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Hsueh HT, Chou RT, Rai U, Liyanage W, Kim YC, Appell MB, Pejavar J, Leo KT, Davison C, Kolodziejski P, Mozzer A, Kwon H, Sista M, Anders NM, Hemingway A, Rompicharla SVK, Edwards M, Pitha I, Hanes J, Cummings MP, Ensign LM. Machine learning-driven multifunctional peptide engineering for sustained ocular drug delivery. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2509. [PMID: 37130851 PMCID: PMC10154330 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38056-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Sustained drug delivery strategies have many potential benefits for treating a range of diseases, particularly chronic diseases that require treatment for years. For many chronic ocular diseases, patient adherence to eye drop dosing regimens and the need for frequent intraocular injections are significant barriers to effective disease management. Here, we utilize peptide engineering to impart melanin binding properties to peptide-drug conjugates to act as a sustained-release depot in the eye. We develop a super learning-based methodology to engineer multifunctional peptides that efficiently enter cells, bind to melanin, and have low cytotoxicity. When the lead multifunctional peptide (HR97) is conjugated to brimonidine, an intraocular pressure lowering drug that is prescribed for three times per day topical dosing, intraocular pressure reduction is observed for up to 18 days after a single intracameral injection in rabbits. Further, the cumulative intraocular pressure lowering effect increases ~17-fold compared to free brimonidine injection. Engineered multifunctional peptide-drug conjugates are a promising approach for providing sustained therapeutic delivery in the eye and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry T Hsueh
- Center for Nanomedicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Renee Ti Chou
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Usha Rai
- Center for Nanomedicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Wathsala Liyanage
- Center for Nanomedicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yoo Chun Kim
- Center for Nanomedicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Matthew B Appell
- Center for Nanomedicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jahnavi Pejavar
- Center for Nanomedicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kirby T Leo
- Center for Nanomedicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Charlotte Davison
- Center for Nanomedicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Patricia Kolodziejski
- Center for Nanomedicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ann Mozzer
- Center for Nanomedicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - HyeYoung Kwon
- Center for Nanomedicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Maanasa Sista
- Center for Nanomedicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Nicole M Anders
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Avelina Hemingway
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sri Vishnu Kiran Rompicharla
- Center for Nanomedicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Malia Edwards
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ian Pitha
- Center for Nanomedicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Justin Hanes
- Center for Nanomedicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Michael P Cummings
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, USA.
| | - Laura M Ensign
- Center for Nanomedicine at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Kim YC, Hsueh HT, Shin MD, Berlinicke CA, Han H, Anders NM, Hemingway A, Leo KT, Chou RT, Kwon H, Appell MB, Rai U, Kolodziejski P, Eberhart C, Pitha I, Zack DJ, Hanes J, Ensign LM. A hypotonic gel-forming eye drop provides enhanced intraocular delivery of a kinase inhibitor with melanin-binding properties for sustained protection of retinal ganglion cells. Drug Deliv Transl Res 2021; 12:826-837. [PMID: 33900546 DOI: 10.1007/s13346-021-00987-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
While eye drops are the most common ocular dosage form, eye drops for treating diseases of the posterior segment (retina, choroid, optic nerve) have yet to be developed. In glaucoma, eye drops are used extensively for delivering intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering medications to the anterior segment. However, degeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in the retina may progress despite significant IOP lowering, suggesting that a complementary neuroprotective therapy would improve glaucoma management. Here, we describe a hypotonic, thermosensitive gel-forming eye drop for effective delivery of sunitinib, a protein kinase inhibitor with activity against the neuroprotective targets dual leucine zipper kinase (DLK) and leucine zipper kinase (LZK), to enhance survival of RGCs after optic nerve injury. Further, binding of sunitinib to melanin in the pigmented cells in the choroid and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) led to prolonged intraocular residence time, including therapeutically relevant concentrations in the non-pigmented retinal tissue where the RGCs reside. The combination of enhanced intraocular absorption provided by the gel-forming eye drop vehicle and the intrinsic melanin binding properties of sunitinib led to significant protection of RGCs with only once weekly eye drop dosing. For a chronic disease such as glaucoma, an effective once weekly eye drop for neuroprotection could result in greater patient adherence, and thus, greater disease management and improved patient quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoo Chun Kim
- Center for Nanomedicine At the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21231, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Wilmer Eye Institute, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Henry T Hsueh
- Center for Nanomedicine At the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21231, USA.,Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Matthew D Shin
- Center for Nanomedicine At the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21231, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Wilmer Eye Institute, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Cynthia A Berlinicke
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Wilmer Eye Institute, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Hyounkoo Han
- Center for Nanomedicine At the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21231, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Wilmer Eye Institute, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Nicole M Anders
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center At Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Avelina Hemingway
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center At Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Kirby T Leo
- Center for Nanomedicine At the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21231, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Renee Ti Chou
- Department of Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, and Genomics, Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - HyeYoung Kwon
- Center for Nanomedicine At the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21231, USA.,Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Matthew B Appell
- Center for Nanomedicine At the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21231, USA.,Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Usha Rai
- Center for Nanomedicine At the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21231, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Wilmer Eye Institute, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Patricia Kolodziejski
- Center for Nanomedicine At the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21231, USA.,Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Charles Eberhart
- Center for Nanomedicine At the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21231, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Wilmer Eye Institute, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Ian Pitha
- Center for Nanomedicine At the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21231, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Wilmer Eye Institute, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Donald J Zack
- Center for Nanomedicine At the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21231, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Wilmer Eye Institute, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.,Departments of Neuroscience, Molecular Biology and Genetics, and Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Justin Hanes
- Center for Nanomedicine At the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21231, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Wilmer Eye Institute, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.,Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.,The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center At Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.,Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Laura M Ensign
- Center for Nanomedicine At the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21231, USA. .,Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Wilmer Eye Institute, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA. .,Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA. .,The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center At Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA. .,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA. .,Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA. .,Departments Gynecology and Obstetrics and Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
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