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Lincy-Bianchi L, Häfner M, Becquart C, Tängemo C, Kurczy ME, Munier CC, Knerr L. Incorporation of Intracellular NanoSIMS Tracers to Oligonucleotide Conjugates via Strain Promoted Sydnone-Alkyne Cycloaddition. Bioconjug Chem 2024. [PMID: 38860868 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.4c00068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Extensive efforts have been dedicated to developing cell-specific targeting ligands that can be conjugated to therapeutic cargo, offering a promising yet still challenging strategy to deliver oligonucleotide therapeutics beyond the liver. Indeed, while the cargo and the ligand are crucial, the third component, the linker, is integral but is often overlooked. Here, we present strain-promoted sydnone-alkyne cycloaddition as a versatile linker chemistry for oligonucleotide synthesis, expanding the choices for bioconjugation of therapeutics while enabling subcellular detection of the linker and payload using nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS) imaging. This strategy was successfully applied to peptide and lipid ligands and profiled using the well characterized N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) targeting ligand. The linker did not affect the expected activity of the conjugate and was detectable and distinguishable from the labeled cargo. Finally, this work not only offers a practical bioconjugation method but also enables the assessment of the linker's subcellular behavior, facilitating NanoSIMS imaging to monitor the three key components of therapeutic conjugates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loujahine Lincy-Bianchi
- Medicinal Chemistry, Research and Development, Early Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, SE-431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Maximilian Häfner
- Medicinal Chemistry, Research and Development, Early Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, SE-431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Cécile Becquart
- DMPK, Early Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, SE-431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Carolina Tängemo
- Discovery Biology, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, SE-431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Michael E Kurczy
- DMPK, Early Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, SE-431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Claire C Munier
- Medicinal Chemistry, Research and Development, Early Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, SE-431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Laurent Knerr
- Medicinal Chemistry, Research and Development, Early Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, SE-431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden
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2
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Ding B, Zhu Z, Guo C, Li J, Gan Y, Yu M. Oral peptide therapeutics for diabetes treatment: State-of-the-art and future perspectives. Acta Pharm Sin B 2024; 14:2006-2025. [PMID: 38799624 PMCID: PMC11120284 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2024.02.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Diabetes, characterized by hyperglycemia, is a major cause of death and disability worldwide. Peptides, such as insulin and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogs, have shown promise as treatments for diabetes due to their ability to mimic or enhance insulin's actions in the body. Compared to subcutaneous injection, oral administration of anti-diabetic peptides is a preferred approach. However, biological barriers significantly reduce the efficacy of oral peptide therapeutics. Recent advancements in drug delivery systems and formulation techniques have greatly improved the oral delivery of peptide therapeutics and their efficacy in treating diabetes. This review will highlight (1) the benefits of oral anti-diabetic peptide therapeutics; (2) the biological barriers for oral peptide delivery, including pH and enzyme degradation, intestinal mucosa barrier, and biodistribution barrier; (3) the delivery platforms to overcome these biological barriers. Additionally, the review will discuss the prospects in this field. The information provided in this review will serve as a valuable guide for future developments in oral anti-diabetic peptide therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingwen Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research and Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhu Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research and Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- School of Pharmacy, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, China
| | - Cong Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research and Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jiaxin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research and Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yong Gan
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research and Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Pharmaceutical Excipients, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Miaorong Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research and Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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3
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Broc B, Varini K, Sonnette R, Pecqueux B, Benoist F, Masse M, Mechioukhi Y, Ferracci G, Temsamani J, Khrestchatisky M, Jacquot G, Lécorché P. LDLR-Mediated Targeting and Productive Uptake of siRNA-Peptide Ligand Conjugates In Vitro and In Vivo. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:548. [PMID: 38675209 PMCID: PMC11054735 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16040548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Small RNA molecules such as microRNA and small interfering RNA (siRNA) have become promising therapeutic agents because of their specificity and their potential to modulate gene expression. Any gene of interest can be potentially up- or down-regulated, making RNA-based technology the healthcare breakthrough of our era. However, the functional and specific delivery of siRNAs into tissues of interest and into the cytosol of target cells remains highly challenging, mainly due to the lack of efficient and selective delivery systems. Among the variety of carriers for siRNA delivery, peptides have become essential candidates because of their high selectivity, stability, and conjugation versatility. Here, we describe the development of molecules encompassing siRNAs against SOD1, conjugated to peptides that target the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), and their biological evaluation both in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baptiste Broc
- Vect-Horus S.A.S, Faculté des Sciences Médicales et Paramédicales Secteur Timone, 13385 Marseille, France
- Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, INP, Inst Neurophysiopathol, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Karine Varini
- Vect-Horus S.A.S, Faculté des Sciences Médicales et Paramédicales Secteur Timone, 13385 Marseille, France
| | - Rose Sonnette
- Vect-Horus S.A.S, Faculté des Sciences Médicales et Paramédicales Secteur Timone, 13385 Marseille, France
| | - Belinda Pecqueux
- Vect-Horus S.A.S, Faculté des Sciences Médicales et Paramédicales Secteur Timone, 13385 Marseille, France
| | - Florian Benoist
- Vect-Horus S.A.S, Faculté des Sciences Médicales et Paramédicales Secteur Timone, 13385 Marseille, France
| | - Maxime Masse
- Vect-Horus S.A.S, Faculté des Sciences Médicales et Paramédicales Secteur Timone, 13385 Marseille, France
| | - Yasmine Mechioukhi
- Vect-Horus S.A.S, Faculté des Sciences Médicales et Paramédicales Secteur Timone, 13385 Marseille, France
| | - Géraldine Ferracci
- Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, INP, Inst Neurophysiopathol, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Jamal Temsamani
- Vect-Horus S.A.S, Faculté des Sciences Médicales et Paramédicales Secteur Timone, 13385 Marseille, France
| | | | - Guillaume Jacquot
- Vect-Horus S.A.S, Faculté des Sciences Médicales et Paramédicales Secteur Timone, 13385 Marseille, France
| | - Pascaline Lécorché
- Vect-Horus S.A.S, Faculté des Sciences Médicales et Paramédicales Secteur Timone, 13385 Marseille, France
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4
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Sergeeva O, Akhmetova E, Dukova S, Beloglazkina E, Uspenskaya A, Machulkin A, Stetsenko D, Zatsepin T. Structure-activity relationship study of mesyl and busyl phosphoramidate antisense oligonucleotides for unaided and PSMA-mediated uptake into prostate cancer cells. Front Chem 2024; 12:1342178. [PMID: 38501046 PMCID: PMC10944894 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2024.1342178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Phosphorothioate (PS) group is a key component of a majority of FDA approved oligonucleotide drugs that increase stability to nucleases whilst maintaining interactions with many proteins, including RNase H in the case of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs). At the same time, uniform PS modification increases nonspecific protein binding that can trigger toxicity and pro-inflammatory effects, so discovery and characterization of alternative phosphate mimics for RNA therapeutics is an actual task. Here we evaluated the effects of the introduction of several N-alkane sulfonyl phosphoramidate groups such as mesyl (methanesulfonyl) or busyl (1-butanesulfonyl) phosphoramidates into gapmer ASOs on the efficiency and pattern of RNase H cleavage, cellular uptake in vitro, and intracellular localization. Using Malat1 lncRNA as a target, we have identified patterns of mesyl or busyl modifications in the ASOs for optimal knockdown in vitro. Combination of the PSMA ligand-mediated delivery with optimized mesyl and busyl ASOs resulted in the efficient target depletion in the prostate cancer cells. Our study demonstrated that other N-alkanesulfonyl phosphoramidate groups apart from a known mesyl phosphoramidate can serve as an essential component of mixed backbone gapmer ASOs to reduce drawbacks of uniformly PS-modified gapmers, and deserve further investigation in RNA therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- O. Sergeeva
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russia
| | - E. Akhmetova
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russia
| | - S. Dukova
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russia
| | - E. Beloglazkina
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - A. Uspenskaya
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - A. Machulkin
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
- Department for Biochemistry, People’s Friendship University of Russia Named after Patrice Lumumba (RUDN University), Moscow, Russia
| | - D. Stetsenko
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - T. Zatsepin
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
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5
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Wortham M, Ramms B, Zeng C, Benthuysen JR, Sai S, Pollow DP, Liu F, Schlichting M, Harrington AR, Liu B, Prakash TP, Pirie EC, Zhu H, Baghdasarian S, Auwerx J, Shirihai OS, Sander M. Metabolic control of adaptive β-cell proliferation by the protein deacetylase SIRT2. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.24.581864. [PMID: 38464227 PMCID: PMC10925077 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.24.581864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Selective and controlled expansion of endogenous β-cells has been pursued as a potential therapy for diabetes. Ideally, such therapies would preserve feedback control of β-cell proliferation to avoid excessive β-cell expansion and an increased risk of hypoglycemia. Here, we identified a regulator of β-cell proliferation whose inactivation results in controlled β-cell expansion: the protein deacetylase Sirtuin 2 (SIRT2). Sirt2 deletion in β-cells of mice increased β-cell proliferation during hyperglycemia with little effect in homeostatic conditions, indicating preservation of feedback control of β-cell mass. SIRT2 restrains proliferation of human islet β-cells cultured in glucose concentrations above the glycemic set point, demonstrating conserved SIRT2 function. Analysis of acetylated proteins in islets treated with a SIRT2 inhibitor revealed that SIRT2 deacetylates enzymes involved in oxidative phosphorylation, dampening the adaptive increase in oxygen consumption during hyperglycemia. At the transcriptomic level, Sirt2 inactivation has context-dependent effects on β-cells, with Sirt2 controlling how β-cells interpret hyperglycemia as a stress. Finally, we provide proof-of-principle that systemic administration of a GLP1-coupled Sirt2-targeting antisense oligonucleotide achieves β-cell selective Sirt2 inactivation and stimulates β-cell proliferation under hyperglycemic conditions. Overall, these studies identify a therapeutic strategy for increasing β-cell mass in diabetes without circumventing feedback control of β-cell proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Wortham
- Departments of Pediatrics and Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Pediatric Diabetes Research Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Bastian Ramms
- Departments of Pediatrics and Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Pediatric Diabetes Research Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Chun Zeng
- Departments of Pediatrics and Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Pediatric Diabetes Research Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jacqueline R. Benthuysen
- Departments of Pediatrics and Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Pediatric Diabetes Research Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Somesh Sai
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Biology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dennis P. Pollow
- Departments of Pediatrics and Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Pediatric Diabetes Research Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Fenfen Liu
- Departments of Pediatrics and Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Pediatric Diabetes Research Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Michael Schlichting
- Departments of Pediatrics and Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Pediatric Diabetes Research Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Austin R. Harrington
- Departments of Pediatrics and Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Pediatric Diabetes Research Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Bradley Liu
- Departments of Pediatrics and Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Pediatric Diabetes Research Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Thazha P. Prakash
- Department of Antisense Drug Discovery, Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc., Carlsbad, CA, USA
| | - Elaine C Pirie
- Department of Antisense Drug Discovery, Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc., Carlsbad, CA, USA
| | - Han Zhu
- Departments of Pediatrics and Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Pediatric Diabetes Research Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Siyouneh Baghdasarian
- Departments of Medicine and Molecular & Medical Pharmacology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Johan Auwerx
- Laboratory of Integrated Systems Physiology, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Orian S. Shirihai
- Departments of Medicine and Molecular & Medical Pharmacology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Maike Sander
- Departments of Pediatrics and Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Pediatric Diabetes Research Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
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6
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Shi Y, Zhen X, Zhang Y, Li Y, Koo S, Saiding Q, Kong N, Liu G, Chen W, Tao W. Chemically Modified Platforms for Better RNA Therapeutics. Chem Rev 2024; 124:929-1033. [PMID: 38284616 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00611] [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: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
RNA-based therapies have catalyzed a revolutionary transformation in the biomedical landscape, offering unprecedented potential in disease prevention and treatment. However, despite their remarkable achievements, these therapies encounter substantial challenges including low stability, susceptibility to degradation by nucleases, and a prominent negative charge, thereby hindering further development. Chemically modified platforms have emerged as a strategic innovation, focusing on precise alterations either on the RNA moieties or their associated delivery vectors. This comprehensive review delves into these platforms, underscoring their significance in augmenting the performance and translational prospects of RNA-based therapeutics. It encompasses an in-depth analysis of various chemically modified delivery platforms that have been instrumental in propelling RNA therapeutics toward clinical utility. Moreover, the review scrutinizes the rationale behind diverse chemical modification techniques aiming at optimizing the therapeutic efficacy of RNA molecules, thereby facilitating robust disease management. Recent empirical studies corroborating the efficacy enhancement of RNA therapeutics through chemical modifications are highlighted. Conclusively, we offer profound insights into the transformative impact of chemical modifications on RNA drugs and delineates prospective trajectories for their future development and clinical integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yesi Shi
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, Center for Molecular Imaging and Translational Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Xueyan Zhen
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Yiming Zhang
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Yongjiang Li
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Seyoung Koo
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Qimanguli Saiding
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Na Kong
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Gang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, Center for Molecular Imaging and Translational Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Wei Tao
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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7
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Baker BF, Xia S, Partridge W, Engelhardt JA, Tsimikas S, Crooke ST, Bhanot S, Geary RS. Safety and Tolerability of GalNAc 3-Conjugated Antisense Drugs Compared to the Same-Sequence 2'- O-Methoxyethyl-Modified Antisense Drugs: Results from an Integrated Assessment of Phase 1 Clinical Trial Data. Nucleic Acid Ther 2024; 34:18-25. [PMID: 38227794 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2023.0026] [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: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The triantennary N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc3) cluster has demonstrated the utility of receptor-mediated uptake of ligand-conjugated antisense drugs targeting RNA expressed by hepatocytes. GalNAc3-conjugated 2'-O-methoxyethyl (2'MOE) modified antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) have demonstrated a higher potency than the unconjugated form to support lower doses for an equivalent pharmacological effect. We utilized the Ionis integrated safety database to compare four GalNAc3-conjugated and four same-sequence unconjugated 2'MOE ASOs. This assessment evaluated data from eight randomized placebo-controlled dose-ranging phase 1 studies involving 195 healthy volunteers (79 GalNAc3 ASO, 24 placebo; 71 ASO, 21 placebo). No safety signals were identified by the incidence of abnormal threshold values in clinical laboratory tests for either ASO group. However, there was a significant increase in mean alanine transaminase levels compared with placebo in the upper dose range of the unconjugated 2'MOE ASO group. The mean percentage of subcutaneous injections leading to local cutaneous reaction was 30-fold lower in the GalNAc3-conjugated ASO group compared with the unconjugated ASO group (0.9% vs. 28.6%), with no incidence of flu-like reactions (0.0% vs. 0.7%). Three subjects (4.2%) in the unconjugated ASO group discontinued dosing. An improvement in the overall safety and tolerability profile of GalNAc3-conjugated 2'MOE ASOs is evident in this comparison of short-term clinical data in healthy volunteers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shuting Xia
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Carlsbad, California, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Sanjay Bhanot
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Carlsbad, California, USA
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8
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Smidt JM, Lykke L, Stidsen CE, Pristovšek N, Gothelf K. Synthesis of peptide-siRNA conjugates via internal sulfonylphosphoramidate modifications and evaluation of their in vitro activity. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:49-58. [PMID: 37971296 PMCID: PMC10783514 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad1015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Conjugates of therapeutic oligonucleotides (ONs) including peptide conjugates, provide a potential solution to the major challenge of specific tissue delivery faced by this class of drugs. Conjugations are often positioned terminal at the ONs, although internal placement of other chemical modifications are known to be of critical importance. The introduction of internal conjugation handles in chemically modified ONs require highly specialized and expensive nucleoside phosphoramidites. Here, we present a method for synthesizing a library of peptide-siRNA conjugates by conjugation at internal phosphorous positions via sulfonylphosphoramidate modifications incorporated into the sense strand. The sulfonylphosphoramidate modification offers benefits as it can be directly incorporated into chemically modified ONs by simply changing the oxidation step during synthesis, and furthermore holds the potential to create multifunctionalized therapeutic ONs. We have developed a workflow using a novel pH-controlled amine-to-amine linker that yields peptide-siRNA conjugates linked via amide bonds, and we have synthesized conjugates between GLP1 peptides and a HPRT1 siRNA as a model system. The in vitro activity of the conjugates was tested by GLP1R activity and knockdown of the HPRT1 gene. We found that conjugation near the 3'-end is more favorable than certain central internal positions and different internal conjugation strategies were compared.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Melgaard Smidt
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO) and Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Lennart Lykke
- Research Chemistry, Novo Nordisk A/S, Novo Nordisk Park, 2760 Måløv, Denmark
| | - Carsten Enggaard Stidsen
- Centre for Functional Assays and Screening, Novo Nordisk A/S, Novo Nordisk Park, 2760 Måløv, Denmark
| | - Nuša Pristovšek
- Centre for Functional Assays and Screening, Novo Nordisk A/S, Novo Nordisk Park, 2760 Måløv, Denmark
| | - Kurt V Gothelf
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO) and Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
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9
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Ivanova A, Badertscher L, O'Driscoll G, Bergman J, Gordon E, Gunnarsson A, Johansson C, Munson MJ, Spinelli C, Torstensson S, Vilén L, Voirel A, Wiseman J, Rak J, Dekker N, Lázaro-Ibáñez E. Creating Designer Engineered Extracellular Vesicles for Diverse Ligand Display, Target Recognition, and Controlled Protein Loading and Delivery. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2304389. [PMID: 37867228 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202304389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Efficient and targeted delivery of therapeutic agents remains a bottleneck in modern medicine. Here, biochemical engineering approaches to advance the repurposing of extracellular vesicles (EVs) as drug delivery vehicles are explored. Targeting ligands such as the sugar GalNAc are displayed on the surface of EVs using a HaloTag-fused to a protein anchor that is enriched on engineered EVs. These EVs are successfully targeted to human primary hepatocytes. In addition, the authors are able to decorate EVs with an antibody that recognizes a GLP1 cell surface receptor by using an Fc and Fab region binding moiety fused to an anchor protein, and they show that this improves EV targeting to cells that overexpress the receptor. The authors also use two different protein-engineering approaches to improve the loading of Cre recombinase into the EV lumen and demonstrate that functional Cre protein is delivered into cells in the presence of chloroquine, an endosomal escape enhancer. Lastly, engineered EVs are well tolerated upon intravenous injection into mice without detectable signs of liver toxicity. Collectively, the data show that EVs can be engineered to improve cargo loading and specific cell targeting, which will aid their transformation into tailored drug delivery vehicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alena Ivanova
- Discovery Biology, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, Mölndal, 431 50, Sweden
| | - Lukas Badertscher
- Translational Genomics, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, Mölndal, 431 50, Sweden
| | - Gwen O'Driscoll
- Discovery Biology, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, Mölndal, 431 50, Sweden
- Advanced Drug Delivery, Pharmaceutical Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, Mölndal, 431 50, Sweden
| | - Joakim Bergman
- Medicinal Chemistry, Research and Early Development Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, Mölndal, 431 50, Sweden
| | - Euan Gordon
- Discovery Biology, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, Mölndal, 431 50, Sweden
| | - Anders Gunnarsson
- Structure and Biophysics, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, Mölndal, 431 50, Sweden
| | - Camilla Johansson
- Clinical Pharmacology and Safety Sciences, Sweden Imaging Hub, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, Mölndal, 431 50, Sweden
| | - Michael J Munson
- Advanced Drug Delivery, Pharmaceutical Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, Mölndal, 431 50, Sweden
| | - Cristiana Spinelli
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Glen Site, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Sara Torstensson
- Translational Genomics, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, Mölndal, 431 50, Sweden
| | - Liisa Vilén
- DMPK, Research and Early Development Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, Mölndal, 431 50, Sweden
| | - Andrei Voirel
- Medicinal Chemistry, Research and Early Development Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, Mölndal, 431 50, Sweden
| | - John Wiseman
- Translational Genomics, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, Mölndal, 431 50, Sweden
| | - Janusz Rak
- Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Glen Site, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Niek Dekker
- Discovery Biology, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, Mölndal, 431 50, Sweden
| | - Elisa Lázaro-Ibáñez
- Discovery Biology, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, Mölndal, 431 50, Sweden
- Advanced Drug Delivery, Pharmaceutical Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, Mölndal, 431 50, Sweden
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10
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Zhu L, Zhou Y, Zhang B, Luo Y, Fang C, Yan X, Cai Y, Jiang L, Ge J. Conjugation with glucagon like peptide-1 enables targeted protein degradation. Bioorg Chem 2023; 141:106908. [PMID: 37827016 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106908] [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: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Lysosome-targeting chimeras (LYTACs) have emerged as a promising technique to extend the scope of targeted protein degradation to extracellular proteins, e.g., secreted proteins and membrane-anchored proteins. However, up to now, only a small number of lysosomal targeting receptors (LTRs), such as cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor (CI-M6PR) and asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR), were reported to build LYTACs for degradation of extracellular proteins. Therefore, it is important to explore more functionalized ligands for the relevant LTRs to expand the LYTAC framework. Herein, we demonstrate a new LTR ligand-glucagon like peptide 1 (GLP-1) based targeted degradation platform, termed GLP-1 receptor-targeting chimeras (GLP-1-LYTAC). GLP-1-LYTACs are formed by conjugating GLP-1 with targeted binder (such as antibody) through Click Chemistry, showing efficiently lysosomal degradation of both extracellular proteins (GFP and Neutravidin) as well as cell membrane proteins (EGFR and PD-L1). We believe that this novel GLP-1-LYTAC will open up a new dimension for targeted protein breakdown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liquan Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Yiyu Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Bei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Yin Luo
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Chen Fang
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Xiaoqiao Yan
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Yefeng Cai
- Department of Thyroid Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325000, China
| | - Linye Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Jingyan Ge
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China.
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11
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Zhang B, Brahma RK, Zhu L, Feng J, Hu S, Qian L, Du S, Yao SQ, Ge J. Insulin-like Growth Factor 2 (IGF2)-Fused Lysosomal Targeting Chimeras for Degradation of Extracellular and Membrane Proteins. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:24272-24283. [PMID: 37899626 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c08886] [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: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
Targeted degradation of the cell-surface and extracellular proteins via the endogenous lysosomal degradation pathways, such as lysosome-targeting chimeras (LYTACs), has recently emerged as an attractive tool to expand the scope of extracellular chemical biology. Herein, we report a series of recombinant proteins genetically fused to insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2), which we termed iLYTACs, that can be conveniently obtained in high yield by standard cloning and bacterial expression in a matter of days. We showed that both type-I iLYTACs, in which IGF2 was fused to a suitable affibody or nanobody capable of binding to a specific protein target, and type-II iLYTAC (or IGF2-Z), in which IGF2 was fused to the IgG-binding Z domain that served as a universal antibody-binding adaptor, could be used for effective lysosomal targeting and degradation of various extracellular and membrane-bound proteins-of-interest. These heterobifunctional iLYTACs are fully genetically encoded and can be produced on a large scale from conventional E. coli expression systems without any form of chemical modification. In the current study, we showed that iLYTACs successfully facilitated the cell uptake, lysosomal localization, and efficient lysosomal degradation of various disease-relevant protein targets from different mammalian cell lines, including EGFR, PD-L1, CD20, and α-synuclein. The antitumor properties of iLYTACs were further validated in a mouse xenograft model. Overall, iLYTACs represent a general and modular strategy for convenient and selective targeted protein degradation, thus expanding the potential applications of current LYTACs and related techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China
| | - Rajeev Kungur Brahma
- Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 4 Science Drive 2, Singapore, 117544, Singapore
| | - Liquan Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China
| | - Jiayi Feng
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China
| | - Shiqi Hu
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China
| | - Linghui Qian
- Institute of Drug Metabolism and Pharmaceutical Analysis, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cancer Center, & Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Shubo Du
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
| | - Shao Q Yao
- Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 4 Science Drive 2, Singapore, 117544, Singapore
| | - Jingyan Ge
- Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Synthesis of Zhejiang Province, College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China
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12
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Hill AC, Becker JP, Slominski D, Halloy F, Søndergaard C, Ravn J, Hall J. Peptide Conjugates of a 2'- O-Methoxyethyl Phosphorothioate Splice-Switching Oligonucleotide Show Increased Entrapment in Endosomes. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:40463-40481. [PMID: 37929104 PMCID: PMC10620785 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c05144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are short, single-stranded nucleic acid molecules that alter gene expression. However, their transport into appropriate cellular compartments is a limiting factor in their potency. Here, we synthesized splice-switching oligonucleotides (SSOs) previously developed to treat the rare disease erythropoietic protoporphyria. Using chemical ligation-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (CL-qPCR), we quantified the SSOs in cells and subcellular compartments following free uptake. To drive nuclear localization, we covalently conjugated nuclear localization signal (NLS) peptides to a lead 2'-O-methoxyethyl phosphorothioate SSO using thiol-maleimide chemistry. The conjugates and parent SSO displayed similar RNA target-binding affinities. CL-qPCR quantification of the conjugates in cells and subcellular compartments following free uptake revealed one conjugate with better nuclear accumulation relative to the parent SSO. However, compared to the parent SSO, which altered the splicing of the target pre-mRNA, the conjugates were inactive at splice correction under free uptake conditions in vitro. Splice-switching activity could be conferred on the conjugates by delivering them into cells via cationic lipid-mediated transfection or by treating the cells into which the conjugates had been freely taken up with chloroquine, an endosome-disrupting agent. Our results identify the major barrier to the activity of the peptide-oligonucleotide conjugates as endosomal entrapment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa C. Hill
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich
(ETH Zürich), Zürich 8093, Switzerland
| | - J. Philipp Becker
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich
(ETH Zürich), Zürich 8093, Switzerland
| | - Daria Slominski
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich
(ETH Zürich), Zürich 8093, Switzerland
| | - François Halloy
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich
(ETH Zürich), Zürich 8093, Switzerland
| | | | - Jacob Ravn
- Roche
Innovation Center Copenhagen (RICC), Hørsholm 2970, Denmark
| | - Jonathan Hall
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich
(ETH Zürich), Zürich 8093, Switzerland
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13
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Mangla P, Vicentini Q, Biscans A. Therapeutic Oligonucleotides: An Outlook on Chemical Strategies to Improve Endosomal Trafficking. Cells 2023; 12:2253. [PMID: 37759475 PMCID: PMC10527716 DOI: 10.3390/cells12182253] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The potential of oligonucleotide therapeutics is undeniable as more than 15 drugs have been approved to treat various diseases in the liver, central nervous system (CNS), and muscles. However, achieving effective delivery of oligonucleotide therapeutics to specific tissues still remains a major challenge, limiting their widespread use. Chemical modifications play a crucial role to overcome biological barriers to enable efficient oligonucleotide delivery to the tissues/cells of interest. They provide oligonucleotide metabolic stability and confer favourable pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic properties. This review focuses on the various chemical approaches implicated in mitigating the delivery problem of oligonucleotides and their limitations. It highlights the importance of linkers in designing oligonucleotide conjugates and discusses their potential role in escaping the endosomal barrier, a bottleneck in the development of oligonucleotide therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Mangla
- Oligonucleotide Discovery, Discovery Sciences Research and Development, AstraZeneca, 431 38 Gothenburg, Sweden; (P.M.); (Q.V.)
| | - Quentin Vicentini
- Oligonucleotide Discovery, Discovery Sciences Research and Development, AstraZeneca, 431 38 Gothenburg, Sweden; (P.M.); (Q.V.)
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Research Centre, Karolinska Institute, 141 57 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Annabelle Biscans
- Oligonucleotide Discovery, Discovery Sciences Research and Development, AstraZeneca, 431 38 Gothenburg, Sweden; (P.M.); (Q.V.)
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14
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Hansen RA, Märcher A, Pedersen KN, Gothelf KV. Insertion of Chemical Handles into the Backbone of DNA during Solid-Phase Synthesis by Oxidative Coupling of Amines to Phosphites. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202305373. [PMID: 37119479 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202305373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Abstract
Conjugation of molecules or proteins to oligonucleotides can improve their functional and therapeutic capacity. However, such modifications are often limited to the 5' and 3' end of oligonucleotides. Herein, we report the development of an inexpensive and simple method that allows for the insertion of chemical handles into the backbone of oligonucleotides. This method is compatible with standardized automated solid-phase oligonucleotide synthesis, and relies on formation of phosphoramidates. A unique phosphoramidite is incorporated into a growing oligonucleotide, and oxidized to the desired phosphoramidate using iodine and an amine of choice. Azides, alkynes, amines, and alkanes have been linked to oligonucleotides via internally positioned phosphoramidates with oxidative coupling yields above 80 %. We show the design of phosphoramidates from secondary amines that specifically hydrolyze to the phosphate only at decreased pH. Finally, we show the synthesis of an antibody-DNA conjugate, where the oligonucleotide can be selectively released in a pH 5.5 buffer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rikke A Hansen
- sDepartment of Chemistry and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Centre (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Anders Märcher
- sDepartment of Chemistry and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Centre (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Kristian Nørgaard Pedersen
- sDepartment of Chemistry and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Centre (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Kurt V Gothelf
- sDepartment of Chemistry and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Centre (iNANO), Aarhus University, Gustav Wieds Vej 14, 8000, Aarhus, Denmark
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15
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Hall J. Future directions for medicinal chemistry in the field of oligonucleotide therapeutics. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2023; 29:423-433. [PMID: 36693762 PMCID: PMC10019366 DOI: 10.1261/rna.079511.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
In the last decade, the field of oligonucleotide therapeutics has matured, with the regulatory approval of several single-stranded and double-stranded RNA drugs. In this Perspective, I discuss enabling developments and likely future directions in the field from the perspective of oligonucleotide chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Hall
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
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16
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Gurlo T, Prakash TP, Wang Z, Archang M, Pei L, Rosenberger M, Pirie E, Lee RG, Butler PC. Efficacy of IAPP suppression in mouse and human islets by GLP-1 analogue conjugated antisense oligonucleotide. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1096286. [PMID: 36814640 PMCID: PMC9939749 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1096286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Insulin resistance is the major risk factor for Type 2 diabetes (T2D). In vulnerable individuals, insulin resistance induces a progressive loss of insulin secretion with islet pathology revealing a partial deficit of beta cells and islet amyloid derived from islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP). IAPP is co-expressed and secreted with insulin by beta cells, expression of both proteins being upregulated in response to insulin resistance. If IAPP expression exceeds the threshold for clearance of misfolded proteins, beta cell failure occurs exacerbated by the action of IAPP toxicity to compromise the autophagy lysosomal pathway. We postulated that suppression of IAPP expression by an IAPP antisense oligonucleotide delivered to beta cells by the GLP-1 agonist exenatide (eGLP1-IAPP-ASO) is a potential disease modifying therapy for T2D. While eGLP1-IAPP-ASO suppressed mouse IAPP and transgenic human IAPP expression in mouse islets, it had no discernable effects on IAPP expression in human islets under the conditions studied. Suppression of transgenic human IAPP expression in mouse islets attenuated disruption of the autophagy lysosomal pathway in beta cells, supporting the potential of this strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatyana Gurlo
- Larry L. Hillblom Islet Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States,*Correspondence: Tatyana Gurlo, ; Peter C. Butler,
| | | | - Zhongying Wang
- Larry L. Hillblom Islet Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Maani Archang
- Larry L. Hillblom Islet Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Lina Pei
- Larry L. Hillblom Islet Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Madeline Rosenberger
- Larry L. Hillblom Islet Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Elaine Pirie
- IONIS Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, CA, United States
| | | | - Peter C. Butler
- Larry L. Hillblom Islet Research Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States,*Correspondence: Tatyana Gurlo, ; Peter C. Butler,
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17
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Takakusa H, Iwazaki N, Nishikawa M, Yoshida T, Obika S, Inoue T. Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics of Antisense Oligonucleotide Therapeutics: Typical Profiles, Evaluation Approaches, and Points to Consider Compared with Small Molecule Drugs. Nucleic Acid Ther 2023; 33:83-94. [PMID: 36735616 PMCID: PMC10066781 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2022.0054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Oligonucleotide therapeutics are attracting attention as a new treatment modality for a range of diseases that have been difficult to target using conventional approaches. Technical advances in chemical modification and drug delivery systems have led to the generation of compounds with excellent profiles as pharmaceuticals, and 16 oligonucleotide therapeutics have been marketed to date. There is a growing need to develop optimal and efficient approaches to evaluate drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK) and drug-drug interactions (DDIs) of oligonucleotide therapeutics. The DMPK/DDI profiles of small molecule drugs are highly diverse depending on their structural and physicochemical characteristics, whereas oligonucleotide therapeutics share similar DMPK profiles within each chemistry type. Most importantly, the mechanisms and molecules involved in the distribution and metabolism of oligonucleotides differ from those of small molecules. In addition, there are considerations regarding experimental approaches in the evaluation of oligonucleotides, such as bioanalytical challenges, the use of radiolabeled tracers, materials for in vitro metabolism/DDI studies, and methods to study biodistribution. In this review, we attempt to summarize the DMPK characteristics of antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapeutics and discuss some of the issues regarding how to optimize the evaluation and prediction of the DMPK and DDI of ASOs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideo Takakusa
- Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics Research Laboratories, Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
| | - Norihiko Iwazaki
- Sohyaku. Innovative Research Division, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corp., Yokohama, Japan
| | - Makiya Nishikawa
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Japan
| | - Tokuyuki Yoshida
- Division of Molecular Target and Gene Therapy Products, National Institute of Health Sciences, Kawasaki, Japan.,Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Satoshi Obika
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Takao Inoue
- Division of Molecular Target and Gene Therapy Products, National Institute of Health Sciences, Kawasaki, Japan.,Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
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18
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Yamazaki K, Kubara K, Suzuki Y, Hihara T, Kurotaki D, Tamura T, Ito M, Tsukahara K. Multivalent mannose-conjugated siRNA causes robust gene silencing in pancreatic macrophages in vivo. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2023; 183:61-73. [PMID: 36603692 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2022.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Nucleic acid therapeutics have been utilized for gene regulation, and their recent advancement has led to approval of novel drugs for liver-related disorders. However, systemic extrahepatic delivery remains challenging. Here, we report newly designed mannose-conjugated oligonucleotides for delivering oligonucleotides to macrophages by leveraging the mannose receptor, C-type 1 (MRC1, CD206), which is abundantly expressed in macrophages. We investigated the relationship between cellular uptake and multivalency (mono to tetra) of mannose ligands or linker length and selected a trivalent-mannose ligand. Trivalent-mannose (Man3)-conjugated siRNA induced concentration-dependent gene silencing in both human CD206-overexpressing cells and human macrophages in vitro. After subcutaneous injection into mice, we observed a high distribution of Man3-conjugated oligonucleotides in the liver and pancreata as well as cellular uptake into Kupffer cells and pancreatic macrophages. A single subcutaneous injection of Man3-conjugated siRNA (10 mg/kg) targeting β2-microglobulin (B2M) silenced B2m mRNA expression by ∼50% and decreased its protein levels in mouse pancreatic macrophages compared to those in saline-treated mice. Of note, multiple subcutaneous injections decreased B2m gene expression and B2M protein levels by ∼80% and ∼85%, respectively. These results show that mannose-conjugation with oligonucleotides is expected to help deliver oligonucleotides to macrophages and regulate gene expression in vivo, particularly in the pancreas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuto Yamazaki
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd., 5-1-3, Tokodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 300-2635, Japan.
| | - Kenji Kubara
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd., 5-1-3, Tokodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 300-2635, Japan
| | - Yuta Suzuki
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd., 5-1-3, Tokodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 300-2635, Japan
| | - Taro Hihara
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd., 5-1-3, Tokodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 300-2635, Japan
| | - Daisuke Kurotaki
- Department of Immunology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-9, Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama 236-0004, Japan
| | - Tomohiko Tamura
- Department of Immunology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-9, Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama 236-0004, Japan
| | - Masashi Ito
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd., 5-1-3, Tokodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 300-2635, Japan
| | - Kappei Tsukahara
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd., 5-1-3, Tokodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 300-2635, Japan
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19
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Chen T, Xu J, Zhu L, Yan D. Cancer-cell-membrane-camouflaged supramolecular self-assembly of antisense oligonucleotide and chemodrug for targeted combination therapy. NANOSCALE 2023; 15:1914-1924. [PMID: 36617999 DOI: 10.1039/d2nr05669k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The anti-apoptotic B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) family of proteins are critical regulators of cell death that are overexpressed in many cancer cells, especially in multi-drug resistant cancer cells. Combinatorial gene- and chemotherapies using antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) to suppress the expression of Bcl-2-family mRNA and restore the sensitivity of the cell to chemodrugs provide a promising pathway for anticancer treatment. However, intrinsic differences between macromolecular ASOs and small molecular chemodrugs make their co-delivery challenging. Moreover, extraneous carriers may induce immunogenicity and inflammation problems. Herein, we develop a targeted nanodrug delivery system using the cationic amphiphilic chemodrug mitoxantrone (Mito), which interacts with Bcl-2 ASO through electrostatic interaction and self-assembles into nanoparticles (NP[Bcl-2/Mito]), whose size can be controlled by regulating the ratio of ASO and Mito. NP[Bcl-2/Mito] can protect the ASO from degradation during delivery and combine gene- and chemotherapies to improve the anticancer effect. Furthermore, cancer cell membranes (CCMs) derived from homologous tumors were used to camouflage NP[Bcl-2/Mito] (NP[Bcl-2/Mito]@CCM) to achieve immune escape and tumor targeting. Both in vitro and in vivo assessments demonstrate the excellent performance of NP[Bcl-2/Mito]@CCM for drug-resistant breast tumor therapy. This CCM-camouflaged ASO/chemodrug nanoplatform provides a promising pathway for the targeted delivery of ASOs and chemodrugs for tumor combination therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianbao Chen
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujian Road, Shanghai, 200217, China.
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Jie Xu
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujian Road, Shanghai, 200217, China.
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Lijuan Zhu
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujian Road, Shanghai, 200217, China.
| | - Deyue Yan
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 160 Pujian Road, Shanghai, 200217, China.
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
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20
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Nigam S, Moore A, Wang P. miRNA Theranostic Nanoparticles Promote Pancreatic Beta Cell Proliferation in Type 1 Diabetes Model. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2592:207-218. [PMID: 36507996 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2807-2_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic autoimmune disorder which affects the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. A variety of strategies, namely, insulin replacement therapy, engineered vaccines, immunomodulators, etc., have been explored to correct this condition. Recent studies have attributed the development of T1D to the anomalous expression of microRNAs in the pancreatic islets. Here, we describe the protocol for the development of a theranostic approach to modify the expression of aberrant miRNAs. The MRI-based nanodrug consists of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles conjugated to microRNA-targeting oligonucleotides that can promote proliferation of pancreatic beta cells in a mouse model of T1D. This theranostic approach can successfully serve as a potential therapeutic approach for the targeted treatment of T1D with minimal side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saumya Nigam
- Precision Health Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.,Department of Radiology, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Anna Moore
- Precision Health Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA. .,Department of Radiology, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
| | - Ping Wang
- Precision Health Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA. .,Department of Radiology, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
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21
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Fang J, Feng Y, Zhang Y, Wang A, Li J, Cui C, Guo Y, Zhu J, Lv Z, Zhao Z, Xu C, Shi H. Alkaline Phosphatase-Controllable and Red Light-Activated RNA Modification Approach for Precise Tumor Suppression. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:23061-23072. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c10409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jing Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Yali Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Yuqi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Anna Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Jiachen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Chaoxiang Cui
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215004, China
| | - Yirui Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Jinfeng Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Zhengzhong Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Zhongsheng Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Chenjie Xu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
| | - Haibin Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
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22
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Terada C, Kawamoto S, Yamayoshi A, Yamamoto T. Chemistry of Therapeutic Oligonucleotides That Drives Interactions with Biomolecules. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14122647. [PMID: 36559141 PMCID: PMC9781680 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14122647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Oligonucleotide therapeutics that can modulate gene expression have been gradually developed for clinical applications over several decades. However, rapid advances have been made in recent years. Artificial nucleic acid technology has overcome many challenges, such as (1) poor target affinity and selectivity, (2) low in vivo stability, and (3) classical side effects, such as immune responses; thus, its application in a wide range of disorders has been extensively examined. However, even highly optimized oligonucleotides exhibit side effects, which limits the general use of this class of agents. In this review, we discuss the physicochemical characteristics that aid interactions between drugs and molecules that belong to living organisms. By systematically organizing the related data, we hope to explore avenues for symbiotic engineering of oligonucleotide therapeutics that will result in more effective and safer drugs.
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23
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Kulkarni A, Muralidharan C, May SC, Tersey SA, Mirmira RG. Inside the β Cell: Molecular Stress Response Pathways in Diabetes Pathogenesis. Endocrinology 2022; 164:6783239. [PMID: 36317483 PMCID: PMC9667558 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqac184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The pathogeneses of the 2 major forms of diabetes, type 1 and type 2, differ with respect to their major molecular insults (loss of immune tolerance and onset of tissue insulin resistance, respectively). However, evidence suggests that dysfunction and/or death of insulin-producing β-cells is common to virtually all forms of diabetes. Although the mechanisms underlying β-cell dysfunction remain incompletely characterized, recent years have witnessed major advances in our understanding of the molecular pathways that contribute to the demise of the β-cell. Cellular and environmental factors contribute to β-cell dysfunction/loss through the activation of molecular pathways that exacerbate endoplasmic reticulum stress, the integrated stress response, oxidative stress, and impaired autophagy. Whereas many of these stress responsive pathways are interconnected, their individual contributions to glucose homeostasis and β-cell health have been elucidated through the development and interrogation of animal models. In these studies, genetic models and pharmacological compounds have enabled the identification of genes and proteins specifically involved in β-cell dysfunction during diabetes pathogenesis. Here, we review the critical stress response pathways that are activated in β cells in the context of the animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sarah C May
- Kovler Diabetes Center and Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Sarah A Tersey
- Kovler Diabetes Center and Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Raghavendra G Mirmira
- Correspondence: Raghavendra G. Mirmira, MD, PhD, Kovler Diabetes Center and Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, 900 E 57th St, KCBD 8132, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
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24
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Frazier KS. Kidney Effects by Alternative Classes of Medicines in Patients and Relationship to Effects in Nonclinical Toxicity Studies. Toxicol Pathol 2022; 50:408-414. [PMID: 35608030 DOI: 10.1177/01926233221100414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Drug-induced kidney injury has historically been associated with renal tubule injury related to small molecule pharmaceuticals such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antineoplastic agents, or antibiotics, but as a greater number of alternative classes of medicines such as biotherapeutics, molecular-targeted antineoplastic drugs, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapies, antibody-drug conjugates, oligonucleotide therapies, or other immunomodulatory drugs come to market, the presentation of drug-induced nephrotoxicity is changing. This review article describes the potential rare clinical events in drug-induced kidney injury that might be noted with these new therapies and their potential impact on patients. Potential pathogenic mechanisms related to immunogenicity, immune complex formation, and stimulation of downstream proinflammatory pathways with some of these alternative medicine classes have resulted in the potential for glomerulonephritis, acute interstitial nephritis, renal vasculitis, and other immune-mediated renal disorders in humans. This contrasts with nonclinical toxicity studies, where biologic therapies more often result in vasculitis and glomerulonephritis associated with antidrug antibodies and immunomodulatory pharmacology, and which are not always predictive of clinical effects. While nonclinical antidrug antibody-related renal disease is generally not clinically relevant, other immune-mediated nephrotoxicities associated with immunomodulatory drugs may be predictive of clinical adverse events. Fortunately, these conditions are still rare and account for a small percentage of serious adverse events in kidneys of patients.
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25
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Kuo C, Nikan M, Yeh ST, Chappell AE, Tanowitz M, Seth PP, Prakash TP, Mullick AE. Targeted Delivery of Antisense Oligonucleotides Through Angiotensin Type 1 Receptor. Nucleic Acid Ther 2022; 32:300-311. [PMID: 35612431 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2021.0105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We evaluated the potential of AGTR1, the principal receptor for angiotensin II (Ang II) and a member of the G protein-coupled receptor family, for targeted delivery of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) in cells and tissues with abundant AGTR1 expression. Ang II peptide ASO conjugates maintained robust AGTR1 signaling and receptor internalization when ASO was placed at the N-terminus of the peptide, but not at C-terminus. Conjugation of Ang II peptide improved ASO potency up to 12- to 17-fold in AGTR1-expressing cells. Additionally, evaluation of Ang II conjugates in cells lacking AGTR1 revealed no enhancement of ASO potency. Ang II peptide conjugation improves potency of ASO in mouse heart, adrenal, and adipose tissues. The data presented in this report add to a growing list of approaches for improving ASO potency in extrahepatic tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol Kuo
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Carlsbad, California, USA
| | - Mehran Nikan
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Carlsbad, California, USA
| | - Steve T Yeh
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Carlsbad, California, USA
| | | | | | - Punit P Seth
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Carlsbad, California, USA
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26
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Kay E, Stulz R, Becquart C, Lovric J, Tängemo C, Thomen A, Baždarević D, Najafinobar N, Dahlén A, Pielach A, Fernandez-Rodriguez J, Strömberg R, Ämmälä C, Andersson S, Kurczy M. NanoSIMS Imaging Reveals the Impact of Ligand-ASO Conjugate Stability on ASO Subcellular Distribution. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14020463. [PMID: 35214195 PMCID: PMC8876276 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14020463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The delivery of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) to specific cell types via targeted endocytosis is challenging due to the low cell surface expression of target receptors and inefficient escape of ASOs from the endosomal pathway. Conjugating ASOs to glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1) leads to efficient target knockdown, specifically in pancreatic β-cells. It is presumed that ASOs dissociate from GLP1 intracellularly to enable an ASO interaction with its target RNA. It is unknown where or when this happens following GLP1-ASO binding to GLP1R and endocytosis. Here, we use correlative nanoscale secondary ion mass spectroscopy (NanoSIMS) and transmission electron microscopy to explore GLP1-ASO subcellular trafficking in GLP1R overexpressing HEK293 cells. We isotopically label both eGLP1 and ASO, which do not affect the eGLP1-ASO conjugate function. We found that the eGLP1 peptide and ASO are not detected at the same level in the same endosomes, within 30 min of GLP1R-HEK293 cell exposure to eGLP1-ASO. When we utilized different linker chemistry to stabilize the GLP1-ASO conjugate, we observed more ASO located with GLP1 compared to cell incubation with the less stable conjugate. Overall, our work suggests that the ASO separates from GLP1 relatively early in the endocytic pathway, and that linker chemistry might impact the GLP1-ASO function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Kay
- Mechanistic and Structural Biology, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, SE-431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden;
| | - Rouven Stulz
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, SE-141 83 Huddinge, Sweden; (R.S.); (R.S.)
- Oligonucleotide Discovery, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, SE-431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden; (A.D.); (S.A.)
- DMPK, Early Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, SE-431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden; (C.B.); (J.L.)
| | - Cécile Becquart
- DMPK, Early Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, SE-431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden; (C.B.); (J.L.)
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, SE 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden;
| | - Jelena Lovric
- DMPK, Early Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, SE-431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden; (C.B.); (J.L.)
| | - Carolina Tängemo
- Discovery Biology, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, SE-431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden;
| | - Aurélien Thomen
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, SE 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden;
| | - Dženita Baždarević
- Bioscience, Early Respiratory and Immunology, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, SE-431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden;
| | - Neda Najafinobar
- Medicinal Chemistry, Research and Early Development, Respiratory and Immunology (R&I), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, SE-431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden;
| | - Anders Dahlén
- Oligonucleotide Discovery, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, SE-431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden; (A.D.); (S.A.)
| | - Anna Pielach
- Centre for Cellular Imaging, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden; (A.P.); (J.F.-R.)
| | - Julia Fernandez-Rodriguez
- Centre for Cellular Imaging, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, SE-405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden; (A.P.); (J.F.-R.)
| | - Roger Strömberg
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, SE-141 83 Huddinge, Sweden; (R.S.); (R.S.)
| | - Carina Ämmälä
- Bioscience, Early Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, SE-431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden;
| | - Shalini Andersson
- Oligonucleotide Discovery, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, SE-431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden; (A.D.); (S.A.)
| | - Michael Kurczy
- DMPK, Early Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, SE-431 83 Gothenburg, Sweden; (C.B.); (J.L.)
- Correspondence:
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27
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Halloy F, Biscans A, Bujold KE, Debacker A, Hill AC, Lacroix A, Luige O, Strömberg R, Sundstrom L, Vogel J, Ghidini A. Innovative developments and emerging technologies in RNA therapeutics. RNA Biol 2022; 19:313-332. [PMID: 35188077 PMCID: PMC8865321 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2022.2027150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA-based therapeutics are emerging as a powerful platform for the treatment of multiple diseases. Currently, the two main categories of nucleic acid therapeutics, antisense oligonucleotides and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), achieve their therapeutic effect through either gene silencing, splicing modulation or microRNA binding, giving rise to versatile options to target pathogenic gene expression patterns. Moreover, ongoing research seeks to expand the scope of RNA-based drugs to include more complex nucleic acid templates, such as messenger RNA, as exemplified by the first approved mRNA-based vaccine in 2020. The increasing number of approved sequences and ongoing clinical trials has attracted considerable interest in the chemical development of oligonucleotides and nucleic acids as drugs, especially since the FDA approval of the first siRNA drug in 2018. As a result, a variety of innovative approaches is emerging, highlighting the potential of RNA as one of the most prominent therapeutic tools in the drug design and development pipeline. This review seeks to provide a comprehensive summary of current efforts in academia and industry aimed at fully realizing the potential of RNA-based therapeutics. Towards this, we introduce established and emerging RNA-based technologies, with a focus on their potential as biosensors and therapeutics. We then describe their mechanisms of action and their application in different disease contexts, along with the strengths and limitations of each strategy. Since the nucleic acid toolbox is rapidly expanding, we also introduce RNA minimal architectures, RNA/protein cleavers and viral RNA as promising modalities for new therapeutics and discuss future directions for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Halloy
- Department of Paediatrics, Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Annabelle Biscans
- Oligonucleotide Chemistry, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&d, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Katherine E. Bujold
- Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, McMaster University, (Ontario), Canada
| | | | - Alyssa C. Hill
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Eth Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Aurélie Lacroix
- Sixfold Bioscience, Translation & Innovation Hub, London, UK
| | - Olivia Luige
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
| | - Roger Strömberg
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
| | - Linda Sundstrom
- Mechanistic and Structural Biology, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&d, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jörg Vogel
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Research (Hiri), Helmholtz Center for Infection Research (Hzi), Würzburg, Germany
- RNA Biology Group, Institute for Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Alice Ghidini
- Mechanistic and Structural Biology, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&d, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
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28
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Zeynaloo E, Stone LD, Dikici E, Ricordi C, Deo SK, Bachas LG, Daunert S, Lanzoni G. Delivery of therapeutic agents and cells to pancreatic islets: Towards a new era in the treatment of diabetes. Mol Aspects Med 2021; 83:101063. [PMID: 34961627 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2021.101063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic islet cells, and in particular insulin-producing beta cells, are centrally involved in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus. These cells are of paramount importance for the endocrine control of glycemia and glucose metabolism. In Type 1 Diabetes, islet beta cells are lost due to an autoimmune attack. In Type 2 Diabetes, beta cells become dysfunctional and insufficient to counterbalance insulin resistance in peripheral tissues. Therapeutic agents have been developed to support the function of islet cells, as well as to inhibit deleterious immune responses and inflammation. Most of these agents have undesired effects due to systemic administration and off-target effects. Typically, only a small fraction of therapeutic agent reaches the desired niche in the pancreas. Because islets and their beta cells are scattered throughout the pancreas, access to the niche is limited. Targeted delivery to pancreatic islets could dramatically improve the therapeutic effect, lower the dose requirements, and lower the side effects of agents administered systemically. Targeted delivery is especially relevant for those therapeutics for which the manufacturing is difficult and costly, such as cells, exosomes, and microvesicles. Along with therapeutic agents, imaging reagents intended to quantify the beta cell mass could benefit from targeted delivery. Several methods have been developed to improve the delivery of agents to pancreatic islets. Intra-arterial administration in the pancreatic artery is a promising surgical approach, but it has inherent risks. Targeted delivery strategies have been developed based on ligands for cell surface molecules specific to islet cells or inflamed vascular endothelial cells. Delivery methods range from nanocarriers and vectors to deliver pharmacological agents to viral and non-viral vectors for the delivery of genetic constructs. Several strategies demonstrated enhanced therapeutic effects in diabetes with lower amounts of therapeutic agents and lower off-target side effects. Microvesicles, exosomes, polymer-based vectors, and nanocarriers are gaining popularity for targeted delivery. Notably, liposomes, lipid-assisted nanocarriers, and cationic polymers can be bioengineered to be immune-evasive, and their advantages to transport cargos into target cells make them appealing for pancreatic islet-targeted delivery. Viral vectors have become prominent tools for targeted gene delivery. In this review, we discuss the latest strategies for targeted delivery of therapeutic agents and imaging reagents to pancreatic islet cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elnaz Zeynaloo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA; Department of Chemistry, University of Miami, FL, USA.
| | - Logan D Stone
- Diabetes Research Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA; Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
| | - Emre Dikici
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA; Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Biomedical Nanotechnology Institute - BioNIUM at University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Camillo Ricordi
- Diabetes Research Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA; Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Sapna K Deo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA; Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Biomedical Nanotechnology Institute - BioNIUM at University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Leonidas G Bachas
- Department of Chemistry, University of Miami, FL, USA; Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Biomedical Nanotechnology Institute - BioNIUM at University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Sylvia Daunert
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA; Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Biomedical Nanotechnology Institute - BioNIUM at University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA; Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Giacomo Lanzoni
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA; Diabetes Research Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA; Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Biomedical Nanotechnology Institute - BioNIUM at University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.
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29
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Eizirik DL, Szymczak F, Alvelos MI, Martin F. From Pancreatic β-Cell Gene Networks to Novel Therapies for Type 1 Diabetes. Diabetes 2021; 70:1915-1925. [PMID: 34417266 PMCID: PMC8576417 DOI: 10.2337/dbi20-0046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Completion of the Human Genome Project enabled a novel systems- and network-level understanding of biology, but this remains to be applied for understanding the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes (T1D). We propose that defining the key gene regulatory networks that drive β-cell dysfunction and death in T1D might enable the design of therapies that target the core disease mechanism, namely, the progressive loss of pancreatic β-cells. Indeed, many successful drugs do not directly target individual disease genes but, rather, modulate the consequences of defective steps, targeting proteins located one or two steps downstream. If we transpose this to the T1D situation, it makes sense to target the pathways that modulate the β-cell responses to the immune assault-in relation to signals that may stimulate the immune response (e.g., HLA class I and chemokine overexpression and/or neoantigen expression) or inhibit the invading immune cells (e.g., PDL1 and HLA-E expression)-instead of targeting only the immune system, as it is usually proposed. Here we discuss the importance of a focus on β-cells in T1D, lessons learned from other autoimmune diseases, the "alternative splicing connection," data mining, and drug repurposing to protect β-cells in T1D and then some of the initial candidates under testing for β-cell protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Decio L Eizirik
- Indiana Biosciences Research Institute, Indianapolis, IN
- ULB Center for Diabetes Research and Welbio, Medical Faculty, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Florian Szymczak
- ULB Center for Diabetes Research and Welbio, Medical Faculty, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Maria Inês Alvelos
- ULB Center for Diabetes Research and Welbio, Medical Faculty, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
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30
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Halloy F, Hill AC, Hall J. Efficient synthesis of 2'-O-methoxyethyl oligonucleotide - cationic peptide conjugates. ChemMedChem 2021; 16:3391-3395. [PMID: 34358416 PMCID: PMC9291120 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202100388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Single-stranded phosphorothioate (PS) oligonucleotide drugs have shown potential for the treatment of several rare diseases. However, a barrier to their widespread use is that they exhibit activity in only a narrow range of tissues. One way to circumvent this constraint is to conjugate them to cationic cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs). Although there are several examples of morpholino and peptide nucleic acids conjugated with CPPs, there are noticeably few examples of PS oligonucleotide-CPP conjugates. This is surprising given that PS oligonucleotides presently represent the largest class of approved RNA-based drugs, including Nusinersen, that bears the 2'- O -methoxyethyl (MOE) chemistry. In this work, we report a method for in-solution conjugation of cationic, hydrophobic peptides or human serum albumin to a 22-nucleotide MOE-PS oligonucleotide. Conjugates were obtained in high yields and purities. Our findings pave the way for their large-scale synthesis and testing in vivo .
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Affiliation(s)
- François Halloy
- University of Oxford, Paediatrics, South Parks Road, Le Gros Clark Building, Oxford University, United Kingdom, OX1 3QX, Oxford, UNITED KINGDOM
| | - Alyssa C Hill
- ETH Zürich: Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule Zurich, D-CHAB, SWITZERLAND
| | - Jonathan Hall
- ETH Zurich, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosci, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093, Zürich, SWITZERLAND
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31
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Overcoming the challenges of tissue delivery for oligonucleotide therapeutics. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2021; 42:588-604. [PMID: 34020790 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2021.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Synthetic therapeutic oligonucleotides (STO) represent the third bonafide platform for drug discovery in the pharmaceutical industry after small molecule and protein therapeutics. So far, thirteen STOs have been approved by regulatory agencies and over one hundred of them are in different stages of clinical trials. STOs hybridize to their target RNA or DNA in cells via Watson-Crick base pairing to exert their pharmacological effects. This unique class of therapeutic agents has the potential to target genes and gene products that are considered undruggable by other therapeutic platforms. However, STOs must overcome several extracellular and intracellular obstacles to interact with their biological RNA targets inside cells. These obstacles include degradation by extracellular nucleases, scavenging by the reticuloendothelial system, filtration by the kidney, traversing the capillary endothelium to access the tissue interstitium, cell-surface receptor-mediated endocytic uptake, and escape from endolysosomal compartments to access the nuclear and/or cytoplasmic compartments where their targets reside. In this review, we present the recent advances in this field with a specific focus on antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and siRNA therapeutics.
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