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Orfanou IM, Argyros O, Papapetropoulos A, Tseleni-Balafouta S, Vougas K, Tamvakopoulos C. Discovery and Pharmacological Evaluation of STEAP4 as a Novel Target for HER2 Overexpressing Breast Cancer. Front Oncol 2021; 11:608201. [PMID: 33842315 PMCID: PMC8034292 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.608201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [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: 09/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is a highly heterogeneous disease encompassing multiple subtypes with different molecular and histopathological features, disease prognosis, and therapeutic responses. Among these, the Triple Negative BC form (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype with poor prognosis and therapeutic outcome. With respect to HER2 overexpressing BC, although advanced targeted therapies have improved the survival of patients, disease relapse and metastasis remains a challenge for therapeutic efficacy. In this study the aim was to identify key membrane-associated proteins which are overexpressed in these aggressive BC subtypes and can serve as potential biomarkers or drug targets. We leveraged on the development of a membrane enrichment protocol in combination with the global profiling GeLC-MS/MS technique, and compared the proteomic profiles of a HER2 overexpressing (HCC-1954) and a TNBC (MDA-MB-231) cell line with that of a benign control breast cell line (MCF-10A). An average of 2300 proteins were identified from each cell line, of which approximately 600 were membrane-associated proteins. Our global proteomic methodology in tandem with invigoration by Western blot and Immunofluorescence analysis, readily detected several previously-established BC receptors like HER2 and EPHA2, but importantly STEAP4 and CD97 emerged as novel potential candidate markers. This is the first time that the mitochondrial iron reductase STEAP4 protein up-regulation is linked to BC (HER2+ subtype), while for CD97, its role in BC has been previously described, but never before by a global proteomic technology in TNBC. STEAP4 was selected for further detailed evaluation by the employment of Immunohistochemical analysis of BC xenografts and clinical tissue microarray studies. Results showed that STEAP4 expression was evident only in malignant breast tissues whereas all the benign breast cases had no detectable levels. A functional role of STEAP4 intervention was established in HER2 overexpressing BC by pharmacological studies, where blockage of the STEAP4 pathway with an iron chelator (Deferiprone) in combination with the HER2 inhibitor Lapatinib led to a significant reduction in cell growth in vitro. Furthermore, siRNA mediated knockdown of STEAP4 also suppressed cell proliferation and enhanced the inhibition of Lapatinib in HER2 overexpressing BC, confirming its potential oncogenic role in BC. In conclusion, STEAP4 may represent a novel BC related biomarker and a potential pharmacological target for the treatment of HER2 overexpressing BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioanna-Maria Orfanou
- Center for Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Orestis Argyros
- Center for Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Andreas Papapetropoulos
- Center for Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece.,Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Sofia Tseleni-Balafouta
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Vougas
- Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Biotechnology, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Constantin Tamvakopoulos
- Center for Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
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2
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Argyros O, Karampelas T, Varela A, Asvos X, Papakyriakou A, Agalou A, Beis D, Davos CH, Fokas D, Tamvakopoulos C. Targeting of the breast cancer microenvironment with a potent and linkable oxindole based antiangiogenic small molecule. Oncotarget 2018; 8:37250-37262. [PMID: 28422745 PMCID: PMC5514907 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.16763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [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: 06/29/2016] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The clinical efficacy of antiangiogenic small molecules (e.g., sunitinib) in breast carcinoma has largely failed with substantial off-target toxicity. We rationally designed and evaluated preclinically a novel sunitinib analogue, SAP, with favourable pharmacological properties and the ability to be readily conjugated to a targeting peptide or antibody for active tumour targeting. SAP was evaluated in silico and in vitro in order to verify target engagement (e.g., VEGFR2). Pharmacokinetic and biodistribution parameters were determined in mice using LC-MS/MS. SAP efficacy was tested in two breast cancer xenograft and two syngeneic animal models and pharmacodynamic evaluation was accomplished using phosphokinase assays and immunohistochemistry. Cardiac and blood toxicity of SAP were also monitored. SAP retained the antiangiogenic and cytotoxic properties of the parental molecule with an increased blood exposure and tumor accumulation compared to sunitinib. SAP proved efficacious in all animal models. Tumors from SAP treated animals had significantly decreased Ki-67 and CD31 markers and reduced levels of phosphorylated AKT, ERK and S6 compared to vehicle treated animals. In mice dosed with SAP there was negligible hematotoxicity, while cardiac function measurements showed a reduction in the percentage left ventricular fractional shortening compared to vehicle treated animals. In conclusion, SAP is a novel rationally designed conjugatable small antiangiogenic molecule, efficacious in preclinical models of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orestis Argyros
- Division of Pharmacology-Pharmacotechnology, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, 11527, Greece
| | - Theodoros Karampelas
- Division of Pharmacology-Pharmacotechnology, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, 11527, Greece
| | - Aimilia Varela
- Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research Center, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, 11527, Greece
| | - Xenophon Asvos
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, 45110, Greece
| | - Athanasios Papakyriakou
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Natural Products and Designed Molecules, Institute of Physical Chemistry, N.C.S.R "Demokritos", Athens, 15310, Greece
| | - Adamantia Agalou
- Developmental Biology, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, 11527, Greece
| | - Dimitris Beis
- Developmental Biology, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, 11527, Greece
| | - Constantinos H Davos
- Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research Center, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, 11527, Greece
| | - Demosthenes Fokas
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, 45110, Greece
| | - Constantin Tamvakopoulos
- Division of Pharmacology-Pharmacotechnology, Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, 11527, Greece
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Daniilides K, Lougiakis N, Evangelidis T, Kostakis IK, Pouli N, Marakos P, Mikros E, Skaltsounis AL, Bach S, Baratte B, Ruchaud S, Karamani V, Papafotika A, Christoforidis S, Argyros O, Kouvari E, Tamvakopoulos C. Discovery of New Aminosubstituted Pyrrolopyrimidines with Antiproliferative Activity Against Breast Cancer Cells and Investigation of their Effect Towards the PI3Kα Enzyme. Anticancer Agents Med Chem 2017; 17:990-1002. [DOI: 10.2174/1871520616666161207143450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2016] [Revised: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 11/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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4
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Karampelas T, Skavatsou E, Argyros O, Fokas D, Tamvakopoulos C. Gemcitabine Based Peptide Conjugate with Improved Metabolic Properties and Dual Mode of Efficacy. Mol Pharm 2017; 14:674-685. [PMID: 28099809 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.6b00961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Gemcitabine is a clinically established anticancer agent potent in various solid tumors but limited by its rapid metabolic inactivation and off-target toxicity. We have previously generated a metabolically superior to gemcitabine molecule (GSG) by conjugating gemcitabine to a gonadotropin releasing hormone receptor (GnRH-R) ligand peptide and showed that GSG was efficacious in a castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) animal model. The current article provides an in-depth metabolic and mechanistic study of GSG, coupled with toxicity assays that strengthen the potential role of GSG in the clinic. LC-MS/MS based approaches were employed to delineate the metabolism of GSG, its mechanistic cellular uptake, and release of gemcitabine and to quantitate the intracellular levels of gemcitabine and its metabolites (active dFdCTP and inactive dFdU) resulting from GSG. The GnRH-R agonistic potential of GSG was investigated by quantifying the testosterone levels in animals dosed daily with GSG, while an in vitro colony forming assay together with in vivo whole blood measurements were performed to elucidate the hematotoxicity profile of GSG. Stability showed that the major metabolite of GSG is a more stable nonapeptide that could prolong gemcitabine's bioavailability. GSG acted as a prodrug and offered a metabolic advantage compared to gemcitabine by generating higher and steadier levels of dFdCTP/dFdU ratio, while intracellular release of gemcitabine from GSG in DU145 CRPC cells depended on nucleoside transporters. Daily administrations in mice showed that GSG is a potent GnRH-R agonist that can also cause testosterone ablation without any observed hematotoxicity. In summary, GSG could offer a powerful and unique pharmacological approach to prostate cancer treatment: a single nontoxic molecule that can be used to reach the tumor site selectively with superior to gemcitabine metabolism, biodistribution, and safety while also agonistically ablating testosterone levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodoros Karampelas
- Division of Pharmacology-Pharmacotechnology, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens , 4 Soranou Ephessiou Street, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Eleni Skavatsou
- Division of Pharmacology-Pharmacotechnology, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens , 4 Soranou Ephessiou Street, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Orestis Argyros
- Division of Pharmacology-Pharmacotechnology, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens , 4 Soranou Ephessiou Street, 11527 Athens, Greece
| | - Demosthenes Fokas
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Ioannina , 45110 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Constantin Tamvakopoulos
- Division of Pharmacology-Pharmacotechnology, Biomedical Research Foundation, Academy of Athens , 4 Soranou Ephessiou Street, 11527 Athens, Greece
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Karampelas T, Skavatsou E, Argyros O, Tamvakopoulos C. A gemcitabine based peptide conjugate with improved metabolic properties, dual mode of action and efficacy in animal models. Eur J Cancer 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/s0959-8049(16)61702-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Argyros O, Karampelas T, Asvos X, Varela A, Sayyad N, Papakyriakou A, Davos CH, Tzakos AG, Fokas D, Tamvakopoulos C. Peptide–Drug Conjugate GnRH–Sunitinib Targets Angiogenesis Selectively at the Site of Action to Inhibit Tumor Growth. Cancer Res 2015; 76:1181-92. [DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-15-2138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2015] [Accepted: 11/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Tamvakopoulos C, Karampelas T, Argyros O. Abstract 2618: Gemcitabine based peptide conjugates: Overcoming the pitfalls of conventional therapies by targeted approaches. Cancer Res 2015. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2015-2618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Although gemcitabine has been proved to be a valuable ally against several types of cancer, it is characterized by some weaknesses that limit its anticancer potential. These limitations are mainly associated with gemcitabine rapid inactivation as well as the different types of resistance that are related with its use. We have previously shown that conjugation of gemcitabine to a ligand peptide (molecule GSG) enhanced its metabolic stability systemically and locally (within the cancer cell), and lead to improved efficacy in a castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) animal model.
In order to refine our previous findings, a bioanalytical methodology based on mass spectrometry that allows the simultaneous monitoring of gemcitabine as well as its active (dFdCDP, dFdCTP) and inactive (dFdU) metabolites was developed in the context of this study. The balance of gemcitabine and its active/inactive metabolites was evaluated in in vitro and in vivo systems after treatment with gemcitabine or selected gemcitabine based peptide conjugates (GSG). Furthermore, since GSG's structure contains a potent agonist peptide of the GnRH-R we investigated whether it could have a central effect through the pituitary by performing testosterone measurements in animals dosed with GSG.
Interestingly, GSG appears to offer metabolic advantages in comparison to gemcitabine, an important attribute if we had to overcome gemcitabine acquired resistance. In addition, GSG is a potent GnRH-R agonist based on our in vivo biomarker model, suggesting that testosterone ablation might also represent a key attribute of the mechanism of action for our conjugate of interest.
These findings along with the targeted delivery nature of this approach could ameliorate the therapeutic status of gemcitabine and expand the use of gemcitabine based conjugates in other types of cancers.
Citation Format: Constantin Tamvakopoulos, Theodoros Karampelas, Orestis Argyros. Gemcitabine based peptide conjugates: Overcoming the pitfalls of conventional therapies by targeted approaches. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2618. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2618
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Orestis Argyros
- Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
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8
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Abstract
DNA vectors have the potential to become powerful medical tools for treatment of human disease. The human body has, however, developed a range of defensive strategies to detect and silence foreign or misplaced DNA, which is more typically encountered during infection or chromosomal damage. A clinically relevant human gene therapy vector must overcome or avoid these protections whilst delivering sustained levels of therapeutic gene product without compromising the vitality of the recipient host. Many non-viral DNA vectors trigger these defense mechanisms and are subsequently destroyed or rendered silent. Thus, without modification or considered design, the clinical utility of a typical DNA vector is fundamentally limited due to the transient nature of its transgene expression. The development of safe and persistently expressing DNA vectors is a crucial prerequisite for its successful clinical application and subsequently remains, therefore, one of the main strategic tasks of non-viral gene therapy research. In this chapter we will describe our current understanding of the mechanisms that can destroy or silence DNA vectors and discuss strategies, which have been utilized to improve their sustenance and the level and duration of their transgene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suet Ping Wong
- Leukocyte Biology Section, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Orestis Argyros
- Division of Pharmacology-Pharmacotechnology, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Richard P Harbottle
- DNA Vector Research, German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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Karampelas T, Argyros O, Sayyad N, Spyridaki K, Pappas C, Morgan K, Kolios G, Millar RP, Liapakis G, Tzakos AG, Fokas D, Tamvakopoulos C. GnRH-Gemcitabine Conjugates for the Treatment of Androgen-Independent Prostate Cancer: Pharmacokinetic Enhancements Combined with Targeted Drug Delivery. Bioconjug Chem 2014; 25:813-23. [DOI: 10.1021/bc500081g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Theodoros Karampelas
- Division
of Pharmacology-Pharmacotechnology, Biomedical Research Foundation
of the Academy of Athens, Soranou Ephessiou Street 4, Athens GR-11527, Greece
| | - Orestis Argyros
- Division
of Pharmacology-Pharmacotechnology, Biomedical Research Foundation
of the Academy of Athens, Soranou Ephessiou Street 4, Athens GR-11527, Greece
| | | | - Katerina Spyridaki
- Department
of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, GR-71003, Greece
| | | | - Kevin Morgan
- Respiratory
Medicine, Castle Hill Hospital, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, Yorkshire HU6 7RX, United Kingdom
| | - George Kolios
- Laboratory
of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, GR-68100, Greece
| | - Robert P Millar
- Mammal
Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
- UCT/MRC
Receptor Biology Group, Institute for Infectious Diseases and Molecular
Medicine, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
- Centre
for Integrative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9YL, Scotland
| | - George Liapakis
- Department
of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, GR-71003, Greece
| | | | | | - Constantin Tamvakopoulos
- Division
of Pharmacology-Pharmacotechnology, Biomedical Research Foundation
of the Academy of Athens, Soranou Ephessiou Street 4, Athens GR-11527, Greece
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Drake CR, Aissaoui A, Argyros O, Thanou M, Steinke JH, Miller AD. Examination of the effect of increasing the number of intra-disulfide amino functional groups on the performance of small molecule cyclic polyamine disulfide vectors. J Control Release 2013; 171:81-90. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2013.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2012] [Revised: 02/05/2013] [Accepted: 02/14/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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Argyros O, Wong SP, Gowers K, Harbottle RP. Genetic modification of cancer cells using non-viral, episomal S/MAR vectors for in vivo tumour modelling. PLoS One 2012; 7:e47920. [PMID: 23110132 PMCID: PMC3482240 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0047920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2011] [Accepted: 09/20/2012] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of genetically marked animal tumour xenografts is an area of ongoing research to enable easier and more reliable testing of cancer therapies. Genetically marked tumour models have a number of advantages over conventional tumour models, including the easy longitudinal monitoring of therapies and the reduced number of animals needed for trials. Several different methods have been used in previous studies to mark tumours genetically, however all have limitations, such as genotoxicity and other artifacts related to the usage of integrating viral vectors. Recently, we have generated an episomally maintained plasmid DNA (pDNA) expression system based on Scaffold/Matrix Attachment Region (S/MAR), which permits long-term luciferase transgene expression in the mouse liver. Here we describe a further usage of this pDNA vector with the human Ubiquitin C promoter to create stably transfected human hepatoma (Huh7) and human Pancreatic Carcinoma (MIA-PaCa2) cell lines, which were delivered into “immune deficient” mice and monitored longitudinally over time using a bioluminometer. Both cell lines revealed sustained episomal long-term luciferase expression and formation of a tumour showing the pathological characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and pancreatic carcinoma (PaCa), respectively. This is the first demonstration that a pDNA vector can confer sustained episomal luciferase transgene expression in various mouse tumour models and can thus be readily utilised to follow tumour formation without interfering with the cellular genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orestis Argyros
- Gene Therapy Research Group, Section of Molecular Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Suet Ping Wong
- Gene Therapy Research Group, Section of Molecular Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kate Gowers
- Gene Therapy Research Group, Section of Molecular Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Paul Harbottle
- Gene Therapy Research Group, Section of Molecular Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Wong S, Tracey-White D, Argyros O, Harbottle R. 761 Genetic Modification of Cancer Cells Using Non-viral Vectors Harbouring a Scaffold/Matrix Attachment Region. Eur J Cancer 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/s0959-8049(12)71397-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Karampelas T, Argyros O, Kostomitsopoulos N, Morgan K, Sayyad N, Tzakos A, Fokas D, Tamvakopoulos C. 824 Cancer Cell's Surface Traits – an Ally in Designing Targeted Cancer Therapies – a GnRH Based Approach. Eur J Cancer 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/s0959-8049(12)71457-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Wong SP, Argyros O, Harbottle RP. Vector systems for prenatal gene therapy: principles of non-viral vector design and production. Methods Mol Biol 2012; 891:133-67. [PMID: 22648771 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-61779-873-3_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Gene therapy vectors based on viruses are the most effective gene delivery systems in use today and although efficient at gene transfer their potential toxicity (Hacein-Bey-Abina et al., Science 302:415-419, 2003) provides impetus for the development of safer non-viral alternatives. An ideal vector for human gene therapy should deliver sustainable therapeutic levels of gene expression without affecting the viability of the host at either the cellular or somatic level. Vectors, which comprise entirely human elements, may provide the most suitable method of achieving this. Non-viral vectors are attractive alternatives to viral gene delivery systems because of their low toxicity, relatively easy production, and great versatility. The development of more efficient, economically prepared, and safer gene delivery vectors is a crucial prerequisite for their successful clinical application and remains a primary strategic task of gene therapy research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suet Ping Wong
- Faculty of Medicine, Molecular and Cellular Medicine Section, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION The early potential of gene therapy is slowly becoming realized following the recent treatment of patients with severe combined immunodeficiency and ocular diseases. However at present the field of gene therapy is tempered by the toxicity issues, mainly that of the integrated retroviral vector used in most trials which led to oncogenesis in several of the treated patients. The development of safer, alternative vectors is therefore vital for further progress in this field, in particular vectors which remain episomal and are therefore less genotoxic. One such unique class of vectors are those based on scaffold matrix attachment regions (S/MARs) elements, which are maintained extra-chromosomally and replicate in vitro and in vivo. AREAS COVERED The overview here describes the most relevant studies utilizing the S/MAR element to episomally modify mammalian cells and tissues with a particular focus on liver tissue, as well as the brain, the muscle, the eye, cancer cells, embryonic cells and neonatal mice. For this purpose, recently published data in these areas (mainly articles published between 2000 and 2010) are reviewed. EXPERT OPINION The utilisation of vectors harbouring an S/MAR element is an efficient, safe and cost-effective way to episomally modify mammalian cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orestis Argyros
- Imperial College London, Gene Therapy Research Group, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, National Heart and Lung Institute, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
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Argyros O, Wong SP, Fedonidis C, Tolmachov O, Waddington SN, Howe SJ, Niceta M, Coutelle C, Harbottle RP. Development of S/MAR minicircles for enhanced and persistent transgene expression in the mouse liver. J Mol Med (Berl) 2011; 89:515-29. [PMID: 21301798 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-010-0713-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2010] [Revised: 10/29/2010] [Accepted: 12/03/2010] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
We have previously described the development of a scaffold/matrix attachment region (S/MAR) episomal vector system for in vivo application and demonstrated its utility to sustain transgene expression in the mouse liver for at least 6 months following a single administration. Subsequently, we observed that transgene expression is sustained for the lifetime of the animal. The level of expression, however, does drop appreciably over time. We hypothesised that by eliminating the bacterial components in our vectors, we could improve their performance since bacterial sequences have been shown to be responsible for the immunotoxicity of the vector and the silencing of its expression when applied in vivo. We describe here the development of a minimally sized S/MAR vector, which is devoid of extraneous bacterial sequences. This minicircle vector comprises an expression cassette and an S/MAR moiety, providing higher and more sustained transgene expression for several months in the absence of selection, both in vitro and in vivo. In contrast to the expression of our original S/MAR plasmid vector, the novel S/MAR minicircle vectors mediate increased transgene expression, which becomes sustained at about twice the levels observed immediately after administration. These promising results demonstrate the utility of minimally sized S/MAR vectors for persistent, atoxic gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orestis Argyros
- Gene Therapy Research Group, Section of Molecular Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
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Wong SP, Argyros O, Howe SJ, Harbottle RP. Systemic gene transfer of polyethylenimine (PEI)-plasmid DNA complexes to neonatal mice. J Control Release 2010; 150:298-306. [PMID: 21192993 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2010.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2010] [Revised: 12/14/2010] [Accepted: 12/17/2010] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Non-viral vectors have not been extensively investigated in neonatal mice due to the poor efficiency of the delivery methods available. Understanding the effects of non-viral vectors during early development is vital to develop safe gene therapy treatments where irreversible pathological processes may be avoided by early gene reconstitution. Here we describe a simple and effective method for the systemic administration of non-viral vectors via the superior temporal vein of mouse pups at 1.5 days of age. We show that injection of polyethylenimine (PEI)-complexed plasmid DNA (pDNA) intravenously results in effective transfection in the liver, lung, heart, spleen, brain and kidney. We also investigate the specific targeting of transgene expression to the proliferating neonate liver using a liver-specific plasmid containing a Scaffold Matrix Attachment Region (S/MAR) element, which has previously been shown to confer long-term expression in adult mouse liver. Using bioluminescent imaging, a gradual increase in transgene expression was observed which peaked at days 11-12, before the reduction of expression to background levels by day 25, suggestive of vector copy number loss. We conclude that non-viral vectors can successfully be used for systemic delivery to neonatal mice and that this technique is likely to open a host of early therapeutic possibilities for gene transfer by a range of non-viral vector formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suet Ping Wong
- Gene Therapy Research Group, Section of Molecular and Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
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Drake CR, Aissaoui A, Argyros O, Serginson JM, Monnery BD, Thanou M, Steinke JHG, Miller AD. Bioresponsive small molecule polyamines as noncytotoxic alternative to polyethylenimine. Mol Pharm 2010; 7:2040-55. [PMID: 20929266 DOI: 10.1021/mp9002249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Nonviral gene therapy continues to require novel synthetic vectors to deliver therapeutic nucleic acids effectively and safely. The majority of synthetic nonviral vectors employed in clinical trials to date have been cationic liposomes; however, cationic polymers are attracting increasing attention. One of the few cationic polymers to enter clinical trials has been polyethylenimine (PEI); however, doubts remain over its cytotoxicity, and in addition it displays lower levels of transfection than viral systems. Herein, we report on the development of a series of small molecule analogues of PEI that are bioresponsive to the presence of pDNA, forming poly(disulfide)s that are capable of efficacious transfection with no associated toxicity. The most effective small molecule developed, a cyclic disulfide based upon a spermine backbone, is shown to form very well-defined polyplexes (100-200 nm in diameter) that mediate murine lung transfection in vivo to within an order of magnitude of in vivo jetPEI, and at the same time display a much improved cytotoxicity profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R Drake
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Imperial College Genetic Therapies Centre, Flowers Building, Armstrong Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK
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Haase R, Argyros O, Wong SP, Harbottle RP, Lipps HJ, Ogris M, Magnusson T, Vizoso Pinto MG, Haas J, Baiker A. pEPito: a significantly improved non-viral episomal expression vector for mammalian cells. BMC Biotechnol 2010; 10:20. [PMID: 20230618 PMCID: PMC2847955 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6750-10-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2009] [Accepted: 03/15/2010] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The episomal replication of the prototype vector pEPI-1 depends on a transcription unit starting from the constitutively expressed Cytomegalovirus immediate early promoter (CMV-IEP) and directed into a 2000 bp long matrix attachment region sequence (MARS) derived from the human beta-interferon gene. The original pEPI-1 vector contains two mammalian transcription units and a total of 305 CpG islands, which are located predominantly within the vector elements necessary for bacterial propagation and known to be counterproductive for persistent long-term transgene expression. RESULTS Here, we report the development of a novel vector pEPito, which is derived from the pEPI-1 plasmid replicon but has considerably improved efficacy both in vitro and in vivo. The pEPito vector is significantly reduced in size, contains only one transcription unit and 60% less CpG motives in comparison to pEPI-1. It exhibits major advantages compared to the original pEPI-1 plasmid, including higher transgene expression levels and increased colony-forming efficiencies in vitro, as well as more persistent transgene expression profiles in vivo. The performance of pEPito-based vectors was further improved by replacing the CMV-IEP with the human CMV enhancer/human elongation factor 1 alpha promoter (hCMV/EF1P) element that is known to be less affected by epigenetic silencing events. CONCLUSIONS The novel vector pEPito can be considered suitable as an improved vector for biotechnological applications in vitro and for non-viral gene delivery in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rudolf Haase
- Max von Pettenkofer-Institute, University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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Wong SP, Argyros O, Coutelle C, Harbottle RP. Strategies for the episomal modification of cells. Curr Opin Mol Ther 2009; 11:433-441. [PMID: 19649988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The clinical application of gene therapy has become a reality with the treatment of patients with X-linked SCID (SCID-X1) using a modified retrovirus. This success has been tempered by the toxicity of the vector used in this trial, which led to oncogenesis in several of the treated patients. The development of safer, alternative vectors, which remain episomal and are therefore less genotoxic, is currently an area of active research. Notable recent developments include the application of modified lentiviral vectors, which stably express transgenes without the risk of integration; plasmid vectors, which exist episomally and are persistently expressed in the livers of mice; and the generation of replicating artificial chromosomes containing genomic loci. In addition, knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of nuclear retention and replication of the transgene is improving and will facilitate further developments in the use of episomal DNA for the genetic modification of cells. This review describes the development and application of gene therapy vectors, with a focus on those that are specifically designed to avoid integration and exist episomally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suet Ping Wong
- Imperial College London, Gene Therapy Research Group, Molecular Medicine, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, London, UK
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Abstract
The use of nanoparticles in biology, especially in cellular imaging, is extremely promising and offers numerous advantages over existing organic dye systems. There are, however, constraints that need to be addressed before the use of such materials in mainstream clinical applications can be realized. One of the main concerns is the use of metal-containing particles that are potentially toxic or interfere with other diagnostic processes. Here, we present the use of simple conjugated polymer nanoparticles as alternative photostable cellular optical imaging agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Green
- Department of Physics, King’s College London, The Strand, London WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Philip Howes
- Department of Physics, King’s College London, The Strand, London WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Catherine Berry
- Centre for Cell Engineering, University of Glasgow, Joseph Black Building, IBLS, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Orestis Argyros
- Department of Pharmacy, King’s College London, Franklin-Wilkins Building, Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH, UK
- Genetic Therapies Centre, Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Flowers Building, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Maya Thanou
- Department of Pharmacy, King’s College London, Franklin-Wilkins Building, Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH, UK
- Genetic Therapies Centre, Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Flowers Building, London SW7 2AZ, UK
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Argyros O, Wong SP, Niceta M, Waddington SN, Howe SJ, Coutelle C, Miller AD, Harbottle RP. Persistent episomal transgene expression in liver following delivery of a scaffold/matrix attachment region containing non-viral vector. Gene Ther 2008; 15:1593-605. [PMID: 18633447 DOI: 10.1038/gt.2008.113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
An ideal gene therapy vector should enable persistent transgene expression without limitations of safety and reproducibility. Here we report the development of a non-viral episomal plasmid DNA (pDNA) vector that appears to fulfil these criteria. This pDNA vector combines a scaffold/matrix attachment region (S/MAR) with a human liver-specific promoter (alpha1-antitrypsin (AAT)) in such a way that long-term expression is enabled in murine liver following hydrodynamic injection. Long-term expression is demonstrated by monitoring the longitudinal luciferase expression profile for up to 6 months by means of in situ bioluminescent imaging. All relevant control pDNA constructs expressing luciferase are unable to sustain significant transgene expression beyond 1 week post-administration. We establish that this shutdown of expression is due to promoter methylation. In contrast, the S/MAR element appears to inhibit methylation of the AAT promoter thereby preventing transgene silencing. Although this vector appears to be maintained as an episome throughout, we have no evidence for its establishment as a replicating entity. We conclude that the combination of a mammalian, tissue-specific promoter with the S/MAR element is sufficient to drive long-term episomal pDNA expression of genes in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Argyros
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College Genetic Therapies Centre, Imperial College London, London, UK
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