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Maldonado H, Savage BD, Barker HR, May U, Vähätupa M, Badiani RK, Wolanska KI, Turner CMJ, Pemmari T, Ketomäki T, Prince S, Humphries MJ, Ruoslahti E, Morgan MR, Järvinen TAH. Systemically administered wound-homing peptide accelerates wound healing by modulating syndecan-4 function. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8069. [PMID: 38057316 PMCID: PMC10700342 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43848-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
CAR (CARSKNKDC) is a wound-homing peptide that recognises angiogenic neovessels. Here we discover that systemically administered CAR peptide has inherent ability to promote wound healing: wounds close and re-epithelialise faster in CAR-treated male mice. CAR promotes keratinocyte migration in vitro. The heparan sulfate proteoglycan syndecan-4 regulates cell migration and is crucial for wound healing. We report that syndecan-4 expression is restricted to epidermis and blood vessels in mice skin wounds. Syndecan-4 regulates binding and internalisation of CAR peptide and CAR-mediated cytoskeletal remodelling. CAR induces syndecan-4-dependent activation of the small GTPase ARF6, via the guanine nucleotide exchange factor cytohesin-2, and promotes syndecan-4-, ARF6- and Cytohesin-2-mediated keratinocyte migration. Finally, we show that genetic ablation of syndecan-4 in male mice eliminates CAR-induced wound re-epithelialisation following systemic administration. We propose that CAR peptide activates syndecan-4 functions to selectively promote re-epithelialisation. Thus, CAR peptide provides a therapeutic approach to enhance wound healing in mice; systemic, yet target organ- and cell-specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Horacio Maldonado
- Institute of Systems, Molecular & Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Bryan D Savage
- Institute of Systems, Molecular & Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Harlan R Barker
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University & Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Ulrike May
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University & Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Maria Vähätupa
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University & Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Rahul K Badiani
- Institute of Systems, Molecular & Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Katarzyna I Wolanska
- Institute of Systems, Molecular & Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Craig M J Turner
- Institute of Systems, Molecular & Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Toini Pemmari
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University & Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Tuomo Ketomäki
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University & Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Stuart Prince
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University & Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Martin J Humphries
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Erkki Ruoslahti
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA and Center for Nanomedicine, University of California (UCSB), Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Mark R Morgan
- Institute of Systems, Molecular & Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
| | - Tero A H Järvinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University & Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
- Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA and Center for Nanomedicine, University of California (UCSB), Santa Barbara, CA, USA.
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2
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Rothman A, Restrepo H, Evans WN, Sarukhanov V, Mann D. CAR Selectively Enhances the Pulmonary Vasodilatory Effect of Fasudil in a Microsphere Model of Pulmonary Hypertension. Open Respir Med J 2023; 17:e187430642303160. [PMID: 37916136 PMCID: PMC10351346 DOI: 10.2174/18743064-v17-e230404-2022-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Despite the approval of several medications for pulmonary hypertension, morbidity and mortality are unacceptably high. Systemic hypotension may limit the use of pulmonary hypertension medications. Objectives This study aimed to assess whether the homing peptide CAR (CARSKNKDC) improves the vasodilatory selectivity of fasudil in the pulmonary circulation or systemic circulation in a porcine pulmonary hypertension model. Materials and Methods Pulmonary hypertension (to approximately 2/3-3/4 systemic pressure levels) was induced by chronic and acute administration of microspheres in 3 micro Yucatan pigs (mean weight 19.9 kg, mean age 4.3 months). Fasudil (0.3 mg/kg) was administered without and with CAR (1.5 mg/kg), and the effect on aortic (Ao) and right ventricular (RV) pressure was recorded with indwelling catheters. Results Immediately after fasudil administration, there was a decrease in Ao pressure followed by prompt recovery to baseline. The RV pressure decrease was progressive and sustained. Fasudil alone resulted in a 12% decrease in RV pressure, whereas co-administration of CAR with fasudil resulted in a 22% decrease in RV pressure (p < 0.0001). Fasudil alone caused an average decrease of 34% in the RV/Ao pressure ratio, and fasudil + CAR caused an average decrease of 40% in the RV/Ao pressure ratio (p < 0.0001). Conclusion The homing peptide CAR selectively enhanced the acute vasodilatory effects of fasudil on the pulmonary vascular bed in a porcine experimental model of pulmonary hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abraham Rothman
- Children’s Heart Center, Nevada3131 La Canada, Suite 230, Las Vegas, NV 89169, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Nevada Las Vegas, School of Medicine, 2040 W Charleston Blvd Ste. 402, Las Vegas, NV 89109, USA
| | - Humberto Restrepo
- Children’s Heart Center, Nevada3131 La Canada, Suite 230, Las Vegas, NV 89169, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Nevada Las Vegas, School of Medicine, 2040 W Charleston Blvd Ste. 402, Las Vegas, NV 89109, USA
| | - William N. Evans
- Children’s Heart Center, Nevada3131 La Canada, Suite 230, Las Vegas, NV 89169, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Nevada Las Vegas, School of Medicine, 2040 W Charleston Blvd Ste. 402, Las Vegas, NV 89109, USA
| | - Valeri Sarukhanov
- Children’s Heart Center, Nevada3131 La Canada, Suite 230, Las Vegas, NV 89169, USA
| | - David Mann
- Vascular BioSciences, 72 Santa Felicia Dr, Goleta, CA 93117, USA
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3
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Xiao R, Liu J, Luo S, Yu Z, Zhang J, Lv Y, Li J, Ruiz M, Dupuis J, Hu Q, Zhu L. Orally-administrated mitochondria attenuate pulmonary hypertension with the aid of erythrocytes as carriers. Clin Transl Med 2022; 12:e1033. [PMID: 36149749 PMCID: PMC9505751 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rui Xiao
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of Ministry of Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of Ministry of Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Shengquan Luo
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of Ministry of Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhe Yu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of Ministry of Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiwei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of Ministry of Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Department of Pathology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yankai Lv
- Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of Ministry of Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Department of Pathology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiansha Li
- Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of Ministry of Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Department of Pathology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Matthieu Ruiz
- Department of Nutrition, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada.,Montreal Heart Institute, Montreal, Canada
| | - Jocelyn Dupuis
- Montreal Heart Institute, Montreal, Canada.,Department of medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Qinghua Hu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of Ministry of Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Liping Zhu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Key Laboratory of Pulmonary Diseases of Ministry of Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Vähätupa M, Salonen N, Uusitalo-Järvinen H, Järvinen TAH. Selective Targeting and Tissue Penetration to the Retina by a Systemically Administered Vascular Homing Peptide in Oxygen Induced Retinopathy (OIR). Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13111932. [PMID: 34834347 PMCID: PMC8618640 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13111932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathological angiogenesis is the hallmark of ischemic retinal diseases among them retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) is a pure hypoxia-driven angiogenesis model and a widely used model for ischemic retinopathies. We explored whether the vascular homing peptide CAR (CARSKNKDC) which recognizes angiogenic blood vessels can be used to target the retina in OIR. We were able to demonstrate that the systemically administered CAR vascular homing peptide homed selectively to the preretinal neovessels in OIR. As a cell and tissue-penetrating peptide, CAR also penetrated into the retina. Hyperoxia used to induce OIR in the retina also causes bronchopulmonary dysplasia in the lungs. We showed that the CAR peptide is not targeted to the lungs in normal mice but is targeted to the lungs after hyperoxia-/hypoxia-treatment of the animals. The site-specific delivery of the CAR peptide to the pathologic retinal vasculature and the penetration of the retinal tissue may offer new opportunities for treating retinopathies more selectively and with less side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Vähätupa
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland; (M.V.); (N.S.); (H.U.-J.)
| | - Niklas Salonen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland; (M.V.); (N.S.); (H.U.-J.)
| | - Hannele Uusitalo-Järvinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland; (M.V.); (N.S.); (H.U.-J.)
- Eye Centre & Department of Orthopedics & Traumatology, Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Tero A. H. Järvinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, 33520 Tampere, Finland; (M.V.); (N.S.); (H.U.-J.)
- Eye Centre & Department of Orthopedics & Traumatology, Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland
- Correspondence:
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5
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Iqbal A, May U, Prince SN, Järvinen TAH, Heydemann A. Systemically Administered Homing Peptide Targets Dystrophic Lesions and Delivers Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGFβ) Inhibitor to Attenuate Murine Muscular Dystrophy Pathology. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:1506. [PMID: 34575582 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13091506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Muscular dystrophy is a progressively worsening and lethal disease, where accumulation of functionality-impairing fibrosis plays a key pathogenic role. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGFβ1) is a central signaling molecule in the development of fibrosis in muscular dystrophic humans and mice. Inhibition of TGFβ1 has proven beneficial in mouse models of muscular dystrophy, but the global strategies of TGFβ1 inhibition produce significant detrimental side effects. Here, we investigated whether murine muscular dystrophy lesion-specific inhibition of TGFβ1 signaling by the targeted delivery of therapeutic decorin (a natural TGFβ inhibitor) by a vascular homing peptide CAR (CARSKNKDC) would reduce skeletal muscle fibrosis and pathology and increase functional characteristics of skeletal muscle. We demonstrate that CAR peptide homes to dystrophic lesions with specificity in two muscular dystrophy models. Recombinant fusion protein consisting of CAR peptide and decorin homes selectively to sites of skeletal muscle damage in mdxDBA2/J and gamma-sarcoglycan deficient DBA2/J mice. This targeted delivery reduced TGFβ1 signaling as demonstrated by reduced nuclear pSMAD staining. Three weeks of targeted decorin treatment decreased both membrane permeability and fibrosis and improved skeletal muscle function in comparison to control treatments in the mdxD2 mice. These results show that selective delivery of decorin to the sites of skeletal muscle damage attenuates the progression of murine muscular dystrophy.
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Pleiko K, Põšnograjeva K, Haugas M, Paiste P, Tobi A, Kurm K, Riekstina U, Teesalu T. In vivo phage display: identification of organ-specific peptides using deep sequencing and differential profiling across tissues. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:e38. [PMID: 33444445 PMCID: PMC8053097 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa1279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In vivo phage display is widely used for identification of organ- or disease-specific homing peptides. However, the current in vivo phage biopanning approaches fail to assess biodistribution of specific peptide phages across tissues during the screen, thus necessitating laborious and time-consuming post-screening validation studies on individual peptide phages. Here, we adopted bioinformatics tools used for RNA sequencing for analysis of high-throughput sequencing (HTS) data to estimate the representation of individual peptides during biopanning in vivo. The data from in vivo phage screen were analyzed using differential binding-relative representation of each peptide in the target organ versus in a panel of control organs. Application of this approach in a model study using low-diversity peptide T7 phage library with spiked-in brain homing phage demonstrated brain-specific differential binding of brain homing phage and resulted in identification of novel lung- and brain-specific homing peptides. Our study provides a broadly applicable approach to streamline in vivo peptide phage biopanning and to increase its reproducibility and success rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karlis Pleiko
- Laboratory of Precision- and Nanomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Latvia, Riga, LV-1586, Latvia
| | - Kristina Põšnograjeva
- Laboratory of Precision- and Nanomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Maarja Haugas
- Laboratory of Precision- and Nanomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Päärn Paiste
- Department of Geology, University of Tartu, Ravila 14A, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Allan Tobi
- Laboratory of Precision- and Nanomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kaarel Kurm
- Laboratory of Precision- and Nanomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Una Riekstina
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Latvia, Riga, LV-1586, Latvia
| | - Tambet Teesalu
- Laboratory of Precision- and Nanomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
- Cancer Research Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Cell, Molecular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
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Abstract
The tumor microenvironment plays a determining role in cancer development through a plethora of interactions between the extracellular matrix and tumor cells. Decorin is a prototype member of the SLRP family found in a variety of tissues and is expressed in the stroma of various forms of cancer. Decorin has gained recognition for its essential roles in inflammation, fibrotic disorders, and cancer, and due to its antitumor properties, it has been proposed to act as a "guardian from the matrix." Initially identified as a natural inhibitor of transforming growth factor-β, soluble decorin is emerging as a pan-RTK inhibitor targeting a multitude of RTKs, including EGFR, Met, IGF-IR, VEGFR2, and PDGFR. Besides initiating signaling, decorin/RTK interaction can induce caveosomal internalization and receptor degradation. Decorin also triggers cell cycle arrest and apoptosis and evokes antimetastatic and antiangiogenic processes. In addition, as a novel regulatory mechanism, decorin was shown to induce conserved catabolic processes, such as endothelial cell autophagy and tumor cell mitophagy. Therefore, decorin is a promising candidate for combatting cancer, especially the cancer types heavily dependent on RTK signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kornélia Baghy
- 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Andrea Reszegi
- 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Ilona Kovalszky
- 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
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Wang J, Hu L, Huang H, Yu Y, Wang J, Yu Y, Li K, Li Y, Tian T, Chen F. CAR (CARSKNKDC) Peptide Modified ReNcell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles as a Novel Therapeutic Agent for Targeted Pulmonary Hypertension Therapy. Hypertension 2020; 76:1147-1160. [DOI: 10.1161/hypertensionaha.120.15554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)–derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) are emerging as a potential therapeutic agent for pulmonary hypertension (PH). However, the full realization of MSCs-derived EVs therapy has been hampered by the absence of standardization in MSCs culture and the challenges of industrial scale-up. The study was to exploit an alternative replacement for MSCs using currently commercialized stem cell lines for effective targeted PH therapy. ReNcell VM—a human neural stem cell line—has been utilized here as a reliable and easily adoptable source of EVs. We first demonstrated that ReNcell-derived EVs (ReNcell-EVs) pretreatment effectively prevented Su/Hx (SU5416/hypoxia)-induced PH in mice. Then for targeted therapy, we conjugated ReNcell-EVs with CAR (CARSKNKDC) peptide (CAR-EVs)—a peptide identified to specifically target hypertensive pulmonary arteries, by bio-orthogonal chemistry. Intravenous administration of CAR-EVs selectively targeted hypertensive pulmonary artery lesions especially pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. Moreover, compared with unmodified ReNcell-EVs, CAR-EVs treatment significantly improved therapeutic effect in reversing Su/Hx-induced PH in mice. Mechanistically, ReNcell-EVs inhibited hypoxia-induced proliferation, migration, and phenotype switch of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells, at least in part, via the delivery of its endogenous highly expressed miRNAs, let-7b-5p, miR-92b-3p, and miR-100-5p. In addition, we also found that ReNcell-EVs inhibited hypoxia-induced cell apoptosis and endothelial-mesenchymal transition in human microvascular endothelial cells. Taken together, our results provide an alternative to MSCs-derived EVs–based PH therapy via using ReNcell as a reliable source of EVs. Particularly, our CAR-conjugated EVs may serve as a novel drug carrier that enhances the specificity and efficiency of drug delivery for effective PH-targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Wang
- From the Department of Forensic Medicine (Jie Wang, L.H., H.H., Yanfang Yu, Youjia Yu, K.L., Y.L., F.C.), Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Li Hu
- From the Department of Forensic Medicine (Jie Wang, L.H., H.H., Yanfang Yu, Youjia Yu, K.L., Y.L., F.C.), Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Huijie Huang
- From the Department of Forensic Medicine (Jie Wang, L.H., H.H., Yanfang Yu, Youjia Yu, K.L., Y.L., F.C.), Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yanfang Yu
- From the Department of Forensic Medicine (Jie Wang, L.H., H.H., Yanfang Yu, Youjia Yu, K.L., Y.L., F.C.), Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jingshen Wang
- Department of Neurobiology, Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu (Jingshen Wang, T.T.), Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Youjia Yu
- From the Department of Forensic Medicine (Jie Wang, L.H., H.H., Yanfang Yu, Youjia Yu, K.L., Y.L., F.C.), Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Kai Li
- From the Department of Forensic Medicine (Jie Wang, L.H., H.H., Yanfang Yu, Youjia Yu, K.L., Y.L., F.C.), Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yan Li
- From the Department of Forensic Medicine (Jie Wang, L.H., H.H., Yanfang Yu, Youjia Yu, K.L., Y.L., F.C.), Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Tian Tian
- Department of Neurobiology, Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu (Jingshen Wang, T.T.), Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Feng Chen
- From the Department of Forensic Medicine (Jie Wang, L.H., H.H., Yanfang Yu, Youjia Yu, K.L., Y.L., F.C.), Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu, China
- Key Laboratory of Targeted Intervention of Cardiovascular Disease, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cardiovascular Disease Translational Medicine (F.C.), Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu, China
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9
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Pemmari T, Ivanova L, May U, Lingasamy P, Tobi A, Pasternack A, Prince S, Ritvos O, Makkapati S, Teesalu T, Cairo MS, Järvinen TAH, Liao Y. Exposed CendR Domain in Homing Peptide Yields Skin-Targeted Therapeutic in Epidermolysis Bullosa. Mol Ther 2020; 28:1833-1845. [PMID: 32497513 PMCID: PMC7403337 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2020.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Systemic skin-selective therapeutics would be a major advancement in the treatment of diseases affecting the entire skin, such as recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB), which is caused by mutations in the COL7A1 gene and manifests in transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-driven fibrosis and malignant transformation. Homing peptides containing a C-terminal R/KXXR/K motif (C-end rule [CendR] sequence) activate an extravasation and tissue penetration pathway for tumor-specific drug delivery. We have previously described a homing peptide CRKDKC (CRK) that contains a cryptic CendR motif and homes to angiogenic blood vessels in wounds and tumors, but it cannot penetrate cells or tissues. In this study, we demonstrate that removal of the cysteine from CRK to expose the CendR sequence confers the peptide novel ability to home to normal skin. Fusion of the truncated CRK (tCRK) peptide to the C terminus of an extracellular matrix protein decorin (DCN), a natural TGF-β inhibitor, resulted in a skin-homing therapeutic molecule (DCN-tCRK). Systemic DCN-tCRK administration in RDEB mice led to inhibition of TGF-β signaling in the skin and significant improvement in the survival of RDEB mice. These results suggest that DCN-tCRK has the potential to be utilized as a novel therapeutic compound for the treatment of dermatological diseases such as RDEB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toini Pemmari
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University & Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Larisa Ivanova
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA
| | - Ulrike May
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University & Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Prakash Lingasamy
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Allan Tobi
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Anja Pasternack
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Stuart Prince
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University & Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Olli Ritvos
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Shreya Makkapati
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA
| | - Tambet Teesalu
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, 50411 Tartu, Estonia; Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, 10901 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Center for Nanomedicine, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Mitchell S Cairo
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA; Department of Pathology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA; Department of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA; Deparmtent of Cell Biology and Anatomy, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA
| | - Tero A H Järvinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University & Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Yanling Liao
- Department of Pediatrics, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA.
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10
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Abstract
Introduction: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease characterized by remodeling of small pulmonary arteries leading to increased pulmonary arterial pressure. Existing treatments acts to normalize vascular tone via three signaling pathways: the prostacyclin, the endothelin-1, and the nitric oxide. Although over the past 20 years, there has been considerable progress in terms of treatments for PAH, the disease still remains incurable with a disappointing prognosis.Areas covered: This review summarizes the pathophysiology of PAH, the advantages and disadvantages of the inhalation route, and assess the relative advantages various inhaled therapies for PAH. The recent studies concerning the development of controlled-release drug delivery systems loaded with available anti-PAH drugs have also been summarized.Expert opinion: The main obstacles of current pharmacotherapies of PAH are their short half-life, stability, and formulations, resulting in reducing the efficacy and increasing systemic side effects and unknown pathogenesis of PAH. The pulmonary route has been proposed for delivering anti-PAH drugs to overcome the shortcomings. However, the application of approved inhaled anti-PAH drugs is limited. Inhalational delivery of controlled-release nanoformulations can overcome these restrictions. Extensive studies are required to develop safe and effective drug delivery systems for PAH patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Keshavarz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX, USA
| | - Hossam Kadry
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX, USA
| | - Ahmed Alobaida
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX, USA
| | - Fakhrul Ahsan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX, USA
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11
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Järvinen TA, Pemmari T. Systemically Administered, Target-Specific, Multi-Functional Therapeutic Recombinant Proteins in Regenerative Medicine. Nanomaterials (Basel) 2020; 10:E226. [PMID: 32013041 PMCID: PMC7075297 DOI: 10.3390/nano10020226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Growth factors, chemokines and cytokines guide tissue regeneration after injuries. However, their applications as recombinant proteins are almost non-existent due to the difficulty of maintaining their bioactivity in the protease-rich milieu of injured tissues in humans. Safety concerns have ruled out their systemic administration. The vascular system provides a natural platform for circumvent the limitations of the local delivery of protein-based therapeutics. Tissue selectivity in drug accumulation can be obtained as organ-specific molecular signatures exist in the blood vessels in each tissue, essentially forming a postal code system ("vascular zip codes") within the vasculature. These target-specific "vascular zip codes" can be exploited in regenerative medicine as the angiogenic blood vessels in the regenerating tissues have a unique molecular signature. The identification of vascular homing peptides capable of finding these unique "vascular zip codes" after their systemic administration provides an appealing opportunity for the target-specific delivery of therapeutics to tissue injuries. Therapeutic proteins can be "packaged" together with homing peptides by expressing them as multi-functional recombinant proteins. These multi-functional recombinant proteins provide an example how molecular engineering gives to a compound an ability to home to regenerating tissue and enhance its therapeutic potential. Regenerative medicine has been dominated by the locally applied therapeutic approaches despite these therapies are not moving to clinical medicine with success. There might be a time to change the paradigm towards systemically administered, target organ-specific therapeutic molecules in future drug discovery and development for regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tero A.H. Järvinen
- Faculty of Medicine & Health Technology, Tampere University, FI-33014 Tampere, Finland & Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland
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12
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Keshavarz A, Alobaida A, McMurtry IF, Nozik-Grayck E, Stenmark KR, Ahsan F. CAR, a Homing Peptide, Prolongs Pulmonary Preferential Vasodilation by Increasing Pulmonary Retention and Reducing Systemic Absorption of Liposomal Fasudil. Mol Pharm 2019; 16:3414-3429. [PMID: 31194563 PMCID: PMC7035787 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.9b00208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Here, we sought to elucidate the role of CAR (a cyclic peptide) in the accumulation and distribution of fasudil, a drug for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), in rat lungs and in producing pulmonary specific vasodilation in PAH rats. As such, we prepared liposomes of fasudil and CAR-conjugated liposomal fasudil and assessed the liposomes for CAR conjugation, physical properties, entrapment efficiencies, in vitro release profiles, and stabilities upon incubation in cell culture media, storage, and aerosolization. We also studied the cellular uptake of fasudil in different formulations, quantified heparan sulfate (HS) in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs), and investigated the distribution of the liposomes in the lungs of PAH rats. We assessed the drug accumulation in a close and recirculating isolated perfused rat lung model and studied the pharmacokinetics and pharmacological efficacy of the drug and formulations in Sugen/hypoxia-induced PAH rats. The entrapment efficiency of the liposomal fasudil was 95.5 ± 4.5%, and the cumulative release was 93.95 ± 6.22%. The uptake of CAR liposomes by pulmonary arterial cells and their distribution and accumulation in the lungs were much greater than those of no-CAR-liposomes. CAR-induced increase in the cellular uptake was associated with an increase in HS expression by rat PAH-PASMCs. CAR, when conjugated with liposomal fasudil and given via an intratracheal instillation, extended the elimination half-life of the drug by four-fold compared with fasudil-in-no-CAR-liposomes given via the same route. CAR-conjugated liposomal fasudil, as opposed to fasudil-in-no-CAR-liposomes and CAR pretreatment followed by fasudil-in-no-CAR-liposomes, reduced the mean pulmonary arterial pressure by 40-50% for 6 h, without affecting the mean systemic arterial pressure. On the whole, this study suggests that CAR aids in concentrating the drug in the lungs, increasing the cellular uptake, extending the half-life of fasudil, and eliciting a pulmonary-specific vasodilation when the peptide remains conjugated on the liposomal surface, but not when CAR is given as a pretreatment or alone as an admixture with the drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Keshavarz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, Texas 79430, United States
| | - Ahmed Alobaida
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, Texas 79430, United States
| | - Ivan F. McMurtry
- Department of Pharmacology, The Center for Lung Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama 36688, United States
| | - Eva Nozik-Grayck
- Department of Pediatrics and Medicine, Cardiovascular Pulmonary Research Laboratories, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045, United States
| | - Kurt R. Stenmark
- Department of Pediatrics and Medicine, Cardiovascular Pulmonary Research Laboratories, University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045, United States
| | - Fakhrul Ahsan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, Texas 79430, United States
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13
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Järvinen TAH, Ruoslahti E. Generation of a multi-functional, target organ-specific, anti-fibrotic molecule by molecular engineering of the extracellular matrix protein, decorin. Br J Pharmacol 2019; 176:16-25. [PMID: 29847688 PMCID: PMC6284330 DOI: 10.1111/bph.14374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Revised: 05/04/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules play important roles in regulating processes such as cell proliferation, migration, differentiation and survival. Decorin is a proteoglycan that binds to ('decorates') collagen fibrils in the ECM. Decorin also interacts with many growth factors and their receptors, the most notable of these interactions being its inhibitory activity on TGF-β, the growth factor responsible for fibrosis formation. We have generated a recombinant, multi-functional, fusion-protein consisting of decorin as a therapeutic domain and a vascular homing and cell-penetrating peptide as a targeting vehicle. This recombinant decorin (CAR-DCN) accumulates at the sites of the targeted disease at higher levels and, as a result, has substantially enhanced biological activity over native decorin. CAR-DCN is an example of how molecular engineering can give a compound the ability to seek out sites of disease and enhance its therapeutic potential. CAR-DCN will hopefully be used to treat severe human diseases. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed section on Translating the Matrix. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v176.1/issuetoc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tero A H Järvinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Life SciencesUniversity of TampereTampereFinland
- Department of Orthopedics and TraumatologyTampere University HospitalTampereFinland
| | - Erkki Ruoslahti
- Cancer CenterSanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery InstituteLa JollaCAUSA
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14
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Rashid J, Nahar K, Raut S, Keshavarz A, Ahsan F. Fasudil and DETA NONOate, Loaded in a Peptide-Modified Liposomal Carrier, Slow PAH Progression upon Pulmonary Delivery. Mol Pharm 2018. [PMID: 29528655 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.7b01003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the feasibility of a combination therapy comprising fasudil, a Rho-kinase inhibitor, and DETA NONOate (diethylenetriamine NONOate, DN), a long-acting nitric oxide donor, both loaded in liposomes modified with a homing peptide, CAR (CARSKNKDC), in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). We first prepared and characterized unmodified and CAR-modified liposomes of fasudil and DN. Using individual drugs alone or a mixture of fasudil and DN as controls, we studied the efficacy of the two liposomal preparations in reducing mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) in monocrotaline (MCT) and SUGEN-hypoxia-induced PAH rats. We also conducted morphometric studies (degree of muscularization, arterial medial wall thickness, and collagen deposition) after treating the PAH rats with test and control formulations. When the rats were treated acutely and chronically, the reduction in mPAP was more pronounced in the liposomal formulation-treated rats than in plain drug-treated rats. CAR-modified liposomes were more selective in reducing mPAP than unmodified liposomes of the drugs. Both drugs, formulated in CAR-modified liposomes, reduced the degree of muscularization, medial arterial wall thickness, and collagen deposition more than the combination of plain drugs did. As seen with the in vivo data, CAR-modified liposomes of fasudil or DN increased the levels of the vasodilatory signaling molecule, cGMP, in the smooth muscle cells of PAH-afflicted human pulmonary arteries. Overall, fasudil and DN, formulated in liposomes, could be used as a combination therapy for a better management of PAH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jahidur Rashid
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy , Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center , 1300 Coulter Drive , Amarillo , Texas 79106 , United States
| | - Kamrun Nahar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy , Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center , 1300 Coulter Drive , Amarillo , Texas 79106 , United States
| | - Snehal Raut
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy , Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center , 1300 Coulter Drive , Amarillo , Texas 79106 , United States
| | - Ali Keshavarz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy , Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center , 1300 Coulter Drive , Amarillo , Texas 79106 , United States
| | - Fakhrul Ahsan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy , Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center , 1300 Coulter Drive , Amarillo , Texas 79106 , United States
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15
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Brenner JS, Kiseleva RY, Glassman PM, Parhiz H, Greineder CF, Hood ED, Shuvaev VV, Muzykantov VR. The new frontiers of the targeted interventions in the pulmonary vasculature: precision and safety (2017 Grover Conference Series). Pulm Circ 2017; 8:2045893217752329. [PMID: 29261028 PMCID: PMC5768280 DOI: 10.1177/2045893217752329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The pulmonary vasculature plays an important role in many lung pathologies, such as pulmonary arterial hypertension, primary graft dysfunction of lung transplant, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Therapy for these diseases is quite limited, largely due to dose-limiting side effects of numerous drugs that have been trialed or approved. High doses of drugs targeting the pulmonary vasculature are needed due to the lack of specific affinity of therapeutic compounds to the vasculature. To overcome this problem, the field of targeted drug delivery aims to target drugs to the pulmonary endothelial cells, especially those in pathological regions. The field uses a variety of drug delivery systems (DDSs), ranging from nano-scale drug carriers, such as liposomes, to methods of conjugating drugs to affinity moieites, such as antibodies. These DDSs can deliver small molecule drugs, protein therapeutics, and imaging agents. Here we review targeted drug delivery to the pulmonary endothelium for the treatment of pulmonary diseases. Cautionary notes are made of the risk–benefit ratio and safety—parameters one should keep in mind when developing a translational therapeutic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob S Brenner
- 1 14640 Pulmonary, Allergy, & Critical Care Division, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Raisa Yu Kiseleva
- 2 14640 Department of Pharmacology, The Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Patrick M Glassman
- 2 14640 Department of Pharmacology, The Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hamideh Parhiz
- 2 14640 Department of Pharmacology, The Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Colin F Greineder
- 2 14640 Department of Pharmacology, The Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Elizabeth D Hood
- 2 14640 Department of Pharmacology, The Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Vladimir V Shuvaev
- 2 14640 Department of Pharmacology, The Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Vladimir R Muzykantov
- 2 14640 Department of Pharmacology, The Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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16
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Shen Y, Russo V, Zeglinski MR, Sellers SL, Wu Z, Oram C, Santacruz S, Merkulova Y, Turner C, Tauh K, Zhao H, Bozin T, Bohunek L, Zeng H, Seidman MA, Bleackley RC, McManus BM, Ruoslahti E, Järvinen TAH, Granville DJ. Recombinant Decorin Fusion Protein Attenuates Murine Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Formation and Rupture. Sci Rep 2017; 7:15857. [PMID: 29158532 PMCID: PMC5696466 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-16194-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Decorin (DCN) is a small-leucine rich proteoglycan that mediates collagen fibrillogenesis, organization, and tensile strength. Adventitial DCN is reduced in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) resulting in vessel wall instability thereby predisposing the vessel to rupture. Recombinant DCN fusion protein CAR-DCN was engineered with an extended C-terminus comprised of CAR homing peptide that recognizes inflamed blood vessels and penetrates deep into the vessel wall. In the present study, the role of systemically-administered CAR-DCN in AAA progression and rupture was assessed in a murine model. Apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE-KO) mice were infused with angiotensin II (AngII) for 28 days to induce AAA formation. CAR-DCN or vehicle was administrated systemically until day 15. Mortality due to AAA rupture was significantly reduced in CAR-DCN-treated mice compared to controls. Although the prevalence of AAA was similar between vehicle and CAR-DCN groups, the severity of AAA in the CAR-DCN group was significantly reduced. Histological analysis revealed that CAR-DCN treatment significantly increased DCN and collagen levels within the aortic wall as compared to vehicle controls. Taken together, these results suggest that CAR-DCN treatment attenuates the formation and rupture of Ang II-induced AAA in mice by reinforcing the aortic wall.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Shen
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- International Collaboration On Repair Discoveries (ICORD), Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Valerio Russo
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- International Collaboration On Repair Discoveries (ICORD), Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Matthew R Zeglinski
- International Collaboration On Repair Discoveries (ICORD), Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Stephanie L Sellers
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia & St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Zhengguo Wu
- Imaging Unit, Integrative Oncology Department, BC Cancer Agency Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Photomedicine Institute, Department of Dermatology and Skin Science, University of British Columbia & Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Cameron Oram
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- International Collaboration On Repair Discoveries (ICORD), Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Stephanie Santacruz
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- International Collaboration On Repair Discoveries (ICORD), Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Yulia Merkulova
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- International Collaboration On Repair Discoveries (ICORD), Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Christopher Turner
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- International Collaboration On Repair Discoveries (ICORD), Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Keerit Tauh
- International Collaboration On Repair Discoveries (ICORD), Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Hongyan Zhao
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- International Collaboration On Repair Discoveries (ICORD), Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Tatjana Bozin
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Lubos Bohunek
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Haishan Zeng
- Imaging Unit, Integrative Oncology Department, BC Cancer Agency Research Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Photomedicine Institute, Department of Dermatology and Skin Science, University of British Columbia & Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Michael A Seidman
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - R Chris Bleackley
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Bruce M McManus
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- PROOF Centre of Excellence, University of British Columbia & Providence Health Care, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Erkki Ruoslahti
- Cancer Research Center, Sanford-Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106-9610, USA
| | - Tero A H Järvinen
- Faculty of Medicine & Life Sciences, University of Tampere & Department of Orthopedics & Traumatology, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - David J Granville
- Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- International Collaboration On Repair Discoveries (ICORD), Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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17
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Gupta N, Rashid J, Nozik-Grayck E, McMurtry IF, Stenmark KR, Ahsan F. Cocktail of Superoxide Dismutase and Fasudil Encapsulated in Targeted Liposomes Slows PAH Progression at a Reduced Dosing Frequency. Mol Pharm 2017; 14:830-841. [PMID: 28165252 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.6b01061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Currently, two or more pulmonary vasodilators are used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), but conventional vasodilators alone cannot reverse disease progression. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that a combination therapy comprising a vasodilator plus a therapeutic agent that slows pulmonary arterial remodeling and right heart hypertrophy is an efficacious alternative to current vasodilator-based PAH therapy. Thus, we encapsulated a cocktail of superoxide dismutase (SOD), a superoxide scavenger, and fasudil, a specific rho-kinase inhibitor, into a liposomal formulation equipped with a homing peptide, CAR. We evaluated the effect of the formulations on pulmonary hemodynamics in monocrotaline-induced PAH rats (MCT-induced PAH) and assessed the formulation's efficacy in slowing the disease progression in Sugen-5416/hypoxia-induced PAH rats (SU/hypoxia-induced PAH). For acute studies, we monitored both mean pulmonary and systemic arterial pressures (mPAP and mSAP) for 2 to 6 h after a single dose of the plain drugs or formulations. In chronic studies, PAH rats received plain drugs every 48 h and the formulations every 72 h for 21 days. In MCT-induced PAH rats, CAR-modified liposomes containing fasudil plus SOD elicited a more pronounced, prolonged, and selective reduction in mPAP than unmodified liposomes and plain drugs did. In SU/hypoxia-induced PAH rats, the formulation produced a >50% reduction in mPAP and slowed right ventricular hypertrophy. When compared with individual plain drugs or combination, CAR-modified-liposomes containing both drugs reduced the extent of collagen deposition, muscularization of arteries, increased SOD levels in the lungs, and decreased the expression of pSTAT-3 and p-MYPT1. Overall, CAR-modified-liposomes of SOD plus fasudil, given every 72 h, was as efficacious as plain drugs, given every 48 h, suggesting that the formulation can reduce the total drug intake, systemic exposures, and dosing frequency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilesh Gupta
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center , 1300 Coulter Drive, Amarillo, Texas 79106, United States
| | - Jahidur Rashid
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center , 1300 Coulter Drive, Amarillo, Texas 79106, United States
| | - Eva Nozik-Grayck
- Developmental Lung Biology, Cardiovascular Pulmonary Research Laboratories, Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine, Division of Pediatrics-Critical Care, Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Colorado, Denver , Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045, United States
| | - Ivan F McMurtry
- Departments of Pharmacology and Internal Medicine and the Center for Lung Biology, University of South Alabama , Mobile, Alabama 36688, United States
| | - Kurt R Stenmark
- Developmental Lung Biology, Cardiovascular Pulmonary Research Laboratories, Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine, Division of Pediatrics-Critical Care, Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics, University of Colorado, Denver , Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado 80045, United States
| | - Fakhrul Ahsan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center , 1300 Coulter Drive, Amarillo, Texas 79106, United States
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18
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmoud A. Elnaggar
- Center for Biomaterials, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Korea University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Ramesh Subbiah
- Center for Biomaterials, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Korea University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Keun Han
- Center for Biomaterials, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Korea University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoon Ki Joung
- Center for Biomaterials, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Korea University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
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19
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Järvinen TAH, Rashid J, Valmari T, May U, Ahsan F. Systemically Administered, Target-Specific Therapeutic Recombinant Proteins and Nanoparticles for Regenerative Medicine. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2017; 3:1273-1282. [DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.6b00746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tero A. H. Järvinen
- Faculty
of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Tampere, Lääkärinkatu
1, 33014 Tampere, Finland
- Department of Orthopedics & Traumatology, Tampere University Hospital, Teiskontie 35, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Jahidur Rashid
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 1300 Coulter Street, Amarillo, Texas 79106, United States
| | - Toini Valmari
- Faculty
of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Tampere, Lääkärinkatu
1, 33014 Tampere, Finland
| | - Ulrike May
- Faculty
of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Tampere, Lääkärinkatu
1, 33014 Tampere, Finland
| | - Fakhrul Ahsan
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 1300 Coulter Street, Amarillo, Texas 79106, United States
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20
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Nahar K, Rashid J, Absar S, Al-Saikhan FI, Ahsan F. Liposomal Aerosols of Nitric Oxide (NO) Donor as a Long-Acting Substitute for the Ultra-Short-Acting Inhaled NO in the Treatment of PAH. Pharm Res 2016; 33:1696-710. [PMID: 27048347 DOI: 10.1007/s11095-016-1911-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2016] [Accepted: 03/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study seeks to develop a liposomal formulation of diethylenetriamine NONOate (DN), a long acting nitric oxide (NO) donor, with a goal to replace inhaled NO (iNO) in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). METHODS Liposomal formulations were prepared by a lipid film hydration method and modified with a cell penetrating peptide, CAR. The particles were characterized for size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, storage and nebulization stability, and in-vitro release profiles. The cellular uptake and transport were assessed in rat alveolar macrophages (NR8383) and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) activated rat pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). The fraction of the formulation that enters the systemic circulation, after intratracheal administration, was determined in an Isolated Perfused Rat Lung (IPRL) model. The safety of the formulations were assessed using an MTT assay and by measuring injury markers in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid; the pharmacological efficacy was evaluated by monitoring the changes in the mean pulmonary arterial (mPAP) and systemic pressure (mSAP) in a monocrotaline (MCT) induced-PAH rat model RESULTS Liposome size, zeta potential, and entrapment efficiency were 171 ± 4 nm, -37 ± 3 mV, and 46 ± 5%, respectively. The liposomes released 70 ± 5% of the drug in 8 h and were stable when stored at 4°C. CAR-conjugated-liposomes were taken up more efficiently by PASMCs than liposomes-without-CAR; the uptake of the formulations by rat alveolar macrophages was minimal. DN-liposomes did not increase lung weight, protein quantity, and levels of injury markers in the BAL fluid. Intratracheal CAR-liposomes reduced the entry of liposomes from the lung to blood; the formulations produced a 40% reduction in mPAP for 180 minutes. CONCLUSION This study establishes the proof-of-concept that peptide modified liposomal formulations of long-acting NO donor can be an alternative to short-acting iNO.
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Järvinen TA, Prince S. Decorin: A Growth Factor Antagonist for Tumor Growth Inhibition. Biomed Res Int 2015; 2015:654765. [PMID: 26697491 DOI: 10.1155/2015/654765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2015] [Accepted: 10/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Decorin (DCN) is the best characterized member of the extracellular small leucine-rich proteoglycan family present in connective tissues, typically in association with or “decorating” collagen fibrils. It has substantial interest to clinical medicine owing to its antifibrotic, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. Studies on DCN knockout mice have established that a lack of DCN is permissive for tumor development and it is regarded as a tumor suppressor gene. A reduced expression or a total disappearance of DCN has been reported to take place in various forms of human cancers during tumor progression. Furthermore, when used as a therapeutic molecule, DCN has been shown to inhibit tumor progression and metastases in experimental cancer models. DCN affects the biology of various types of cancer by targeting a number of crucial signaling molecules involved in cell growth, survival, metastasis, and angiogenesis. The active sites for the neutralization of different growth factors all reside in different parts of the DCN molecule. An emerging concept that multiple proteases, especially those produced by inflammatory cells, are capable of cleaving DCN suggests that native DCN could be inactivated in a number of pathological inflammatory conditions. In this paper, we review the role of DCN in cancer.
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Järvinen TAH, May U, Prince S. Systemically Administered, Target Organ-Specific Therapies for Regenerative Medicine. Int J Mol Sci 2015; 16:23556-71. [PMID: 26437400 PMCID: PMC4632713 DOI: 10.3390/ijms161023556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Revised: 09/17/2015] [Accepted: 09/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Growth factors and other agents that could potentially enhance tissue regeneration have been identified, but their therapeutic value in clinical medicine has been limited for reasons such as difficulty to maintain bioactivity of locally applied therapeutics in the protease-rich environment of regenerating tissues. Although human diseases are treated with systemically administered drugs in general, all current efforts aimed at enhancing tissue repair with biological drugs have been based on their local application. The systemic administration of growth factors has been ruled out due to concerns about their safety. These concerns are warranted. In addition, only a small proportion of systemically administered drugs reach their intended target. Selective delivery of the drug to the target tissue and use of functional protein domains capable of penetrating cells and tissues could alleviate these problems in certain circumstances. We will present in this review a novel approach utilizing unique molecular fingerprints (“Zip/postal codes”) in the vasculature of regenerating tissues that allows target organ-specific delivery of systemically administered therapeutic molecules by affinity-based physical targeting (using peptides or antibodies as an “address tag”) to injured tissues undergoing repair. The desired outcome of targeted therapies is increased local accumulation and lower systemic concentration of the therapeutic payload. We believe that the physical targeting of systemically administered therapeutic molecules could be rapidly adapted in the field of regenerative medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tero A H Järvinen
- School of Medicine, University of Tampere, 33520 Tampere, Finland.
- Department of Orthopedics & Traumatology, Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Ulrike May
- School of Medicine, University of Tampere, 33520 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Stuart Prince
- School of Medicine, University of Tampere, 33520 Tampere, Finland.
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Gupta N, Patel B, Nahar K, Ahsan F. Cell permeable peptide conjugated nanoerythrosomes of fasudil prolong pulmonary arterial vasodilation in PAH rats. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2014; 88:1046-55. [PMID: 25460151 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2014.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2014] [Revised: 10/01/2014] [Accepted: 10/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we tested the hypothesis that a cell permeable peptide, CARSKNKDC (CAR), conjugated nanoerythrosomes (NERs) containing fasudil, a rho-kinase (ROCK) inhibitor, produces prolonged pulmonary preferential vasodilation. CAR conjugated NERs containing fasudil were prepared by hypotonic lysis and extrusion method, and optimized for various physicochemical properties in-vitro. The formulations were then used to study the hemodynamic efficacy in a monocrotaline-induced rodent model of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). CAR-NERs-Fasudil was spherical in shape with an average vesicle size and entrapment efficiency of 161.3 ± 1.37 nm and 48.81 ± 1.96%, respectively. Formulations were stable for ~3 weeks when stored at 4 °C and the drug was released in a controlled fashion for >48 h. The uptake of CAR-NERs-Fasudil by TGF-b activated pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell was ~1.5-fold greater than the uptake of NERs-Fasudil. CAR-NERs-Fasudil inhibited ROCK activity and 5-hydroxytryptamine induced cell proliferation. In terms of reduction of pulmonary arterial pressure, intratracheal administration of CAR-NERs-Fasudil was ~2-fold more specific to the lungs compared with plain fasudil. Overall,CAR peptide grafted nanoerythrosomes offers a new platform for improving the therapeutic efficacy ofa rho-kinase inhibitor, fasudil, without affecting peripheral vasodilation.
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Gupta N, Al-Saikhan FI, Patel B, Rashid J, Ahsan F. Fasudil and SOD packaged in peptide-studded-liposomes: Properties, pharmacokinetics and ex-vivo targeting to isolated perfused rat lungs. Int J Pharm 2015; 488:33-43. [PMID: 25888802 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2015.04.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2014] [Revised: 04/03/2015] [Accepted: 04/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The present study investigated the feasibility of encapsulating two drugs, fasudil and superoxide dismutase (SOD), into liposomes for targeted and inhalational delivery to the pulmonary vasculature to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Nanosized liposomes were prepared by a thin-film formation and extrusion method, and the drugs were encapsulated by a modified freeze-thaw technique. The peptide CARSKNKDC (CAR), a pulmonary-specific targeting sequence, was conjugated on the surface of liposomes. Formulations were optimized for various physicochemical properties, tested for their ex-vivo and in-vivo drug absorption after intratracheal administration, and evaluated for short-term safety in healthy rats. The homogenous nanosized liposomes contained both SOD (~55% entrapment) and fasudil (~40% entrapment), and were stable at 4°C and after nebulization. Liposomes released the drugs in a controlled-release fashion. Compared with plain liposomes, CAR-liposomes increased the uptake by pulmonary endothelial and smooth muscle cells by ~2-fold. CAR-liposomes extended the biological half-lives of SOD and fasudil by ~3-fold. Ex-vivo studies demonstrated that CAR-liposomes were better retained in the lungs than plain liposomes. Bronchoalveolar lavage studies indicated the safety of peptide-equipped liposomes as pulmonary delivery carriers. Overall, this study demonstrates that CAR-liposomes may be used as inhalational carriers for SOD plus fasudil-based combination therapy for PAH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilesh Gupta
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 1300 Coulter Drive, Amarillo, TX 79106, United States
| | - Fahad I Al-Saikhan
- College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 173, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Brijeshkumar Patel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 1300 Coulter Drive, Amarillo, TX 79106, United States
| | - Jahidur Rashid
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 1300 Coulter Drive, Amarillo, TX 79106, United States
| | - Fakhrul Ahsan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 1300 Coulter Drive, Amarillo, TX 79106, United States.
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION Even though pulmonary diseases are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the world, exceedingly few life-prolonging therapies have been developed for these maladies. Relief may finally come from nanomedicine and targeted drug delivery. AREAS COVERED Here, we focus on four conditions for which the pulmonary endothelium plays a pivotal role: acute respiratory distress syndrome, primary graft dysfunction occurring immediately after lung transplantation, pulmonary arterial hypertension and pulmonary embolism. For each of these diseases, we first evaluate the targeted drug delivery approaches that have been tested in animals. Then we suggest a 'need specification' for each disease: a list of criteria (e.g., macroscale delivery method, stability, etc.) that nanomedicine agents must meet in order to warrant human clinical trials and investment from industry. EXPERT OPINION For the diseases profiled here, numerous nanomedicine agents have shown promise in animal models. However, to maximize the chances of creating products that reach patients, nanomedicine engineers and clinicians must work together and use each disease's need specification to guide the design of practical and effective nanomedicine agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob S Brenner
- University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Center for Targeted Therapeutics and Translational Nanomedicine , TRC10-125, 3600 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104 , USA +1 215 898 9823 ; +1 215 573 9135 ;
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Nahar K, Absar S, Gupta N, Kotamraju VR, McMurtry IF, Oka M, Komatsu M, Nozik-Grayck E, Ahsan F. Peptide-coated liposomal fasudil enhances site specific vasodilation in pulmonary arterial hypertension. Mol Pharm 2014; 11:4374-84. [PMID: 25333706 PMCID: PMC4255731 DOI: 10.1021/mp500456k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
![]()
This study sought to develop a liposomal
delivery system of fasudil—an
investigational drug for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension
(PAH)—that will preferentially accumulate in the PAH lungs.
Liposomal fasudil was prepared by film-hydration method, and the drug
was encapsulated by active loading. The liposome surface was coated
with a targeting moiety, CARSKNKDC, a cyclic peptide;
the liposomes were characterized for size, polydispersity index, zeta
potential, and storage and nebulization stability. The in vitro drug
release profiles and uptake by TGF-β activated pulmonary arterial
smooth muscle cells (PASMC) and alveolar macrophages were evaluated.
The pharmacokinetics were monitored in male Sprague–Dawley
rats, and the pulmonary hemodynamics were studied in acute and chronic
PAH rats. The size, polydispersity index (PDI), and zeta potential
of the liposomes were 206–216 nm, 0.058–0.084, and −20–42.7
mV, respectively. The formulations showed minimal changes in structural
integrity when nebulized with a commercial microsprayer. The optimized
formulation was stable for >4 weeks when stored at 4 °C. Fasudil
was released in a continuous fashion over 120 h with a cumulative
release of 76%. Peptide-linked liposomes were taken up at a higher
degree by TGF-β activated PASMCs; but alveolar macrophages could
not engulf peptide-coated liposomes. The formulations did not injure
the lungs; the half-life of liposomal fasudil was 34-fold higher than
that of plain fasudil after intravenous administration. Peptide-linked
liposomal fasudil, as opposed to plain liposomes, reduced the mean
pulmonary arterial pressure by 35–40%, without influencing
the mean systemic arterial pressure. This study establishes that CAR-conjugated
inhalable liposomal fasudil offers favorable pharmacokinetics and
produces pulmonary vasculature specific dilatation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamrun Nahar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center , 1300 Coulter Street, Amarillo, Texas 79106, United States
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Gupta N, Ibrahim HM, Ahsan F. Peptide-micelle hybrids containing fasudil for targeted delivery to the pulmonary arteries and arterioles to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension. J Pharm Sci 2014; 103:3743-3753. [PMID: 25266507 DOI: 10.1002/jps.24193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2014] [Revised: 09/05/2014] [Accepted: 09/08/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
This study investigates the respirability and efficacy of peptide-micelle hybrid nanoparticles as carriers for inhalational therapy of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). CARSKNKDC (CAR), a cell-penetrating and lung-homing peptide, conjugated polyethylene glycol-distearoyl-phosphoethanolamine micelles containing fasudil, an investigational anti-PAH drug, were prepared by solvent evaporation method and characterized for various physicochemical properties. The pharmacokinetics and pharmacological efficacy of hybrid particles containing fasudil were evaluated in healthy rats and monocrotaline-induced PAH rats. CAR micelles containing fasudil had an entrapment efficiency of approximately 58%, showed controlled release of the drug, and were monodispersed with an average size of approximately 14 nm. Nuclear magnetic resonance scan confirmed the drug's presence in the core of peptide-micelle hybrid particles. Compared with plain micelles, CAR peptide increased the cellular uptake by approximately 1.7-fold and extended the drug half-life by approximately fivefold. The formulations were more prone to accumulate in the pulmonary vasculature than in the peripheral blood, which is evident from the ratio of the extent of reduction of pulmonary and systemic arterial pressures. On the whole, this study demonstrates that peptide-polymer hybrid micelles can serve as inhalational carriers for PAH therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilesh Gupta
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center 1300 Coulter Drive, Amarillo, Texas 79106
| | - Hany M Ibrahim
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center 1300 Coulter Drive, Amarillo, Texas 79106; Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of PharmacyAl-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Fakhrul Ahsan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center 1300 Coulter Drive, Amarillo, Texas 79106.
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Saco TV, Parthasarathy PT, Cho Y, Lockey RF, Kolliputi N. Role of epigenetics in pulmonary hypertension. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2014; 306:C1101-5. [PMID: 24717578 PMCID: PMC4060002 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00314.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2013] [Accepted: 04/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
A significant amount of research has been conducted to examine the pathologic processes and epigenetic mechanisms contributing to peripheral hypertension. However, few studies have been carried out to understand the vascular remodeling behind pulmonary hypertension (PH), including peripheral artery muscularization, medial hypertrophy and neointima formation in proximal arteries, and plexiform lesion formation. Similarly, research examining some of the epigenetic principles that may contribute to this vascular remodeling, such as DNA methylation and histone modification, is minimal. The understanding of these principles may be the key to developing new and more effective treatments for PH. The purpose of this review is to summarize epigenetic research conducted in the field of hypertension that could possibly be used to understand the epigenetics of PH. Possible future therapies that could be pursued using information from these studies include selective histone deacetylase inhibitors and targeted DNA methyltransferases. Both of these could potentially be used to silence proproliferative or antiapoptotic genes that lead to decreased smooth muscle cell proliferation. Epigenetics may provide a glimmer of hope for the eventual improved treatment of this highly morbid and debilitating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara V Saco
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | - Prasanna Tamarapu Parthasarathy
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | - Young Cho
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | - Richard F Lockey
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
| | - Narasaiah Kolliputi
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
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Papamatheakis DG, Blood AB, Kim JH, Wilson SM. Antenatal hypoxia and pulmonary vascular function and remodeling. Curr Vasc Pharmacol 2014; 11:616-40. [PMID: 24063380 DOI: 10.2174/1570161111311050006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2012] [Revised: 06/25/2012] [Accepted: 07/12/2012] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
This review provides evidence that antenatal hypoxia, which represents a significant and worldwide problem, causes prenatal programming of the lung. A general overview of lung development is provided along with some background regarding transcriptional and signaling systems of the lung. The review illustrates that antenatal hypoxic stress can induce a continuum of responses depending on the species examined. Fetuses and newborns of certain species and specific human populations are well acclimated to antenatal hypoxia. However, antenatal hypoxia causes pulmonary vascular disease in fetuses and newborns of most mammalian species and humans. Disease can range from mild pulmonary hypertension, to severe vascular remodeling and dangerous elevations in pressure. The timing, length, and magnitude of the intrauterine hypoxic stress are important to disease development, however there is also a genetic-environmental relationship that is not yet completely understood. Determining the origins of pulmonary vascular remodeling and pulmonary hypertension and their associated effects is a challenging task, but is necessary in order to develop targeted therapies for pulmonary hypertension in the newborn due to antenatal hypoxia that can both treat the symptoms and curtail or reverse disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Demosthenes G Papamatheakis
- Center for Perinatal Biology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, 11234 Anderson Street, Loma Linda, 92350 CA, USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bethany Powell Gray
- Department of Internal Medicine and The Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75390-8807, United States
| | - Kathlynn C. Brown
- Department of Internal Medicine and The Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, Texas 75390-8807, United States
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Toba M, Alzoubi A, O'Neill K, Abe K, Urakami T, Komatsu M, Alvarez D, Järvinen TAH, Mann D, Ruoslahti E, McMurtry IF, Oka M. A novel vascular homing peptide strategy to selectively enhance pulmonary drug efficacy in pulmonary arterial hypertension. Am J Pathol 2014; 184:369-75. [PMID: 24401613 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2013.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2013] [Revised: 09/10/2013] [Accepted: 10/17/2013] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
A major limitation in the pharmacological treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is the lack of pulmonary vascular selectivity. Recent studies have identified a tissue-penetrating homing peptide, CARSKNKDC (CAR), which specifically homes to hypertensive pulmonary arteries but not to normal pulmonary vessels or other tissues. Some tissue-penetrating vascular homing peptides have a unique ability to facilitate transport of co-administered drugs into the targeted cells/tissues without requiring physical conjugation of the drug to the peptide (bystander effect). We tested the hypothesis that co-administered CAR would selectively enhance the pulmonary vascular effects of i.v. vasodilators in Sugen5416/hypoxia/normoxia-exposed PAH rats. Systemically administered CAR was predominantly detected in cells of remodeled pulmonary arteries. Intravenously co-administered CAR enhanced pulmonary, but not systemic, effects of the vasodilators, fasudil and imatinib, in PAH rats. CAR increased lung tissue imatinib concentration in isolated PAH lungs without increasing pulmonary vascular permeability. Sublingual CAR was also effective in selectively enhancing the pulmonary vasodilation by imatinib and sildenafil. Our results suggest a new paradigm in the treatment of PAH, using an i.v./sublingual tissue-penetrating homing peptide to selectively augment pulmonary vascular effects of nonselective drugs without the potentially problematic conjugation process. CAR may be particularly useful as an add-on therapy to selectively enhance the pulmonary vascular efficacy of any ongoing drug treatment in patients with PAH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michie Toba
- Departments of Pharmacology and Internal Medicine, Center for Lung Biology, University of South Alabama, College of Medicine, Mobile, Alabama
| | - Abdallah Alzoubi
- Departments of Pharmacology and Internal Medicine, Center for Lung Biology, University of South Alabama, College of Medicine, Mobile, Alabama
| | - Kealan O'Neill
- Departments of Pharmacology and Internal Medicine, Center for Lung Biology, University of South Alabama, College of Medicine, Mobile, Alabama
| | - Kohtaro Abe
- Departments of Pharmacology and Internal Medicine, Center for Lung Biology, University of South Alabama, College of Medicine, Mobile, Alabama
| | - Takeo Urakami
- Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute at Lake Nona, Orlando, Florida
| | - Masanobu Komatsu
- Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute at Lake Nona, Orlando, Florida
| | - Diego Alvarez
- Departments of Pharmacology and Internal Medicine, Center for Lung Biology, University of South Alabama, College of Medicine, Mobile, Alabama
| | - Tero A H Järvinen
- Medical School, University and University Hospital of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
| | - David Mann
- VBS Pharmaceuticals Division, Vascular BioSciences, Goleta, California
| | - Erkki Ruoslahti
- Cancer Center, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Ivan F McMurtry
- Departments of Pharmacology and Internal Medicine, Center for Lung Biology, University of South Alabama, College of Medicine, Mobile, Alabama
| | - Masahiko Oka
- Departments of Pharmacology and Internal Medicine, Center for Lung Biology, University of South Alabama, College of Medicine, Mobile, Alabama.
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Morrell NW, Archer SL, Defelice A, Evans S, Fiszman M, Martin T, Saulnier M, Rabinovitch M, Schermuly R, Stewart D, Truebel H, Walker G, Stenmark KR. Anticipated classes of new medications and molecular targets for pulmonary arterial hypertension. Pulm Circ 2013; 3:226-44. [PMID: 23662201 PMCID: PMC3641734 DOI: 10.4103/2045-8932.109940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) remains a life-limiting condition with a major impact on the ability to lead a normal life. Although existing therapies may improve the outlook in some patients there remains a major unmet need to develop more effective therapies in this condition. There have been significant advances in our understanding of the genetic, cell and molecular basis of PAH over the last few years. This research has identified important new targets that could be explored as potential therapies for PAH. In this review we discuss whether further exploitation of vasoactive agents could bring additional benefits over existing approaches. Approaches to enhance smooth muscle cell apotosis and the potential of receptor tyrosine kinase inhibition are summarised. We evaluate the role of inflammation, epigenetic changes and altered glycolytic metabolism as potential targets for therapy, and whether inherited genetic mutations in PAH have revealed druggable targets. The potential of cell based therapies and gene therapy are also discussed. Potential candidate pathways that could be explored in the context of experimental medicine are identified.
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Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE The healing of injuries, such as those caused by ischemia (myocardial infarction, stroke), trauma, surgery, and inflammation, tends to happen through undesirable and harmful scarring. Current options in reducing scar formation are largely limited to local intervention in accessible tissues. RECENT ADVANCES We have designed a systemically administered, injury-targeted decorin for scar prevention. The delivery of decorin to injured tissues is achieved by fusing recombinant decorin to a 9-amino acid peptide, CARSKNKDC (CAR), which specifically recognizes the vessels in injured tissues and extravasates into the tissue, delivering decorin with it. CRITICAL ISSUES Decorin is known to prevent tissue fibrosis and promote tissue regeneration. This activity of decorin is based on inhibition of TGF-β and some other regulatory activities. In addition to serving as a delivery vehicle, the CAR component endowed decorin with much stronger neutralizing activity against TGF-β1 in vitro than is obtained with nontargeted decorin. The CAR-decorin fusion protein promoted wound healing in a mouse skin wound model and suppressed scar formation at doses at which nontargeted decorin was inactive. These results show that selective targeting enhances specificity and potency of an antiscarring compound. FUTURE DIRECTIONS Targeted decorin provides a new, systemic option for the treatment of scarring and fibrotic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tero A.H. Järvinen
- Vascular Mapping Laboratory, Center for Nanomedicine, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute at UCSB, University of California, Santa Barbara, California
- Cancer Research Center, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, La Jolla, California
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Tampere and Tampere City Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Erkki Ruoslahti
- Vascular Mapping Laboratory, Center for Nanomedicine, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute at UCSB, University of California, Santa Barbara, California
- Cancer Research Center, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, La Jolla, California
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Witkiewicz H, Oh P, Schnitzer JE. II. Capsular vaso-mimicry formed by transgenic mammary tumor spheroids implanted ectopically into mouse dorsal skin fold: implications for cellular mechanisms of metastasis. F1000Res 2013; 2:9. [PMID: 24555024 PMCID: PMC3869488 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.2-9.v2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Most cancer patients die of metastatic disease, not primary tumors, while biological mechanisms leading to metastases remain unclear and effective therapies are missing. Using a mouse dorsal skin chamber model we had observed that tumor growth and vasculature formation could be influenced by the way in vitro cultured (avascular) spheroids of N202 breast tumor cells were implanted; co-implantation of lactating breast tissue created stimulating microenvironment, whereas the absence of the graft resulted in temporary tumor dormancy. This report addressed the issue of cellular mechanisms of the vasculogenic switch that ended the dormancy. In situ ultrastructural analysis revealed that the tumors survived in ectopic microenvironment until some of host and tumor stem cells evolved independently into cells initiating the vasculogenic switch. The tumor cells that survived and proliferated under hypoxic conditions for three weeks were supported by erythrogenic autophagy of others. However, the host microenvironment first responded as it would to non-immunogenic foreign bodies, i.e., by encapsulating the tumor spheroids with collagen-producing fibroblasts. That led to a form of vaso-mimicry consisting of tumor cells amid tumor-derived erythrosomes (synonym of erythrocytes), megakaryocytes and platelets, and encapsulating them all, the host fibroblasts. Such capsular vaso-mimicry could potentially facilitate metastasis by fusing with morphologically similar lymphatic vessels or veins. Once incorporated into the host circulatory system, tumor cells could be carried away passively by blood flow, regardless of their genetic heterogeneity. The fake vascular segment would have permeability properties different from genuine vascular endothelium. The capsular vaso-mimicry was different from vasculogenic mimicry earlier observed in metastases-associated malignant tumors where channels formed by tumor cells were said to contain circulating blood. Structures similar to the vasculogenic mimicry were seen here as well but contained non-circulating erythrosomes formed between tumor nodules. The host's response to the implantation included coordinated formation of new vessels and peripheral nerves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halina Witkiewicz
- Proteogenomics Research Institute for Systems Medicine, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Phil Oh
- Proteogenomics Research Institute for Systems Medicine, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Jan E Schnitzer
- Proteogenomics Research Institute for Systems Medicine, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
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Witkiewicz H, Oh P, Schnitzer JE. II. Capsular vaso-mimicry formed by transgenic mammary tumor spheroids implanted ectopically into mouse dorsal skin fold: cellular mechanisms of metastasis. F1000Res 2013; 2:9. [PMID: 24555024 PMCID: PMC3869488 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.2-9.v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/02/2013] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Most cancer patients die of metastatic disease, not primary tumors, while biological mechanisms leading to metastases remain unclear and effective therapies are missing. Using a mouse dorsal skin chamber model we had observed that tumor growth and vasculature formation could be influenced by the way in vitro cultured (avascular) spheroids of N202 breast tumor cells were implanted; co-implantation of lactating breast tissue created stimulating microenvironment, whereas the absence of the graft resulted in temporary tumor dormancy. This report addressed the issue of cellular mechanisms of the vasculogenic switch that ended the dormancy. In situ ultrastructural analysis revealed that the tumors survived in ectopic microenvironment until some of host and tumor stem cells evolved independently into cells initiating the vasculogenic switch. The tumor cells that survived and proliferated under hypoxic conditions for three weeks were supported by erythrogenic autophagy of others. However, the host microenvironment first responded as it would to non-immunogenic foreign bodies, i.e., by encapsulating the tumor spheroids with collagen-producing fibroblasts. That led to a form of vaso-mimicry consisting of tumor cells amid tumor-derived erythrosomes (synonym of erythrocytes), megakaryocytes and platelets, and encapsulating them all, the host fibroblasts. Such capsular vaso-mimicry could potentially facilitate metastasis by fusing with morphologically similar lymphatic vessels or veins. Once incorporated into the host circulatory system, tumor cells could be carried away passively by blood flow, regardless of their genetic heterogeneity. The fake vascular segment would have permeability properties different from genuine vascular endothelium. The capsular vaso-mimicry was different from vasculogenic mimicry earlier observed in metastases-associated malignant tumors where channels formed by tumor cells were said to contain circulating blood. Structures similar to the vasculogenic mimicry were seen here as well but contained non-circulating erythrosomes formed between tumor nodules. The host's response to the implantation included coordinated formation of new vessels and peripheral nerves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halina Witkiewicz
- Proteogenomics Research Institute for Systems Medicine, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Phil Oh
- Proteogenomics Research Institute for Systems Medicine, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Jan E Schnitzer
- Proteogenomics Research Institute for Systems Medicine, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
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Abstract
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease of the pulmonary vascular system, which may lead to right-heart failure or early death in the absence of effective treatment. The current therapy for PAH mainly includes phosphodiesterase inhibitors, prostanoids and endothelin receptor antagonists. These, however, have adverse effects when administered via conventional routes. There is a clear and critical need for the development of a novel delivery system that can efficiently deliver the drug to lung vasculature and minimize adverse effects. This article summarizes the inhalation devices and recent patents in the area of inhalable therapy for the treatment of PAH. Various patents are discussed that describe the application of inhalable therapy to target lung vasculature and to reduce dose-related side effects in PAH treatment. Entry of some inhalable delivery approaches into clinical trials is the result of progress in inhalable therapies for the treatment of PAH.
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Abstract
The use of nanoparticles in medicine (nanomedicine) has recently become an intensely studied field. Nanoparticles carrying drugs and imaging agents have already reached the clinic, but they are essentially passive delivery vehicles, not what are referred to as "smart" nanoparticles. An important function to add to make nanoparticles smarter is active homing to the target tissue. It makes nanoparticles accumulate in the target tissue at higher concentrations than would be the case without this feature, increasing therapeutic efficacy and reducing side effects. This review discusses the recent developments in the nanoparticle targeting field with emphasis on peptides that home to vascular "zip codes" in target tissues and provide a tissue- and cell-penetrating function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erkki Ruoslahti
- Center for Nanomedicine, UCSB, Biology II Bldg., University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9610, USA.
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Abstract
Selective delivery of drugs and biotherapeutics to the site of disease (synaphic targeting) has a number of advantages. First, the enhanced accumulation of the therapeutic compound at the target tissue increases drug efficacy without increasing side effects. Alternatively, the dose of the drug can be lowered to reduce the side effects. On the practical level, when a drug is difficult or expensive to make, being able to lower the dose may be the key to commercial viability. Certain targeting systems can change the distribution of the drug in a beneficial way. Examples include wider distribution and deeper penetration of the drug in the target tissue, active intracellular targeting when desirable, and even targeting to a particular subcellular organelle. In this chapter, we illustrate these principles by describing the development of a targeting system for an antifibrotic biotherapeutic, decorin. The system is based on vascular homing peptide (sequence: CARSKNKDC; referred to as CAR) that specifically recognizes angiogenic blood vessels in injured (regenerating) and inflammatory tissues and can deliver a payload to such tissues with high selectivity. So far, the CAR-targeted decorin has been shown to promote tissue repair with reduced scarring in a skin wound model, but this biotherapeutic can potentially be used in other injuries and in various fibrotic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tero A H Järvinen
- Vascular Mapping Laboratory, Center for Nanomedicine, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute at UCSB, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, USA
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Järvinen TA, Ruoslahti E. Target-seeking antifibrotic compound enhances wound healing and suppresses scar formation in mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2010; 107:21671-6. [PMID: 21106754 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1016233107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Permanent scars form upon healing of tissue injuries such as those caused by ischemia (myocardial infarction, stroke), trauma, surgery, and inflammation. Current options in reducing scar formation are limited to local intervention. We have designed a systemically administered, target-seeking biotherapeutic for scar prevention. It consists of a vascular targeting peptide that specifically recognizes angiogenic blood vessels and extravasates into sites of injury, fused with a therapeutic molecule, decorin. Decorin prevents tissue fibrosis and promotes tissue regeneration by inhibiting TGF-β activity and by other regulatory activities. The decorin-targeting peptide fusion protein had substantially increased neutralizing activity against TGF-β1 in vitro compared with untargeted decorin. In vivo, the fusion protein selectively accumulated in wounds, and promoted wound healing and suppressed scar formation at doses where nontargeted decorin was inactive. These results show that selective targeting yields a tissue-healing and scar-reducing compound with enhanced specificity and potency. This approach may help make reducing scar formation by systemic drug delivery a feasible option for surgery and for the treatment of pathological processes in which scar formation is a problem.
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