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Tao Z, Zhang H, Wu S, Zhang J, Cheng Y, Lei L, Qin Y, Wei H, Yu CY. Spherical nucleic acids: emerging amplifiers for therapeutic nanoplatforms. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:4392-4406. [PMID: 38289178 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr05971e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
Gene therapy is a revolutionary treatment approach in the 21st century, offering significant potential for disease prevention and treatment. However, the efficacy of gene delivery is often compromised by the inherent challenges of gene properties and vector-related defects. It is crucial to explore ways to enhance the curative effect of gene drugs and achieve safer, more widespread, and more efficient utilization, which represents a significant challenge in amplification gene therapy advancements. Spherical nucleic acids (SNAs), with their unique physicochemical properties, are considered an innovative solution for scalable gene therapy. This review aims to comprehensively explore the amplifying contributions of SNAs in gene therapy and emphasize the contribution of SNAs to the amplification effect of gene therapy from the aspects of structure, application, and recent clinical translation - an aspect that has been rarely reported or explored thus far. We begin by elucidating the fundamental characteristics and scaling-up properties of SNAs that distinguish them from traditional linear nucleic acids, followed by an analysis of combined therapy treatment strategies, theranostics, and clinical translation amplified by SNAs. We conclude by discussing the challenges of SNAs and provide a prospect on the amplification characteristics. This review seeks to update the current understanding of the use of SNAs in gene therapy amplification and promote further research into their clinical translation and amplification of gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenghao Tao
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421001, Hengyang, P. R. China.
| | - Haitao Zhang
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421001, Hengyang, P. R. China.
| | - Shang Wu
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421001, Hengyang, P. R. China.
| | - Jiaheng Zhang
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421001, Hengyang, P. R. China.
| | - Yao Cheng
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421001, Hengyang, P. R. China.
| | - Longtianyang Lei
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421001, Hengyang, P. R. China.
| | - Yang Qin
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421001, Hengyang, P. R. China.
| | - Hua Wei
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421001, Hengyang, P. R. China.
| | - Cui-Yun Yu
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421001, Hengyang, P. R. China.
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Asohan J, Fakih HH, Das T, Sleiman HF. Control of the Assembly and Disassembly of Spherical Nucleic Acids Is Critical for Enhanced Gene Silencing. ACS NANO 2024; 18:3996-4007. [PMID: 38265027 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c05940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Spherical nucleic acids─nanospheres with nucleic acids on their corona─have emerged as a promising class of nanocarriers, aiming to address the shortcomings of traditional nucleic therapeutics, namely, their poor stability, biodistribution, and cellular entry. By conjugating hydrophobic monomers to a growing nucleic acid strand in a sequence-defined manner, our group has developed self-assembled spherical nucleic acids (SaSNAs), for unaided, enhanced gene silencing. By virtue of their self-assembled nature, SaSNAs can disassemble under certain conditions in contrast to covalent or gold nanoparticle SNAs. Gene silencing involves multiple steps including cellular uptake, endosomal escape, and therapeutic cargo release. Whether assembly vs disassembly is advantageous to any of these steps has not been previously studied. In this work, we modify the DNA and hydrophobic portions of SaSNAs and examine their effects on stability, cellular uptake, and gene silencing. When the linkages between the hydrophobic units are changed from phosphate to phosphorothioate, we find that the SaSNAs disassemble better in endosomal conditions and exhibit more efficacious silencing, despite having cellular uptake similar to that of their phosphate counterparts. Thus, disassembly in the endolysosomal compartments is advantageous, facilitating the release of the nucleic acid cargo and the interactions between the hydrophobic units and endosomal lipids. We also find that SaSNAs partially disassemble in serum to bind albumin; the disassembled, albumin-bound strands are less efficient at cellular uptake and gene silencing than their assembled counterparts, which can engage scavenger receptors for internalization. When the DNA portion is cross-linked by G-quadruplex formation, disassembly decreases and cellular uptake significantly increases. However, this does not translate to greater gene silencing, again illustrating the need for disassembly of the SaSNAs when they are in the endosome. This work showcases the advantages of the dual nature of SaSNAs for gene silencing, requiring extracellular assembly and disassembly inside the cell compartments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jathavan Asohan
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke St West, Montreal, Québec Canada, H3A 0B8
| | - Hassan H Fakih
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke St West, Montreal, Québec Canada, H3A 0B8
| | - Trishalina Das
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke St West, Montreal, Québec Canada, H3A 0B8
| | - Hanadi F Sleiman
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke St West, Montreal, Québec Canada, H3A 0B8
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Äärelä A, Auchynnikava T, Moisio O, Liljenbäck H, Andriana P, Iqbal I, Lehtimäki J, Rajander J, Salo H, Roivainen A, Airaksinen AJ, Virta P. In Vivo Imaging of [60]Fullerene-Based Molecular Spherical Nucleic Acids by Positron Emission Tomography. Mol Pharm 2023; 20:5043-5051. [PMID: 37531591 PMCID: PMC10548468 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00370] [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: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
18F-Labeled [60]fullerene-based molecular spherical nucleic acids (MSNAs), consisting of a human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) mRNA antisense oligonucleotide sequence with a native phosphodiester and phosphorothioate backbone, were synthesized, site-specifically labeled with a positron emitting fluorine-18 and intravenously administrated via tail vein to HER2 expressing HCC1954 tumor-bearing mice. The biodistribution of the MSNAs was monitored in vivo by positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging. MSNA with a native phosphodiester backbone (MSNA-PO) was prone to rapid nuclease-mediated degradation, whereas the corresponding phosphorothioate analogue (MSNA-PS) with improved enzymatic stability showed an interesting biodistribution profile in vivo. One hour after the injection, majority of the radioactivity was observed in spleen and liver but also in blood with an average tumor-to-muscle ratio of 2. The prolonged radioactivity in blood circulation may open possibilities to the targeted delivery of the MSNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antti Äärelä
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Turku, FI-20500 Turku, Finland
- Research
and Development, Orion Pharma, FI-20380 Turku, Finland
| | - Tatsiana Auchynnikava
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Turku, FI-20500 Turku, Finland
- Turku
PET Centre, University of Turku, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Olli Moisio
- Turku
PET Centre, University of Turku, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Heidi Liljenbäck
- Turku
PET Centre, University of Turku, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
- Turku
Center for Disease Modeling, University
of Turku, FI-20520 Turku Finland
| | - Putri Andriana
- Turku
PET Centre, University of Turku, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Imran Iqbal
- Turku
PET Centre, University of Turku, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Jyrki Lehtimäki
- Research
and Development, Orion Pharma, FI-20380 Turku, Finland
| | - Johan Rajander
- Accelerator
Laboratory, Åbo Akademi University, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Harri Salo
- Research
and Development, Orion Pharma, FI-20380 Turku, Finland
| | - Anne Roivainen
- Turku
PET Centre, University of Turku, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
- Turku
Center for Disease Modeling, University
of Turku, FI-20520 Turku Finland
- Turku PET
Centre, Turku University Hospital, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Anu J. Airaksinen
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Turku, FI-20500 Turku, Finland
- Turku
PET Centre, University of Turku, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Pasi Virta
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Turku, FI-20500 Turku, Finland
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Hincapie R, Bhattacharya S, Keshavarz-Joud P, Chapman AP, Crooke SN, Finn MG. Preparation and Biological Properties of Oligonucleotide-Functionalized Virus-like Particles. Biomacromolecules 2023. [PMID: 37257068 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c00178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Oligonucleotides are powerful molecules for programming function and assembly. When arrayed on nanoparticle scaffolds in high density, the resulting molecules, spherical nucleic acids (SNAs), become imbued with unique properties. We used the copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition to graft oligonucleotides on Qβ virus-like particles to see if such structures also gain SNA-like behavior. Copper-binding ligands were shown to promote the click reaction without degrading oligonucleotide substrates. Reactions were first optimized with a small-molecule fluorogenic reporter and were then applied to the more challenging synthesis of polyvalent protein nanoparticle-oligonucleotide conjugates. The resulting particles exhibited the enhanced cellular uptake and protection from nuclease-mediated oligonucleotide cleavage characteristic of SNAs, had similar residence time in the liver relative to unmodified particles, and were somewhat shielded from immune recognition, resulting in nearly 10-fold lower antibody titers relative to unmodified particles. Oligonucleotide-functionalized virus-like particles thus provide an interesting option for protein nanoparticle-mediated delivery of functional molecules.
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Matthews EZ, Lanham S, White K, Kyriazi ME, Alexaki K, El-Sagheer AH, Brown T, Kanaras AG, J West J, MacArthur BD, Stumpf PS, Oreffo ROC. Single-cell RNA-sequence analysis of human bone marrow reveals new targets for isolation of skeletal stem cells using spherical nucleic acids. J Tissue Eng 2023; 14:20417314231169375. [PMID: 37216034 PMCID: PMC10192814 DOI: 10.1177/20417314231169375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
There is a wealth of data indicating human bone marrow contains skeletal stem cells (SSC) with the capacity for osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipogenic differentiation. However, current methods to isolate SSCs are restricted by the lack of a defined marker, limiting understanding of SSC fate, immunophenotype, function and clinical application. The current study applied single-cell RNA-sequencing to profile human adult bone marrow populations from 11 donors and identified novel targets for SSC enrichment. Spherical nucleic acids were used to detect these mRNA targets in SSCs. This methodology was able to rapidly isolate potential SSCs found at a frequency of <1 in 1,000,000 in human bone marrow, with the capacity for tri-lineage differentiation in vitro and ectopic bone formation in vivo. The current studies detail the development of a platform to advance SSC enrichment from human bone marrow, offering an invaluable resource for further SSC characterisation, with significant therapeutic impact therein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elloise Z Matthews
- Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Human
Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration, Human Development and Health, Institute of
Developmental Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Stuart Lanham
- Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Human
Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration, Human Development and Health, Institute of
Developmental Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
- Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine,
University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Kate White
- Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Human
Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration, Human Development and Health, Institute of
Developmental Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Maria-Eleni Kyriazi
- College of Engineering and Technology,
American University of the Middle East, Kuwait
| | - Konstantina Alexaki
- Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of
Physical Sciences and Engineering, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Afaf H El-Sagheer
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry
Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Chemistry Branch, Department of Science
and Mathematics, Faculty of Petroleum and Mining Engineering, Suez University, Suez,
Egypt
| | - Tom Brown
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry
Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Antonios G Kanaras
- Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of
Physical Sciences and Engineering, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
- Institute for Life Sciences, University
of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Jonathan J West
- Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Medicine,
University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
- Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of
Physical Sciences and Engineering, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Ben D MacArthur
- Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Human
Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration, Human Development and Health, Institute of
Developmental Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
- Institute for Life Sciences, University
of Southampton, Southampton, UK
- Mathematical Sciences, University of
Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Patrick S Stumpf
- Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Human
Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration, Human Development and Health, Institute of
Developmental Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
- Joint Research Center for Computational
Biomedicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Richard OC Oreffo
- Faculty of Medicine, Centre for Human
Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration, Human Development and Health, Institute of
Developmental Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
- Institute for Life Sciences, University
of Southampton, Southampton, UK
- College of Biomedical Engineering,
China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
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6
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Liu W, Fan Z, Li L, Li M. DNA-Based Nanoprobes for Simultaneous Detection of Telomerase and Correlated Biomolecules. Chembiochem 2022; 23:e202200307. [PMID: 35927933 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202200307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Telomerase (TE), a ribonucleoprotein reverse transcriptase, is enzymatically activated in most tumor cells and is responsible for promoting tumor progression and malignancy by enabling replicative immortality of cancer cells. TE has become an important hallmark for cancer diagnosis and a potential therapy target. Therefore, accurate and in site detection of TE activity, especially the simultaneous imaging of TE activity and its correlated biomolecules, is highly essential to medical diagnostics and therapeutics. DNA-based nanoprobes, with their effective cell penetration capability and programmability, are the most advantageous for detection of intracellular TE activity. This concept article introduces the recent strategies for in situ sensing and imaging of TE activity, with a focus on simultaneous detection of TE and related biomolecules, and provides challenges and perspectives for the development of new strategies for such correlated imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Liu
- Capital Medical University, Beijing Chest Hospital, CHINA
| | - Zetan Fan
- National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, cas key lab, CHINA
| | - Lele Li
- National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, 11 ZhongGuanCun BeiYiTiao, Haidian District, 100190, Beijing, CHINA
| | - Mengyuan Li
- University of Science and Technology Beijing, Chemistry, CHINA
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