Toward Artificial Immunotoxins: Traceless Reversible Conjugation of RNase A with Receptor Targeting and Endosomal Escape Domains

The specific transport of bioactive proteins into designated target cells is an interesting and challenging perspective for the generation of innovative biopharmaceuticals. Natural protein cytotoxins perform this task with outstanding efficacy. They enter cells with receptor-targeted specificity, respond to changing intracellular microenvironments, and by various mechanisms translocate their cytotoxic protein subunit into the cytosol. Here we imitate this toxin-based delivery strategy in an artificial setting, by bioreversible conjugation of a cytotoxic cargo protein (RNase A) with receptor-targeting PEG-folate and the pH-specific endosomolytic peptide INF7 as synthetic delivery domains. Covalent modification of the cargo protein was achieved using the pH-labile AzMMMan linker and copper-free click chemistry with DBCO-modified delivery modules. This linkage is supposed to enable traceless intracellular release of the RNase A after exposure to the endosomal weakly acidic environment. Delivery of RNase A via this polycation-free delivery strategy resulted in high cytotoxicity against receptor-positive KB tumor cells only when both PEG-folate and INF7 were attached

pH-Reversible Cationic RNase A Conjugates for Enhanced Cellular Delivery and Tumor Cell Killing

Intracellularly-acting therapeutic proteins are considered promising alternatives for the treatment of various diseases. Major limitations of their application are low efficiency of intracellular delivery and possible reduction of protein activity during derivatization. Herein, we report pH-sensitive covalent modification of proteins with a histidine-rich cationic oligomer (689) for efficient intracellular transduction and traceless release of functional proteins. Enhanced Green fluorescent protein (EGFP), as model for the visualization of protein transduction, and RNase A, as therapeutic protein with antitumoral effect, were modified with the pH-sensitive bifunctional AzMMMan linker and varying amounts of cationic oligomer. The modification degree showed impact on the internalization and cellular distribution of EGFP as well as the biological effect of RNase A conjugates, which mediated considerable toxicity against cancer cells at optimal ratio. The presented conjugates demonstrate their qualification to achieve efficient intracellular delivery and controlled release without protein inactivation and potential prospective applications in protein-based therapies

Adenoviral Vectors Coated with PAMAM Dendrimer Conjugates Allow CAR Independent Virus Uptake and Targeting to the EGF Receptor

Adenovirus type 5 (Ad) is an efficient gene vector with high gene transduction potential, but its efficiency depends on its native cell receptors coxsackie- and adenovirus receptor (CAR) for cell attachment and α_vβ_3/5 integrins for internalization. To enable transduction of CAR negative cancer cell lines, we have coated the negatively charged Ad by noncovalent charge interaction with cationic PAMAM (polyamidoamine) dendrimers. The specificity for tumor cell infection was increased by targeting the coated Ad to the epidermal growth factor receptor using the peptide ligand GE11, which was coupled to the PAMAM dendrimer via a 2 kDa PEG spacer. Particles were examined by measuring surface charge and size, the degree of coating was determined by transmission electron microscopy. The net positive charge of PAMAM coated Ad enhanced cellular binding and uptake leading to increased transduction efficiency, especially in low to medium CAR expressing cancer cell lines using enhanced green fluorescent protein or luciferase as transgene. While PAMAM coated Ad allowed for efficient internalization, coating with linear polyethylenimine induced excessive particle aggregation, elevated cellular toxicity and lowered transduction efficiency. PAMAM coating of Ad enabled successful transduction of cells in vitro even in the presence of neutralizing antibodies. Taken together, this study clearly proves noncovalent, charge-based coating of Ad vectors with ligand-equipped dendrimers as a viable strategy for efficient transduction of cells otherwise refractory to Ad infection