Iridium-based Polymeric Multifunctional Imaging Tools for Biochemistry.

Herein, we report the development of a macromolecular multifunctional imaging tool for biological investigations, which is comprised of an N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide backbone, iridium-based luminescent probe, glutamate carboxypeptidase II (GCPII) targeting ligand, and biotin affinity tag. The iridium luminophore is a tris-cyclometalated complex based on [Ir(ppy)3] with one of its 2-phenylpyridine ligands functionalized to allow conjugation. Synthesized macromolecular probes differed in the structure of the polymer and content of the iridium complex. The applicability of the developed imaging tools has been tested in flow cytometry (FACS) based assay, laser confocal microscopy, and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). The FACS analysis has shown that the targeted iBodies containing the iridium luminophore exhibit selective labelling of GCPII expressing cells. This observation was also confirmed in the imaging experiments with laser confocal microscopy. The FLIM experiment has shown that the iBodies with the iridium label exhibit a lifetime greater than 100 ns, which distinguishes them from typically used systems labelled with organic fluorophores exhibiting short fluorescence lifetimes. The results of this investigation indicate that the system exhibits interesting properties, which supports the development of additional biological tools utilizing the key components (iridium complexes, iBody concept), primarily focusing on the longer lifetime of the iridium emitter.

Reinvestigation of the Automated Synthesis of Stoichiometrically Conjugated Antibodies to Access High Molecular Weight Payloads and Multiplexed Conjugation via an In-Solution Trans-Tagging Process.

Protein conjugates have found applications in a wide variety of fields, ranging from therapeutics to imaging and detection. However, robust control over the parameters of the conjugation process (such as sites and degree of conjugation) remains challenging. Previously, our group introduced Equimolar NAtive Chemical Tagging (ENACT), a method which allows for the monofunctionalization of proteins by combining an iterative low-conversion bioconjugation, an automated process, and a bioorthogonal trans-tagging reaction. However, while the automated ENACT was dimensioned to achieve monoconjugation at the mg scale, in early stage research, because of the rarity and cost of the starting materials, it is often necessary to prepare conjugates at the lower, µg, scale. Here, we introduce modified ENACT protocols, as well as a new ENACT conjugation reagent, which allow for the monofunctionalization of proteins on the micrograms scale, using minimal quantities of payload.

Evaluation of linear versus star-like polymer anti-cancer nanomedicines in mouse models.

Nanomedicines are considered next generation therapeutics with advanced therapeutic properties and reduced side effects. Herein, we introduce tailored linear and star-like water-soluble nanosystems as stimuli-sensitive nanomedicines for the treatment of solid tumors or hematological malignancies. The polymer carrier and drug pharmacokinetics were independently evaluated to elucidate the relationship between the nanosystem structure and its distribution in the body. Positron emission tomography and optical imaging demonstrated enhanced tumor accumulation of the polymer carriers in 4T1-bearing mice with increased tumor-to-blood and tumor-to-muscle ratios. Additionally, there was a significant accumulation of doxorubicin bound to various polymer carriers in EL4 tumors, as well as excellent in vivo therapeutic activity in EL4 lymphoma and moderate efficacy in 4T1 breast carcinoma. The linear nanomedicine showed at least comparable pharmacologic properties to the star-like nanomedicines regarding doxorubicin transport. Therefore, if multiple parameters are considered such as its optimized structure and simple and reproducible synthesis, this polymer carrier system is the most promising for further preclinical and clinical investigations.

The transmission and toxicity of polymer-bound doxorubicin-containing exosomes derived from human adenocarcinoma cells.

Background: Exosomes are extracellular vesicles with the ability to encapsulate bioactive molecules, such as therapeutics. This study identified a new exosome mediated route of doxorubicin and poly(N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide) (pHPMA)-bound doxorubicin trafficking in the tumor mass. Materials & methods: Exosome loading was achieved via incubation of the therapeutics with an adherent human breast adenocarcinoma cell line and its derived spheroids. Exosomes were characterized using HPLC, nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) and western blotting. Results: The therapeutics were successfully loaded into exosomes. Spheroids secreted significantly more exosomes than adherent cells and showed decreased viability after treatment with therapeutic-loaded exosomes, which confirmed successful transmission. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this study provides the first evidence of pHPMA-drug conjugate secretion by extracellular vesicles.

Background: In cancer treatment, low-molecular-weight drugs (e.g., doxorubicin [DOX]) with a broad spectrum of side effects are commonly used. Through their conjugation with hydrophilic polymers ­ N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymers ­ for example, most of the side effects can be reduced. These drug­polymer conjugates are delivered via bloodstream into the tumor. This study aimed to identify a new exosome-mediated route of DOX and polyHPMA(pHPMA)­DOX conjugates trafficking inside the tumor mass. Exosomes are small lipid membrane vesicles constitutively released from most of the cell types, including the tumor cells. Exosomes are able to encapsulate low-molecular-weight drugs. Methods: Exosomes were loaded with DOX and pHPMA-DOX in vitro via coincubation with cancer cells. Exosomes were isolated from the conditioned-cultivation medium after their release from cells and characterized (size, numbers, protein marker profiles). Results: The therapeutics were successfully loaded into exosomes and transmitted to the tumor cells. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first evidence of the pHPMA­drug conjugate secretion by exosomes.

Coating Persistent Luminescence Nanoparticles With Hydrophilic Polymers for in vivo Imaging.

Persistent luminescence nanoparticles (PLNPs) are innovative nanomaterials highly useful for bioimaging applications. Indeed, due to their particular optical properties, i.e., the ability to store the excitation energy before slowly releasing it for a prolonged period of time, they allow in vivo imaging without auto-fluorescence and with a high target to background ratio. However, as for most nanoparticles (NPs), without any special surface coating, they are rapidly opsonized and captured by the liver after systemic injection into small animals. To overcome this issue and prolong nanoparticle circulation in the bloodstream, a new stealth strategy was developed by covering their surface with poly(N-2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (pHPMA), a highly hydrophilic polymer widely used in nanomedicine. Preliminary in vivo imaging results demonstrated the possibility of pHPMA as an alternative strategy to cover ZnGa2O4:Cr NPs to delay their capture by the liver, thereby providing a new perspective for the formulation of stealth NPs.

HPMA-based star polymer biomaterials with tuneable structure and biodegradability tailored for advanced drug delivery to solid tumours.

Design, controlled synthesis, physico-chemical and biological characteristics of novel well-defined biodegradable star-shaped copolymers intended for advanced drug delivery is described. These new biocompatible star copolymers were synthesised by grafting monodispersed semitelechelic linear (sL) N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide copolymers onto a 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)propionic acid (bisMPA)-based polyester dendritic core of various structures. The hydrodynamic diameter of the star copolymer biomaterials can be tuned from 13 to 31 nm and could be adjusted to a given purpose by proper selection of the bisMPA dendritic core type and generation and by considering the sL copolymer molecular weight and polymer-to-core molar ratio. The hydrolytic degradation was proved for both the star copolymers containing either dendron or dendrimer core, showing the spontaneous hydrolysis in duration of few weeks. Finally, it was shown that the therapy with the biodegradable star conjugate with attached doxorubicin strongly suppresses the tumour growth in mice and is fully curative in most of the treated animals at dose corresponding approximately to one fourth of maximum tolerated dose (MTD) value. Both new biodegradable systems show superior efficacy and tumour accumulation over the first generation of star copolymers containing non-degradable PAMAM core.

Structure-to-Efficacy Relationship of HPMA-Based Nanomedicines: The Tumor Spheroid Penetration Study.

Nanomedicines are a novel class of therapeutics that benefit from the nano dimensions of the drug carrier. These nanosystems are highly advantageous mainly within cancer treatment due to their enhanced tumor accumulation. Monolayer tumor cells frequently used in routine preclinical assessment of nanotherapeutics do not have a spatial structural architecture that allows the investigation of the penetration of nanomedicines to predict their behavior in real tumor tissue. Therefore, tumor spheroids from colon carcinoma C26 cells and glioblastoma U87-MG cells were used as 3D in vitro models to analyze the effect of the inner structure, hydrodynamic size, dispersity, and biodegradability of N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymer-based nanomedicines carrying anticancer drug pirarubicin (THP) on the penetration within spheroids. While almost identical penetration through spheroids of linear and star-like copolymers and also their conjugates with THP was observed, THP penetration after nanomedicines application was considerably deeper than for the free THP, thus proving the benefit of polymer carriers. The cytotoxicity of THP-polymer nanomedicines against tumor cell spheroids was almost identical as for the free THP, whereas the 2D cell cytotoxicity of these nanomedicines is usually lower. The nanomedicines thus proved the enhanced efficacy within the more realistic 3D tumor cell spheroid system.

N-(2-Hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide-Based Linear, Diblock, and Starlike Polymer Drug Carriers: Advanced Process for Their Simple Production.

We developed a new simplified method for the synthesis of well-defined linear, diblock, or starlike N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA)-based polymer drug carriers using controlled reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization. The prepared monodispersed polymers are after the drug attachment intended for enhanced anticancer therapy. This new approach significantly reduces the number of required synthetic steps and minimizes the consumption of organic solvents during the synthesis. As a result, highly defined linear, diblock, and starlike copolymers designed for pH-triggered drug activation/release in tumor tissue were formed in sufficient amounts for further physicochemical and biological studies. Within the synthesis, we also developed a new procedure for the selective deprotection of tert-butoxycarbonyl hydrazide and amine groups on hydrophilic HPMA copolymers, including the one-pot removal of polymer end groups. We studied and described in detail the kinetics and efficacy of the deprotection reaction. We believe the simplified synthetic approach facilitates the preparation of polymer conjugates bound by the pH-sensitive hydrazone bond and their application in tumor treatment.