Добавил:
kiopkiopkiop18@yandex.ru t.me/Prokururor I Вовсе не секретарь, но почту проверяю Опубликованный материал нарушает ваши авторские права? Сообщите нам.
Вуз: Предмет: Файл:
Ординатура / Хирургия / Библиотека им академика М.И. Перельмана / Книга_5894_Библиотеки_им_академика_М_И_Перельмана.pdf
Скачиваний:
0
Добавлен:
02.09.2026
Размер:
19 Мб
Скачать
9 PEGylated Nanocarrier System forNucleic Acid Delivery
277
conformational changes, electrostatic binding, hydrophobicity, are changed. These physiological and physical modications let the therapeutic ingredient stay in the body for longer. Also, it can alter the distribution and absorption patterns and impact how well the medicinal component binds to cell receptors. Making a molecule heavier through PEGylation can confer numerous signicant pharmacological advantages over the unaltered version. These advantages include improved drug solubility, decreased dosage frequency with potential for reduced toxicity without sacricing efcacy, extended circulation life, and higher drug absorption. PEGylated versions might also qualify for patent protection due to their enhanced stability and defense against proteolytic degradation (Guo etal. 2022).
This chapter will explain PEGylated nanocarrier methods for delivering nucleic acids, including their design, synthesis, and applications. The advantages and limi­tations of PEGylation and the factors affecting PEGylated nanocarrier systems’ ef­ciency and safety will be discussed. Finally, the current and prospects for nucleic acid therapeutics of PEGylated nanocarrier systems will be outlined.
9.2 Advantage ofPEGylation
The developments in nanotechnology over the past several decades could signi­cantly affect the eld of drug delivery and diagnostic imaging. Although they have also been developed as controlled release systems for water-soluble drugs, colloidal drug delivery systems (CDDS) are most frequently used to deliver highly lipophilic drugs and drugs that are unstable in biological environments (for example, proteins, nucleic acids, and peptides). Polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes (self-assembled lipid bilayers), micelles (self-assembled amphiphilic molecules), and dendrimers are examples of solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs, dispersions of solid lipids) (repeat­edly branched spherical polymers) are examples of systems that are typically included in CDDS (Fig.9.1). These nanostructures provide several benets over traditional delivery methods for many medications (Howard etal. 2008a, b).
First, their small size and targeting skills enable them to deliver substances to specic locations, increasing local concentrations, and lowering systemic toxicity. The treatment of neurological illnesses, which is hampered by the difculty of many medications to enter the BBB (BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER), and cancer ther­apy, in which toxic side effects are frequently manifested, are two signicant thera­peutic areas where this may have an impact. Moreover, these nanostructures might shield medicines from enzymatic deterioration.
Lastly, it has been demonstrated that nanocarriers generally have low toxicity levels, high stability levels, and increased medication solubility. They could also be functionalized to create release systems that are time- or space-controlled. The same is true for delivering radionuclidic and contrast-enhancing drugs using nano car­rivers to improve diagnostic imaging.
Nanocarriers are removed from the bloodstream with the opsonization of the particles and subsequent absorption of the RES by cells. Nevertheless, interactions with proteins adsorbed on the surface of the nanoparticles appear necessary for
278
Fig. 9.1 PEGylation process
A. Tiwari et al.
Fig. 9.2 Colloidal delivery systems
macrophage absorption of nanocarriers in most species proteins called opsonin (Fig.9.2).
Colloidal drug delivery systems are nanoscale carriers that improve drug solubil­ity, stability, and bioavailability. These systems include liposomes, micelles, nanoparticles, and nanoemulsions, which encapsulate or bind drugs for targeted delivery. By protecting drugs from degradation, enabling controlled release, and enhancing site-specic accumulation, colloidal systems reduce side effects and increase therapeutic efcacy. They are widely used in cancer therapy, gene delivery, and the treatment of infectious and inammatory diseases. The small solid spheres represent the hydrophilic head groups of amphiphilic molecules, and the long chains are lipophilic tails depending on their size, charge, stiffness, or hydrophobicity, including complement protein C3b, immunoglobulins G and M, bronectin, C-reactive protein, 2-glycoprotein, and apolipoproteins. They need to be made less likely to be recognized by these opsonin tropical substitutes for conventional distribution methods. The most popular technique for reducing protein adsorption and introducing “stealthiness” is PEGylation. A number of explanations have been
9 PEGylated Nanocarrier System forNucleic Acid Delivery
Fig. 9.3 Possible mechanisms governingPEG’s ability to stop protein adsorption. Adapted from Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) © 2019 license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/
by/4.0/). (Howard etal. 2008a, b)
279
put out to explain why PEG makes nanocarriers more stealthy, including reduced surface charge, hydrophilicity, molecular exibility, and non- immunogenicity (Howard etal. 2008a, b).
PEG has been proposed as a way to reduce the interfacial energy needed for protein binding, albeit has not been thoroughly investigated. According to Jeon etal., PEG chains have an extended shape when they are free in solution due to their hydrophilicity and exibility. A repulsive force is produced by this transition to a higher energy shape, which can inhibit protein interaction. Several researchers say exhibiting long-circulating properties involves drawing in the suitable proteins rather than preventing protein adsorption. Several investigations by Moghimi and Patel provide credence to the presence of opsonin which is particular to the liver and spleen and may result in a changed distribution prole. Two serum components were shown to be permanently linked to poloxamine 908 (four PEG polymers cou­pled to four polys (propylene gly-phthalcol) in early experiments (PPG); the poly­ester all joined by an ethylene diamine moiety (Fig.9.3).
9.3 PEGylated Nanocarriers asTherapeutic Delivery System
PEGylation, which involves applying poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) to a surface through adsorption, grafting, or entrapment techniques, has emerged as the pre­ferred technique for enhancing nanocarriers’ ability to be biocompatible with increased stealth. The features that PEG-coated surfaces convey, such as their
280
A. Tiwari et al.
resistance to the reticuloendothelial system (RES) uptake, have not been replicated by other substances (Veronese and Mero 2008a, b). Nonetheless, there is currently little general agreement on several related issues. Scientists interested in using this technology frequently nd themselves with more questions than answers because of the vast differences in systems, components, procedures, and accompanying nd­ings. Secondly, PEG seems to have contradictory characteristics, acting, depending on the circumstance, as both a mucoadhesive polymer and a barrier to protein adsorption. Second, while numerous research studies have been conducted to clar­ify how PEG endows nanocarriers with long-circulating properties, further work is still required to guide its application. Most PEGylation research of several PEGylated systems was compared to non-PEGylated systems. Because each situation is unique, it can be challenging to transform the data is transformed into valuable knowledge.
9.4 Development ofPEGylated Nanocarrier
In the 1970s, they were swiftly followed by several investigations and advance­ments made by other teams, as listed in Table9.1. The US FDA has cleared PEG, a non-toxic, non-immunogenic polymer polyethylene glycol, for internal usage. The researchers took advantage of PEG’s unique features. The benet of PEG is that it has a wide range of molecular weight species with low polydispersity, exceptional exibility, excellent solubility in both aqueous and organic environments, high hydration that increases its hydrodynamic volume, and favorable biological proper­ties. 431 PEG-covalently bound compounds obtain each of these characteristics.. Since a water cloud surrounds the polymer, proteins conjugated with PEG become more soluble and resistant due to their increased size (Fig. 9.1), and antibodies, proteolytic enzymes, and cells are ultra-ltered less slowly by kidneys (Veronese and Mero 2008a, b). Proteins are delicate molecules that are easily denatured and inactivated. Finding a binding chemistry gentle enough not to harm the protein was the rst challenge to attain success with PEGylation, which involves joining PEG to proteins. There is a chemical process for gently converting the terminal hydroxyl group of the PEG into one that combines with the leftovers of protein amino acids. The amino groups in proteins have been primarily exploited for conjugation because they are always present, commonly found near the protein surface, and are acces­sible to the solvent. Cysteine thiol residues are also very benecial when present because they permit site-specic conjugation and are infrequently seen in proteins; moreover, it is possible that these alterations were proven to be essential for main­taining the protein’s biological function (Veronese and Mero 2008a, b).
Developing a less polydisperse product species with a specic structure—the branching form being the most efcient—was another important aspect of enhanc­ing PEG properties. It is evident in this regard that the evolution of PEGylation chemistry corresponds to the use and efciency of biological treatments (Table9.1). PEGylation has contributed to the success of various therapeutic proteins and oligo­nucleotides, including some items that have become blockbusters (Table 9.1). Moreover, because conjugated proteins dissolve in some organic solvents, they can
9 PEGylated Nanocarrier System forNucleic Acid Delivery
Table 9.1 Background TO PEGylations
Decade In 2000 era Used in
From 1990 to 2000 era
In 1980–1990 era
In 1970–80 PEG-
AA amino acids, NHS N-hydroxy succinimide, OPSS ortho-pyridyl disulde, PEG polyethyl­ene glycol
PEGs General observation Application
enzymatic coupling reactions, Coupling for disuldes, Continuous PEGs, PEGs star
PEGs as branched, NHS-PEGs, OPSS-PEGs
Aldehyde-PEGs, carbonyl imidazole PEGs, Succinimidyl carbonate- PEGs etc.
succinimidyl succinate PEG-chloro triazine
More strict regulatory requirements, detailed chemical and biological characterization of conjugates, and combination of generic engineering and PEGylation in the design and discovery of new drugs.
PEGlyted drug selectivity and marketing improved.
Absence of diols results in reduced polydispersed site-specic conjugations.
Lack of selectivity in the immunogenic autocratic starting material, extremely polydisperse peg
PEGylation of non-protein drugs, oligonucleotide PEGylation 3, and cell PEGylation.
Hormones, anticancer drug targeting, cytokines
Substitution treatment of enzymes.
Study investigations, biocatalyst enzymatic alterations.
281
Reference Veronese
and Mero (2008a, b)
be employed as new biocatalysts because PEG is an amphiphilic polymer (both hydrophilic and hydrophobic). What makes this scenario intriguing are the unex­pected catalytic roles of lipase or chymotrypsin in synthetic processes. A PEG­protein conjugate must consider several unique variables. In the following sections, several aspects are discussed with typical illustrations of polymer-modied pro­teins. To obtain more detailed documentation, the reader is suggested to study sev­eral recent evaluations (Suk etal. 2016).
9.4.1 Chemistry ofPEGylation
A substance, usually a medication or a protein, is regulated by covalently adding PEG. Extending the molecule’s circulation time in the body enhances its stability, solubility, and therapeutic efcacy. The process of PEGylation contains the reaction of a reactive group on a PEG molecule on the target molecule, generally an amine, thiol, or carboxylic acid. The PEG molecule is typically activated with a functional group like succinimidyl ester or maleimide. PEG-maleimide conjugation to a cyste­ine residue on a protein illustrates a PEGylation reaction. The maleimide functional
282
Fig. 9.4 Schematic representation ofprotein with bound polyethylene glycol
A. Tiwari et al.
group on PEG and the thiol group on cysteine interact in this reaction to generate a thioether bond, which results in a strong covalent connection between the protein and PEG. The conjugation of PEG-succinimidyl ester to an amine group on a medicinal molecule is another illustration of PEGylation chemistry. The primary amine group on the drug molecule and the succinimidyl ester functional group on PEG combine in this reaction to produce an amide bond (Veronese and Mero 2008a,
b) (Fig.9.4).A protein with bound polyethylene glycol is shown schematically. The
ether-oxygen groups of the polymer work along with the surrounding circles to simulate a cloud of water. This schematic depicts a protein conjugated with polyeth­ylene glycol (PEG), where PEG chains are attached to the protein surface. The ether-oxygen groups of the PEG are represented, along with surrounding circles, simulating a hydrated “cloud” of water molecules. This hydration layer stabilizes the protein, reduces immunogenicity, and improves solubility, making PEGylation a valuable technique in drug development and therapeutic protein delivery.
9.4.1.1 Amino Acid Modifications
PEGylation is a common method for enhancing the pharmacokinetics and biodistri­bution of nanocarriers such as liposomes, nanoparticles, and micelles. In PEGylation, which entails covalently gluing PEG chains to the surface of the nanocarrier, PEG (polyethylene glycol) is a biocompatible and hydrophilic polymer that is frequently utilized (Veronese and Mero 2008a, b).
Amino groups are another functional group that can be used for modifying nano­carriers. Amino groups can be introduced onto the surface of nanocarriers by using amine-containing molecules, such as polyamines or amino acids, during the prepa­ration of the nanocarrier. Once the amino groups are present on the upper surface of the nanocarrier, they can be used for the covalent conjugation of PEG chains or other molecules.
9 PEGylated Nanocarrier System forNucleic Acid Delivery
283
Collecting amino groups to the overhead of nanocarriers can provide several advantages over traditional PEGylation. For example, amino groups can be used to attach targeting ligands, such as peptides or antibodies, to the surface of the nano­carrier. This allows targeting the delivery of the nanocarrier to particular cells or tissues, improving the therapeutic efcacy and reducing off-target effects.
In addition, amino groups can be used for pH-sensitive drug release from the nanocarrier. By attaching pH-sensitive moieties, the medicine can be released in reaction to pH variations thanks to the amino groups on the surface of the nanocar­rier, such as in the tumor’s acidic environment (Veronese and Mero 2008a, b).
Overall, adding amino groups to nanocarriers creates a exible framework for creating pH-sensitive and tailored drug delivery systems (Suk etal. 2016).
9.4.1.2 Conjugation ofHistidine totheImidazole Group
The pKa value of histidine’s secondary amine group is lower than that of its primary amine. A properly activated PEG can be conjugated at this level with a pH close to neutral. Nevertheless, because the acetate-histidine link is unstable, the conjugate functions like a prodrug and releases the free protein over time, as with Peginterferon-2b (Veronese and Mero 2008a, b).
9.4.1.3 Cysteine Thiol Residue Conjugation
PEG-cysteine reagents can create stable thiol-ethers or disuldes, such as maleimide and vinyl sulfone (e.g., PEG-pyridyl disulde), to conjugate proteins. The latter results in the production of a protein-PEG conjugate that may be a bifunctional thiol-reactive PEG that reacts with a substance produced under reducing circum­stances and might also be present to build a new body. Free cysteine residues stable bridges with a polymer attached are highly uncommon because of this amino acid conjugation to the carboxylic group. When present, arginine often participates in catalysis or the formation of disulde bridges. Proteins employed for conjugation contain it. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (also known as sugars CSF or G­hydroxyl residues) is one instance where the conjugal and a free cysteine are partly accessible. Direct coupling of PEG-NH2 to these would cause the amines’ natural protein to respond to activated protein carboxylic ion that is only conceivable after partially reversible denaturation of the groups is not feasible. Alternatively, several examples exist of the protein itself or another nearby protein molecule having cys­teine inserted by genetic engineering at a valuable spot of the protein sequence con­nections within or between molecules.
The research of Zalipsky and Meno-Rudolph led to an innovative approach that involved using PEG hydrazide, an amino donor that is reactive at low pH.Just recently, a cunning plan was developed to take advantage, although no practical use has been discovered to date. The cysteines are harmed when disulde bridges are present. There are not many instances of arginine-reactive PEGs; these are mainly based on PEG with a bifunctional thiol-reactive PEG (reported in proprietary litera­ture only) reacts with a substance produced under reducing circumstances and might also be present to produce a new body. Free cysteine residues stable bridges with a polymer attached are highly uncommon because of this amino acid (Veronese and Mero 2008a, b) (Fig.9.5).
284
Fig. 9.5 Schematic illustrates protein modication strategies targeting cysteine residues, includ­ing disulde bond formation, thiol-ene and thiol-yne reactions, maleimide conjugation, and oxida­tive modications. These approaches allow site-specic protein labeling, stabilization, and conjugation with drugs or probes. Applications in biomedicine and biotechnology include targeted drug delivery, protein engineering, biosensor development, and therapeutic antibody modication, enhancing protein stability, functionality, and therapeutic efcacy.© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0/) (Pessatti etal. 2021).
A. Tiwari et al.
9.4.1.4 Conjugation toArginine, Carboxylic Groups, andSugar or
Hydroxyl Residues
As they would react with the amine’s natural protein, as in the case of CSF, where a free cysteine is partially exposed, direct binding of PEG-NH2 to activated protein carboxylation takes place only after partially reversible denaturation of the groups. On the other hand, the protein itself or a nearby protein molecule can produce mul­tiple examples. Genetic engineering is used to insert cysteine into a useful location in the protein sequence connections within or between molecules. The research of Zalipsky and Meno-Rudolph led to an innovative approach that involved using PEG hydrazide, an amino donor that is reactive at low pH.How a creative technique was just recently developed to take advantage, although there has yet to be any practical use. The cysteines are harmed by disulde bridges when they are present. There are not many instances of arginine-reactive PEGs (reported in private literature only, where free cysteine is rst produced via a reduction process); they are often based on PEG with vicinal dicarboxylic groups, albeit the approach has not been success­ful due to a lack of selectivity.
9.4.1.5 Conjugation ofGlutamine Residues
While the high glutamine amide and a large number of diol impurities in the sam­ples cannot be precisely reacted chemically, conjugation may be carried out enzy­matically by polydispersity, the presence in the polymer of distinct species of transglutaminases, either specic or non-specic. Heterogeneity in the nished product was caused by these two elements: a component found in all living things and obtained from microbial sources. In the rst instance, covalent protein collects
9 PEGylated Nanocarrier System forNucleic Acid Delivery
285
and combines with the transamidase process between the protein’s PEG-NH2, which acts as the nucleophile donor and glutamine. The following mass is diverse. It took not only a specication, very high mass polymer (30–40kDa). Shearwater sequence around the glutamine resides but also the sale of a pure, low polydisperse, highly selective PEGylation, as we just discovered—polymers, Inc.—to x this issue later, at the end of the 1990s a connection between the site of a certain conju­gation and the exibility of the protein chain. APEG conjugation of glutamines to the lysine group can also be catalyzed by the same enzyme. Pharmaceutical grade PEG should have a polydispersity of between 1.01 and 1.1 for products with a 5kDa to 50kDa molecular weight (Veronese and Mero 2008a, b). Keep in mind that the value is 1.00 for a monodisperse product.

9.4.2 Releasable PEGs

Releasable PEG nanocarriers are a nanoscale drug delivery system that utilizes polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains to increase the circulation time of the drug in the body and protect it from immune system recognition. These nanocarriers are designed to release the drug payload at a specic target site, such as a tumor, in a controlled and sustained manner.
One approach to achieving this controlled release is to use stimuli-responsive PEGs that change their properties, such as solubility or molecular weight, in reac­tion to certain triggers, such as pH changes, temperature changes, or the presence of enzymes. The drug payload may be released from the nanocarrier due to this altera­tion in characteristics.
For example, tumors have a lower pH than healthy tissues, and their acidic envi­ronment can cause PEGs to release the therapeutic payload. Similarly, heat sensitiv­ity is created to deliver the pharmacological payload in response to increased temperature found in inamed or cancerous tissues (Veronese and Mero 2008a, b).
Releasable PEGs nanocarriers have improved drug solubility and stability, lon­ger circulation time, less toxicity, and focused drug administration, which are only a few benets over conventional drug delivery methods. These systems could increase the effectiveness and safety of numerous drugs, including chemotherapeu­tic agents, hormones, and gene therapies.
9.5 Nanocarrier Mechanism ofDelivery toNucleic Acid
Nanocarriers are delivery vehicles that can deliver various types of cargo, including nucleic acids, to particular cells or tissues inside the body. The mechanism of deliv­ery of nanocarriers to nucleic acids involves several steps:
Nanocarrier uptake: The target cells must take up the nanocarriers to deliver their cargo. This can occur through a variety of mechanisms, including endocytosis, phagocytosis, or receptor-mediated uptake.
Endosomal escape: Once the nanocarriers are inside the cell, they are typically sequestered within endosomes. To reach the nucleus, the nanocarriers must go away
286
Fig. 9.6 Nanocarrier mechanism of delivery to nucleic acid:Nanocarriers deliver nucleic acids by encapsulating or binding them in protective structures, safeguarding them from degradation. They enter target cells via endocytosis or membrane fusion. Once inside, nanocarriers release the nucleic acids, which travel to the nucleus or cytoplasm. Common nanocarriers include lipid nanoparticles, polymers, and dendrimers, designed to improve stability, targeting specicity, and transfection efciency for therapeutic applications such as gene therapy or RNA interference
A. Tiwari et al.
from the endosome and enter the cytoplasm. This can be achieved through various mechanisms, such as the proton sponge effect, photochemical internalization, or other pH-sensitive strategies.
Nuclear localization: Finally, the nanocarriers must be able to reach the nucleus and deliver their cargo to the nucleic acids within. This can be achieved through nuclear localization signals or other targeting strategies.
Once the nanocarriers have delivered their cargo to the nucleic acids, they can be used for various purposes, including gene therapy (RNA interference). The choice of nanocarrier and delivery mechanism will depend on the specic application and the properties of the target cells and nucleic acids(Fig. 9.6).
9.6 Release ofDrug fromPEGylated Nanocarriers
The most popular technique for giving drug nanocarriers stealth characteristics is now “PEGylation.” The neutrality, hydrophilicity, exibility, and ability to hydrate the PEG moiety in nanoparticles generate a steric barrier that prevents opsonin