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Song L, Wang Y, Guo Y, Bulale S, Zhou M, Yu F, He L. Engineering aptamers to enhance their interaction with protein target for selective inhibition of cell surface receptors. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 278:134989. [PMID: 39181365 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.134989] [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: 06/07/2024] [Revised: 08/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
Cell surface receptors play a key role in intracellular signaling, and their overexpression and activation are among the drivers of multiple diseases. Selective inhibition of cell surface receptors is important for regulating intracellular signaling pathways and cell behavior. Here, we design engineered aptamers to selectively inhibit receptor function. In this strategy, the aptamer specifically recognizing the extracellular structural domain of the EGFR, was conjugated to an adamantane moiety through linking arms of various lengths in order to obtain better performances toward EGFR. These interactions inhibit EGFR dimerization, thereby impeding the activation of downstream signaling pathways. It is shown that the adamantane-modified aptamers exhibit superior inhibition of downstream effector proteins relative to the unmodified aptamers. The optimal inhibitory effect was observed with a linker arm of 40 T-base in length. Notably, the best-performing adamantane-modified aptamer specifically binds to A549 cells with a dissociation constant (22.6 ± 4.5 nM) that is approximately 4-fold lower than that of the parent EGFR aptamer (94.4 ± 21.9 nM). We further combine the use of the adamantane-modified aptamer with that of genistein, a natural isoflavone compound with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibition activity, to enhance the inhibitory effect on EGFR and its downstream signaling employing a synergistic action. This study is expected to provide a versatile approach for the improvement of existing aptamers obtaining increased selective inhibition of cell surface receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Song
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Ya Wang
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Yujing Guo
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Shajidan Bulale
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Miaomiao Zhou
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Fei Yu
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
| | - Leiliang He
- College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
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Elmanawy MA, Boraie N, Bakr BA, Makled S. Augmented ocular uptake and anti-inflammatory efficacy of decorated Genistein-loaded NLCs incorporated in in situ gel. Int J Pharm 2024; 662:124508. [PMID: 39053680 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2024.124508] [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: 05/20/2024] [Revised: 07/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Genistein (Gen); a naturally occurring isoflavone, acts as a tyrosine kinase inhibitor and efficiently downregulates inflammatory cytokines, which are pivotal in eye inflammation. Also, Gen suffers from sparse ocular bioavailability due to poor solubility. In this work, nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) were successfully fabricated by using solid (stearic acid and compritol) and liquid (oleic acid) lipids. The optimized Gen-loaded NLCs showed a nanosize range of 140-246 nm, ≥ 98 % entrapment efficiency, and controlled release over 48 h. The ζ-potential of NLCs was increased from -27.3 mV to 25-27.4 mV due to surface modification with chitosan (CS) or eudragit RS100 (ERS 100). All NLCs showed prominent biocompatibility with enhanced cellular uptake on corneal stromal fibroblasts. Moreover, the different NLCs were incorporated into a mucoadhesive in situ gel. The optimized in situ gel (G9), containing 20 % poloxamers and 0.5 % hydroxyethyl cellulose, exhibited excellent gelling ability within 10.5 s, gelling temperature at 33.1 ± 0.6 ℃, spreadability diameter of 4.73 ± 0.12 cm, shear-thinning behavior, and 20 min ex vivo mucoadhesion time with drug release for 120 h. The in vivo results showed distinguished permeation and distribution potential for ocular delivery. In vivo anti-inflammatory effects after 3 days of treatment with CS-Gen-NLCs/G9 and ERS-Gen-NLCs/G9 revealed a downregulation of interleukin-6 levels in the cornea and retina compared to the untreated group. Our research highlights the promising anti-inflammatory potential of ERS-Gen-NLCs/G9 as an efficient, non-irritant Gen nanodelivery system for managing anterior and posterior ocular inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwa A Elmanawy
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21521, Egypt
| | - Nabila Boraie
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21521, Egypt
| | - Basant A Bakr
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21568, Egypt
| | - Shaimaa Makled
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21521, Egypt.
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Lin CJ, Hwang TL, Wang RYL, Nain A, Shih RH, Chang L, Lin HJ, Harroun SG, Chang HT, Huang CC. Augmenting Neutrophil Extracellular Traps with Carbonized Polymer Dots: A Potential Treatment for Bacterial Sepsis. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2307210. [PMID: 38279606 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202307210] [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: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that can progress to septic shock as the body's extreme response to pathogenesis damages its own vital organs. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) accounts for 50% of nosocomial infections, which are clinically treated with antibiotics. However, methicillin-resistant strains (MRSA) have emerged and can withstand harsh antibiotic treatment. To address this problem, curcumin (CCM) is employed to prepare carbonized polymer dots (CPDs) through mild pyrolysis. Contrary to curcumin, the as-formed CCM-CPDs are highly biocompatible and soluble in aqueous solution. Most importantly, the CCM-CPDs induce the release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) from the neutrophils, which entrap and eliminate microbes. In an MRSA-induced septic mouse model, it is observed that CCM-CPDs efficiently suppress bacterial colonization. Moreover, the intrinsic antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anticoagulation activities resulting from the preserved functional groups of the precursor molecule on the CCM-CPDs prevent progression to severe sepsis. As a result, infected mice treated with CCM-CPDs show a significant decrease in mortality even through oral administration. Histological staining indicates negligible organ damage in the MRSA-infected mice treated with CCM-CPDs. It is believed that the in vivo studies presented herein demonstrate that multifunctional therapeutic CPDs hold great potential against life-threatening infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chin-Jung Lin
- Institute of Analytical and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Tsong-Long Hwang
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Graduate Institute of Natural Products, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, 33302, Taiwan
- Research Center for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Graduate Institute of Healthy Industry Technology, College of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, 33302, Taiwan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, 33302, Taiwan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, New Taipei City, 243303, Taiwan
| | - Robert Y L Wang
- Division of Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, 33302, Taiwan
| | - Amit Nain
- Department of Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 520012, India
| | - Ren-Hong Shih
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, 202301, Taiwan
| | - Lung Chang
- Department of Pediatrics, Mackay Memorial Hospital and Mackay Junior College of Medicine, Nursing and Management, Taipei, 10449, Taiwan
- Department of Medicine, MacKay Medical College, New Taipei City, 25245, Taiwan
| | - Han-Jia Lin
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, 202301, Taiwan
- Center of Excellence for the Oceans, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, 20231, Taiwan
| | - Scott G Harroun
- Department of Engineering Physics, Polytechnique Montréal, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Huan-Tsung Chang
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, 33302, Taiwan
- Center for Advanced Biomaterials and Technology Innovation, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, 33302, Taiwan
- Division of Breast Surgery, Department of General Surgery, Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou, Taoyuan, 33305, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Ching Huang
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, 202301, Taiwan
- Center of Excellence for the Oceans, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, 20231, Taiwan
- School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708, Taiwan
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