Molecular PharmaceuticsPub Date : 2024-09-02Epub Date: 2024-08-07DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00513
Maribel Espinoza Ballesteros, Christian Schöneich
{"title":"Near UV and Visible Light Photodegradation in Solid Formulations: Generation of Carbon Dioxide Radical Anions from Citrate Buffer and Fe(III).","authors":"Maribel Espinoza Ballesteros, Christian Schöneich","doi":"10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00513","DOIUrl":"10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00513","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Near UV and visible light photodegradation can target therapeutic proteins during manufacturing and storage. While the underlying photodegradation pathways are frequently not well-understood, one important aspect of consideration is the formulation, specifically the formulation buffer. Citrate is a common buffer for biopharmaceutical formulations, which can complex with transition metals, such as Fe(III). In an aqueous solution, the exposure of such complexes to light leads to the formation of the carbon dioxide radical anion (<sup>•</sup>CO<sub>2</sub><sup>-</sup>), a powerful reductant. However, few studies have characterized such processes in solid formulations. Here, we show that solid citrate formulations containing Fe(III) lead to the photochemical formation of <sup>•</sup>CO<sub>2</sub><sup>-</sup>, identified through DMPO spin trapping and HPLC-MS/MS analysis. Factors such as buffers, the availability of oxygen, excipients, and manufacturing processes of solid formulations were evaluated for their effect on the formation of <sup>•</sup>CO<sub>2</sub><sup>-</sup> and other radicals such as <sup>•</sup>OH.</p>","PeriodicalId":52,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Pharmaceutics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141900130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Construction of a Multifunctional Upconversion Nanoplatform Based on Autophagy Inhibition and Photodynamic Therapy Combined with Chemotherapy for Antitumor Therapy.","authors":"Fang Ning, Dengshuai Wei, Hongli Yu, Tingting Song, Zhipeng Li, Hongmei Ma, Yong Sun","doi":"10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00203","DOIUrl":"10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00203","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Inhibition of autophagy increases the sensitivity of tumor cells to radiotherapy and chemotherapy and improves the therapeutic effect on tumors. Recently, photodynamic therapy (PDT) combined with chemotherapy has been proven to further improve the efficiency of cancer treatment. As such, combining autophagy inhibition with PDT and chemotherapy may represent a potentially effective new strategy for cancer treatment. However, currently widely studied autophagy inhibitors inevitably produce various toxic side effects due to their inherent pharmacological activity. To overcome this constraint, in this study, we designed an ideal multifunctional upconversion nanoplatform, UCNP-Ce6-EPI@mPPA + NIR (MUCEN). Control, UCNP-EPI@mPPA (MUE), UCNP-EPI@mPPA + NIR (MUEN), Ce6-EPI@mPPA (MCE), Ce6-EPI@mPPA + NIR (MCEN), and UCNP-Ce6-EPI@mPPA (MUCE) groups were set up separately as controls. Based on a combination of autophagy inhibition and PDT, the average particle size of MUCEN was 197 nm, which can simultaneously achieve the double encapsulation of chlorine e6 (Ce6) and epirubicin (EPI). In vitro tests revealed that MUCE was efficiently endocytosed by 4T1 cells under near-infrared light irradiation. Further, in vivo tests revealed that MUCE dramatically inhibited tumor growth. Immunohistochemistry results indicated that MUCE efficiently increased the expression of autophagy inhibitors p62 and LC3 in tumor tissues. The synergistic effect of autophagy inhibition and PDT with MUCE exhibited superior tumor suppression, providing an innovative approach to cancer treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":52,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Pharmaceutics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141896102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Molecular PharmaceuticsPub Date : 2024-09-02Epub Date: 2024-07-28DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00400
Hae Won Ok, Seongeon Jin, Gaeun Park, Batakrishna Jana, Ja-Hyoung Ryu
{"title":"Folic Acid-Functionalized β-Cyclodextrin for Delivery of Organelle-Targeted Peptide Chemotherapeutics in Cancer.","authors":"Hae Won Ok, Seongeon Jin, Gaeun Park, Batakrishna Jana, Ja-Hyoung Ryu","doi":"10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00400","DOIUrl":"10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00400","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Recent emphasis on the design of drug delivery systems typically involves the effective transport of a pharmaceutical substance to the disease site with the desired therapeutic efficacy and minimal cytotoxicity. Organelle-targeted peptides have become an integral part of designing an important class of prodrug/prodrug assemblies for new supramolecular therapeutics owing to their favorable biocompatibility, synthetic ease, tunability of their aggregation behavior, and desired functionalization for site-specificity. However, it is still limited due to the low selectivity. We designed a folic acid-functionalized β-cyclodextrin (FA-CD) as a delivery platform for specific and selective delivery of organelle-targeted (such as microtubule, lysosome, and mitochondria) peptide chemotherapeutics to the folate receptor (FR) overexpressing cancer cell lines. Low toxicity was found for the FA-CD and organelle-targeted peptide inclusion complex in FR-negative normal cells, but superior inhibition of tumor growth with no in vivo toxicity was found for the inclusion complex in the xenograft tumor model.</p>","PeriodicalId":52,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Pharmaceutics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141786477","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Molecular PharmaceuticsPub Date : 2024-09-02Epub Date: 2024-06-26DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00169
Martin Eisinger, Harri Rahn, Yong Chen, Melissa Fernandes, Zhiyi Lin, Nikolai Hentze, Davide Tavella, Ehab M Moussa
{"title":"Elucidation of the Reversible Self-Association Interface of a Diabody-Interleukin Fusion Protein Using Hydrogen-Exchange Mass Spectrometry and In Silico Modeling.","authors":"Martin Eisinger, Harri Rahn, Yong Chen, Melissa Fernandes, Zhiyi Lin, Nikolai Hentze, Davide Tavella, Ehab M Moussa","doi":"10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00169","DOIUrl":"10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00169","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Reversible self-association (RSA) of therapeutic proteins presents major challenges in the development of high-concentration formulations, especially those intended for subcutaneous administration. Understanding self-association mechanisms is therefore critical to the design and selection of candidates with acceptable developability to advance to clinical trials. The combination of experiments and in silico modeling presents a powerful tool to elucidate the interface of self-association. RSA of monoclonal antibodies has been studied extensively under different solution conditions and have been shown to involve interactions for both the antigen-binding fragment and the crystallizable fragment. Novel modalities such as bispecific antibodies, antigen-binding fragments, single-chain-variable fragments, and diabodies constitute a fast-growing class of antibody-based therapeutics that have unique physiochemical properties compared to monoclonal antibodies. In this study, the RSA interface of a diabody-interleukin 22 fusion protein (FP-1) was studied using hydrogen-deuterium exchange coupled with mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) in combination with in silico modeling. Taken together, the results show that a complex solution behavior underlies the self-association of FP-1 and that the interface thereof can be attributed to a specific segment in the variable light chain of the diabody. These findings also demonstrate that the combination of HDX-MS with in silico modeling is a powerful tool to guide the design and candidate selection of novel biotherapeutic modalities.</p>","PeriodicalId":52,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Pharmaceutics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141449057","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Folate Receptor β (FRβ) Expression on Myeloid Cells and the Impact of Reticuloendothelial System on Folate-Functionalized Nanoparticles' Biodistribution in Cancer.","authors":"Sibel Goksen, Gamze Varan, Erem Bilensoy, Gunes Esendagli","doi":"10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00663","DOIUrl":"10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00663","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Folate uptake is largely mediated by folate receptor (FR)β, encoded by FOLR2 gene, in myeloid immune cells such as granulocytes, monocytes, and especially in macrophages that constitute the reticuloendothelial system (RES) and infiltrate the tumor microenvironment. Since the myeloid immune compartment dynamically changes during tumorigenesis, it is critical to assess the infiltration status of the tumors by FRβ-expressing myeloid cells to better define the targeting efficacy of folate-functionalized drug delivery systems. On the other hand, clearance by RES is a major limitation for the targeting efficacy of nanoparticles decorated with folate. Therefore, the aims of this study are (i) to determine the amount and subtypes of FRβ<sup>+</sup> myeloid cells infiltrating the tumors at different stages, (ii) to compare the amount and subtype of FRβ<sup>+</sup> myeloid cells in distinct organs of tumor-bearing and healthy animals, (iii) to test if the cancer-targeting efficacy and biodistribution of a prototypic folate-functionalized nanoparticle associates with the density of FRβ<sup>+</sup> myeloid cells. Here, we report that myeloid cell infiltration was enhanced and FRβ was upregulated at distinct stages of tumorigenesis in a mouse breast cancer model. The CD206<sup>+</sup> subset of macrophages highly expressed FRβ, prominently both in tumor-bearing and healthy mice. In tumor-bearing mice, the amount of all myeloid cells, but particularly granulocytes, was remarkably increased in the tumor, liver, lungs, spleen, kidneys, lymph nodes, peritoneal cavity, bone marrow, heart, and brain. Compared with macrophages, the level of FRβ was moderate in granulocytes and monocytes. The density of FRβ<sup>+</sup> immune cells in the tumor microenvironment was not directly associated with the tumor-targeting efficacy of the folate-functionalized cyclodextrin nanoparticles. The lung was determined as a preferential site of accumulation for folate-functionalized nanoparticles, wherein FRβ<sup>+</sup>CD206<sup>+</sup> macrophages significantly engulfed cyclodextrin nanoparticles. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the tumor formation augments the FR levels and alters the infiltration and distribution of myeloid immune cells in all organs which should be considered as a major factor influencing the targeting efficacy of nanoparticles for drug delivery.</p>","PeriodicalId":52,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Pharmaceutics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11372836/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141892327","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Molecular PharmaceuticsPub Date : 2024-09-02Epub Date: 2024-08-15DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00216
Douglas J Grzetic, Nicholas B Hamilton, John C Shelley
{"title":"Coarse-Grained Simulation of mRNA-Loaded Lipid Nanoparticle Self-Assembly.","authors":"Douglas J Grzetic, Nicholas B Hamilton, John C Shelley","doi":"10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00216","DOIUrl":"10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00216","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ionizable lipid-containing lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have enabled the delivery of RNA for a range of therapeutic applications. In order to optimize safe, targeted, and effective LNP-based RNA delivery platforms, an understanding of the role of composition and pH in their structural properties and self-assembly is crucial, yet there have been few computational studies of such phenomena. Here we present a coarse-grained model of ionizable lipid and mRNA-containing LNPs. Our model allows access to the large length- and time-scales necessary for LNP self-assembly and is mapped and parametrized with reference to all-atom structures and simulations of the corresponding components at compositions typical of LNPs used for mRNA delivery. Our simulations reveal insights into the dynamics of self-assembly of such mRNA-encapsulating LNPs, as well as the subsequent pH change-driven LNP morphology and release of mRNA.</p>","PeriodicalId":52,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Pharmaceutics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141981212","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jeremy L Ritchey, Lindsi Filippi, Davis Ballard, Dehua Pei
{"title":"Bismuth-Cyclized Cell-Penetrating Peptides.","authors":"Jeremy L Ritchey, Lindsi Filippi, Davis Ballard, Dehua Pei","doi":"10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00688","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00688","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Intracellular delivery of biological cargos, which would yield new research tools and novel therapeutics, remains an active area of research. A convenient and potentially general approach involves the conjugation of a cell-penetrating peptide to a cargo of interest. However, linear CPPs lack sufficient cytosolic entry efficiency and metabolic stability, while previous backbone cyclized CPPs have several drawbacks including the necessity for chemical synthesis and posttranslational conjugation to peptide/protein cargos and epimerization during cyclization. We report here a new class of bismuth cyclized CPPs with excellent cytosolic entry efficiencies, proteolytic stability, and potential compatibility with genetic encoding and recombinant production.</p>","PeriodicalId":52,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Pharmaceutics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142118288","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Molecular PharmaceuticsPub Date : 2024-09-02Epub Date: 2024-08-20DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00377
Paraskevi-Kyriaki Monou, Eleftherios G Andriotis, Eirini Saropoulou, Emmanouil Tzimtzimis, Dimitrios Tzetzis, Georgios Komis, Chrysanthi Bekiari, Nikolaos Bouropoulos, Efterpi Demiri, Ioannis S Vizirianakis, Dimitrios G Fatouros
{"title":"Fabrication of Hybrid Coated Microneedles with Donepezil Utilizing Digital Light Processing and Semisolid Extrusion Printing for the Management of Alzheimer's Disease.","authors":"Paraskevi-Kyriaki Monou, Eleftherios G Andriotis, Eirini Saropoulou, Emmanouil Tzimtzimis, Dimitrios Tzetzis, Georgios Komis, Chrysanthi Bekiari, Nikolaos Bouropoulos, Efterpi Demiri, Ioannis S Vizirianakis, Dimitrios G Fatouros","doi":"10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00377","DOIUrl":"10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00377","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Microneedle (MN) patches are gaining increasing attention as a cost-effective technology for delivering drugs directly into the skin. In the present study, two different 3D printing processes were utilized to produce coated MNs, namely, digital light processing (DLP) and semisolid extrusion (SSE). Donepezil (DN), a cholinesterase inhibitor administered for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, was incorporated into the coating material. Physiochemical characterization of the coated MNs confirmed the successful incorporation of donepezil as well as the stability and suitability of the materials for transdermal delivery. Optical microscopy and SEM studies validated the uniform weight distribution and precise dimensions of the MN arrays, while mechanical testing ensured the MNs' robustness, ensuring efficient skin penetration. In vitro studies were conducted to evaluate the produced transdermal patches, indicating their potential use in clinical treatment. Permeation studies revealed a significant increase in DN permeation compared to plain coating material, affirming the effectiveness of the MNs in enhancing transdermal drug delivery. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) elucidated the distribution of the API, within skin layers, demonstrating sustained drug release and transcellular transport pathways. Finally, cell studies were also conducted on NIH3T3 fibroblasts to evaluate the biocompatibility and safety of the printed objects for transdermal applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":52,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Pharmaceutics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11372831/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142007855","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Molecular PharmaceuticsPub Date : 2024-09-02Epub Date: 2024-08-07DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00379
Md Jasim Uddin, Sophia Nikoletta Economidou, Léa Guiraud, Mohsin Kazi, Fars K Alanazi, Dennis Douroumis
{"title":"Monoclonal Antibody Delivery Using 3D Printed Biobased Hollow μNe3dle Arrays for the Treatment of Osteoporosis.","authors":"Md Jasim Uddin, Sophia Nikoletta Economidou, Léa Guiraud, Mohsin Kazi, Fars K Alanazi, Dennis Douroumis","doi":"10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00379","DOIUrl":"10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.4c00379","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Transdermal microneedles have demonstrated promising potential as an alternative to typical drug administration routes for the treatment of various diseases. As microneedles offer lower administration burden with enhanced patient adherence and reduced ecological footprint, there is a need for further exploitation of microneedle devices. One of the main objectives of this work was to initially develop an innovative biobased photocurable resin with high biobased carbon content comprising isobornyl acrylate (IBA) and pentaerythritol tetraacrylate blends (50:50 wt/wt). The optimization of the printing and curing process resulted in μNe3dle arrays with durable mechanical properties and piercing capacity. Another objective of the work was to employ the 3D printed hollow μNe3dles for the treatment of osteoporosis in vivo. The 3D printed μNe3dle arrays were used to administer denosumab (Dmab), a monoclonal antibody, to osteoporotic mice, and the serum concentrations of critical bone minerals were monitored for six months to assess recovery. It was found that the Dmab administered by the 3D printed μNe3dles showed fast in vitro rates and induced an enhanced therapeutic effect in restoring bone-related minerals compared to subcutaneous injections. The findings of this study introduce a novel green approach with a low ecological footprint for 3D printing of biobased μNe3dles, which can be tailored to improve clinical outcomes and patient compliance for chronic diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":52,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Pharmaceutics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11372832/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141900129","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}