Electrically-Assisted Nucleic Acids Delivery to Tissues In Vivo: Where Do We Stand?

The use of ultrasound has gained great interest for nucleic acids delivery. Ultrasound can reach deep tissues in non-invasive manner. The process of sonoporation is based on the use of low-frequency ultrasound combined with gas-filled microbubbles (MBs) allowing an improved delivery of molecules including nucleic acids in the insonified tissue. For in vivo gene transfer, the engineering of cationic MBs is essential for creating strong electrostatic interactions between MBs and nucleic acids leading to their protection against nucleases degradation and high concentration within the target tissue. Cationic MBs must be stable enough to withstand nucleic acids interaction, have a good size distribution for in vivo administration, and enough acoustic activity to be detected by echography. This review aims to summarize the basic principles of ultrasound-based delivery and new knowledge acquired in these recent years about this method. A focus is made on gene delivery by discussing reported studies made with cationic MBs including ours. They have the ability for efficient delivery of plasmid DNA (pDNA), mRNA or siRNA. Last, we discuss about the key challenges that have to be faced for a fine use of this delivery system.

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Exosome as a Natural Gene Delivery Vector for Cancer Treatment

Current Cancer Drug Targets ◽

10.2174/1568009620666200924154149 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (11) ◽

pp. 821-830

Author(s):

Prasad Pofali ◽

Adrita Mondal ◽

Vaishali Londhe

Keyword(s):

Gene Therapy ◽

Gene Delivery ◽

Nucleic Acids ◽

Cancer Treatment ◽

Intestinal Barrier ◽

Gene Carrier ◽

Gene Delivery Vector ◽

Delivery Vector

Background: Current gene therapy vectors such as viral, non-viral, and bacterial vectors, which are used for cancer treatment, but there are certain safety concerns and stability issues of these conventional vectors. Exosomes are the vesicles of size 40-100 nm secreted from multivesicular bodies into the extracellular environment by most of the cell types in-vivo and in-vitro. As a natural nanocarrier, exosomes are immunologically inert, biocompatible, and can cross biological barriers like the blood-brain barrier, intestinal barrier, and placental barrier. Objective: This review focusses on the role of exosome as a carrier to efficiently deliver a gene for cancer treatment and diagnosis. The methods for loading of nucleic acids onto the exosomes, advantages of exosomes as a smart intercellular shuttle for gene delivery and therapeutic applications as a gene delivery vector for siRNA, miRNA and Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) and also the limitations of exosomes as a gene carrier are all reviewed in this article. Methods: Mostly, electroporation and chemical transfection are used to prepare gene loaded exosomes. Results: Exosome-mediated delivery is highly promising and advantageous in comparison to the current delivery methods for systemic gene therapy. Targeted exosomes, loaded with therapeutic nucleic acids, can efficiently promote the reduction of tumor proliferation without any adverse effects. Conclusion: In the near future, exosomes can become an efficient gene carrier for delivery and a biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

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TRIM41 is required to innate antiviral response by polyubiquitinating BCL10 and recruiting NEMO

Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy ◽

10.1038/s41392-021-00477-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Zhou Yu ◽

Xuelian Li ◽

Mingjin Yang ◽

Jiaying Huang ◽

Qian Fang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nucleic Acids ◽

Ubiquitin Ligase ◽

E3 Ubiquitin Ligase ◽

B Cell Lymphoma ◽

Antiviral Response ◽

Type I Interferons ◽

Type I ◽

Innate Response ◽

Innate Antiviral Response

AbstractSensing of pathogenic nucleic acids by pattern recognition receptors (PRR) not only initiates anti-microbe defense but causes inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. E3 ubiquitin ligase(s) critical in innate response need to be further identified. Here we report that the tripartite motif-containing E3 ubiquitin ligase TRIM41 is required to innate antiviral response through facilitating pathogenic nucleic acids-triggered signaling pathway. TRIM41 deficiency impairs the production of inflammatory cytokines and type I interferons in macrophages after transfection with nucleic acid-mimics and infection with both DNA and RNA viruses. In vivo, TRIM41 deficiency leads to impaired innate response against viruses. Mechanistically, TRIM41 directly interacts with BCL10 (B cell lymphoma 10), a core component of CARD proteins−BCL10 − MALT1 (CBM) complex, and modifies the Lys63-linked polyubiquitylation of BCL10, which, in turn, hubs NEMO for activation of NF-κB and TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) − interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) pathways. Our study suggests that TRIM41 is the potential universal E3 ubiquitin ligase responsible for Lys63 linkage of BCL10 during innate antiviral response, adding new insight into the molecular mechanism for the control of innate antiviral response.

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Carcinogenic action of dimethylnitrosamine in trout not related to methylation of nucleic acids and protein in vivo

Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences ◽

10.1007/bf01898485 ◽

1970 ◽

Vol 26 (5) ◽

pp. 520-522 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

F. W. Krüger ◽

G. Walker ◽

M. Wiessler

Keyword(s):

Nucleic Acids ◽

Carcinogenic Action

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Novel PEGylated Liposomes Enhance Immunostimulating Activity of isRNA

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules23123101 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 23 (12) ◽

pp. 3101 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Tatyana Kabilova ◽

Elena Shmendel ◽

Daniil Gladkikh ◽

Nina Morozova ◽

Mikhail Maslov ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nucleic Acids ◽

Cationic Liposomes ◽

Circulation Time ◽

Target Cells ◽

Immunostimulating Activity ◽

Pegylated Liposomes ◽

Liposome Preparation ◽

Molecular Masses

The performance of cationic liposomes for delivery of therapeutic nucleic acids in vivo can be improved and specifically tailored to certain types of cargo and target cells by incorporation of PEG-containing lipoconjugates in the cationic liposome’s composition. Here, we report on the synthesis of novel PEG-containing lipoconjugates with molecular masses of PEG 800, 1500 and 2000 Da. PEG-containing lipoconjugates were used as one of the components in liposome preparation with the polycationic amphiphile 1,26-bis(cholest-5-en-3β-yloxycarbonylamino)-7,11,16,20-tetra-azahexacosan tetrahydrochloride (2X3) and the lipid-helper dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE). We demonstrate that increasing the length of the PEG chain reduces the transfection activity of liposomes in vitro, but improves the biodistribution, increases the circulation time in the bloodstream and enhances the interferon-inducing activity of immunostimulating RNA in vivo.

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Triple-Helical DNA in Drosophila Heterochromatin

Cells ◽

10.3390/cells7120227 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 7 (12) ◽

pp. 227 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Eduardo Gorab

Keyword(s):

Nucleic Acids ◽

Dna Sequences ◽

Detection Methods ◽

Triplex Dna ◽

Thiazole Orange ◽

Chromosomal Dna ◽

Mitotic Chromosomes ◽

Satellite Repeats

Polynucleotide chains obeying Watson-Crick pairing are apt to form non-canonical complexes such as triple-helical nucleic acids. From early characterization in vitro, their occurrence in vivo has been strengthened by increasing evidence, although most remain circumstantial particularly for triplex DNA. Here, different approaches were employed to specify triple-stranded DNA sequences in the Drosophila melanogaster chromosomes. Antibodies to triplex nucleic acids, previously characterized, bind to centromeric regions of mitotic chromosomes and also to the polytene section 59E of mutant strains carrying the brown dominant allele, indicating that AAGAG tandem satellite repeats are triplex-forming sequences. The satellite probe hybridized to AAGAG-containing regions omitting chromosomal DNA denaturation, as expected, for the intra-molecular triplex DNA formation model in which single-stranded DNA coexists with triplexes. In addition, Thiazole Orange, previously described as capable of reproducing results obtained by antibodies to triple-helical DNA, binds to AAGAG repeats in situ thus validating both detection methods. Unusual phenotype and nuclear structure exhibited by Drosophila correlate with the non-canonical conformation of tandem satellite arrays. From the approaches that lead to the identification of triple-helical DNA in chromosomes, facilities particularly provided by Thiazole Orange use may broaden the investigation on the occurrence of triplex DNA in eukaryotic genomes.

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Electroporation of Corrective Nucleic Acids (CNA) In Vivo to Promote Gene Correction in Dystrophic Muscle

Methods in Molecular Biology - Electroporation Protocols ◽

10.1007/978-1-59745-194-9_32 ◽

2008 ◽

pp. 405-419 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Robert M.I. Kapsa ◽

Sharon H.A. Wong ◽

Anita F. Quigley

Keyword(s):

Nucleic Acids ◽

Gene Correction ◽

Dystrophic Muscle

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Two Antibody-Guided Lactic-co-Glycolic Acid-Polyethylenimine (LGA-PEI) Nanoparticle Delivery Systems for Therapeutic Nucleic Acids

Pharmaceuticals ◽

10.3390/ph14090841 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (9) ◽

pp. 841

Author(s):

Jian-Ming Lü ◽

Zhengdong Liang ◽

Dongliang Liu ◽

Bin Zhan ◽

Qizhi Yao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nucleic Acids ◽

Plasmid Dna ◽

Glycolic Acid ◽

Growth Factor Receptor ◽

Green Fluorescence Protein ◽

Active Targeting ◽

Single Chain ◽

Targeting Delivery

We previously reported a new polymer, lactic-co-glycolic acid-polyethylenimine (LGA-PEI), as an improved nanoparticle (NP) delivery for therapeutic nucleic acids (TNAs). Here, we further developed two antibody (Ab)-conjugated LGA-PEI NP technologies for active-targeting delivery of TNAs. LGA-PEI was covalently conjugated with a single-chain variable fragment antibody (scFv) against mesothelin (MSLN), a biomarker for pancreatic cancer (PC), or a special Ab fragment crystallizable region-binding peptide (FcBP), which binds to any full Ab (IgG). TNAs used in the current study included tumor suppressor microRNA mimics (miR-198 and miR-520h) and non-coding RNA X-inactive specific transcript (XIST) fragments; green fluorescence protein gene (GFP plasmid DNA) was also used as an example of plasmid DNA. MSLN scFv-LGA-PEI NPs with TNAs significantly improved their binding and internalization in PC cells with high expression of MSLN in vitro and in vivo. Anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) monoclonal Ab (Cetuximab) binding to FcBP-LGA-PEI showed active-targeting delivery of TNAs to EGFR-expressing PC cells.

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An optimized live bacterial delivery platform for the production and delivery of therapeutic nucleic acids and proteins

10.1101/2021.10.17.464697 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Darcy S.O. Mora ◽

Madeline Cox ◽

Forgivemore Magunda ◽

Ashley B. Williams ◽

Lyndsey Linke

Keyword(s):

Epithelial Cells ◽

Mouse Model ◽

Nucleic Acids ◽

Endosomal Escape ◽

Therapeutic Window ◽

Target Cells ◽

Full Potential ◽

Wide Range ◽

Delivery Platform

There is an unmet need for delivery platforms that realize the full potential of next-generation therapeutic and vaccine technologies, especially those that require intracellular delivery of nucleic acids. The in vivo usefulness of the current state-of-the-art delivery systems is limited by numerous intrinsic weaknesses, including lack of targeting specificity, inefficient entry and endosomal escape into target cells, undesirable immune activation, off-target effects, a small therapeutic window, limited genetic encoding and cargo capacity, and manufacturing challenges. Here we present our characterization of a delivery platform based on the use of engineered live, tissue-targeting, non-pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli strain SVC1) for intracellular cargo delivery. The SVC1 bacteria are engineered to specifically bind to epithelial cells via a surface-expressed targeting ligand, to escape the endosome upon intracellularization, and to have minimal immunogenicity. Here we report findings on key features of this system. First, we demonstrated that bacterial delivery of a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) can target and silence a gene in an in vitro mammalian respiratory cell model. Next, we used an in vivo mouse model to demonstrate that SVC1 bacteria are invasive to epithelial cells of various tissues and organs (eye, nose, mouth, stomach, vagina, skeletal muscle, and lungs) via local administration. We also showed that repeat dosing of SVC1 bacteria to the lungs is minimally immunogenic and that it does not have adverse effects on tissue homeostasis. Finally, to validate the potential of SVC1 bacteria in therapeutic applications, we demonstrated that bacterial delivery of influenza- targeting shRNAs to the respiratory tissues can mitigate viral replication in a mouse model of influenza infection. Our ongoing work is focused on further refining this platform for efficient delivery of nucleic acids, gene editing machinery, and therapeutic proteins, and we expect that this platform technology will enable a wide range of advanced therapeutic approaches.

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