Transepithelial Transport of Fc-Targeted Nanoparticles by the Neonatal Fc Receptor for Oral Delivery

Nanoparticles are poised to have a tremendous impact on the treatment of many diseases, but their broad application is limited because currently they can only be administered by parenteral methods. Oral administration of nanoparticles is preferred but remains a challenge because transport across the intestinal epithelium is limited. We show that nanoparticles targeted to the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn), which mediates the transport of immunoglobulin G antibodies across epithelial barriers, are efficiently transported across the intestinal epithelium using both in vitro and in vivo models. In mice, orally administered FcRn-targeted nanoparticles crossed the intestinal epithelium and reached systemic circulation with a mean absorption efficiency of 13.7%*hour compared with only 1.2%*hour for nontargeted nanoparticles. In addition, targeted nanoparticles containing insulin as a model nanoparticle-based therapy for diabetes were orally administered at a clinically relevant insulin dose of 1.1 U/kg and elicited a prolonged hypoglycemic response in wild-type mice. This effect was abolished in FcRn knockout mice, indicating that the enhanced nanoparticle transport was specifically due to FcRn. FcRn-targeted nanoparticles may have a major impact on the treatment of many diseases by enabling drugs currently limited by low bioavailability to be efficiently delivered though oral administration.Prostate Cancer Foundation (Award in Nanotherapeutics)National Cancer Institute (U.S.) (Center for Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence U54-CA151884)National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (Program of Excellence in Nanotechnology Award Contract HHSN268201000045C)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant EB000244)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (R01 Grant EB015419-01)American Society for Engineering Education. National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate FellowshipNational Cancer Institute (U.S.) (Center for Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence Graduate Research Fellowship 5 U54 CA151884-02

HER-2-Targeted Nanoparticle-Affibody Bioconjugates for Cancer Therapy

Affibodies are a class of polypeptide ligands that are potential candidates for cell- or tissue-specific targeting of drug-encapsulated controlled release polymeric nanoparticles (NPs). Here we report the development of drug delivery vehicles comprised of polymeric NPs that are surface modified with Affibody ligands that bind to the extracellular domain of the trans-membrane human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) for targeted delivery to cells which over express the HER-2 antigen. NPs lacking the anti-HER-2 Affibody did not show significant uptake by these cells. Using paclitaxel encapsulated NP-Affibody (1 wt% drug loading), we demonstrated increased cytotoxicity of these bioconjugates in SK-BR-3 and SKOV-3 cell lines. These targeted, drug encapsulated NPAffibody bioconjugates may be efficacious in treating HER-2 expressing carcinoma

A Missense Mutation in the LIM2 Gene Is Associated with Autosomal Recessive Presenile Cataract in an Inbred Iraqi Jewish Family

In an inbred Iraqi Jewish family, we have studied three siblings with presenile cataract first noticed between the ages of 20 and 51 years and segregating in an autosomal recessive mode. Using microsatellite repeat markers in close proximity to 25 genes and loci previously associated with congenital cataracts in humans and mice, we identified five markers on chromosome 19q that cosegregated with the disease. Sequencing of LIM2, one of two candidate genes in this region, revealed a homozygous T→G change resulting in a phenylalanine-to-valine substitution at position 105 of the protein. To our knowledge, this constitutes the first report, in humans, of cataract formation associated with a mutation in LIM2. Studies of late-onset single-gene cataracts may provide insight into the pathogenesis of the more common age-related cataracts

Formulation of functionalized PLGA–PEG nanoparticles for in vivo targeted drug delivery

Nanoparticle (NP) size has been shown to significantly effect the biodistribution of targeted and non-targeted NPs in an organ specific manner. Herein we have developed NPs from carboxy-terminated poly (d,l-lactide-co-glycolide)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (PLGA-b-PEG-COOH) polymer and studied the effects of altering the following formulation parameters on the size of NPs, including: 1) polymer concentration, 2) drug loading, 3) water miscibility of solvent, and 4) the ratio of water to solvent. We found that NP mean volumetric size correlates linearly with polymer concentration for NPs between 70 and 250 nm in diameter (linear coefficient = 0.99 for NPs formulated with solvents studied). NPs with desirable size, drug loading, and polydispersity were conjugated to the A10 RNA aptamer (Apt) that binds to the Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA), and NP and NP-Apt biodistribution was evaluated in a LNCaP (PSMA+) xenograft mouse model of PCa. The surface functionalization of NPs with the A10 PSMA aptamer significantly enhanced delivery of NPs to tumors vs. equivalent NPs lacking the A10 PSMA aptamer (a 3.77-fold increase at 24 hrs; NP-Apt 0.83% ± 0.21% vs. NP 0.22% ± 0.07% of injected dose per gram of tissue; mean ± s.d., n = 4, p = 0.002). The ability to control NP size together with targeted delivery may result in favorable biodistribution and development of clinically relevant targeted therapies

A Missense Mutation in a Highly Conserved Region of CASQ2 Is Associated with Autosomal Recessive Catecholamine-Induced Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia in Bedouin Families from Israel

Catecholamine-induced polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (PVT) is characterized by episodes of syncope, seizures, or sudden death, in response to physical activity or emotional stress. Two modes of inheritance have been described: autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive. Mutations in the ryanodine receptor 2 gene (RYR2), which encodes a cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+)-release channel, were recently shown to cause the autosomal dominant form of the disease. In the present report, we describe a missense mutation in a highly conserved region of the calsequestrin 2 gene (CASQ2) as the potential cause of the autosomal recessive form. The CASQ2 protein serves as the major Ca(2+) reservoir within the SR of cardiac myocytes and is part of a protein complex that contains the ryanodine receptor. The mutation, which is in full segregation in seven Bedouin families affected by the disorder, converts a negatively charged aspartic acid into a positively charged histidine, in a highly negatively charged domain, and is likely to exert its deleterious effect by disrupting Ca(2+) binding

Engineering of Targeted Nanoparticles for Cancer Therapy Using Internalizing Aptamers Isolated by Cell-Uptake Selection

One of the major challenges in the development of targeted nanoparticles (NPs) for cancer therapy is to discover targeting ligands that allow for differential binding and uptake by the target cancer cells. Using prostate cancer (PCa) as a model disease, we developed a cell-uptake selection strategy to isolate PCa-specific internalizing 2′-O-methyl RNA aptamers (Apts) for NP incorporation. Twelve cycles of selection and counter-selection were done to obtain a panel of internalizing Apts, which can distinguish PCa cells from nonprostate and normal prostate cells. After Apt characterization, size minimization, and conjugation of the Apts with fluorescently labeled polymeric NPs, the NP–Apt conjugates exhibit PCa specificity and enhancement in cellular uptake when compared to nontargeted NPs lacking the internalizing Apts. Furthermore, when docetaxel, a chemotherapeutic agent used for the treatment of PCa, was encapsulated within the NP–Apt, a significant improvement in cytotoxicity was achieved in targeted PCa cells. Rather than isolating high-affinity Apts as reported in previous selection processes, our selection strategy was designed to enrich cancer cell-specific internalizing Apts. A similar cell-uptake selection strategy may be used to develop specific internalizing ligands for a myriad of other diseases and can potentially facilitate delivering various molecules, including drugs and siRNAs, into target cells.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (grant CA151884)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (grant EB003647)David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT (Prostate Cancer Foundation Award in Nanotherapeutics)United States. Dept. of Defense (Prostate Cancer Research Program PC 051156