scholarly journals Self-assembling ferritin-dendrimer nanoparticles for targeted delivery of nucleic acids to myeloid leukemia cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Federica Palombarini ◽  
Silvia Masciarelli ◽  
Alessio Incocciati ◽  
Francesca Liccardo ◽  
Elisa Di Fabio ◽  
...  

Abstract Background In recent years, the use of ferritins as nano-vehicles for drug delivery is taking center stage. Compared to other similar nanocarriers, Archaeoglobus fulgidus ferritin is particularly interesting due to its unique ability to assemble-disassemble under very mild conditions. Recently this ferritin was engineered to get a chimeric protein targeted to human CD71 receptor, typically overexpressed in cancer cells. Results Archaeoglobus fulgidus chimeric ferritin was used to generate a self-assembling hybrid nanoparticle hosting an aminic dendrimer together with a small nucleic acid. The positively charged dendrimer can indeed establish electrostatic interactions with the chimeric ferritin internal surface, allowing the formation of a protein-dendrimer binary system. The 4 large triangular openings on the ferritin shell represent a gate for negatively charged small RNAs, which access the internal cavity attracted by the dense positive charge of the dendrimer. This ternary protein-dendrimer-RNA system is efficiently uptaken by acute myeloid leukemia cells, typically difficult to transfect. As a proof of concept, we used a microRNA whose cellular delivery and induced phenotypic effects can be easily detected. In this article we have demonstrated that this hybrid nanoparticle successfully delivers a pre-miRNA to leukemia cells. Once delivered, the nucleic acid is released into the cytosol and processed to mature miRNA, thus eliciting phenotypic effects and morphological changes similar to the initial stages of granulocyte differentiation. Conclusion The results here presented pave the way for the design of a new family of protein-based transfecting agents that can specifically target a wide range of diseased cells. Graphic abstract

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federica Palombarini ◽  
Silvia Masciarelli ◽  
Alessio Incocciati ◽  
Francesca Liccardo ◽  
Elisa Di Fabio ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: In recent years, the use of ferritins as nano-vehicles for drug delivery is taking center stage. Compared to other similar nanocarriers, Archaeoglobus fulgidus ferritin is particularly interesting due to its unique ability to assemble-disassemble under very mild conditions. Recently this ferritin was engineered to get a chimeric protein targeted to human CD71 receptor, typically overexpressed in cancer cells.Results: Archaeoglobus fulgidus chimeric ferritin was used to generate a self-assembling hybrid nanoparticle hosting an aminic dendrimer together with a small nucleic acid. The positively charged dendrimer can indeed establish electrostatic interactions with the chimeric ferritin internal surface, allowing the formation of a protein-dendrimer binary system. The 4 large triangular openings on the ferritin shell represent a gate for negatively charged small RNAs, which access the internal cavity attracted by the dense positive charge of the dendrimer. This ternary protein-dendrimer-RNA system is efficiently uptaken by acute myeloid leukemia cells, typically difficult to transfect. As a proof of concept, we used a microRNA whose cellular delivery and induced phenotypic effects can be easily detected. In this article we have demonstrated that this hybrid nanoparticle successfully delivers a pre-miRNA to leukemia cells. Once delivered, the nucleic acid is released into the cytosol and processed to mature miRNA, thus eliciting the expected phenotypic effects and inducing morphological changes typical of the granulocyte differentiation process. Conclusion: The results here presented pave the way for the design of a new family of protein-based transfecting agents that can specifically target a wide range of diseased cells.


2012 ◽  
Vol 84 (11) ◽  
pp. 2479-2498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chaofeng Dai ◽  
Arpana Sagwal ◽  
Yunfeng Cheng ◽  
Hanjing Peng ◽  
Weixuan Chen ◽  
...  

Carbohydrate biomarkers play very important roles in a wide range of biological and pathological processes. Compounds that can specifically recognize a carbohydrate biomarker are useful for targeted delivery of imaging agents and for development of new diagnostics. Furthermore, such compounds could also be candidates for the development of therapeutic agents. A tremendous amount of active work on synthetic lectin mimics has been reported in recent years. Amongst all the synthetic lectins, boronic-acid-based lectins (boronolectins) have shown great promise. Along this line, four classes of boronolectins including peptide-, nucleic-acid-, polymer-, and small-molecule-based ones are discussed with a focus on the design principles and recent advances. We hope that by presenting the potentials of this field, this review will stimulate more research in this area.


Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (22) ◽  
pp. 1274-1274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shin-ichiro Fujiwara ◽  
Tadashi Nagai ◽  
Satoru Kikuchi ◽  
Mitsuyo Uesawa ◽  
Chihiro Sakurai ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 1274 Poster Board I-296 Introduction RCAN1 (also called DSCR1, calcipressin 1, MCIP1, Adapt78) is known to be a regulator of calcineurin, a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein phosphatase, and has also been shown to regulate the activity of certain transcription factors, including NF-AT and NF-kB. RCAN1 expression is widely found in various tissues, including the brain, kidney, liver and heart, but the expression level of RCAN1 is extremely low in normal hematopoiesis-related organs (bone marrow and spleen). Although RCAN1 has been shown to act as a negative regulator of FceRI-induced mast cell activation and NF-AT signaling in megakaryocytes, the cellular function of RCAN1 in myeloid cells remains unknown. Recently, we found that RCAN1 was highly expressed in acute phase of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) by DNA microarray analysis. In this study, to explore the role of RCAN1 in leukemogenesis, we compared RCAN1 expression in leukemia cells and that in normal hematopoietic cells. We also analyzed regulatory mechanisms of RCAN1 gene promoter function and searched for novel RCAN1-interacting molecules in myeloid leukemia cells. Methods Expression of RCAN1 was examined by quantitative PCR using normal human bone marrow cells, bone marrow cells from patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and patients with CML, and various human hematological tumor cell lines. Promoter activity of the human RCAN1 gene was evaluated by a luciferase assay using various deletion mutants in KCL22 cells. To identify novel RCAN1-interacting proteins, a yeast two-hybrid assay was performed using a cDNA library from K562 leukemia cells. Results Fractions of CD34+CD38-, CD34+CD38+, CD33+CD14-CD16-, CD33+CD14+ and CD33+CD16+ cells from normal human bone marrow showed extremely low levels of RCAN1, indicating that RCAN1 is scarcely expressed in normal hematopoietic cells, including stem cells and progenitor cells. In contrast, bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMC) from 15 of 16 patients with AML and all four patients with CML in acute phase showed substantial levels of RCAN1. Furthermore, RCAN1 was expressed in all human cell lines examined in this study that were derived from AML (THP-1, U937, HL60, KY821), CML in acute phase (KCL22,K562, KU812), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Jarkat, Raji) and multiple myeloma (RPMI8226, U266). Interestingly, expression levels of RCAN1 were significantly decreased in BMMC from three of four AML patients when the patients were in complete remission. These results suggest that RCAN1 is extraordinarily expressed in a wide range of hematological tumor cells. To reveal the underlying mechanisms of ectopic expression of RCAN1, we next examined the promoter function of RCAN1 gene, which consists of seven exons. Although RCAN1 expresses several alternative isoforms that selectively include each of exons 1-4 and use distinct promoters, we found that only exon 1 isoform was expressed in these leukemia cells. Analysis of the function of human RCAN1 gene promoter upstream of exon 1 demonstrated that NKX2-5 binding site is important for basal activity of RCAN1 gene promoter in KCL22 cells. NKX2-5 is a homeobox-containing transcription factor and is involved in leukemogenesis of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Our results raised the possibility that NKX2-5 plays a role in malignant transformation partly through expression of RCAN1 in myeloid leukemia cells. Finally, we searched for RCAN1-interacting proteins in leukemia cells. By screening a cDNA library from K562 cells using yeast two-hybrid assay, we found that RCAN1 interacts with HINT1, HINT2 and RINT1. HINT1 has been reported to be a tumor suppressor against hepatocellular carcinoma, and HINT2 and RINT1 have also been found to function as tumor suppressors. It would be interesting to clarify whether RCAN1 affects the activity of these molecules, and it is important to reveal the involvement of these molecules in leukemogenesis. Conclusion RCAN1 is extraordinarily expressed in a wide range of hematological malignant cells, and NKX2-5 might be important for its ectopic expression. It is possible that RCAN1 is biologically significant in leukemogenesis through affecting certain tumor suppressors. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Blood ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 120 (21) ◽  
pp. 4819-4819
Author(s):  
Liu Xiaoli ◽  
Xuan Zhou ◽  
Yuan Zuo ◽  
Lulu Xu ◽  
Jinfang Zhang ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 4819 The Eph receptors are found in a wide range of cancers and correlate with metastasis. However, their precise role in cancer has only started to be addressed. In this study, we investigated the role of Eph-A4 receptor in metastasis and invasive activity of myeloid leukemia cells. We fisr tested the expression of Eph-A4 in eight primary myeloid leukemias imclulding four with extramedullary metastasis and four without it, and leukemia cell line K562 by Real-time PCR and western blotting, then found that Eph- A4 was wildly expressed in myeloid Leukemia cells, especially in myeloid leukemia cells with high invasive activity. To further clarified the question, the stable over-expressing Eph-A4 cell line (K562-EphA4) based the wild K562 cell and pGC lentivirus vector were established to declare the metastasis and invasive activity in myeloid leukemia cells in vitro by trans-well migration assay. The results indicated that the mRNA level and protein expression of Eph-A4 were significantly increased in myeloid leukemias with extramedullary metastasis and K562 cells compared to those without it (P<0.05).After we successfully established the stable over-expressing Eph-A4 cell line, we verified its mRNA level and protein expression were both significantly increased ((P<0.05).Furthermore, RhoA and Rac1/cdc42, which are important adhesion molecules and related to metastasis and invasive activity were both highly expressed in K562-EphA4 cells compared to wild K562 cells (P<0.05). Moreover, the trans-well migration assay showed that cells that migrated to lower chambers and matrigel hydrogel were both increased in K562-EphA4 cells compared to wild K562 cells (5.22±2.11*104/ml vs 13.56±2.70*104 /ml P<0.000;18.07±3.15/cm2 vs 28.53±2.50/cm2P<0.000 respectively). Our findings suggest that Eph- A4 is likely to play an important role in the regulation the of myeloid Leukemia through the control of RhoA and Rac1/cdc42 associated signaling, migration and invasive activity, and therefore may represent a novel target for cancer treatment. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Antioxidants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 633
Author(s):  
Ewa Jasek-Gajda ◽  
Halina Jurkowska ◽  
Małgorzata Jasińska ◽  
Grzegorz J. Lis

The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular signal kinase (ERK) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signal transduction pathways have been implicated in the pathogenesis of leukemia. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the combination of ERK1/2 inhibitor AZD0364 and PI3K inhibitor ZSTK474 on acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) REH, MOLT-4, acute myeloid leukemia (AML) MOLM-14, and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) K562 cell lines. To evaluate the interactions of the drugs, cells were treated for 48 h with AZD0364 or ZSTK474 alone and in combination at fixed ratios. The combinatorial effects of both inhibitors were synergistic over a wide range of concentrations in REH, MOLT-4, and MOLM-14 cell lines. However, in K562 cells, the effects were found to be antagonistic. Furthermore, AZD0364 and ZSTK474 significantly decreased both ERK1/2 and AKT activation in REH, MOLT-4, and MOLM-14 cells. The results showed that incubation with both AZD0364 and ZSTK474 inhibited cell viability, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and induced apoptosis in leukemia cells. We observed that combined treatment with AZD0364 and ZSTK474 affected nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and antioxidant protein levels: NF-E2-related factor 2 (NRF2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), thioredoxin (Trx), thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), and the reduced glutathione/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) ratio. These effects were accompanied with decreased antiapoptotic survivin protein level. However, distinct cell line dependent effects were observed. In conclusion, the combination of AZD0364 and ZSTK474 can exert a synergistic anticancer effect in ALL and AML cells, which is associated with the induction of oxidative stress and the involvement of cellular antioxidant defense mechanisms.


2015 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 405-411
Author(s):  
Zhadyra Sagykyzy Shagyrova ◽  
Yerzhan Yersaiynuly Zhienbay ◽  
Mikhail Seregeyevich Voikov ◽  
Alexander Vyacheslavovich Shustov

Abstract: Nano-sized carriers can help to reduce toxicity and improve clinical efficacy of drugs. Virus-like particles (VLPs) are biocompatible and biodegradable self-assembling nanoparticles, which show great promise as carriers for substances for targeted delivery and controlled release. Either chemical conjugation of physical incorporation without formation of covalent bonds is possible to load substances of interest into VLPs.Objectives: To produce VLPs from recombinant viral capsid protein (HBcAg) and test feasibility of methods of formation of chemical and physical conjugates of VLPs with substances of pharmacological interest.Methods: Virus-like particles composed from recombinant hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) were produced by recombinant expression in E.coli and purified by successive centrifugation through sucrose gradients. Peptide transportan 10 was synthesized and used for carbodiimide (EDC)-mediated conjugation to VLPs. Doxorubicin (DOX) was loaded into the nucleic acid-containing VLPs to form physical conjugate.Results: VLPs with chemically attached moieties of cell-penetrating peptide transportan 10 were produced. The conjugate was examined in SDS-PAGE to confirm presence of conjugation products. Conjugation efficiency (molar ration peptide/protein in the conjugate) reaches 0.5:1 (i.e. 50% of protein chains have one attached peptide moiety). The nucleic acid-containing VLPs can be loaded with the DOX forming stable non-covalent physical conjugate.Conclusion: Recombinantly expressed VLPs allow easy attaching of small molecules making them a convenient platform to develop drug carriers.


2004 ◽  
Vol 216 (03) ◽  
Author(s):  
S Schulze ◽  
B Busche ◽  
H Nau ◽  
D Eikel ◽  
L Schweigerer ◽  
...  

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hueyling Tan

Molecular self-assembly is ubiquitous in nature and has emerged as a new approach to produce new materials in chemistry, engineering, nanotechnology, polymer science and materials. Molecular self-assembly has been attracting increasing interest from the scientific community in recent years due to its importance in understanding biology and a variety of diseases at the molecular level. In the last few years, considerable advances have been made in the use ofpeptides as building blocks to produce biological materials for wide range of applications, including fabricating novel supra-molecular structures and scaffolding for tissue repair. The study ofbiological self-assembly systems represents a significant advancement in molecular engineering and is a rapidly growing scientific and engineering field that crosses the boundaries ofexisting disciplines. Many self-assembling systems are rangefrom bi- andtri-block copolymers to DNA structures as well as simple and complex proteins andpeptides. The ultimate goal is to harness molecular self-assembly such that design andcontrol ofbottom-up processes is achieved thereby enabling exploitation of structures developed at the meso- and macro-scopic scale for the purposes oflife and non-life science applications. Such aspirations can be achievedthrough understanding thefundamental principles behind the selforganisation and self-synthesis processes exhibited by biological systems.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Drew P. Harding ◽  
Laura J. Kingsley ◽  
Glen Spraggon ◽  
Steven Wheeler

The intrinsic (gas-phase) stacking energies of natural and artificial nucleobases were explored using density functional theory (DFT) and correlated ab initio methods. Ranking the stacking strength of natural nucleobase dimers revealed a preference in binding partner similar to that seen from experiments, namely G > C > A > T > U. Decomposition of these interaction energies using symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) showed that these dispersion dominated interactions are modulated by electrostatics. Artificial nucleobases showed a similar stacking preference for natural nucleobases and were also modulated by electrostatic interactions. A robust predictive multivariate model was developed that quantitively predicts the maximum stacking interaction between natural and a wide range of artificial nucleobases using molecular descriptors based on computed electrostatic potentials (ESPs) and the number of heavy atoms. This model should find utility in designing artificial nucleobase analogs that exhibit stacking interactions comparable to those of natural nucleobases. Further analysis of the descriptors in this model unveil the origin of superior stacking abilities of certain nucleobases, including cytosine and guanine.


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