1
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Gutmann M, Reinhardt D, Seidensticker C, Raschig M, Hahn L, Moscaroli A, Behe M, Meinel L, Lühmann T. Matrix Metalloproteinase-Responsive Delivery of PEGylated Fibroblast Growth Factor 2. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2024; 10:156-165. [PMID: 37988287 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.3c01511] [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] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Attachment of polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains is a common, well-studied, and Food and Drug Administration-approved method to address the pharmacokinetic challenges of therapeutic proteins. Occasionally, PEGylation impairs the activity of pharmacodynamics (PD). To overcome this problem, disease-relevant cleavable linkers between the polymer and the therapeutic protein can unleash full PD by de-PEGylating the protein at its target site. In this study, we engineered a matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-responsive fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) mutant that was site-specifically extended with a PEG polymer chain. Using bioinspired strategies, the bioconjugate was designed to release the native protein at the desired structure/environment with preservation of the proliferative capacity in vitro on NIH3T3 cells. In vivo, hepatic exposure was diminished but not its renal distribution over time compared to unconjugated FGF-2. By releasing the growth factor from the PEG polymer in response to MMP cleavage, restored FGF-2 may enter hard-to-reach tissues and activate cell surface receptors or nuclear targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Gutmann
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, DE-97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Debora Reinhardt
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, DE-97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Christian Seidensticker
- Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik Für Innere Medizin II, Klinikum Rechts der Isar der TU München, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Martina Raschig
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, DE-97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Lukas Hahn
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, DE-97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Alessandra Moscaroli
- Center for Radiopharmaceutical Sciences ETH-PSI-USZ, Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - Martin Behe
- Center for Radiopharmaceutical Sciences ETH-PSI-USZ, Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - Lorenz Meinel
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, DE-97074 Würzburg, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-Based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Center for Infection Research (HZI), DE-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Tessa Lühmann
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, DE-97074 Würzburg, Germany
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2
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Kehrein J, Sotriffer C. Molecular Dynamics Simulations for Rationalizing Polymer Bioconjugation Strategies: Challenges, Recent Developments, and Future Opportunities. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2024; 10:51-74. [PMID: 37466304 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.3c00636] [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] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
The covalent modification of proteins with polymers is a well-established method for improving the pharmacokinetic properties of therapeutically valuable biologics. The conjugated polymer chains of the resulting hybrid represent highly flexible macromolecular structures. As the dynamics of such systems remain rather elusive for established experimental techniques from the field of protein structure elucidation, molecular dynamics simulations have proven as a valuable tool for studying such conjugates at an atomistic level, thereby complementing experimental studies. With a focus on new developments, this review aims to provide researchers from the polymer bioconjugation field with a concise and up to date overview of such approaches. After introducing basic principles of molecular dynamics simulations, as well as methods for and potential pitfalls in modeling bioconjugates, the review illustrates how these computational techniques have contributed to the understanding of bioconjugates and bioconjugation strategies in the recent past and how they may lead to a more rational design of novel bioconjugates in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josef Kehrein
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg 97074, Germany
| | - Christoph Sotriffer
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg 97074, Germany
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3
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Zhao Q, Liu H, Tang L, Wang F, Tolufashe G, Chang J, Guo JT. Mechanism of interferon alpha therapy for chronic hepatitis B and potential approaches to improve its therapeutic efficacy. Antiviral Res 2024; 221:105782. [PMID: 38110058 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2023.105782] [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: 09/16/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) chronically infects 296 million people worldwide and causes more than 820,000 deaths annually due to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Current standard-of-care medications for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) include nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) viral DNA polymerase inhibitors and pegylated interferon alpha (PEG-IFN-α). NAs can efficiently suppress viral replication and improve liver pathology, but not eliminate or inactivate HBV covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA). CCC DNA is the most stable HBV replication intermediate that exists as a minichromosome in the nucleus of infected hepatocyte to transcribe viral RNA and support viral protein translation and genome replication. Consequentially, a finite duration of NA therapy rarely achieves a sustained off-treatment suppression of viral replication and life-long NA treatment is most likely required. On the contrary, PEG-IFN-α has the benefit of finite treatment duration and achieves HBsAg seroclearance, the indication of durable immune control of HBV replication and functional cure of CHB, in approximately 5% of treated patients. However, the low antiviral efficacy and poor tolerability limit its use. Understanding how IFN-α suppresses HBV replication and regulates antiviral immune responses will help rational optimization of IFN therapy and development of novel immune modulators to improve the rate of functional cure. This review article highlights mechanistic insight on IFN control of HBV infection and recent progress in development of novel IFN regimens, small molecule IFN mimetics and combination therapy of PEG-IFN-α with new direct-acting antivirals and therapeutic vaccines to facilitate the functional cure of CHB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Zhao
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Doylestown, PA, United States
| | - Hui Liu
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Doylestown, PA, United States
| | - Liudi Tang
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Doylestown, PA, United States
| | - Fuxuan Wang
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Doylestown, PA, United States
| | | | - Jinhong Chang
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Doylestown, PA, United States
| | - Ju-Tao Guo
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Doylestown, PA, United States.
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4
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Behnke M, Holick CT, Vollrath A, Schubert S, Schubert US. Knowledge-Based Design of Multifunctional Polymeric Nanoparticles. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2024; 284:3-26. [PMID: 37017790 DOI: 10.1007/164_2023_649] [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] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
Conventional drug delivery systems (DDS) today still face several drawbacks and obstacles. High total doses of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) are often difficult or impossible to deliver due to poor solubility of the API or undesired clearance from the body caused by strong interactions with plasma proteins. In addition, high doses lead to a high overall body burden, in particular if they cannot be delivered specifically to the target site. Therefore, modern DDS must not only be able to deliver a dose into the body, but should also overcome the hurdles mentioned above as examples. One of these promising devices are polymeric nanoparticles, which can encapsulate a wide range of APIs despite having different physicochemical properties. Most importantly, polymeric nanoparticles are tunable to obtain tailored systems for each application. This can already be achieved via the starting material, the polymer, by incorporating, e.g., functional groups. This enables the particle properties to be influenced not only specifically in terms of their interactions with APIs, but also in terms of their general properties such as size, degradability, and surface properties. In particular, the combination of size, shape, and surface modification allows polymeric nanoparticles to be used not only as a simple drug delivery device, but also to achieve targeting. This chapter discusses to what extent polymers can be designed to form defined nanoparticles and how their properties affect their performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mira Behnke
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Caroline T Holick
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Antje Vollrath
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Stephanie Schubert
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Ulrich S Schubert
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.
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5
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Göppert NE, Quader S, Van Guyse JFR, Weber C, Kataoka K, Schubert US. Amphiphilic Poly(2-oxazoline)s with Glycine-Containing Hydrophobic Blocks Tailored for Panobinostat- and Imatinib-Loaded Micelles. Biomacromolecules 2023; 24:5915-5925. [PMID: 37987713 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c00934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Aiming toward the development of tailored carrier materials for the cytostatics panobinostat and imatinib, an amphiphilic block copolymer composed of poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) and a degradable poly(2-(3-phenylpropyl)-2-oxazoline) analogue (dPPhPrOx-b-PEtOx) was synthesized via a postpolymerization synthesis route based on reacylation of oxidized linear poly(ethylene imine). The obtained dPPhPrOx-b-PEtOx was found to readily self-assemble into well-defined micelles with a critical micelle concentration of 1 μg mL-1. The incubation of HUVEC cells with the blank micelles revealed their excellent cytocompatibility (up to 2 mg mL-1), thus confirming the polymers' suitability for potential drug delivery application. Subsequently, the encapsulation of the two cytostatics, panobinostat and imatinib, into the dPPhPrOx-b-PEtOx micelles was successfully demonstrated (Dh ≈ 80 nm, PDI ≈ 0.16), whereby the well-defined nature of the micelle was maintained upon extended incubation at 37 °C (36 h) and storage at 4 °C (1 month). Labeling of the micelles with Alexa Fluor 594 and Alexa Fluor 647, which form a Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) pair, indicated the stability of loaded micelles upon dilution until the CMC. Finally, the cytotoxicity of the loaded micelles was investigated against three different cell lines: Medulloblastoma cell lines ONS-76 and DAOY as well as the glioblastoma cell line U87MG. While the panobinostat-loaded micelles displayed similar cytotoxicity compared to the pure drug in the cell lines, imatinib-loaded micelles were found to be more potent compared to the pristine drug, as significantly higher cytotoxicity was observed across all three cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie E Göppert
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstr. 10, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Sabina Quader
- Innovation Center of NanoMedicine, Kawasaki Institute of Industrial Promotion, 3-25-14 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki 212-0821, Japan
| | - Joachim F R Van Guyse
- Innovation Center of NanoMedicine, Kawasaki Institute of Industrial Promotion, 3-25-14 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki 212-0821, Japan
| | - Christine Weber
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstr. 10, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Kazunori Kataoka
- Innovation Center of NanoMedicine, Kawasaki Institute of Industrial Promotion, 3-25-14 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki 212-0821, Japan
| | - Ulrich S Schubert
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstr. 10, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena, Germany
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6
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Kehrein J, Gürsöz E, Davies M, Luxenhofer R, Bunker A. Unravel the Tangle: Atomistic Insight into Ultrahigh Curcumin-Loaded Polymer Micelles. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2303066. [PMID: 37403298 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202303066] [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: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
Amphiphilic ABA-triblock copolymers, comprised of poly(2-oxazoline) and poly(2-oxazine), can solubilize poorly water-soluble molecules in a structure-dependent manner forming micelles with exceptionally high drug loading. All-atom molecular dynamics simulations are conducted on previously experimentally characterized, curcumin-loaded micelles to dissect the structure-property relationships. Polymer-drug interactions for different levels of drug loading and variation in polymer structures of both the inner hydrophobic core and outer hydrophilic shell are investigated. In silico, the system with the highest experimental loading capacity shows the highest number of drug molecules encapsulated by the core. Furthermore, in systems with lower loading capacity outer A blocks show a greater extent of entanglement with the inner B blocks. Hydrogen bond analyses corroborate previous hypotheses: poly(2-butyl-2-oxazoline) B blocks, found experimentally to have reduced loading capacity for curcumin compared to poly(2-propyl-2-oxazine), establish fewer but longer-lasting hydrogen bonds. This possibly results from different sidechain conformations around the hydrophobic cargo, which is investigated by unsupervised machine learning to cluster monomers in smaller model systems mimicking different micelle compartments. Exchanging poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) with poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) leads to increased drug interactions and reduced corona hydration; this suggests an impairment of micelle solubility or colloidal stability. These observations can help driving forward a more rational a priori nanoformulation design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josef Kehrein
- Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014, Finland
- Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Drug Research Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014, Finland
| | - Ekinsu Gürsöz
- Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014, Finland
- Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Drug Research Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014, Finland
| | - Matthew Davies
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario, N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Robert Luxenhofer
- Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014, Finland
| | - Alex Bunker
- Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Drug Research Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, 00014, Finland
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7
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Anufriev I, Hoeppener S, Nischang I. PEG-Lipids: Quantitative Study of Unimers and Aggregates Thereof by the Methods of Molecular Hydrodynamics. Anal Chem 2023. [PMID: 37418577 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c01999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the polymorphism of lipids in solution is the key to the development of intracellular delivery systems. Here, we study the dynamics of poly(ethylene glycol)-lipid (PEG-Lipid) conjugates aiming at a better understanding of their molecular properties and aggregation behavior in solution. Those PEG-Lipids are used as components of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). LNPs are gaining increased popularity, e.g., by their utilization in modern vaccination strategies against SARS-CoV-2. Characterization of the systems is conducted by the classical methods of hydrodynamics in different solvents, such as ethanol and water, which are also commonly used for LNP formulation. We were able to elucidate the structurally associated hydrodynamic properties of isolated PEG-Lipids in ethanol, revealing the typically expected values of the hydrodynamic invariant for random coil polymers. By virtue of the same experimental setting, the PEG-Lipids' behavior in water was as well studied, which is a less good solvent than ethanol for the PEG-Lipids. Our experiments demonstrate that PEG-Lipids dissolved in water form well-defined micelles that can quantitatively be characterized in terms of their degree of aggregation of PEG-Lipid polymer unimers, their hydrodynamic size, and solvation, i.e., the quantitative determination of water contained or associated to the identified micelles. Quantitative results obtained from classical hydrodynamic analyses are fully supported by studies with standard dynamic light scattering (DLS). The obtained diffusion coefficients and hydrodynamic sizes are in excellent agreement with numerical results derived from analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) data. Cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) supports the structural insight from hydrodynamic studies, particularly, in terms of the observed spherical structure of the formed micelles. We demonstrate experimentally that the micelle systems can be considered as solvent-permeable, hydrated spheres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilya Anufriev
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstraße 10, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Jena Center for Soft Matter, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Stephanie Hoeppener
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstraße 10, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Jena Center for Soft Matter, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Ivo Nischang
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstraße 10, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Jena Center for Soft Matter, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena, Germany
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8
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Pouyan P, Zemella A, Schloßhauer JL, Walter RM, Haag R, Kubick S. One to one comparison of cell-free synthesized erythropoietin conjugates modified with linear polyglycerol and polyethylene glycol. Sci Rep 2023; 13:6394. [PMID: 37076514 PMCID: PMC10115831 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33463-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023] Open
Abstract
With more than 20 Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) modified drugs on the market, PEG is the gold standard polymer in bioconjugation. The coupling improves stability, efficiency and can prolong blood circulation time of therapeutic proteins. Even though PEGylation is described as non-toxic and non-immunogenic, reports accumulate with data showing allergic reactions to PEG. Since PEG is not only applied in therapeutics, but can also be found in foods and cosmetics, anti-PEG-antibodies can occur even without a medical treatment. Hypersensitivity to PEG thereby can lead to a reduced drug efficiency, fast blood clearance and in rare cases anaphylactic reactions. Therefore, finding alternatives for PEG is crucial. In this study, we present linear polyglycerol (LPG) for bioconjugation as an alternative polymer to PEG. We report the conjugation of LPG and PEG by click-chemistry to the glycoprotein erythropoietin (EPO), synthesized in a eukaryotic cell-free protein synthesis system. Furthermore, the influence of the polymers on EPOs stability and activity on a growth hormone dependent cell-line was evaluated. The similar characteristics of both bioconjugates show that LPGylation can be a promising alternative to PEGylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paria Pouyan
- Institut for Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustr. 3, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anne Zemella
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Am Mühlenberg 13, 14476, Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Jeffrey L Schloßhauer
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Am Mühlenberg 13, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry-Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ruben M Walter
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Am Mühlenberg 13, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
- Institute of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Berlin, Gustav-Meyer-Allee 25, 13355, Berlin, Germany
| | - Rainer Haag
- Institut for Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustr. 3, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Stefan Kubick
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Am Mühlenberg 13, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry-Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustr. 6, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Faculty of Health Sciences, oint Faculty of the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, the Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane and the University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
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9
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Hahn L, Zorn T, Kehrein J, Kielholz T, Ziegler AL, Forster S, Sochor B, Lisitsyna ES, Durandin NA, Laaksonen T, Aseyev V, Sotriffer C, Saalwächter K, Windbergs M, Pöppler AC, Luxenhofer R. Unraveling an Alternative Mechanism in Polymer Self-Assemblies: An Order-Order Transition with Unusual Molecular Interactions between Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Polymer Blocks. ACS NANO 2023; 17:6932-6942. [PMID: 36972400 PMCID: PMC10100562 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c00722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Polymer self-assembly leading to cooling-induced hydrogel formation is relatively rare for synthetic polymers and typically relies on H-bonding between repeat units. Here, we describe a non-H-bonding mechanism for a cooling-induced reversible order-order (sphere-to-worm) transition and related thermogelation of solutions of polymer self-assemblies. A multitude of complementary analytical tools allowed us to reveal that a significant fraction of the hydrophobic and hydrophilic repeat units of the underlying block copolymer is in close proximity in the gel state. This unusual interaction between hydrophilic and hydrophobic blocks reduces the mobility of the hydrophilic block significantly by condensing the hydrophilic block onto the hydrophobic micelle core, thereby affecting the micelle packing parameter. This triggers the order-order transition from well-defined spherical micelles to long worm-like micelles, which ultimately results in the inverse thermogelation. Molecular dynamics modeling indicates that this unexpected condensation of the hydrophilic corona onto the hydrophobic core is due to particular interactions between amide groups in the hydrophilic repeat units and phenyl rings in the hydrophobic ones. Consequently, changes in the structure of the hydrophilic blocks affecting the strength of the interaction could be used to control macromolecular self-assembly, thus allowing for the tuning of gel characteristics such as strength, persistence, and gelation kinetics. We believe that this mechanism might be a relevant interaction pattern for other polymeric materials as well as their interaction in and with biological environments. For example, controlling the gel characteristics could be considered important for applications in drug delivery or biofabrication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Hahn
- Institute
for Functional Materials and Biofabrication, Department of Chemistry
and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-University
Würzburg, Röntgenring 11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
- Institute
of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Theresa Zorn
- Center
for Nanosystems Chemistry & Institute of Organic Chemistry, Department
of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-University
Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Josef Kehrein
- Institute
of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Kielholz
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Technology and Buchmann Institute for Molecular
Life Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Anna-Lena Ziegler
- Institute
for Functional Materials and Biofabrication, Department of Chemistry
and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-University
Würzburg, Röntgenring 11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Forster
- Institute
for Functional Materials and Biofabrication, Department of Chemistry
and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-University
Würzburg, Röntgenring 11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Benedikt Sochor
- Chair for
X-Ray Microscopy, Julius-Maximilians-University
Würzburg, Josef-Martin-Weg
63, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ekaterina S. Lisitsyna
- Faculty
of Engineering and Natural Science, Tampere
University, Korkeakoulunkatu 8, 33720 Tampere, Finland
| | - Nikita A. Durandin
- Faculty
of Engineering and Natural Science, Tampere
University, Korkeakoulunkatu 8, 33720 Tampere, Finland
| | - Timo Laaksonen
- Faculty
of Engineering and Natural Science, Tampere
University, Korkeakoulunkatu 8, 33720 Tampere, Finland
- Division
of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 5 E, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Vladimir Aseyev
- Soft
Matter Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Helsinki Institute of Sustainability
Science, Faculty of Science, University
of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Christoph Sotriffer
- Institute
of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Kay Saalwächter
- Institute
of Physics-NMR, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Betty-Heimann-Str. 7, 06120 Halle, Germany
| | - Maike Windbergs
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Technology and Buchmann Institute for Molecular
Life Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ann-Christin Pöppler
- Center
for Nanosystems Chemistry & Institute of Organic Chemistry, Department
of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-University
Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Robert Luxenhofer
- Institute
for Functional Materials and Biofabrication, Department of Chemistry
and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-University
Würzburg, Röntgenring 11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
- Soft
Matter Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Helsinki Institute of Sustainability
Science, Faculty of Science, University
of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
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10
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Pritzlaff A, Ferré G, Mulry E, Lin L, Pour NG, Savin DA, Harris M, Eddy MT. Atomic-Scale View of Protein-PEG Interactions that Redirect the Thermal Unfolding Pathway of PEGylated Human Galectin-3. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202203784. [PMID: 35922375 PMCID: PMC9529833 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202203784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
PEGylation is a promising approach to address the central challenge of applying biologics, i.e., lack of protein stability in the demanding environment of the human body. Wider application is hindered by lack of atomic level understanding of protein-PEG interactions, preventing design of conjugates with predicted properties. We deployed an integrative structural and biophysical approach to address this critical challenge with the PEGylated carbohydrate recognition domain of human galectin-3 (Gal3C), a lectin essential for cell adhesion and potential biologic. PEGylation dramatically increased Gal3C thermal stability, forming a stable intermediate and redirecting its unfolding pathway. Structural details revealed by NMR pointed to a potential role of PEG localization facilitated by charged residues. Replacing these residues subtly altered the protein-PEG interface and thermal unfolding behavior, providing insight into rationally designing conjugates while preserving PEGylation benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Pritzlaff
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Guillaume Ferré
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Emma Mulry
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Ling Lin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | | | - Daniel A. Savin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Michael Harris
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Matthew T. Eddy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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11
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Pei X, Luo Z, Qiao L, Xiao Q, Zhang P, Wang A, Sheldon RA. Putting precision and elegance in enzyme immobilisation with bio-orthogonal chemistry. Chem Soc Rev 2022; 51:7281-7304. [PMID: 35920313 DOI: 10.1039/d1cs01004b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The covalent immobilisation of enzymes generally involves the use of highly reactive crosslinkers, such as glutaraldehyde, to couple enzyme molecules to each other or to carriers through, for example, the free amino groups of lysine residues, on the enzyme surface. Unfortunately, such methods suffer from a lack of precision. Random formation of covalent linkages with reactive functional groups in the enzyme leads to disruption of the three dimensional structure and accompanying activity losses. This review focuses on recent advances in the use of bio-orthogonal chemistry in conjunction with rec-DNA to affect highly precise immobilisation of enzymes. In this way, cost-effective combination of production, purification and immobilisation of an enzyme is achieved, in a single unit operation with a high degree of precision. Various bio-orthogonal techniques for putting this precision and elegance into enzyme immobilisation are elaborated. These include, for example, fusing (grafting) peptide or protein tags to the target enzyme that enable its immobilisation in cell lysate or incorporating non-standard amino acids that enable the application of bio-orthogonal chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolin Pei
- College of Materials, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Material Technology, Hangzhou Normal University, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 311121, Zhejiang, P. R. China
| | - Zhiyuan Luo
- College of Materials, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Material Technology, Hangzhou Normal University, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 311121, Zhejiang, P. R. China
| | - Li Qiao
- College of Materials, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Material Technology, Hangzhou Normal University, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 311121, Zhejiang, P. R. China
| | - Qinjie Xiao
- College of Materials, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Material Technology, Hangzhou Normal University, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 311121, Zhejiang, P. R. China
| | - Pengfei Zhang
- College of Materials, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Material Technology, Hangzhou Normal University, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 311121, Zhejiang, P. R. China
| | - Anming Wang
- College of Materials, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Material Technology, Hangzhou Normal University, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 311121, Zhejiang, P. R. China
| | - Roger A Sheldon
- Molecular Sciences Institute, School of Chemistry, University of the Witwatersrand, PO Wits, 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa. .,Department of Biotechnology, Section BOC, Delft University of Technology, van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
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12
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Pritzlaff A, Ferré G, Mulry E, Lin L, Pour NG, Eddy M, Savin DA, Harris M. Atomic‐Scale View of Protein–PEG Interactions that Redirect the Thermal Unfolding Pathway of PEGylated Human Galectin‐3. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202203784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Emma Mulry
- University of Florida Department of Chemistry UNITED STATES
| | - Ling Lin
- University of Florida Department of Chemistry UNITED STATES
| | | | - Matthew Eddy
- University of Florida Chemistry 126 Sisler Hall 32611 Gainesville UNITED STATES
| | | | - Michael Harris
- University of Florida Department of Chemistry UNITED STATES
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13
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Hauptstein N, Dirauf M, Wittwer K, Cinar G, Siering O, Raschig M, Lühmann T, Scherf-Clavel O, Sawatsky B, Nischang I, Schubert US, Pfaller CK, Meinel L. PEtOxylated Interferon-α2a Bioconjugates Addressing H1N1 Influenza A Virus Infection. Biomacromolecules 2022; 23:3593-3601. [PMID: 35904477 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c00358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Influenza A viruses (IAV), including the pandemic 2009 (pdm09) H1N1 or avian influenza H5N1 virus, may advance into more pathogenic, potentially antiviral drug-resistant strains (including loss of susceptibility against oseltamivir). Such IAV strains fuel the risk of future global outbreaks, to which this study responds by re-engineering Interferon-α2a (IFN-α2a) bioconjugates into influenza therapeutics. Type-I interferons such as IFN-α2a play an essential role in influenza infection and may prevent serious disease courses. We site-specifically conjugated a genetically engineered IFN-α2a mutant to poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline)s (PEtOx) of different molecular weights by strain-promoted azide-alkyne cyclo-addition. The promising pharmacokinetic profile of the 25 kDa PEtOx bioconjugate in mice echoed an efficacy in IAV-infected ferrets. One intraperitoneal administration of this bioconjugate, but not the marketed IFN-α2a bioconjugate, changed the disease course similar to oseltamivir, given orally twice every study day. PEtOxylated IFN-α2a bioconjugates may expand our therapeutic arsenal against future influenza pandemics, particularly in light of rising first-line antiviral drug resistance to IAV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niklas Hauptstein
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Michael Dirauf
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstr. 10, 07743 Jena, Germany.,Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Kevin Wittwer
- Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Division of Veterinary Medicine, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
| | - Gizem Cinar
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstr. 10, 07743 Jena, Germany.,Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Oliver Siering
- Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Division of Veterinary Medicine, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
| | - Martina Raschig
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Tessa Lühmann
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Oliver Scherf-Clavel
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Bevan Sawatsky
- Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Division of Veterinary Medicine, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
| | - Ivo Nischang
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstr. 10, 07743 Jena, Germany.,Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Ulrich S Schubert
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstr. 10, 07743 Jena, Germany.,Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Christian K Pfaller
- Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Division of Veterinary Medicine, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
| | - Lorenz Meinel
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany.,Helmholtz Institute for RNA-Based Infection Research (HIRI), Josef-Schneider-Straße 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
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14
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Pouyan P, Cherri M, Haag R. Polyglycerols as Multi-Functional Platforms: Synthesis and Biomedical Applications. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14132684. [PMID: 35808728 PMCID: PMC9269438 DOI: 10.3390/polym14132684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The remarkable and unique characteristics of polyglycerols (PG) have made them an attractive candidate for many applications in the biomedical and pharmaceutical fields. The presence of multiple hydroxy groups on the flexible polyether backbone not only enables the further modification of the PG structure but also makes the polymer highly water-soluble and results in excellent biocompatibility. In this review, the polymerization routes leading to PG with different architectures are discussed. Moreover, we discuss the role of these polymers in different biomedical applications such as drug delivery systems, protein conjugation, and surface modification.
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15
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Hauptstein N, Pouyan P, Wittwer K, Cinar G, Scherf-Clavel O, Raschig M, Licha K, Lühmann T, Nischang I, Schubert US, Pfaller CK, Haag R, Meinel L. Polymer selection impacts the pharmaceutical profile of site-specifically conjugated Interferon-α2a. J Control Release 2022; 348:881-892. [PMID: 35764249 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.05.060] [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: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Conjugation of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to biologics is a successful strategy to favorably impact the pharmacokinetics and efficacy of the resulting bioconjugate. We compare bioconjugates synthesized by strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC) using PEG and linear polyglycerol (LPG) of about 20 kDa or 40 kDa, respectively, with an azido functionalized human Interferon-α2a (IFN-α2a) mutant. Site-specific PEGylation and LPGylation resulted in IFN-α2a bioconjugates with improved in vitro potency compared to commercial Pegasys. LPGylated bioconjugates had faster disposition kinetics despite comparable hydrodynamic radii to their PEGylated analogues. Overall exposure of the PEGylated IFN-α2a with a 40 kDa polymer exceeded Pegasys, which, in return, was similar to the 40 kDa LPGylated conjugates. The study points to an expanded polymer design space through which the selected polymer class may result in a different distribution of the studied bioconjugates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niklas Hauptstein
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Paria Pouyan
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustr. 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Kevin Wittwer
- Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Division of Veterinary Medicine, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
| | - Gizem Cinar
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstr. 10, 07743 Jena, Germany; Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Oliver Scherf-Clavel
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Martina Raschig
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Kai Licha
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustr. 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Tessa Lühmann
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ivo Nischang
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstr. 10, 07743 Jena, Germany; Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Ulrich S Schubert
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstr. 10, 07743 Jena, Germany; Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Christian K Pfaller
- Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Division of Veterinary Medicine, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
| | - Rainer Haag
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustr. 3, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Lorenz Meinel
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany; Helmholtz Institute for RNA-Based Infection Research (HIRI), 97080 Würzburg, Germany.
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16
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Abstract
Intraoperative bleeding and postoperative bleeding are major surgical complications. Tissue sealants, hemostats, and adhesives provide the armamentarium for establishing hemostatic balance, including the tissue sealant fibrin. Fibrin sealants combine advantages including instantaneous effect, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. However, several challenges remain. This review summarizes current fibrin product generations and highlights new trends and potential strategies for future improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Beudert
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Marcus Gutmann
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Tessa Lühmann
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Lorenz Meinel
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany.,Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research, Josef-Schneider-Straße 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
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17
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Beudert M, Hahn L, Horn AHC, Hauptstein N, Sticht H, Meinel L, Luxenhofer R, Gutmann M, Lühmann T. Merging bioresponsive release of insulin-like growth factor I with 3D printable thermogelling hydrogels. J Control Release 2022; 347:115-126. [PMID: 35489547 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.04.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
3D printing of biomaterials enables spatial control of drug incorporation during automated manufacturing. This study links bioresponsive release of the anabolic biologic, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in response to matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) to 3D printing using the block copolymer of poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) and thermoresponsive poly(2-n-propyl-2-oxazine) (POx-b-POzi). For that, a chemo-enzymatic synthesis was deployed, ligating IGF-I enzymatically to a protease sensitive linker (PSL), which was conjugated to a POx-b-POzi copolymer. The product was blended with the plain thermogelling POx-b-POzi hydrogel. MMP exposure of the resulting hydrogel triggered bioactive IGF-I release. The bioresponsive IGF-I containing POx-b-POzi hydrogel system was further detailed for shape control and localized incorporation of IGF-I via extrusion 3D printing for future applications in biomedicine and biofabrication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Beudert
- University of Würzburg, Institute for Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Lukas Hahn
- University of Würzburg, Institute for Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, 97074 Würzburg, Germany; Functional Polymer Materials, Chair for Advanced Materials Synthesis, Institute for Functional Materials and Biofabrication, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Röntgenring 11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Anselm H C Horn
- Bioinformatics, Institute of Biochemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Fahrstraße 17, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; Erlangen National High Performance Computing Center (NHR@FAU), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Martensstraße 1, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Niklas Hauptstein
- University of Würzburg, Institute for Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Heinrich Sticht
- Bioinformatics, Institute of Biochemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Fahrstraße 17, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; Erlangen National High Performance Computing Center (NHR@FAU), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Martensstraße 1, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Lorenz Meinel
- University of Würzburg, Institute for Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, 97074 Würzburg, Germany; Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research, Josef-Schneider-Straße 2, DE-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Robert Luxenhofer
- Functional Polymer Materials, Chair for Advanced Materials Synthesis, Institute for Functional Materials and Biofabrication, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Röntgenring 11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany; Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 55, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Marcus Gutmann
- University of Würzburg, Institute for Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, 97074 Würzburg, Germany.
| | - Tessa Lühmann
- University of Würzburg, Institute for Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, 97074 Würzburg, Germany.
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18
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Hauptstein N, Meinel L, Lühmann T. Bioconjugation strategies and clinical implications of Interferon-bioconjugates. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2022; 172:157-167. [PMID: 35149191 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2022.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Interferons (IFN) are immunomodulating, antiviral and antiproliferative cytokines for treatment of multiple indications, including cancer, hepatitis, and autoimmune disease. The first IFNs were discovered in 1957, first approved in 1986, and are nowadays listed in the WHO model list of essential Medicines. Three classes of IFNs are known; IFN-α2a and IFN-β belonging to type-I IFNs, IFN-γ a type-II IFN approved for some hereditary diseases and IFN-λs, which form the newest class of type-III IFNs. IFN-λs were discovered in the last decade with fascinating yet under discovered pharmaceutical potential. This article reviews available IFN drugs, their field and route of application, while also outlining available and future strategies for bioconjugation to further optimize pharmaceutical and clinical performances of all three available IFN classes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niklas Hauptstein
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, DE-97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Lorenz Meinel
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, DE-97074, Würzburg, Germany; Helmholtz Institute for RNA-Based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Center for Infection Research (HZI), DE-97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Tessa Lühmann
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, DE-97074, Würzburg, Germany.
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19
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Haas D, Hauptstein N, Dirauf M, Driessen MD, Ruopp M, Schubert US, Lühmann T, Meinel L. Chemo-Enzymatic PEGylation/POxylation of Murine Interleukin-4. Bioconjug Chem 2021; 33:97-104. [PMID: 34967625 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.1c00495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Interleukin-4 (IL-4) is a potentially interesting anti-inflammatory therapeutic, which is rapidly excreted. Therefore, serum half-life extension by polymer conjugation is desirable, which may be done by PEGylation. Here, we use PEtOx as an alternative to PEG for bioconjugate engineering. We genetically extended murine IL-4 (mIL-4) with the d-domain of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), a previously identified substrate of transglutaminase (TG) Factor XIIIa (FXIIIa). Thereby, engineered mIL-4 (mIL-4-TG) became an educt for TG catalyzed C-terminal, site-directed conjugation. This was deployed to enzymatically couple an azide group containing peptide sequence to mIL-4, allowing C-terminal bioconjugation of polyethylene glycol or poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline). Both bioconjugates had wild-type potency and alternatively polarized macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothee Haas
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Niklas Hauptstein
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Michael Dirauf
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstraße 10, 07743 Jena, Germany.,Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Marc D Driessen
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Ruopp
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ulrich S Schubert
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstraße 10, 07743 Jena, Germany.,Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Tessa Lühmann
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Lorenz Meinel
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany.,Helmholtz Institute for RNA-Based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Center for Infection Research (HZI), 97080 Würzburg, Germany
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20
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Tully M, Hauptstein N, Licha K, Meinel L, Lühmann T, Haag R. Linear Polyglycerol for N-terminal-selective Modification of Interleukin-4. J Pharm Sci 2021; 111:1642-1651. [PMID: 34728175 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2021.10.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Polymer conjugation to biologics is of key interest to the pharmaceutical industry for the development of potent and long acting biotherapeutics, with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) being the gold standard. Within the last years, unwanted PEG-related side effects (immunological reactions, antibody formation) arose, therefore creating several attempts to establish alternative polymers with similar potential to PEG. In this article, we synthesized N-terminal bioconjugates of the potential therapeutic human interleukin-4 (hIL-4 WT) with linear polyglycerol (LPG) of 10 and 40 kDa and compared it with its PEG analogs of same nominal weights. Polyglycerol is a highly hydrophilic polymer with good biocompatibility and therefore represents an alternative polymer to PEG. Both polymer types resulted in similar conjugation yields, comparable hydrodynamic sizes and an unaltered secondary structure of the protein after modification. LPG- and PEG-bioconjugates remained stable in human plasma, whereas binding to human serum albumin (HSA) decreased after polymer modification. Furthermore, only minor differences in bioactivity were observed between LPG- and PEG-bioconjugates of same nominal weights. The presented findings are promising for future pharmacokinetic evaluation of hIL-4-polymer bioconjugates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Tully
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustr. 3, 14195 Berlin Germany
| | - Niklas Hauptstein
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg Germany
| | - Kai Licha
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustr. 3, 14195 Berlin Germany
| | - Lorenz Meinel
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg Germany; Helmholtz Institute for RNA-Based Infection Research (HIRI), Helmholtz Center for Infection Research (HZI), 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Tessa Lühmann
- Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg Germany
| | - Rainer Haag
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustr. 3, 14195 Berlin Germany.
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