1987 from Boston University, Boston, MA, and this was followed by a residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA. He then completed a fellowship at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases under the supervision of Anthony Fauci, MD. He joined the Faculty at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, in 1997, where, in collaboration with Dr. Katalin Karikó, he explored the use of messenger RNA (mRNA) to drive heterologous gene expression in human cells. They overcame the notorious susceptibility of RNAs to degradation by packaging the mRNA in lipid nanoparticles and learned to both optimize protein expression and attenuate the inflammatory response to the exogenous RNAs by [covalently] modifying bases in the RNA sequence. This work has revolutionized immunization technology and allowed for the production of the most effective vaccines to prevent COVID-19.
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Thatte AS, Billingsley MM, Weissman D, Melamed JR, Mitchell MJ. Emerging strategies for nanomedicine in autoimmunity. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2024; 207:115194. [PMID: 38342243 PMCID: PMC11015430 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2024.115194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
Autoimmune disorders have risen to be among the most prevalent chronic diseases across the globe, affecting approximately 5-7% of the population. As autoimmune diseases steadily rise in prevalence, so do the number of potential therapeutic strategies to combat them. In recent years, fundamental research investigating autoimmune pathologies has led to the emergence of several cellular targets that provide new therapeutic opportunities. However, key challenges persist in terms of accessing and specifically combating the dysregulated, self-reactive cells while avoiding systemic immune suppression and other off-target effects. Fortunately, the continued advancement of nanomedicines may provide strategies to address these challenges and bring innovative autoimmunity therapies to the clinic. Through precise engineering and rational design, nanomedicines can possess a variety of physicochemical properties, surface modifications, and cargoes, allowing for specific targeting of therapeutics to pathological cell and organ types. These advances in nanomedicine have been demonstrated in cancer therapies and have the broad potential to advance applications in autoimmunity therapies as well. In this review, we focus on leveraging the power of nanomedicine for prevalent autoimmune disorders throughout the body. We expand on three key areas for the development of autoimmunity therapies - avoiding systemic immunosuppression, balancing interactions with the immune system, and elevating current platforms for delivering complex cargoes - and emphasize how nanomedicine-based strategies can overcome these barriers and enable the development of next-generation, clinically relevant autoimmunity therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajay S Thatte
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | | | - Drew Weissman
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Penn Institute for RNA Innovation, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jilian R Melamed
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Penn Institute for RNA Innovation, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Michael J Mitchell
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Penn Institute for RNA Innovation, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Institute for Immunology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Cardiovascular Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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Nie S, Qin Y, Ou L, Chen X, Li L. In Situ Reprogramming of Immune Cells Using Synthetic Nanomaterials. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2310168. [PMID: 38229527 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202310168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
In the past decade, adoptive cell therapy with chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) cells has revolutionized cancer treatment. However, the complexity and high costs involved in manufacturing current adoptive cell therapy greatly inhibit its widespread availability and access. To address this, in situ cell therapy, which directly reprograms immune cells inside the body, has recently been developed as a promising alternative. Here, an overview of the recent progress in the development of synthetic nanomaterials is provided to deliver plasmid DNA or mRNA for in situ reprogramming of T cells and macrophages, focusing especially on in situ CAR therapies. Also, the main challenges for in situ immune cell reprogramming are discussed and some approaches to overcome these barriers to fulfill the clinical applications are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shihong Nie
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yuyang Qin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
- West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Liyuan Ou
- West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xiaoyuan Chen
- Departments of Diagnostic Radiology, Surgery, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Biomedical Engineering, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119074, Singapore
- Clinical Imaging Research Centre, Centre for Translational Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
- Nanomedicine Translational Research Program, NUS Center for Nanomedicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Ling Li
- West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
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