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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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2
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Stagi L, De Forni D, Innocenzi P. Blocking viral infections by Lysine-based polymeric nanostructures. A critical review. Biomater Sci 2022; 10:1904-1919. [DOI: 10.1039/d2bm00030j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic due to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus has accelerated the search for innovative antivirals with possibly broad-spectrum efficacy. One of the possible strategies is to inhibit...
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3
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Murade CU, Shubeita GT. A fluorescent reporter on electrostatic DNA-ligand interactions. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2022; 13:159-167. [PMID: 35154861 PMCID: PMC8803044 DOI: 10.1364/boe.439791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Among the various types of interactions between biomolecules, electrostatic interactions dominate as these are long-range interactions and are often a generic first step in the recruitment of specific ligands. DNA, being a highly charged molecule, attracts a plethora of molecules. Interactions between DNA and proteins or small molecules shape the overall function of the cell. Various processes such as DNA replication, DNA repair, synthesis of mRNA, and packaging of DNA are mediated by interactions between protein molecules and DNA that are predominantly electrostatic. Here, we present a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based probe which can report on the electrostatic interactions between the negatively-charged DNA and positively-charged metal ions, oligopeptides, as well as DNA groove-binding drug molecules. The simplicity, sensitivity, and versatility of the DNA-based probe makes it suited for applications where specific protein-DNA interactions can be probed, and DNA-binding drugs can be discovered in high-throughput screens of compound libraries. This is particularly relevant given that some of the most potent antitumor and antimicrobial drugs associate with DNA electrostatically.
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Piotrowski-Daspit AS, Kauffman AC, Bracaglia LG, Saltzman WM. Polymeric vehicles for nucleic acid delivery. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2020; 156:119-132. [PMID: 32585159 PMCID: PMC7736472 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2020.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Polymeric vehicles are versatile tools for therapeutic gene delivery. Many polymers-when assembled with nucleic acids into vehicles-can protect the cargo from degradation and clearance in vivo, and facilitate its transport into intracellular compartments. Design options in polymer synthesis yield a comprehensive range of molecules and resulting vehicle formulations. These properties can be manipulated to achieve stronger association with nucleic acid cargo and cells, improved endosomal escape, or sustained delivery depending on the application. Here, we describe current approaches for polymer use and related strategies for gene delivery in preclinical and clinical applications. Polymer vehicles delivering genetic material have already achieved significant therapeutic endpoints in vitro and in animal models. From our perspective, with preclincal assays that better mimic the in vivo environment, improved strategies for target specificity, and scalable techniques for polymer synthesis, the impact of this therapeutic approach will continue to expand.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amy C Kauffman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, United States of America; Corning Life Sciences, Kennebunk, ME 04043, United States of America
| | - Laura G Bracaglia
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, United States of America
| | - W Mark Saltzman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, United States of America; Department of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, United States of America; Department of Cellular & Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, United States of America; Department of Dermatology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, United States of America.
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5
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Alinejad-Mofrad E, Malaekeh-Nikouei B, Gholami L, Mousavi SH, Sadeghnia HR, Mohajeri M, Darroudi M, Oskuee RK. Evaluation and comparison of cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and apoptotic effects of poly-l-lysine/plasmid DNA micro- and nanoparticles. Hum Exp Toxicol 2019; 38:983-991. [DOI: 10.1177/0960327119846924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The principal impediment to gene therapy is the development of efficient, nontoxic gene carriers that can handle and deliver foreign genetic materials into various cell types, including healthy and cancerous cells. Poly-l-lysine (PLL) polymers are one of the most favorable gene carriers among nonviral vectors, and PLL had low transfection and safety issues. The purpose of this study was to measure cellular toxicity, DNA damage, and apoptotic effects of PLL nanoparticles. Neuro2A mammalian cells were cultured and exposed to PLL/DNA complexes at different polymer/DNA ratios ( C/ P ratio 2 and 6) for 24 h. To evaluate metabolic activity, genotoxicity, and apoptotic influences of PLL nanoparticle, the following experimental methods were employed, in order: 3-(4,5-Dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT), DNA damage (COMET analysis) assay, and sub-G1 peak apoptosis assay. Our data indicate that toxicity is concentration dependent and a high concentration of polymer declined the metabolic activity. In addition, largest complexes ( C/ P 6 in HEPES buffered saline buffer) have slighter negative impact on metabolic activity. In agreement with our cytotoxicity data, apoptotic assay result represented that increase in size of PLL/DNA complexes decrease the number of apoptotic cells. Also, there was a remarkable increase in percent tail DNA of Neuro2A cells treated with higher concentration of PLL and its polyplexes. The present study demonstrated that PLL/DNA complexes caused cytotoxic, apoptotic, and genotoxic effects in a dose-dependent and weight ratio-dependent manner, which also affected the size of polyplexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Alinejad-Mofrad
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - B Malaekeh-Nikouei
- Nanotechnology Research Center, Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - L Gholami
- Nanotechnology Research Center, Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Department of Modern Sciences and Technologies, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - SH Mousavi
- Medical Toxicology Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - HR Sadeghnia
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - M Mohajeri
- Targeted Drug Delivery Research Center, Institute of Pharmaceutical Technology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - M Darroudi
- Department of Modern Sciences and Technologies, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Nuclear Medicine Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - RK Oskuee
- Neurogenic Inflammation Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
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Yin PT, Han E, Lee KB. Engineering Stem Cells for Biomedical Applications. Adv Healthc Mater 2016; 5:10-55. [PMID: 25772134 PMCID: PMC5810416 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201400842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2014] [Revised: 02/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Stem cells are characterized by a number of useful properties, including their ability to migrate, differentiate, and secrete a variety of therapeutic molecules such as immunomodulatory factors. As such, numerous pre-clinical and clinical studies have utilized stem cell-based therapies and demonstrated their tremendous potential for the treatment of various human diseases and disorders. Recently, efforts have focused on engineering stem cells in order to further enhance their innate abilities as well as to confer them with new functionalities, which can then be used in various biomedical applications. These engineered stem cells can take on a number of forms. For instance, engineered stem cells encompass the genetic modification of stem cells as well as the use of stem cells for gene delivery, nanoparticle loading and delivery, and even small molecule drug delivery. The present Review gives an in-depth account of the current status of engineered stem cells, including potential cell sources, the most common methods used to engineer stem cells, and the utilization of engineered stem cells in various biomedical applications, with a particular focus on tissue regeneration, the treatment of immunodeficiency diseases, and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Perry T Yin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Edward Han
- Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 164 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G9, Canada
| | - Ki-Bum Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 599 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 610 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
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Alhakamy NA, Ishiguro S, Uppalapati D, Berkland CJ, Tamura M. AT2R Gene Delivered by Condensed Polylysine Complexes Attenuates Lewis Lung Carcinoma after Intravenous Injection or Intratracheal Spray. Mol Cancer Ther 2016; 15:209-18. [PMID: 26637367 PMCID: PMC4707093 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-15-0448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2015] [Accepted: 10/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Transfection efficiency and toxicity concerns remain a challenge for gene therapy. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPP) have been broadly investigated to improve the transfection of genetic material (e.g., pDNA and siRNA). Here, a synthetic CPP (polylysine, K9 peptide) was complexed with angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R) plasmid DNA (pAT2R) and complexes were condensed using calcium chloride. The resulting complexes were small (∼150 nm) and showed high levels of gene expression in vitro and in vivo. This simple nonviral formulation approach showed negligible cytotoxicity in four different human cell lines (cervix, breast, kidney, and lung cell lines) and one mouse cell line (a lung cancer cell line). In addition, this K9-pDNA-Ca(2+) complex demonstrated cancer-targeted gene delivery when administered via intravenous injection or intratracheal spray. The transfection efficiency was evaluated in Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cell lines cultured in vitro and in orthotopic cancer grafts in syngeneic mice. Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed that the complex effectively delivered pAT2R to the cancer cells, where it was expressed mainly in cancer cells along with bronchial epithelial cells. A single administration of these complexes markedly attenuated lung cancer growth, offering preclinical proof-of-concept for a novel nonviral gene delivery method exhibiting effective lung tumor gene therapy via either intravenous or intratracheal administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nabil A Alhakamy
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
| | - Susumu Ishiguro
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
| | - Deepthi Uppalapati
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
| | - Cory J Berkland
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.
| | - Masaaki Tamura
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas.
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He Z, Miao L, Jordan R, S-Manickam D, Luxenhofer R, Kabanov AV. A Low Protein Binding Cationic Poly(2-oxazoline) as Non-Viral Vector. Macromol Biosci 2015; 15:1004-20. [PMID: 25846127 PMCID: PMC4893346 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.201500021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2015] [Revised: 03/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Developing safe and efficient non-viral gene delivery systems remains a major challenge. We present a new cationic poly(2-oxazoline) (CPOx) block copolymer for gene therapy that was synthesized by sequential polymerization of non-ionic 2-methyl-2-oxazoline and a new 2-oxazoline monomer, 2-(N-methyl, N-Boc-amino)-methyl-2-oxazoline, followed by deprotection of the pendant secondary amine groups. Upon mixing with plasmid DNA (pDNA), CPOx forms small (diameter ≈80 nm) and narrowly dispersed polyplexes (PDI <0.2), which are stable upon dilution in saline and against thermal challenge. These polyplexes exhibited low plasma protein binding and very low cytotoxicity in vitro compared to the polyplexes of pDNA and poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(L-lysine) (PEG-b-PLL). CPOx/pDNA polyplexes at N/P = 5 bound considerably less plasma protein compared to polyplexes of PEG-b-PLL at the same N/P ratio. This is a unique aspect of the developed polyplexes emphasizing their potential for systemic delivery in vivo. The transfection efficiency of the polyplexes in B16 murine melanoma cells was low after 4 h, but increased significantly for 10 h exposure time, indicative of slow internalization of polyplexes. Addition of Pluronic P85 boosted the transfection using CPOx/pDNA polyplexes considerably. The low protein binding of CPOx/pDNA polyplexes is particularly interesting for the future development of targeted gene delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijian He
- Center for Nanotechnology in Drug Delivery, Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Lei Miao
- Center for Nanotechnology in Drug Delivery, Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Rainer Jordan
- Department Chemie, Technische Universität Dresden, Mommsenstr. 4, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Devika S-Manickam
- Center for Nanotechnology in Drug Delivery, Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Robert Luxenhofer
- Functional Polymer Materials, Chair for Chemical Technology of Materials Synthesis, Universität Würzburg, 97070 Würzburg, Germany.
| | - Alexander V Kabanov
- Laboratory for Chemical Design of Bionanomaterials, Faculty of Chemistry, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119899, Russia.
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Abstract
Gene-based therapy is the intentional modulation of gene expression in specific cells to treat pathological conditions. This modulation is accomplished by introducing exogenous nucleic acids such as DNA, mRNA, small interfering RNA (siRNA), microRNA (miRNA) or antisense oligonucleotides. Given the large size and the negative charge of these macromolecules, their delivery is typically mediated by carriers or vectors. In this Review, we introduce the biological barriers to gene delivery in vivo and discuss recent advances in material sciences, nanotechnology and nucleic acid chemistry that have yielded promising non-viral delivery systems, some of which are currently undergoing testing in clinical trials. The diversity of these systems highlights the recent progress of gene-based therapy using non-viral approaches.
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Kim SW. In vitro transfection with oligonucleotide DNA using polylysine copolymers. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2012; 2012:2012/5/pdb.prot068635. [PMID: 22550290 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.prot068635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The terplex system for delivering DNA to targeted cells comprises three components: stearyl polylysine (PLL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and DNA. This article describes transfection of A7R5 cells or CCD-32 cells with a terplex complex containing c-myb antisense oligonucleotide to analyze the antiproliferative effect of the transfected sequence.
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Kim SW. In vivo delivery of plasmid DNA into rabbit myocardium using polylysine copolymers. Cold Spring Harb Protoc 2012; 2012:2012/5/pdb.prot068643. [PMID: 22550291 DOI: 10.1101/pdb.prot068643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The terplex system for delivering DNA to targeted cells comprises three components-stearyl polylysine (PLL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and DNA. This article describes the use of a terplex complex to deliver plasmid DNA carrying the vascular endothelial growth factor VEGF165 into rabbit myocardium. Transfection with VEGF is assessed by comparing tissue pathology and pumping function of the heart in control and experimental animals after induced myocardial infarction.
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Abstract
The terplex system for delivering DNA to targeted cells comprises three components-stearyl polylysine (PLL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and DNA. This article describes a method for optimizing the relative amounts of these components and determining the transfection parameters for a given cell line.
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