Anti-HIV drug-combination nanoparticles enhance plasma drug exposure duration as well as triple-drug combination levels in cells within lymph nodes and blood in primates.

HIV patients on combination oral drug therapy experience insufficient drug levels in lymph nodes, which is linked to viral persistence. Following success in enhancing lymph node drug levels and extending plasma residence time of indinavir formulated in lipid nanoparticles, we developed multidrug anti-HIV lipid nanoparticles (anti-HIV LNPs) containing lopinavir (LPV), ritonavir (RTV), and tenofovir (PMPA). These anti-HIV LNPs were prepared, characterized, scaled up, and evaluated in primates with a focus on plasma time course and intracellular drug exposure in blood and lymph nodes. Four macaques were subcutaneously administered anti-HIV LNPs and free drug suspension in a crossover study. The time course of the plasma drug concentration as well as intracellular drug concentrations in blood and inguinal lymph nodes were analyzed to compare the effects of LNP formulation. Anti-HIV LNPs incorporated LPV and RTV with high efficiency and entrapped a reproducible fraction of hydrophilic PMPA. In primates, anti-HIV LNPs produced over 50-fold higher intracellular concentrations of LPV and RTV in lymph nodes compared to free drug. Plasma and intracellular drug levels in blood were enhanced and sustained up to 7 days, beyond that achievable by their free drug counterpart. Thus, multiple antiretroviral agents can be simultaneously incorporated into anti-HIV lipid nanoparticles to enhance intracellular drug concentrations in blood and lymph nodes, where viral replication persists. As these anti-HIV lipid nanoparticles also prolonged plasma drug exposure, they hold promise as a long-acting dosage form for HIV patients in addressing residual virus in cells and tissue.

Long-acting three-drug combination anti-HIV nanoparticles enhance drug exposure in primate plasma and cells within lymph nodes and blood.

Insufficient HIV drug levels in lymph nodes have been linked to viral persistence. To overcome lymphatic drug insufficiency, we developed and evaluated in primates a lipid-drug nanoparticle containing lopinavir, ritonavir, and tenofovir. These nanoparticles produced over 50-fold higher intracellular lopinavir, ritonavir and tenofovir concentrations in lymph nodes compared to free drug. Plasma and intracellular drug levels in blood were enhanced and sustained for 7 days after a single subcutaneous dose, exceeding that achievable with current oral therapy.

Evaluation of atazanavir and darunavir interactions with lipids for developing pH-responsive anti-HIV drug combination nanoparticles.

We evaluated two human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease inhibitors, atazanavir (ATV) and darunavir (DRV), for pH-dependent solubility, lipid binding, and drug release from lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). Both ATV and DRV incorporated into LNPs composed of pegylated and non-pegylated phospholipids with nearly 100% efficiency, but only ATV-LNPs formed stable lipid-drug particles and exhibited pH-dependent drug release. DRV-LNPs were unstable and formed mixed micelles at low drug-lipid concentrations, and thus are not suitable for lipid-drug particle development. When ATV-LNPs were prepared with ritonavir (RTV), a metabolic and cellular membrane exporter inhibitor, and tenofovir (TFV), an HIV reverse-transcriptase inhibitor, stable, scalable, and reproducible anti-HIV drug combination LNPs were produced. Drug incorporation efficiencies of 85.5 ± 8.2, 85.1 ± 7.1, and 6.1 ± 0.8% for ATV, RTV, and TFV, respectively, were achieved. Preliminary primate pharmacokinetic studies with these pH-responsive anti-HIV drug combination LNPs administered subcutaneously produced detectable plasma concentrations that lasted for 7 days for all three drugs. These anti-HIV LNPs could be developed as a long-acting targeted antiretroviral therapy.

Establishment of a cell model based on FKBP12 dimerization for screening of FK506-like neurotrophic small molecular compounds.

FK506 is an efficient immunosuppressive agent with an increasing number of clinical applications. It has been approved to prevent rejection in transplant patients and be efficacious in several autoimmune diseases. Its immunosuppressive activity results from binding to receptor proteins designated as immunophilins (i.e., FKBP12, FK506 binding protein). Recent studies have suggested that FK506 can promote neurite outgrowth as a 2nd activity. Furthermore, it has been shown that the neurotrophic property of FK506 is independent of its immunosuppressive action. Although the mechanism of its neurotrophic activity has not yet been well elucidated, FKBP12 is identified as a drug target, and much effort has been directed toward the design of FKBP12-binding molecules, which are neurotrophic but non-immunosuppressive, for clinical use. In this present study, the authors constructed a stable cell line, which underwent apoptosis upon treatment by AP20187, a wholly synthesized, cell-permeable dimeric FK506 derivative, based on FKBP12-mBax dimerization. This AP20187-mediated apoptosis was rapidly reversed by the addition of an FKBP12-binding competitor molecule (FK506 or rapamycin), indicating that this cell line might be used to screen FK506 derivatives. Using the screening model, hundreds of synthetic FK506 analogs were analyzed. A promising compound, named N308, was obtained. The results showed that N308 could inhibit AP20187-induced gene-modified target cell apoptosis and elicit augmentation of neurite extension from both cultured PC-12 cells and chicken dorsal root ganglia cultures.

3D structure of human FK506-binding protein 52: implications for the assembly of the glucocorticoid receptor/Hsp90/immunophilin heterocomplex.

FK506-binding protein 52 (FKBP52), which binds FK506 and possesses peptidylprolyl isomerase activity, is an important immunophilin involved in the heterocomplex of steroid receptors with heat-shock protein 90. Here we report the crystal structures of two overlapped fragments [N(1-260) and C(145-459)] of FKBP52 and the complex with a C-terminal pentapeptide from heat-shock protein 90. Based on the structures of these two overlapped fragments, the complete putative structure of FKBP52 can be defined. The structure of FKBP52 is composed of two consecutive FKBP domains, a tetratricopeptide repeat domain and a short helical domain beyond the final tetratricopeptide repeat motif. Key structural differences between FKBP52 and FKBP51, including the relative orientations of the four domains and some important residue substitutions, could account for the differential functions of FKBPs.

Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic studies of the C-terminal domain of human FKBP52.

FKBP52 is a high-molecular-weight immunophilin belonging to the FKBP (FK506-binding protein) family. FKBP52 is one of several chaperone proteins associated with untransformed steroid receptors in steroid receptor-hsp90 heterocomplexes. Here, the C-terminal domain (amino acids 145-459) has been cloned, overexpressed and purified. Crystals were obtained using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion technique with ammonium sulfate as precipitant in 0.1 M Tris pH 8.0 solution. Diffraction data to 2.7 A were collected from a selenomethionine-containing crystal belonging to space group C222(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 114.4, b = 143.1, c = 171.2 A, alpha = beta = gamma = 90 degrees. There are three molecules per asymmetric unit.

Structure of the N-terminal domain of human FKBP52.

FKBP52 is a member of the FK506-binding protein family (FKBPs). The N-terminal domain of FKBP52 (FKBP52-N; residues 1-140) is responsible for peptidyl-prolyl isomerase activity and binding of FK506. Here, the crystal structure of FKBP52-N has been determined by molecular replacement to 2.4 A. FKBP52-N is defined by a six-stranded antiparallel beta-sheet wrapping with a right-handed twist around a short alpha-helix, an architecture similar to that of FKBP12. FKBP52-N is able to bind FK506 in a similar way to FKBP12. The variability in two loop regions (residues 70-76 and 108-127) is the principal reason for the specificity differences between FKBP52-N and FKBP12. The Pro120 change corresponding to Gly89 in FKBP12 limits the conformational adaptation between the loop (residues 108-127) and FK506 and decreases the FK506 affinity, while the Lys121 substitution corresponding to Ile90 of FKBP12 destroys a key interaction between FKBP52-N and calcineurin. It can be inferred from the locations of strictly conserved amino acids in the polypeptide chain that the maintenance of the overall conformation of the PPIase domains of FKBPs is essential for the PPIase activity. The N-terminal region and beta-sheets of FKBP52-N forms a hydrophobic patch which may be responsible for the binding of target proteins such as dynein or PAHX.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of FKBP52 N-terminal domain.

FKBP52 is a FK506-binding protein which was first discovered in the heterocomplex composed of HSP90 and inactive steroid receptor. Here, the N-terminal domain (residues 1-140) of FKBP52 has been overexpressed, purified and crystallized using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion technique. Crystals with a 2.4 A resolution limit were obtained using ammonium sulfate as precipitant at pH 8.5. The crystals belong to space group P2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 27.8, b = 58.4, c = 70.9 A, beta = 98.3 degrees. Assuming two molecules per asymmetric unit, the solvent content is calculated to be 40%.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of FKBP12 complexed with a novel neurotrophic ligand.

A novel neurotrophic ligand, (3R)-4-(p-Toluenesulfonyl)-1,4-thiazane-3-carboxylic acid-L-Leucine ethyl ester, has been complexed with FKBP12 and crystallized using the hanging-drop vapor-diffusion method. Crystals belong to P2(1) space group, with unit cell parameters a=41.2, b=29.6, c=41.5 A, beta=114.0 degrees. The crystals diffract to 1.8 A resolution limit.