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Croft LV, Fisher M, Barbhuiya TK, El-Kamand S, Beard S, Rajapakse A, Gamsjaeger R, Cubeddu L, Bolderson E, O'Byrne K, Richard D, Gandhi NS. Sequence- and Structure-Dependent Cytotoxicity of Phosphorothioate and 2'- O-Methyl Modified Single-Stranded Oligonucleotides. Nucleic Acid Ther 2024. [PMID: 38648015 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2023.0056] [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] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Single-stranded oligonucleotides (SSOs) are a rapidly expanding class of therapeutics that comprises antisense oligonucleotides, microRNAs, and aptamers, with ten clinically approved molecules. Chemical modifications such as the phosphorothioate backbone and the 2'-O-methyl ribose can improve the stability and pharmacokinetic properties of therapeutic SSOs, but they can also lead to toxicity in vitro and in vivo through nonspecific interactions with cellular proteins, gene expression changes, disturbed RNA processing, and changes in nuclear structures and protein distribution. In this study, we screened a mini library of 277 phosphorothioate and 2'-O-methyl-modified SSOs, with or without mRNA complementarity, for cytotoxic properties in two cancer cell lines. Using circular dichroism, nucleic magnetic resonance, and molecular dynamics simulations, we show that phosphorothioate- and 2'-O-methyl-modified SSOs that form stable hairpin structures through Watson-Crick base pairing are more likely to be cytotoxic than those that exist in an extended conformation. In addition, moderate and highly cytotoxic SSOs in our dataset have a higher mean purine composition than pyrimidine. Overall, our study demonstrates a structure-cytotoxicity relationship and indicates that the formation of stable hairpins should be a consideration when designing SSOs toward optimal therapeutic profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura V Croft
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Cancer and Ageing Research Program at Translational Research Institute, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Mark Fisher
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Cancer and Ageing Research Program at Translational Research Institute, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Tabassum Khair Barbhuiya
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Serene El-Kamand
- School of Science, Western Sydney University, Penrith, Australia
| | - Samuel Beard
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Cancer and Ageing Research Program at Translational Research Institute, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Aleksandra Rajapakse
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Cancer and Ageing Research Program at Translational Research Institute, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | | | - Liza Cubeddu
- School of Science, Western Sydney University, Penrith, Australia
| | - Emma Bolderson
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Cancer and Ageing Research Program at Translational Research Institute, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Ken O'Byrne
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Cancer and Ageing Research Program at Translational Research Institute, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
- Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, Australia
| | - Derek Richard
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Cancer and Ageing Research Program at Translational Research Institute, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Neha S Gandhi
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Cancer and Ageing Research Program at Translational Research Institute, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Centre for Genomics and Personalised Health, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Karnataka, India
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2
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Ferguson CM, Hildebrand S, Godinho BMDC, Buchwald J, Echeverria D, Coles A, Grigorenko A, Vangjeli L, Sousa J, McHugh N, Hassler M, Santarelli F, Heneka MT, Rogaev E, Khvorova A. Silencing Apoe with divalent-siRNAs improves amyloid burden and activates immune response pathways in Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement 2024; 20:2632-2652. [PMID: 38375983 PMCID: PMC11032532 DOI: 10.1002/alz.13703] [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: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The most significant genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) is APOE4, with evidence for gain- and loss-of-function mechanisms. A clinical need remains for therapeutically relevant tools that potently modulate APOE expression. METHODS We optimized small interfering RNAs (di-siRNA, GalNAc) to potently silence brain or liver Apoe and evaluated the impact of each pool of Apoe on pathology. RESULTS In adult 5xFAD mice, siRNAs targeting CNS Apoe efficiently silenced Apoe expression and reduced amyloid burden without affecting systemic cholesterol, confirming that potent silencing of brain Apoe is sufficient to slow disease progression. Mechanistically, silencing Apoe reduced APOE-rich amyloid cores and activated immune system responses. DISCUSSION These results establish siRNA-based modulation of Apoe as a viable therapeutic approach, highlight immune activation as a key pathway affected by Apoe modulation, and provide the technology to further evaluate the impact of APOE silencing on neurodegeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chantal M. Ferguson
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical SchoolWorcesterMassachusettsUSA
| | - Samuel Hildebrand
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical SchoolWorcesterMassachusettsUSA
| | - Bruno M. D. C. Godinho
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical SchoolWorcesterMassachusettsUSA
| | - Julianna Buchwald
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical SchoolWorcesterMassachusettsUSA
| | - Dimas Echeverria
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical SchoolWorcesterMassachusettsUSA
| | - Andrew Coles
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical SchoolWorcesterMassachusettsUSA
| | - Anastasia Grigorenko
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Massachusetts Medical SchoolWorcesterMassachusettsUSA
| | - Lorenc Vangjeli
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical SchoolWorcesterMassachusettsUSA
| | - Jacquelyn Sousa
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical SchoolWorcesterMassachusettsUSA
| | - Nicholas McHugh
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical SchoolWorcesterMassachusettsUSA
| | - Matthew Hassler
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical SchoolWorcesterMassachusettsUSA
| | | | - Michael T. Heneka
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB)Esch‐sur‐AlzetteLuxembourg
| | - Evgeny Rogaev
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Massachusetts Medical SchoolWorcesterMassachusettsUSA
| | - Anastasia Khvorova
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical SchoolWorcesterMassachusettsUSA
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3
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Zhou S, Su T, Cheng F, Cole J, Liu X, Zhang B, Alam S, Liu J, Zhu G. Engineering cGAS-agonistic oligonucleotides as therapeutics for cancer immunotherapy. Mol Ther Nucleic Acids 2024; 35:102126. [PMID: 38352859 PMCID: PMC10863322 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102126] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Activating cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS-STING) holds great potential for cancer immunotherapy by eliciting type-I interferon (IFN-I) responses. Yet, current approaches to cGAS-STING activation rely on STING agonists, which suffer from difficult formulation, poor pharmacokinetics, and marginal clinical therapeutic efficacy. Here, we report nature-inspired oligonucleotide, Svg3, as a cGAS agonist for cGAS-STING activation in tumor combination immunotherapy. The hairpin-shaped Svg3 strongly binds to cGAS and enhances phase separation to form Svg3-cGAS liquid-like droplets. This results in cGAS-specific immunoactivation and robust IFN-I responses. Remarkably, Svg3 outperforms several state-of-the-art STING agonists in murine and human cells/tissues. Nanoparticle-delivered Svg3 reduces tumor immunosuppression and potentiates immune checkpoint blockade therapeutic efficacy of multiple syngeneic tumor models in wild-type mice, but in neither cGas-/- nor Sting-/- mice. Overall, these results demonstrate the great potential of Svg3 as a cGAS agonistic oligonucleotide for cancer combination immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shurong Zhou
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Center for Pharmaceutical Engineering and Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Ting Su
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Center for Pharmaceutical Engineering and Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Furong Cheng
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Center for Pharmaceutical Engineering and Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Janet Cole
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Center for Pharmaceutical Engineering and Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Xiang Liu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Center for Pharmaceutical Engineering and Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Bei Zhang
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Medicine, Bioinformatics Shared Resource, Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Shaheer Alam
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Center for Pharmaceutical Engineering and Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Jinze Liu
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Medicine, Bioinformatics Shared Resource, Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Guizhi Zhu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Biointerfaces Institute, The Developmental Therapeutics Program, Rogel Cancer Center, Center for RNA Biomedicine, MI-AORTA Program, Frankel Cardiovascular Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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4
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Fakih HH, Tang Q, Summers A, Shin M, Buchwald JE, Gagnon R, Hariharan VN, Echeverria D, Cooper DA, Watts JK, Khvorova A, Sleiman HF. Dendritic amphiphilic siRNA: Selective albumin binding, in vivo efficacy, and low toxicity. Mol Ther Nucleic Acids 2023; 34:102080. [PMID: 38089931 PMCID: PMC10711485 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2023.102080] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Although an increasing number of small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapies are reaching the market, the challenge of efficient extra-hepatic delivery continues to limit their full therapeutic potential. Drug delivery vehicles and hydrophobic conjugates are being used to overcome the delivery bottleneck. Previously, we reported a novel dendritic conjugate that can be appended efficiently to oligonucleotides, allowing them to bind albumin with nanomolar affinity. Here, we explore the ability of this novel albumin-binding conjugate to improve the delivery of siRNA in vivo. We demonstrate that the conjugate binds albumin exclusively in circulation and extravasates to various organs, enabling effective gene silencing. Notably, we show that the conjugate achieves a balance between hydrophobicity and safety, as it significantly reduces the side effects associated with siRNA interactions with blood components, which are commonly observed in some hydrophobically conjugated siRNAs. In addition, it reduces siRNA monocyte uptake, which may lead to cytokine/inflammatory responses. This work showcases the potential of using this dendritic conjugate as a selective albumin binding handle for the effective and safe delivery of nucleic acid therapeutics. We envision that these properties may pave the way for new opportunities to overcome delivery hurdles of oligonucleotides in future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan H. Fakih
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0B8, Canada
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Qi Tang
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Ashley Summers
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Minwook Shin
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- College of Pharmacy, Sookmyung Women’s University, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Korea
| | - Julianna E. Buchwald
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Rosemary Gagnon
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Vignesh N. Hariharan
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Dimas Echeverria
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - David A. Cooper
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Jonathan K. Watts
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Anastasia Khvorova
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Hanadi F. Sleiman
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0B8, Canada
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5
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Monopoli KR, Korkin D, Khvorova A. Asymmetric trichotomous partitioning overcomes dataset limitations in building machine learning models for predicting siRNA efficacy. Mol Ther Nucleic Acids 2023; 33:93-109. [PMID: 37456778 PMCID: PMC10338369 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2023.06.010] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Chemically modified small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are promising therapeutics guiding sequence-specific silencing of disease genes. Identifying chemically modified siRNA sequences that effectively silence target genes remains challenging. Such determinations necessitate computational algorithms. Machine learning is a powerful predictive approach for tackling biological problems but typically requires datasets significantly larger than most available siRNA datasets. Here, we describe a framework applying machine learning to a small dataset (356 modified sequences) for siRNA efficacy prediction. To overcome noise and biological limitations in siRNA datasets, we apply a trichotomous, two-threshold, partitioning approach, producing several combinations of classification threshold pairs. We then test the effects of different thresholds on random forest machine learning model performance using a novel evaluation metric accounting for class imbalances. We identify thresholds yielding a model with high predictive power, outperforming a linear model generated from the same data, that was predictive upon experimental evaluation. Using a novel model feature extraction method, we observe target site base importances and base preferences consistent with our current understanding of the siRNA-mediated silencing mechanism, with the random forest providing higher resolution than the linear model. This framework applies to any classification challenge involving small biological datasets, providing an opportunity to develop high-performing design algorithms for oligonucleotide therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn R. Monopoli
- Department of Bioinformatics & Computational Biology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA 01609, USA
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
| | - Dmitry Korkin
- Department of Bioinformatics & Computational Biology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA 01609, USA
| | - Anastasia Khvorova
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
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6
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Mangla P, Vicentini Q, Biscans A. Therapeutic Oligonucleotides: An Outlook on Chemical Strategies to Improve Endosomal Trafficking. Cells 2023; 12:2253. [PMID: 37759475 PMCID: PMC10527716 DOI: 10.3390/cells12182253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The potential of oligonucleotide therapeutics is undeniable as more than 15 drugs have been approved to treat various diseases in the liver, central nervous system (CNS), and muscles. However, achieving effective delivery of oligonucleotide therapeutics to specific tissues still remains a major challenge, limiting their widespread use. Chemical modifications play a crucial role to overcome biological barriers to enable efficient oligonucleotide delivery to the tissues/cells of interest. They provide oligonucleotide metabolic stability and confer favourable pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic properties. This review focuses on the various chemical approaches implicated in mitigating the delivery problem of oligonucleotides and their limitations. It highlights the importance of linkers in designing oligonucleotide conjugates and discusses their potential role in escaping the endosomal barrier, a bottleneck in the development of oligonucleotide therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Mangla
- Oligonucleotide Discovery, Discovery Sciences Research and Development, AstraZeneca, 431 38 Gothenburg, Sweden; (P.M.); (Q.V.)
| | - Quentin Vicentini
- Oligonucleotide Discovery, Discovery Sciences Research and Development, AstraZeneca, 431 38 Gothenburg, Sweden; (P.M.); (Q.V.)
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Research Centre, Karolinska Institute, 141 57 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Annabelle Biscans
- Oligonucleotide Discovery, Discovery Sciences Research and Development, AstraZeneca, 431 38 Gothenburg, Sweden; (P.M.); (Q.V.)
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7
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Zhou S, Su T, Cheng F, Cole J, Liu X, Zhang B, Alam S, Liu J, Zhu G. Engineering cGAS-agonistic oligonucleotides as therapeutics and vaccine adjuvants for cancer immunotherapy. bioRxiv 2023:2023.07.13.548237. [PMID: 37502970 PMCID: PMC10369979 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.13.548237] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Current cancer immunotherapy (e.g., immune checkpoint blockade (ICB)) has only benefited a small subset of patients. Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS-STING) activation holds the potential to improve cancer immunotherapy by eliciting type-I interferon (IFN-I) responses in cancer cells and myeloid cells. Yet, current approaches to this end, mostly by targeting STING, have marginal clinical therapeutic efficacy. Here, we report a cGAS-specific agonistic oligonucleotide, Svg3, as a novel approach to cGAS-STING activation for versatile cancer immunotherapy. Featured with a hairpin structure with consecutive guanosines flanking the stem, Svg3 binds to cGAS and enhances cGAS-Svg3 phase separation to form liquid-like droplets. This results in cGAS activation by Svg3 for robust and dose-dependent IFN-I responses, which outperforms several state-of-the-art STING agonists in murine and human immune cells, and human tumor tissues. Nanocarriers efficiently delivers Svg3 to tissues, cells, and cytosol where cGAS is located. Svg3 reduces tumor immunosuppression and potentiates ICB therapeutic efficacy of multiple syngeneic tumors, in wildtype but neither cGas-/- nor goldenticket Sting-/- mice. Further, as an immunostimulant adjuvant, Svg3 enhances the immunogenicity of peptide antigens to elicit potent T cell responses for robust ICB combination immunotherapy of tumors. Overall, cGAS-agonistic Svg3 is promising for versatile cancer combination immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shurong Zhou
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy; Biointerfaces Institute. University of Michigan. Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Center for Pharmaceutical Engineering and Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Ting Su
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Center for Pharmaceutical Engineering and Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Furong Cheng
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Center for Pharmaceutical Engineering and Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Janet Cole
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Center for Pharmaceutical Engineering and Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Xiang Liu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy; Biointerfaces Institute. University of Michigan. Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Center for Pharmaceutical Engineering and Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Bei Zhang
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Medicine; Bioinformatics Shared Resource, Massey Cancer Center; Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Shaheer Alam
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Center for Pharmaceutical Engineering and Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Jinze Liu
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Medicine; Bioinformatics Shared Resource, Massey Cancer Center; Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Guizhi Zhu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy; Biointerfaces Institute. University of Michigan. Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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8
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Senju C, Nakazawa Y, Oso T, Shimada M, Kato K, Matsuse M, Tsujimoto M, Masaki T, Miyazaki Y, Fukushima S, Tateishi S, Utani A, Murota H, Tanaka K, Mitsutake N, Moriwaki S, Nishigori C, Ogi T. Deep intronic founder mutations identified in the ERCC4/ XPF gene are potential therapeutic targets for a high-frequency form of xeroderma pigmentosum. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2217423120. [PMID: 37364129 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2217423120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a genodermatosis defined by cutaneous photosensitivity with an increased risk of skin tumors because of DNA repair deficiency. The worldwide prevalence of XP is ~1 to 4 in million, with higher incidence in some countries and regions including Japan (1 in 22,000) and North Africa due to founder mutations and a high degree of consanguinity. Among XP, the complementation group F (XP-F), is a rare form (1% of worldwide XP); however, this is underdiagnosed, because the ERCC4/XPF gene is essential for fetal development and most of previously reported ERCC4/XPF pathogenic variants are hypomorphs causing relatively mild phenotypes. From the largest Japanese XP cohort study, we report 17 XP-F cases bearing two pathogenic variants, both identified in deep intronic regions of the ERCC4/XPF gene. The first variant, located in intron 1, is a Japanese founder mutation, which additionally accounts for ~10% of the entire Japanese XP cases (MAF = 0.00196), causing an aberrant pre-mRNA splicing due to a miss-binding of U1snRNA. The second mutation located in intron eight induces an alternative polyadenylation. Both mutations cause a reduction of the ERCC4/XPF gene expression, resulting in XP clinical manifestations. Most cases developed early-onset skin cancers, indicating that these variants need critical attention. We further demonstrate that antisense oligonucleotides designed for the mutations can restore the XPF protein expression and DNA repair capacity in the patients' cells. Collectively, these pathogenic variants can be potential therapeutic targets for XP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chikako Senju
- Department of Genetics, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
- Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
- Department of Genome Repair, Atomic Bomb Disease Institute, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
- Department of Radiation Medical Sciences, Atomic Bomb Disease Institute, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
- Department of Hematology, Atomic Bomb Disease Institute, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8501, Japan
| | - Yuka Nakazawa
- Department of Genetics, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
- Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Taichi Oso
- Department of Genetics, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
- Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Mayuko Shimada
- Department of Genetics, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
- Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Kana Kato
- Department of Genetics, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
- Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Michiko Matsuse
- Department of Radiation Medical Sciences, Atomic Bomb Disease Institute, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
| | - Mariko Tsujimoto
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Internal Related, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe 650-0017, Japan
| | - Taro Masaki
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Internal Related, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe 650-0017, Japan
| | - Yasushi Miyazaki
- Department of Hematology, Atomic Bomb Disease Institute, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
| | - Satoshi Fukushima
- Department of Dermatology and Plastic Surgery, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Satoshi Tateishi
- Department of Cell Maintenance, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-0811, Japan
| | - Atsushi Utani
- Department of Dermatology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8501, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Murota
- Department of Dermatology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8501, Japan
- Leading Medical Research Core Unit, Life-Science Innovation, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8501, Japan
| | - Katsumi Tanaka
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8501, Japan
| | - Norisato Mitsutake
- Department of Radiation Medical Sciences, Atomic Bomb Disease Institute, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
| | - Shinichi Moriwaki
- Department of Dermatology, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Takatsuki 569-8686, Japan
| | - Chikako Nishigori
- Division of Dermatology, Department of Internal Related, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe 650-0017, Japan
- Department of iPS cell applications, Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe University, Kobe 650-0017, Japan
| | - Tomoo Ogi
- Department of Genetics, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
- Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
- Division of Animal Medical Science, Center for One Medicine Innovative Translational Research, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
- Division of Molecular Physiology and Dynamics, Institute for Glyco-core Research, Tokai National Higher Education and Research System, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
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9
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O'Reilly D, Belgrad J, Ferguson C, Summers A, Sapp E, McHugh C, Mathews E, Boudi A, Buchwald J, Ly S, Moreno D, Furgal R, Luu E, Kennedy Z, Hariharan V, Monopoli K, Yang XW, Carroll J, DiFiglia M, Aronin N, Khvorova A. Di-valent siRNA-mediated silencing of MSH3 blocks somatic repeat expansion in mouse models of Huntington's disease. Mol Ther 2023; 31:1661-1674. [PMID: 37177784 PMCID: PMC10277892 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [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: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a severe neurodegenerative disorder caused by the expansion of the CAG trinucleotide repeat tract in the huntingtin gene. Inheritance of expanded CAG repeats is needed for HD manifestation, but further somatic expansion of the repeat tract in non-dividing cells, particularly striatal neurons, hastens disease onset. Called somatic repeat expansion, this process is mediated by the mismatch repair (MMR) pathway. Among MMR components identified as modifiers of HD onset, MutS homolog 3 (MSH3) has emerged as a potentially safe and effective target for therapeutic intervention. Here, we identify a fully chemically modified short interfering RNA (siRNA) that robustly silences Msh3 in vitro and in vivo. When synthesized in a di-valent scaffold, siRNA-mediated silencing of Msh3 effectively blocked CAG-repeat expansion in the striatum of two HD mouse models without affecting tumor-associated microsatellite instability or mRNA expression of other MMR genes. Our findings establish a promising treatment approach for patients with HD and other repeat expansion diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel O'Reilly
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Jillian Belgrad
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Chantal Ferguson
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Ashley Summers
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Ellen Sapp
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Cassandra McHugh
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Psychology Department, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225, USA
| | - Ella Mathews
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Psychology Department, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225, USA
| | - Adel Boudi
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Julianna Buchwald
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Socheata Ly
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Dimas Moreno
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Raymond Furgal
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Eric Luu
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Zachary Kennedy
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Vignesh Hariharan
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Kathryn Monopoli
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - X William Yang
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Jane and Terry Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Jeffery Carroll
- Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Psychology Department, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98104-2499, USA
| | - Marian DiFiglia
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Neil Aronin
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Anastasia Khvorova
- RNA Therapeutics Institute, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
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10
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Sikorski V, Selberg S, Lalowski M, Karelson M, Kankuri E. The structure and function of YTHDF epitranscriptomic m 6A readers. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2023; 44:335-353. [PMID: 37069041 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2023.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [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: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
Specific RNA sequences modified by a methylated adenosine, N6-methyladenosine (m6A), contribute to the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. The quantity of m6A in RNA is orchestrated by enzymes that write and erase it, while its effects are mediated by proteins that bind to read this modification. Dysfunction of this post-transcriptional regulatory process has been linked to human disease. Although the initial focus has been on pharmacological targeting of the writer and eraser enzymes, interest in the reader proteins has been challenged by a lack of clear understanding of their functional roles and molecular mechanisms of action. Readers of m6A-modified RNA (m6A-RNA) - the YTH (YT521-B homology) domain-containing protein family paralogs 1-3 (YTHDF1-3, referred to here as DF1-DF3) - are emerging as therapeutic targets as their links to pathological processes such as cancer and inflammation and their roles in regulating m6A-RNA fate become clear. We provide an updated understanding of the modes of action of DF1-DF3 and review their structures to unlock insights into drug design approaches for DF paralog-selective inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vilbert Sikorski
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Simona Selberg
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Maciej Lalowski
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), Meilahti Clinical Proteomics Core Facility, Department of Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Gene Expression, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
| | - Mati Karelson
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Esko Kankuri
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, University of Helsinki, Finland.
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11
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Thibonnier M, Ghosh S. Strategy for Pre-Clinical Development of Active Targeting MicroRNA Oligonucleotide Therapeutics for Unmet Medical Needs. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087126. [PMID: 37108289 PMCID: PMC10138879 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087126] [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: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
We present here an innovative modular and outsourced model of drug research and development for microRNA oligonucleotide therapeutics (miRNA ONTs). This model is being implemented by a biotechnology company, namely AptamiR Therapeutics, in collaboration with Centers of Excellence in Academic Institutions. Our aim is to develop safe, effective and convenient active targeting miRNA ONT agents for the metabolic pandemic of obesity and metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), as well as deadly ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sujoy Ghosh
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore and Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA
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12
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Egli M, Schlegel MK, Manoharan M. Acyclic ( S)-glycol nucleic acid ( S-GNA) modification of siRNAs improves the safety of RNAi therapeutics while maintaining potency. RNA 2023; 29:402-414. [PMID: 36725319 PMCID: PMC10019370 DOI: 10.1261/rna.079526.122] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Glycol nucleic acid (GNA) is an acyclic nucleic acid analog connected via phosphodiester bonds. Crystal structures of RNA-GNA chimeric duplexes indicated that nucleotides of the right-handed (S)-GNA were better accommodated in the right-handed RNA duplex than were the left-handed (R)-isomers. GNA nucleotides adopt a rotated nucleobase orientation within all duplex contexts, pairing with complementary RNA in a reverse Watson-Crick mode, which explains the inabilities of GNA C and G to form strong base pairs with complementary nucleotides. Transposition of the hydrogen bond donor and acceptor pairs using novel (S)-GNA isocytidine and isoguanosine nucleotides resulted in stable base-pairing with the complementary G and C ribonucleotides, respectively. GNA nucleotide or dinucleotide incorporation into an oligonucleotide increased resistance against 3'-exonuclease-mediated degradation. Consistent with the structural observations, small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) modified with (S)-GNA had greater in vitro potencies than identical sequences containing (R)-GNA. (S)-GNA is well tolerated in the seed regions of antisense and sense strands of a GalNAc-conjugated siRNA in vitro. The siRNAs containing a GNA base pair in the seed region had in vivo potency when subcutaneously injected into mice. Importantly, seed pairing destabilization resulting from a single GNA nucleotide at position 7 of the antisense strand mitigated RNAi-mediated off-target effects in a rodent model. Two GNA-modified siRNAs have shown an improved safety profile in humans compared with their non-GNA-modified counterparts, and several additional siRNAs containing the GNA modification are currently in clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Egli
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
| | - Mark K Schlegel
- Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA
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13
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Goto A, Yamamoto S, Iwasaki S. Biodistribution and delivery of oligonucleotide therapeutics to the central nervous system: Advances, challenges, and future perspectives. Biopharm Drug Dispos 2023; 44:26-47. [PMID: 36336817 DOI: 10.1002/bdd.2338] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Considerable advances have been made in the research and development of oligonucleotide therapeutics (OTs) for treating central nervous system (CNS) diseases, such as psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders, because of their promising mode of action. However, due to the tight barrier function and complex physiological structure of the CNS, the efficient delivery of OTs to target the brain has been a major challenge, and intensive efforts have been made to overcome this limitation. In this review, we summarize the representative methodologies and current knowledge of biodistribution, along with the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) relationship of OTs in the CNS, which are critical elements for the successful development of OTs for CNS diseases. First, quantitative bioanalysis methods and imaging-based approaches for the evaluation of OT biodistribution are summarized. Next, information available on the biodistribution profile, distribution pathways, quantitative PK/PD modeling, and simulation of OTs following intrathecal or intracerebroventricular administration are reviewed. Finally, the latest knowledge on the drug delivery systems to the brain via intranasal or systemic administration as noninvasive routes for improved patient quality of life is reviewed. The aim of this review is to enrich research on the successful development of OTs by clarifying OT distribution profiles and pathways to the target brain regions or cells, and by identifying points that need further investigation for a mechanistic approach to generate efficient OTs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akihiko Goto
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics Research Laboratories, Preclinical and Translational Sciences, Research, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Syunsuke Yamamoto
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics Research Laboratories, Preclinical and Translational Sciences, Research, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Shinji Iwasaki
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics Research Laboratories, Preclinical and Translational Sciences, Research, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
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14
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Terada C, Kawamoto S, Yamayoshi A, Yamamoto T. Chemistry of Therapeutic Oligonucleotides That Drives Interactions with Biomolecules. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14122647. [PMID: 36559141 PMCID: PMC9781680 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14122647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Oligonucleotide therapeutics that can modulate gene expression have been gradually developed for clinical applications over several decades. However, rapid advances have been made in recent years. Artificial nucleic acid technology has overcome many challenges, such as (1) poor target affinity and selectivity, (2) low in vivo stability, and (3) classical side effects, such as immune responses; thus, its application in a wide range of disorders has been extensively examined. However, even highly optimized oligonucleotides exhibit side effects, which limits the general use of this class of agents. In this review, we discuss the physicochemical characteristics that aid interactions between drugs and molecules that belong to living organisms. By systematically organizing the related data, we hope to explore avenues for symbiotic engineering of oligonucleotide therapeutics that will result in more effective and safer drugs.
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15
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Thakur S, Sinhari A, Jain P, Jadhav HR. A perspective on oligonucleotide therapy: Approaches to patient customization. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:1006304. [PMID: 36339619 PMCID: PMC9626821 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1006304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [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: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
It is estimated that the human genome encodes 15% of proteins that are considered to be disease-modifying. Only 2% of these proteins possess a druggable site that the approved clinical candidates target. Due to this disparity, there is an immense need to develop therapeutics that may better mitigate the disease or disorders aroused by non-druggable and druggable proteins or enzymes. The recent surge in approved oligonucleotide therapeutics (OT) indicates the imminent potential of these therapies. Oligonucleotide-based therapeutics are of intermediate size with much-improved selectivity towards the target and fewer off-target effects than small molecules. The OTs include Antisense RNAs, MicroRNA (MIR), small interfering RNA (siRNA), and aptamers, which are currently being explored for their use in neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, and even orphan diseases. The present review is a congregated effort to present the past and present of OTs and the current efforts to make OTs for plausible future therapeutics. The review provides updated literature on the challenges and bottlenecks of OT and recent advancements in OT drug delivery. Further, this review deliberates on a newly emerging approach to personalized treatment for patients with rare and fatal diseases with OT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shikha Thakur
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences Pilani, Pilani, RJ, India
| | - Apurba Sinhari
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences Pilani, Pilani, RJ, India
| | - Priti Jain
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University, New Delhi, India
| | - Hemant R. Jadhav
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences Pilani, Pilani, RJ, India
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16
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Taniguchi H, Suzuki Y, Imai K, Adachi Y. Antitumoral RNA-targeted oligonucleotide therapeutics: the third pillar after small molecule inhibitors and antibodies. Cancer Sci 2022; 113:2952-2961. [PMID: 35701833 PMCID: PMC9459246 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15461] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Oligonucleotide therapeutics, drugs consisting of 10–50 nucleotide‐long single‐ or double‐stranded DNA or RNA molecules that can bind to specific DNA or RNA sequences or proteins, include antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), aptamers, and decoys. These oligonucleotide therapeutics could potentially become the third pillar of drug development. In particular, ASOs and siRNAs are advanced tools that are widely used to silence gene expression. They are used in clinical trials, as they have high specificity for target mRNAs and non‐coding RNAs and limited toxicity. However, their clinical application remains challenging. Although chemotherapy has benefits, it has severe adverse effects in many patients. Therefore, new modalities for targeted molecular therapy against tumors, including oligonucleotide therapeutics, are required, and they should be compatible with diagnosis using next‐generation sequencing. This review provides an overview of the therapeutic uses of ASOs, siRNAs, and miRNAs in clinical studies on malignant tumors. Understanding previous research and development will help in developing novel oligonucleotide therapeutics against malignant tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroaki Taniguchi
- Keio Cancer Center, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.,Innovation Center of NanoMedicine, Kawasaki Institute of Industrial Promotion, Kawasaki, Japan
| | - Yasunori Suzuki
- Keio Cancer Center, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kohzoh Imai
- Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yasushi Adachi
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
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17
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Kim KR, Kim J, Back JH, Lee JE, Ahn DR. Cholesterol-Mediated Seeding of Protein Corona on DNA Nanostructures for Targeted Delivery of Oligonucleotide Therapeutics to Treat Liver Fibrosis. ACS Nano 2022; 16:7331-7343. [PMID: 35500062 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c08508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The protein corona is a protein layer formed on the surface of nanoparticles administered in vivo and considerably affects the in vivo fate of nanoparticles. Although it is challenging to control protein adsorption on nanoparticles precisely, the protein corona may be harnessed to develop a targeted drug delivery system if the nanoparticles are decorated with a ligand with enhanced affinity to target tissue- and cell-homing proteins. Here, we prepared a DNA tetrahedron with trivalent cholesterol conjugation (Chol3-Td) that can induce enhanced interaction with lipoproteins in serum, which in situ generates the lipoprotein-associated protein corona on a DNA nanostructure favorable for cells abundantly expressing lipoprotein receptors in the liver, such as hepatocytes in healthy mice and myofibroblasts in fibrotic mice. Chol3-Td was further adopted for liver delivery of antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) targeting TGF-β1 mRNA to treat liver fibrosis in a mouse model. The potency of ASO@Chol3-Td was comparable to that of ASO conjugated with the clinically approved liver-targeting ligand, trivalent N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc3), demonstrating the potential of Chol3-Td as a targeted delivery system for oligonucleotide therapeutics. This study suggests that controlled seeding of the protein corona on nanomaterials can provide a way to steer nanoparticles into the target area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyoung-Ran Kim
- Center for Theragnosis, Biomedical Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Hwarangno 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02792, Korea
| | - Junghyun Kim
- Center for Theragnosis, Biomedical Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Hwarangno 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02792, Korea
| | - Ji Hyun Back
- Center for Theragnosis, Biomedical Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Hwarangno 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02792, Korea
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea
| | - Ji Eun Lee
- Center for Theragnosis, Biomedical Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Hwarangno 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02792, Korea
| | - Dae-Ro Ahn
- Center for Theragnosis, Biomedical Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Hwarangno 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02792, Korea
- Division of Biomedical Science and Technology, KIST School, University of Science and Technology (UST), Hwarangno 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02792, Korea
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18
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Becette OB, Tran A, Jones JW, Marino JP, Brinson RG. Structural Fingerprinting of Short Interfering RNA Therapeutics by Solution Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy. Nucleic Acid Ther 2022; 32:267-279. [PMID: 35263184 PMCID: PMC9416564 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2021.0098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acids are an increasingly popular platform for the development of biotherapeutics to treat a wide variety of illnesses, including diseases where traditional drug development efforts have failed. To date, there are 14 short oligonucleotide therapeutics and 2 messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which demonstrates the potential of nucleic acids as a platform for the development of safe and effective medicines and vaccines. Despite the increasing popularity of nucleic acid-based drugs, there has been a paucity of high-resolution structural techniques applied to rigorously characterize these molecules during drug development. Here, we present application of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods to structurally "fingerprint" short oligonucleotide therapeutics at natural isotope abundance under full formulation conditions. The NMR methods described herein leverage signals arising from the native structural features of nucleic acids, including imino, aromatic, and ribose resonances, in addition to non-native chemistries, such as 2'-fluoro (2'-F), 2'-O-methyl (2'-OMe), and phosphorothioate (PS) modifications, introduced during drug development. We demonstrate the utility of the NMR methods to structurally "fingerprint" a model short interfering RNA (siRNA) and a sample that simulated the drug product Givosiran. We anticipate broad applicability of the NMR methods to other nucleic acid-based therapeutics due to the generalized nature of the approach and ability to monitor many quality attributes simultaneously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Owen B Becette
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology and the University of Maryland, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Anh Tran
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jace W Jones
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - John P Marino
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology and the University of Maryland, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Robert G Brinson
- Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology and the University of Maryland, Rockville, Maryland, USA
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19
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Sergeeva OV, Shcherbinina EY, Shomron N, Zatsepin TS. Modulation of RNA Splicing by Oligonucleotides: Mechanisms of Action and Therapeutic Implications. Nucleic Acid Ther 2022; 32:123-138. [PMID: 35166605 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2021.0067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [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: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysregulation of RNA splicing causes many diseases and disorders. Several therapeutic approaches have been developed to correct aberrant alternative splicing events for the treatment of cancers and hereditary diseases, including gene therapy and redirecting splicing, using small molecules or splice switching oligonucleotides (SSO). Significant advances in the chemistry and pharmacology of nucleic acid have led to the development of clinically approved SSO drugs for the treatment of spinal muscular dystrophy and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). In this review, we discuss the mechanisms of SSO action with emphasis on "less common" approaches to modulate alternative splicing, including bipartite and bifunctional SSO, oligonucleotide decoys for splice factors and SSO-mediated mRNA degradation via AS-NMD and NGD pathways. We briefly discuss the current progress and future perspectives of SSO therapy for rare and ultrarare diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga V Sergeeva
- Center of Life Sciences, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Noam Shomron
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Timofei S Zatsepin
- Center of Life Sciences, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russia.,Department of Chemistry, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
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20
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Tan CP, Sinigaglia L, Gomez V, Nicholls J, Habib NA. RNA Activation-A Novel Approach to Therapeutically Upregulate Gene Transcription. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26216530. [PMID: 34770939 PMCID: PMC8586927 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26216530] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 10/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA activation (RNAa) is a mechanism whereby RNA oligos complementary to genomic sequences around the promoter region of genes increase the transcription output of their target gene. Small activating RNA (saRNA) mediate RNAa through interaction with protein co-factors to facilitate RNA polymerase II activity and nucleosome remodeling. As saRNA are small, versatile and safe, they represent a new class of therapeutics that can rescue the downregulation of critical genes in disease settings. This review highlights our current understanding of saRNA biology and describes various examples of how saRNA are successfully used to treat various oncological, neurological and monogenic diseases. MTL-CEBPA, a first-in-class compound that reverses CEBPA downregulation in oncogenic processes using CEBPA-51 saRNA has entered clinical trial for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Preclinical models demonstrate that MTL-CEBPA reverses the immunosuppressive effects of myeloid cells and allows for the synergistic enhancement of other anticancer drugs. Encouraging results led to the initiation of a clinical trial combining MTL-CEBPA with a PD-1 inhibitor for treatment of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Choon Ping Tan
- MiNA Therapeutics Ltd., Translation & Innovation Hub, 84 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, UK; (C.P.T.); (L.S.); (V.G.); (J.N.)
| | - Laura Sinigaglia
- MiNA Therapeutics Ltd., Translation & Innovation Hub, 84 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, UK; (C.P.T.); (L.S.); (V.G.); (J.N.)
| | - Valentí Gomez
- MiNA Therapeutics Ltd., Translation & Innovation Hub, 84 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, UK; (C.P.T.); (L.S.); (V.G.); (J.N.)
| | - Joanna Nicholls
- MiNA Therapeutics Ltd., Translation & Innovation Hub, 84 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, UK; (C.P.T.); (L.S.); (V.G.); (J.N.)
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Nagy A. Habib
- MiNA Therapeutics Ltd., Translation & Innovation Hub, 84 Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, UK; (C.P.T.); (L.S.); (V.G.); (J.N.)
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London W12 0NN, UK
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +44-(0)20-3313-8574
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21
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Halloy F, Hill AC, Hall J. Efficient synthesis of 2'-O-methoxyethyl oligonucleotide - cationic peptide conjugates. ChemMedChem 2021; 16:3391-3395. [PMID: 34358416 PMCID: PMC9291120 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202100388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [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: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Single-stranded phosphorothioate (PS) oligonucleotide drugs have shown potential for the treatment of several rare diseases. However, a barrier to their widespread use is that they exhibit activity in only a narrow range of tissues. One way to circumvent this constraint is to conjugate them to cationic cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs). Although there are several examples of morpholino and peptide nucleic acids conjugated with CPPs, there are noticeably few examples of PS oligonucleotide-CPP conjugates. This is surprising given that PS oligonucleotides presently represent the largest class of approved RNA-based drugs, including Nusinersen, that bears the 2'- O -methoxyethyl (MOE) chemistry. In this work, we report a method for in-solution conjugation of cationic, hydrophobic peptides or human serum albumin to a 22-nucleotide MOE-PS oligonucleotide. Conjugates were obtained in high yields and purities. Our findings pave the way for their large-scale synthesis and testing in vivo .
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Affiliation(s)
- François Halloy
- University of Oxford, Paediatrics, South Parks Road, Le Gros Clark Building, Oxford University, United Kingdom, OX1 3QX, Oxford, UNITED KINGDOM
| | - Alyssa C Hill
- ETH Zürich: Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule Zurich, D-CHAB, SWITZERLAND
| | - Jonathan Hall
- ETH Zurich, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosci, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 4, 8093, Zürich, SWITZERLAND
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Sutton JM, Kim J, El Zahar NM, Bartlett MG. BIOANALYSIS AND BIOTRANSFORMATION OF OLIGONUCLEOTIDE THERAPEUTICS BY LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY-MASS SPECTROMETRY. Mass Spectrom Rev 2021; 40:334-358. [PMID: 32588492 DOI: 10.1002/mas.21641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2020] [Revised: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Since 2016, eight new oligonucleotide therapies have been approved which has led to increased interest in oligonucleotide analysis. There is a particular need for powerful bioanalytical tools to study the metabolism and biotransformation of these molecules. This review provides the background on the biological basis of these molecules as currently used in therapies. The article also reviews the current state of analytical methodology including state of the art sample preparation techniques, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry methods, and the current limits of detection/quantitation. Finally, the article summarizes the challenges in oligonucleotide bioanalysis and provides future perspectives for this emerging field. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Michael Sutton
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, 250 West Green Street, Athens, GA, 30602-2352
| | - Jaeah Kim
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, 250 West Green Street, Athens, GA, 30602-2352
| | - Noha M El Zahar
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, 250 West Green Street, Athens, GA, 30602-2352
- Pharmaceutical Analytical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Organization of African Unity Street, Cairo, 11566, Egypt
| | - Michael G Bartlett
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, 250 West Green Street, Athens, GA, 30602-2352
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23
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Metelev VG, Oretskaya TS. Modified Oligonucleotides: New Structures, New Properties, and New Spheres of Application. Russ J Bioorg Chem 2021; 47:339-343. [PMID: 33935479 PMCID: PMC8074280 DOI: 10.1134/s1068162021020175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Nucleic acids have made a long and arduous journey "from the bench to the bedside." At present, it can be assumed that drugs based on modified oligonucleotides will find a worthy application in personalized medicine of the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- V. G. Metelev
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Department of Chemistry and Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - T. S. Oretskaya
- Lomonosov Moscow State University, Department of Chemistry and Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, 119991 Moscow, Russia
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24
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Toyoda E, Maehara M, Watanabe M, Sato M. Candidates for Intra-Articular Administration Therapeutics and Therapies of Osteoarthritis. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:3594. [PMID: 33808364 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22073594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is a disease that significantly decreases the quality of life due to joint deformation and pain caused by degeneration of articular cartilage. Since the degeneration of cartilage is irreversible, intervention from an early stage and control throughout life is important for OA treatment. For the treatment of early OA, the development of a disease-modifying osteoarthritis drug (DMOAD) for intra-articular (IA) injection, which is attracting attention as a point-of-care therapy, is desired. In recent years, the molecular mechanisms involved in OA progression have been clarified while new types of drug development methods based on gene sequences have been established. In addition to conventional chemical compounds and protein therapeutics, the development of DMOAD from the new modalities such as gene therapy and oligonucleotide therapeutics is accelerating. In this review, we have summarized the current status and challenges of DMOAD for IA injection, especially for protein therapeutics, gene therapy, and oligonucleotide therapeutics.
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25
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Cartón-García F, Saande CJ, Meraviglia-Crivelli D, Aldabe R, Pastor F. Oligonucleotide-Based Therapies for Renal Diseases. Biomedicines 2021; 9:303. [PMID: 33809425 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9030303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The global burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasing every year and represents a great cost for public healthcare systems, as the majority of these diseases are progressive. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new therapies. Oligonucleotide-based drugs are emerging as novel and promising alternatives to traditional drugs. Their expansion corresponds with new knowledge regarding the molecular basis underlying CKD, and they are already showing encouraging preclinical results, with two candidates being evaluated in clinical trials. However, despite recent technological advances, efficient kidney delivery remains challenging, and the presence of off-targets and side-effects precludes development and translation to the clinic. In this review, we provide an overview of the various oligotherapeutic strategies used preclinically, emphasizing the most recent findings in the field, together with the different strategies employed to achieve proper kidney delivery. The use of different nanotechnological platforms, including nanocarriers, nanoparticles, viral vectors or aptamers, and their potential for the development of more specific and effective treatments is also outlined.
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Abstract
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by persistent hyperglycemia resulting from inefficient signaling and insufficient production of insulin. Conventional management of T2D has largely relied on small molecule-based oral hypoglycemic medicines, which do not halt the progression of the disease due to limited efficacy and induce adverse effects as well. To this end, antisense oligonucleotide has attracted immense attention in developing antidiabetic agents because of their ability to downregulate the expression of disease-causing genes at the RNA and protein level. To date, seven antisense agents have been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for therapies of a variety of human maladies, including genetic disorders. Herein, we provide a comprehensive review of antisense molecules developed for suppressing the causative genes believed to be responsible for insulin resistance and hyperglycemia toward preventing and treating T2D.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suxiang Chen
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, Perth, Australia.,Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, Australia
| | - Nabayet Sbuh
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, Perth, Australia.,Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, Australia
| | - Rakesh N Veedu
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, Perth, Australia.,Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, Australia
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27
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Slusher AL, Kim JJJ, Ludlow AT. The Role of Alternative RNA Splicing in the Regulation of hTERT, Telomerase, and Telomeres: Implications for Cancer Therapeutics. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E1514. [PMID: 32531916 PMCID: PMC7352778 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12061514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alternative RNA splicing impacts the majority (>90%) of eukaryotic multi-exon genes, expanding the coding capacity and regulating the abundance of gene isoforms. Telomerase (hTERT) is a key example of a gene that is alternatively spliced during human fetal development and becomes dysregulated in nearly all cancers. Approximately 90% of human tumors use telomerase to synthesize de novo telomere repeats and obtain telomere-dependent cellular immortality. Paradigm shifting data indicates that hTERT alternative splicing, in addition to transcription, plays an important role in the regulation of active telomerase in cells. Our group and others are pursuing the basic science studies to progress this emerging area of telomerase biology. Recent evidence demonstrates that switching splicing of hTERT from the telomerase activity producing full-length hTERT isoform to alternatively spliced, non-coding isoforms may be a novel telomerase inhibition strategy to prevent cancer growth and survival. Thus, the goals of this review are to detail the general roles of telomerase in cancer development, explore the emerging regulatory mechanisms of alternative RNA splicing of the hTERT gene in various somatic and cancer cell types, define the known and potential roles of hTERT splice isoforms in cancer cell biology, and provide insight into new treatment strategies targeting hTERT in telomerase-positive cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Andrew T. Ludlow
- School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (A.L.S.); (J.J.K.)
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28
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Huggins IJ, Medina CA, Springer AD, van den Berg A, Jadhav S, Cui X, Dowdy SF. Site Selective Antibody-Oligonucleotide Conjugation via Microbial Transglutaminase. Molecules 2019; 24:E3287. [PMID: 31509944 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24183287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleic Acid Therapeutics (NATs), including siRNAs and AntiSense Oligonucleotides (ASOs), have great potential to drug the undruggable genome. Targeting siRNAs and ASOs to specific cell types of interest has driven dramatic improvement in efficacy and reduction in toxicity. Indeed, conjugation of tris-GalNAc to siRNAs and ASOs has shown clinical efficacy in targeting diseases driven by liver hepatocytes. However, targeting non-hepatic diseases with oligonucleotide therapeutics has remained problematic for several reasons, including targeting specific cell types and endosomal escape. Monoclonal antibody (mAb) targeting of siRNAs and ASOs has the potential to deliver these drugs to a variety of specific cell and tissue types. However, most conjugation strategies rely on random chemical conjugation through lysine or cysteine residues resulting in conjugate heterogeneity and a distribution of Drug:Antibody Ratios (DAR). To produce homogeneous DAR-2 conjugates with two siRNAs per mAb, we developed a novel two-step conjugation procedure involving microbial transglutaminase (MTGase) tagging of the antibody C-terminus with an azide-functionalized linker peptide that can be subsequently conjugated to dibenzylcyclooctyne (DBCO) bearing oligonucleotides through azide-alkyne cycloaddition. Antibody-siRNA (and ASO) conjugates (ARCs) produced using this strategy are soluble, chemically defined targeted oligonucleotide therapeutics that have the potential to greatly increase the number of targetable cell types.
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29
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Takakura K, Kawamura A, Torisu Y, Koido S, Yahagi N, Saruta M. The Clinical Potential of Oligonucleotide Therapeutics against Pancreatic Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20133331. [PMID: 31284594 PMCID: PMC6651255 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20133331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [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: 05/18/2019] [Revised: 07/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Although many diagnostic and therapeutic modalities for pancreatic cancer have been proposed, an urgent need for improved therapeutic strategies remains. Oligonucleotide therapeutics, such as those based on antisense RNAs, small interfering RNA (siRNA), microRNA (miRNA), aptamers, and decoys, are promising agents against pancreatic cancer, because they can identify a specific mRNA fragment of a given sequence or protein, and interfere with gene expression as molecular-targeted agents. Within the past 25 years, the diversity and feasibility of these drugs as diagnostic or therapeutic tools have dramatically increased. Several clinical and preclinical studies of oligonucleotides have been conducted for patients with pancreatic cancer. To support the discovery of effective diagnostic or therapeutic options using oligonucleotide-based strategies, in the absence of satisfactory therapies for long-term survival and the increasing trend of diseases, we summarize the current clinical trials of oligonucleotide therapeutics for pancreatic cancer patients, with underlying preclinical and scientific data, and focus on the possibility of oligonucleotides for targeting pancreatic cancer in clinical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuki Takakura
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan.
| | - Atsushi Kawamura
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan
| | - Yuichi Torisu
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan
| | - Shigeo Koido
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan
| | - Naohisa Yahagi
- Division of Research and Development for Minimally Invasive Treatment, Cancer Center, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Masayuki Saruta
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan
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30
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MacNeill R, Hutchinson T, Acharya V, Stromeyer R, Ohorodnik S. An oligonucleotide bioanalytical LC-SRM methodology entirely liberated from ion-pairing. Bioanalysis 2019; 11:1157-69. [PMID: 31241345 DOI: 10.4155/bio-2019-0031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Aim: Reliable quantitative LC-MS methodology has been established and validated for an oligonucleotide in plasma in a fresh and unique fashion, free of ion-pairing reagents and the various associated deleterious effects from primary solution preparation through sample preparation and extraction to the LC-MS analytical end point, offering a highly selective mixed-mode solid-phase extraction with hydrophilic-interaction liquid chromatography as the chromatographic element prior to SRM detection. Results: Inter- and intra-assay accuracy and precision ranged from 97.9 to 111% and 2.75 to 9.66%, respectively. Recoveries of 50% were attained, and there was no significant matrix effect manifestation. Conclusion: The method demonstrated rugged performance and reliability under the optimized conditions, indicating a possible exciting new avenue, free of ion-pairing, for general application in oligonucleotide quantitative LC-MS.
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Taniguchi H, Suzuki Y, Natori Y. The Evolving Landscape of Cancer Stem Cells and Ways to Overcome Cancer Heterogeneity. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11040532. [PMID: 31013960 PMCID: PMC6520864 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11040532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [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] [Received: 01/19/2019] [Revised: 04/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) with therapeutic resistance and plasticity can be found in various types of tumors and are recognized as attractive targets for treatments. As CSCs are derived from tissue stem or progenitor cells, and/or dedifferentiated mature cells, their signal transduction pathways are critical in the regulation of CSCs; chronic inflammation causes the accumulation of genetic mutations and aberrant epigenetic changes in these cells, potentially leading to the production of CSCs. However, the nature of CSCs appears to be stronger than the treatments of the past. To improve the treatments targeting CSCs, it is important to inhibit several molecules on the signaling cascades in CSCs simultaneously, and to overcome cancer heterogeneity caused by the plasticity. To select suitable target molecules for CSCs, we have to explore the landscape of CSCs from the perspective of cancer stemness and signaling systems, based on the curated databases of cancer-related genes. We have been studying the integration of a broad range of knowledge and experiences from cancer biology, and also from other interdisciplinary basic sciences. In this review, we have introduced the concept of developing novel strategies targeting CSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroaki Taniguchi
- The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1, Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0071, Japan.
- Clinical and Translational Research Center Keio University Hospital, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
| | - Yasunori Suzuki
- Clinical and Translational Research Center Keio University Hospital, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
| | - Yukikazu Natori
- BioThinkTank Co. Ltd. 4-10-1-E1706 Minatomirai, Nishi-ku Yokohama, Kanagawa 220-0012, Japan.
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Li Y, Egranov SD, Yang L, Lin C. Molecular mechanisms of long noncoding RNAs-mediated cancer metastasis. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 2019; 58:200-207. [PMID: 30350428 PMCID: PMC10642708 DOI: 10.1002/gcc.22691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [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: 07/17/2018] [Revised: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer metastasis is a multistep process that requires cancer cells to leave the primary site, survive in the blood stream, and finally colonize at a distant organ. It is the major cause of cancer morbidity and mortality. The organ-specific colonization requires close interaction and communication between cancer cells and host organs. Noncoding RNAs represent the majority of the transcriptome, with long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) making up a significant proportion. It has been suggested that lncRNAs play a key role in all stages of tumorigenesis and metastasis. This review will provide an overview of how lncRNAs are involved in cancer cell colonization in specific organ sites and the underlying mechanisms as well as therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajuan Li
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Sergey D. Egranov
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Liuqing Yang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
- The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
- Center for RNA Interference and Non-Coding RNAs, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Chunru Lin
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
- The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
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33
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Nakashima Y, Setou M. Distribution of Antisense Oligonucleotides in Rat Eyeballs Using MALDI Imaging Mass Spectrometry. Mass Spectrom (Tokyo) 2018; 7:A0070. [PMID: 30214850 PMCID: PMC6131115 DOI: 10.5702/massspectrometry.a0070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [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: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Oligonucleotide-based therapeutics such as antisense oligonucleotides, small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), decoy and aptamer have been extensively developed. To investigate the pharmacokinetics of oligonucleotide therapeutics, it is common to label a radioisotope in a nucleic acid and visualize it. However, if the labeled terminal nucleotide is decomposed by a nuclease in vivo, only the labeled nucleotide is detected, and it is impossible to observe the nucleic acid exhibiting the drug effect. The distribution of biomolecules, such as phospholipids, proteins, and glycolipids, can be obtained and visualized without labeling using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI-IMS). MALDI-IMS is also used in pharmacokinetic analysis to visualize a parent drug and its metabolites simultaneously. In this study, we reported a methodology for oligonucleotides analysis by MALDI-IMS. When phosphorothioate antisense oligonucleotide was administered into the eyeball of rats, it reached the retina after 30 min without undergoing decomposition by nucleases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuko Nakashima
- International Mass Imaging Center and Department of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Mitsutoshi Setou
- International Mass Imaging Center and Department of Cellular and Molecular Anatomy, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Japan
- Preeminent Medical Photonics Education & Research Center, Japan
- Department of Anatomy, The University of Hong Kong, China
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34
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Beierlein JM, McNamee LM, Ledley FD. As Technologies for Nucleotide Therapeutics Mature, Products Emerge. Mol Ther Nucleic Acids 2017; 9:379-386. [PMID: 29246316 PMCID: PMC5686430 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2017.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2017] [Revised: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The long path from initial research on oligonucleotide therapies to approval of antisense products is not unfamiliar. This lag resembles those encountered with monoclonal antibodies, gene therapies, and many biological targets and is consistent with studies of innovation showing that technology maturation is a critical determinant of product success. We previously described an analytical model for the maturation of biomedical research, demonstrating that the efficiency of targeted and biological development is connected to metrics of technology growth. The present work applies this model to characterize the advance of oligonucleotide therapeutics. We show that recent oligonucleotide product approvals incorporate technologies and targets that are past the established point of technology growth, as do most of the oligonucleotide products currently in phase 3. Less mature oligonucleotide technologies, such as miRNAs and some novel gene targets, have not passed the established point and have not yielded products. This analysis shows that oligonucleotide product development has followed largely predictable patterns of innovation. While technology maturation alone does not ensure success, these data show that many oligonucleotide technologies are sufficiently mature to be considered part of the arsenal for therapeutic development. These results demonstrate the importance of technology assessment in strategic management of biomedical technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M Beierlein
- Center for Integration of Science and Industry, Department of Natural & Applied Sciences, Bentley University, 175 Forest Street, Waltham, MA 02452, USA
| | - Laura M McNamee
- Center for Integration of Science and Industry, Department of Natural & Applied Sciences, Bentley University, 175 Forest Street, Waltham, MA 02452, USA
| | - Fred D Ledley
- Center for Integration of Science and Industry, Department of Natural & Applied Sciences, Bentley University, 175 Forest Street, Waltham, MA 02452, USA; Department of Management, Bentley University, 175 Forest Street, Waltham, MA 02452, USA.
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35
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Won H, Moreira D, Gao C, Duttagupta P, Zhao X, Manuel E, Diamond D, Yuan YC, Liu Z, Jones J, D'Apuzzo M, Pal S, Kortylewski M. TLR9 expression and secretion of LIF by prostate cancer cells stimulates accumulation and activity of polymorphonuclear MDSCs. J Leukoc Biol 2017; 102:423-436. [PMID: 28533357 DOI: 10.1189/jlb.3ma1016-451rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [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: 10/31/2016] [Revised: 04/14/2017] [Accepted: 04/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Proinflammatory signals promote prostate tumorigenesis and progression, but their origins and downstream effects remain unclear. We recently demonstrated that the expression of an innate immune receptor, TLR9, by prostate cancer cells is critical for their tumor-propagating potential. We investigated whether cancer cell-intrinsic TLR9 signaling alters composition of the prostate tumor microenvironment. We generated Ras/Myc (RM9) and Myc-driven (Myc-CaP) prostate cancer cells expressing the tetracycline-inducible gene Tlr9 (Tlr9ON ) or the control LacZ (LacZON ). When engrafted into mice and treated with tetracycline, Tlr9ON , but not LacZON , tumors showed accelerated growth kinetics compared with tumors in PBS-treated mice. Tlr9 upregulation in cancer cells triggered the selective accumulation of CD11b+Ly6GHILy6CLO myeloid cells, phenotypically similar to PMN-MDSCs. The PMN-MDSCs from tetracycline-treated RM9-Tlr9ON tumors increased the immunosuppressive activity of the STAT3 transcription factor, thereby more potently inhibiting T cell proliferation. We identified LIF, an IL-6-type cytokine and STAT3 activator, as a potential mediator of crosstalk between TLR9-expressing prostate cancer cells and PMN-MDSCs. Antibody-mediated LIF neutralization reduced the percentage of tumor-infiltrating PMN-MDSCs and inhibited tumor growth in mice. The clinical relevance of LIF is confirmed by the correlation between TLR9 and LIF expression in prostate cancer specimens. Furthermore, blood samples from patients with prostate cancer showed elevated levels of LIF and high LIFR expression on circulating PMN-MDSCs. Our results suggest that TLR9+ prostate cancers promote immune evasion via LIF-mediated expansion and activation of PMN-MDSCs. Finally, targeting TLR9/LIF/STAT3 signaling using oligonucleotide-based inhibitors, such as CpG-STAT3dODN, can offer new opportunities for prostate cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haejung Won
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Dayson Moreira
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Chan Gao
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Priyanka Duttagupta
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Xingli Zhao
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Edwin Manuel
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Don Diamond
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Yate-Ching Yuan
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Zheng Liu
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Jeremy Jones
- Department of Cell Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Massimo D'Apuzzo
- Department of Pathology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA; and
| | - Sumanta Pal
- Department of Medical Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA
| | - Marcin Kortylewski
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA;
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Teplyuk NM, Uhlmann EJ, Gabriely G, Volfovsky N, Wang Y, Teng J, Karmali P, Marcusson E, Peter M, Mohan A, Kraytsberg Y, Cialic R, Chiocca EA, Godlewski J, Tannous B, Krichevsky AM. Therapeutic potential of targeting microRNA-10b in established intracranial glioblastoma: first steps toward the clinic. EMBO Mol Med 2016; 8:268-87. [PMID: 26881967 PMCID: PMC4772951 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201505495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNA-10b (miR-10b) is a unique oncogenic miRNA that is highly expressed in all GBM subtypes, while absent in normal neuroglial cells of the brain. miR-10b inhibition strongly impairs proliferation and survival of cultured glioma cells, including glioma-initiating stem-like cells (GSC). Although several miR-10b targets have been identified previously, the common mechanism conferring the miR-10b-sustained viability of GSC is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that in heterogeneous GSC, miR-10b regulates cell cycle and alternative splicing, often through the non-canonical targeting via 5'UTRs of its target genes, including MBNL1-3, SART3, and RSRC1. We have further assessed the inhibition of miR-10b in intracranial human GSC-derived xenograft and murine GL261 allograft models in athymic and immunocompetent mice. Three delivery routes for the miR-10b antisense oligonucleotide inhibitors (ASO), direct intratumoral injections, continuous osmotic delivery, and systemic intravenous injections, have been explored. In all cases, the treatment with miR-10b ASO led to targets' derepression, and attenuated growth and progression of established intracranial GBM. No significant systemic toxicity was observed upon ASO administration by local or systemic routes. Our results indicate that miR-10b is a promising candidate for the development of targeted therapies against all GBM subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadiya M Teplyuk
- Department of Neurology, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Erik J Uhlmann
- Department of Neurology, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Galina Gabriely
- Department of Neurology, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Yang Wang
- Department of Neurology, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jian Teng
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Merlene Peter
- Department of Neurology, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Athul Mohan
- Department of Neurology, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yevgenya Kraytsberg
- Department of Neurology, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ron Cialic
- Department of Neurology, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - E Antonio Chiocca
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jakub Godlewski
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bakhos Tannous
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anna M Krichevsky
- Department of Neurology, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Morihara H, Yamamoto T, Oiwa H, Tonegawa K, Tsuchiyama D, Kawakatsu I, Obana M, Maeda M, Mohri T, Obika S, Fujio Y, Nakayama H. Phospholamban Inhibition by a Single Dose of Locked Nucleic Acid Antisense Oligonucleotide Improves Cardiac Contractility in Pressure Overload-Induced Systolic Dysfunction in Mice. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol Ther 2016; 22:273-282. [PMID: 27811197 DOI: 10.1177/1074248416676392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Phospholamban (PLN) inhibition enhances calcium cycling and is a potential novel therapy for heart failure (HF). Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are a promising tool for unmet medical needs. Nonviral vector use of locked nucleic acid (LNA)-modified ASOs (LNA-ASOs), which shows strong binding to target RNAs and is resistant to nuclease, is considered to have a potential for use in novel therapeutics in the next decades. Thus, the efficacy of a single-dose injection of LNA-ASO for cardiac disease needs to be elucidated. We assessed the therapeutic efficacy of a single-dose LNA-ASO injection targeting PLN in pressure overload-induced cardiac dysfunction. METHODS AND RESULTS Mice intravenously injected with Cy3-labeled LNA-ASO displayed Cy3 fluorescence in the liver and heart 24 hours after injection. Subsequently, male C57BL/6 mice were subjected to sham or transverse aortic constriction surgery; after 3 weeks, these were treated with PLN-targeting LNA-ASO (0.3 mg/kg) or scrambled LNA-ASO. Cardiac function was measured by echocardiography before and 1 week after injection. Phospholamban-targeting LNA-ASO treatment significantly improved fractional shortening (FS) by 6.5%, whereas administration of the scrambled LNA-ASO decreased FS by 4.0%. CONCLUSION Our study revealed that a single-dose injection of PLN-targeting LNA-ASO improved contractility in pressure overload-induced cardiac dysfunction, suggesting that LNA-ASO is a promising tool for hypertensive HF treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirofumi Morihara
- 1 Laboratory of Clinical Science and Biomedicine, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Yamamoto
- 2 Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Harunori Oiwa
- 1 Laboratory of Clinical Science and Biomedicine, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Kota Tonegawa
- 1 Laboratory of Clinical Science and Biomedicine, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Daisuke Tsuchiyama
- 1 Laboratory of Clinical Science and Biomedicine, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Ikki Kawakatsu
- 1 Laboratory of Clinical Science and Biomedicine, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Masanori Obana
- 1 Laboratory of Clinical Science and Biomedicine, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Makiko Maeda
- 1 Laboratory of Clinical Science and Biomedicine, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Tomomi Mohri
- 1 Laboratory of Clinical Science and Biomedicine, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Satoshi Obika
- 2 Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Yasushi Fujio
- 1 Laboratory of Clinical Science and Biomedicine, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Nakayama
- 1 Laboratory of Clinical Science and Biomedicine, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
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Haussecker D. Stacking up CRISPR against RNAi for therapeutic gene inhibition. FEBS J 2016; 283:3249-60. [PMID: 27090508 DOI: 10.1111/febs.13742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [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: 02/03/2016] [Revised: 04/10/2016] [Accepted: 04/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Both RNA interference (RNAi) and clustered regularly-interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) technologies allow for the sequence-specific inhibition of gene function and therefore have the potential to be used as therapeutic modalities. By judging the current public and scientific journal interest, it would seem that CRISPR, by enabling clean, durable knockouts, will dominate therapeutic gene inhibition, also at the expense of RNAi. This review aims to look behind prevailing sentiments and to more clearly define the likely scope of the therapeutic applications of the more recently developed CRISPR technology and its relative strengths and weaknesses with regards to RNAi. It is found that largely because of their broadly overlapping delivery constraints, while CRISPR presents formidable competition for DNA-directed RNAi strategies, its impact on RNAi therapeutics triggered by synthetic oligonucleotides will likely be more moderate. Instead, RNAi and genome editing, and in particular CRISPR, are poised to jointly promote a further shift toward sequence-targeted precision medicines.
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Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. Currently, a clinical diagnosis of AD is based on evidence of both cognitive and functional decline. Progression is monitored by detailed clinical evaluations over many months to years. It is increasingly clear that to advance disease-modifying therapies for AD, patients must be identified and treated early, before obvious cognitive and functional changes. In addition, better methods are needed to sensitively monitor progression of disease and therapeutic efficacy. Therefore, considerable research has focused on characterizing biomarkers that can identify the disease early as well as accurately monitor disease progression. miRNA offer a unique opportunity for biomarker development. Here, we review research focused on characterizing miRNA as potential biomarkers and as a treatment for disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn M Bekris
- Genomic Medicine Institute, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
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