Optically-Guided Nanoparticles and Cell Scalextrics
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Nottingham
Department Name: Sch of Pharmacy
Abstract
Steering nanoparticle transport in human cells - why is this important?
Viruses seem to travel effortlessly into tissues and cells, being transported selectively in the body to reach the sites where they can cause most harm. They do this by breaching cellular barriers such as the outer or plasma membrane of cells and use human cellular machinery to make copies of themselves. Drug molecules on the other hand spread non-selectively throughout the body thus reducing effects where they are most needed, and causing adverse side-effects where they are not wanted. One reason for this is that current synthetic carriers for drugs and diagnostic agents, unlike viruses, are unable to effectively cross biological barriers and then reach specific sites inside cells. An artificial particle that could transport through tissue, in a manner analogous to a virus and then into defined cell locations but without causing disease, would therefore revolutionise healthcare applications. This would be particularly important for the early stage diagnostics and therapeutics needed in developing nations and for ageing populations.
What do novel polymer-coated gold nanoparticles have to offer?
These materials are an optimal test platform for proof-of-concept studies described in this application. Firstly, gold particles can be tracked in cells using a number of microscopic approaches including the newly developed highly sensitive four-wave mixing imaging system available to this team. They can be coated with a variety of polymeric materials that will help to guide them into cells and into specific cell locations. We have previously shown that polymers which are capped with functional 'keys' to enter natural cell portals can have their entry switched on and off by small increases in temperature which cause them to change their conformations. We also have shown that we can generate these temperature increases at gold nanoparticles inside cells through laser pulses but without damaging the cells. By attaching the temperature-responsive polymers to gold, it should be possible to use laser pulses to switch the functional keys on and off, and in this way guide particles to reach defined cellular locations. This will help to unravel the mechanisms by which materials travel in cells, thus enabling us to guide diagnostics and therapeutics to where they are required.
Impact.
A major hurdle to effective therapy against major disease burdens such as cancer, coronary heart disease and neurodegeneration is our inability to direct therapeutic molecules such as genes and proteins to specific tissue and defined compartments inside cells. This is a major objective of this application and progress here could have widespread implications for academia, industry and the society that they serve. One could envisage a commercial application in which a combined imaging and guiding instrument (e,g, ultrasonic probes and imaging) is used with a set of nanoparticles with functionality for specific disease markers, with a potential for truly selective personalised therapies.
Better diagnostics are also needed that allow earlier detection of disease and thus better healthcare outcomes. Successful completion of this work could allow development of an imaging/detection platform where specific markers of disease could be detected through their interaction with selective receptors on gold nanoparticles guided to intracellular sites by the local laser-heating method. When it is considered that 1 in 3 individuals in the EU will be affected directly or indirectly by cancer by 2010, it is clear that earlier detection and intervention will bring marked benefits to patients, carers and society as a whole.
Longer-term development could generate impact through a new biomedical technology i.e. laser-guided therapeutics wherein local heating by focused ultrasound guides biodegradable responsive nanoparticles in humans.
Viruses seem to travel effortlessly into tissues and cells, being transported selectively in the body to reach the sites where they can cause most harm. They do this by breaching cellular barriers such as the outer or plasma membrane of cells and use human cellular machinery to make copies of themselves. Drug molecules on the other hand spread non-selectively throughout the body thus reducing effects where they are most needed, and causing adverse side-effects where they are not wanted. One reason for this is that current synthetic carriers for drugs and diagnostic agents, unlike viruses, are unable to effectively cross biological barriers and then reach specific sites inside cells. An artificial particle that could transport through tissue, in a manner analogous to a virus and then into defined cell locations but without causing disease, would therefore revolutionise healthcare applications. This would be particularly important for the early stage diagnostics and therapeutics needed in developing nations and for ageing populations.
What do novel polymer-coated gold nanoparticles have to offer?
These materials are an optimal test platform for proof-of-concept studies described in this application. Firstly, gold particles can be tracked in cells using a number of microscopic approaches including the newly developed highly sensitive four-wave mixing imaging system available to this team. They can be coated with a variety of polymeric materials that will help to guide them into cells and into specific cell locations. We have previously shown that polymers which are capped with functional 'keys' to enter natural cell portals can have their entry switched on and off by small increases in temperature which cause them to change their conformations. We also have shown that we can generate these temperature increases at gold nanoparticles inside cells through laser pulses but without damaging the cells. By attaching the temperature-responsive polymers to gold, it should be possible to use laser pulses to switch the functional keys on and off, and in this way guide particles to reach defined cellular locations. This will help to unravel the mechanisms by which materials travel in cells, thus enabling us to guide diagnostics and therapeutics to where they are required.
Impact.
A major hurdle to effective therapy against major disease burdens such as cancer, coronary heart disease and neurodegeneration is our inability to direct therapeutic molecules such as genes and proteins to specific tissue and defined compartments inside cells. This is a major objective of this application and progress here could have widespread implications for academia, industry and the society that they serve. One could envisage a commercial application in which a combined imaging and guiding instrument (e,g, ultrasonic probes and imaging) is used with a set of nanoparticles with functionality for specific disease markers, with a potential for truly selective personalised therapies.
Better diagnostics are also needed that allow earlier detection of disease and thus better healthcare outcomes. Successful completion of this work could allow development of an imaging/detection platform where specific markers of disease could be detected through their interaction with selective receptors on gold nanoparticles guided to intracellular sites by the local laser-heating method. When it is considered that 1 in 3 individuals in the EU will be affected directly or indirectly by cancer by 2010, it is clear that earlier detection and intervention will bring marked benefits to patients, carers and society as a whole.
Longer-term development could generate impact through a new biomedical technology i.e. laser-guided therapeutics wherein local heating by focused ultrasound guides biodegradable responsive nanoparticles in humans.
Planned Impact
Successful development of materials and instrumentation to guide particles in cells would be a world-leading advance, with many potential applications. Further refinement in future grants would pave the way to bioresponsive self-reporting/self-healing biosensors and therapeutics, and represent a revolutionary advance in healthcare,
Benefits to industry
Probes based on precise placement of diagnostic particles and with the ability to expose in a switchable manner e.g. a nucleic acid sequence, could lead to a family of optogenetic sensors. Nature Methods selected optogenetics as breakthrough of the year (2010) & there is great scope for IP in this area. 'Cornerstone' patents in site-directed diagnostics could bring industry benefits through the formation of a spin-out or, more probably, through licensing of technology. Via links with Eminate and BioCity Nottingham, we have ready access to SMEs operating in sensors/diagnostics (e.g. CellAura). For therapeutics, switchable intracellular exposure of anti-sense ligands would enable selective knock-down e.g. of oncogenes. Our collaborations with leading pharma (AstraZeneca, GSK, MedImmune) facilitate routes to licensing and commercial exploitation of drug delivery systems. If preliminary data is promising, we will file patents and apply for Follow-On funding to develop the technology in collaboration with industry partners. There is potential further industry benefit through training of both PDRAs in multidisciplinary work, but also PhDs in our groups, who will be very suitable for high technology SME/pharma jobs as a result of interactions in the project. It is estimated that~ 48 % of pharmaceuticals employees are linked to or engaged directly in R+D, and each employee contributes to sales worth £233,000 per person (ABPI, 2007): even small numbers of people working in this area can have a very high economic impact. Recent changes in the industry have led to a re-focus to more advanced medical technologies, based on the realisation that biomolecule and cell-derived therapies are a potential £5 billion market ("New Industry, New Jobs". BIS, 2010). This grant is the first step leading to a technology platform for these future applications.
Benefits to policy makers
Better diagnostics and more effective therapeutics are needed in developing nations and for ageing populations. The increasing emphasis on preventative medicine to reduce healthcare budgets demands earlier diagnosis. For therapeutics, poor targeting leads to inefficient use, undesired side effects and greater medical intervention, with burdens on patients, carer populations and healthcare budgets. Estimates of healthcare costs are difficult to predict, but the projected worldwide $199 bn drug delivery market for 2016 suggests this is an area where spend will be increased. Policymakers will benefit more if they invest in highly innovative delivery technologies now. Further benefits should accrue though enhanced visibility for EPSRC-funded science in this area. The UK is still regarded as an attractive base for pharma R+D but the restructuring of the industry could lead to erosion of this position - by funding high profile work in the pharmaceutical area, EPSRC is sending a strong signal of support to the industry. Indeed, this is reflected in recent EPSRC Priority Areas, (Techniques for biomedical understanding, Diagnostics, Therapeutic Technologies and Medicines) into which this proposal fits closely.
Benefits to the public
Better diagnosis aids 'wellness' while better delivery aids cure. Technologies developed from controlled particle transport could solve the current targeting problems for many diagnostic (e.g. MRI contrast enhancement agents) and drugs. AuNPs have been demonstrated for anticancer efficacy in vitro (JACS. 2010, 132, 1517) but extension to guided NPs in vivo would bring benefit in the longer-term through earlier indications of medical problems and better treatments.
Benefits to industry
Probes based on precise placement of diagnostic particles and with the ability to expose in a switchable manner e.g. a nucleic acid sequence, could lead to a family of optogenetic sensors. Nature Methods selected optogenetics as breakthrough of the year (2010) & there is great scope for IP in this area. 'Cornerstone' patents in site-directed diagnostics could bring industry benefits through the formation of a spin-out or, more probably, through licensing of technology. Via links with Eminate and BioCity Nottingham, we have ready access to SMEs operating in sensors/diagnostics (e.g. CellAura). For therapeutics, switchable intracellular exposure of anti-sense ligands would enable selective knock-down e.g. of oncogenes. Our collaborations with leading pharma (AstraZeneca, GSK, MedImmune) facilitate routes to licensing and commercial exploitation of drug delivery systems. If preliminary data is promising, we will file patents and apply for Follow-On funding to develop the technology in collaboration with industry partners. There is potential further industry benefit through training of both PDRAs in multidisciplinary work, but also PhDs in our groups, who will be very suitable for high technology SME/pharma jobs as a result of interactions in the project. It is estimated that~ 48 % of pharmaceuticals employees are linked to or engaged directly in R+D, and each employee contributes to sales worth £233,000 per person (ABPI, 2007): even small numbers of people working in this area can have a very high economic impact. Recent changes in the industry have led to a re-focus to more advanced medical technologies, based on the realisation that biomolecule and cell-derived therapies are a potential £5 billion market ("New Industry, New Jobs". BIS, 2010). This grant is the first step leading to a technology platform for these future applications.
Benefits to policy makers
Better diagnostics and more effective therapeutics are needed in developing nations and for ageing populations. The increasing emphasis on preventative medicine to reduce healthcare budgets demands earlier diagnosis. For therapeutics, poor targeting leads to inefficient use, undesired side effects and greater medical intervention, with burdens on patients, carer populations and healthcare budgets. Estimates of healthcare costs are difficult to predict, but the projected worldwide $199 bn drug delivery market for 2016 suggests this is an area where spend will be increased. Policymakers will benefit more if they invest in highly innovative delivery technologies now. Further benefits should accrue though enhanced visibility for EPSRC-funded science in this area. The UK is still regarded as an attractive base for pharma R+D but the restructuring of the industry could lead to erosion of this position - by funding high profile work in the pharmaceutical area, EPSRC is sending a strong signal of support to the industry. Indeed, this is reflected in recent EPSRC Priority Areas, (Techniques for biomedical understanding, Diagnostics, Therapeutic Technologies and Medicines) into which this proposal fits closely.
Benefits to the public
Better diagnosis aids 'wellness' while better delivery aids cure. Technologies developed from controlled particle transport could solve the current targeting problems for many diagnostic (e.g. MRI contrast enhancement agents) and drugs. AuNPs have been demonstrated for anticancer efficacy in vitro (JACS. 2010, 132, 1517) but extension to guided NPs in vivo would bring benefit in the longer-term through earlier indications of medical problems and better treatments.
Publications
Pearce A.K.
(2018)
Functional polymers for drug delivery: Prospects and challenges
in Chimica Oggi/Chemistry Today
Powell LG
(2022)
An in vitro investigation of the hepatic toxicity of PEGylated polymeric redox responsive nanoparticles.
in RSC advances
Purdie L
(2018)
Alkyl-Modified Oligonucleotides as Intercalating Vehicles for Doxorubicin Uptake via Albumin Binding.
in Molecular pharmaceutics
Sasso L
(2018)
Time and cell-dependent effects of endocytosis inhibitors on the internalization of biomolecule markers and nanomaterials
in Journal of Interdisciplinary Nanomedicine
Sayers EJ
(2018)
Switching of Macromolecular Ligand Display by Thermoresponsive Polymers Mediates Endocytosis of Multiconjugate Nanoparticles.
in Bioconjugate chemistry
Wahlich J
(2019)
Nanomedicines for the Delivery of Biologics.
in Pharmaceutics
Wymant JM
(2016)
The Role of BCA2 in the Endocytic Trafficking of EGFR and Significance as a Prognostic Biomarker in Cancer.
in Journal of Cancer
Wymant JM
(2020)
Strategic Trastuzumab Mediated Crosslinking Driving Concomitant HER2 and HER3 Endocytosis and Degradation in Breast Cancer.
in Journal of Cancer
Description | The grant is now complete and some initial key findings have been published. (Moody, P. R.; Sayers, E. J.; Magnusson, J. P.; Alexander, C.; Borri, P.; Watson, P. and Jones, A. T. Receptor crosslinking - A General Method to Trigger Internalisation and Lysosomal Targeting of Therapeutic Receptor:Ligand Complexes. Molecular Therapy 2015, 23 (12), 1888-1898.) The work showed that certain therapeutic molecules can be directed to the parts of a cell where they are most needed, and that for the breast cancer antibody Trastuzamab, this can lead to better efficacy in cell lines. A second significant paper was published in 2018 (Bioconjugate Chem., 2018, 29 (4), pp 1030-1046 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.7b00704) which demonstrated that polymer-decorated nanoparticles can be targeted to specific cell entry points, and that this process can be switched on or off by small temperature change-induced variations in polymer architecture. However, the data also showed that the nanoparticles are 're-routed' inside the cells, which also has important implications for intracellular therapeutic targeting. |
Exploitation Route | New drug delivery mechanisms and better therapies for difficult cancer targets |
Sectors | Chemicals Education Healthcare Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
URL | http://www.nature.com/mt/journal/v23/n12/abs/mt2015178a.html |
Description | Appointment to EPSRC Big Ideas Advisory Group |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
URL | https://epsrc.ukri.org/newsevents/news/theworldneedsbigideas/ |
Description | Radiotherapy activated materials for enhanced cancer treatments |
Amount | £539,154 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/N03371X/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2016 |
End | 11/2018 |
Description | Royal Society International Exchange Award - New Neuroprotective Therapies |
Amount | £12,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | IES\R2\192256 |
Organisation | The Royal Society |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2020 |
End | 01/2022 |
Description | Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Fund: - Collaboration Panel: Cross-Disciplinary Award |
Amount | £29,552 (GBP) |
Organisation | Wellcome Trust |
Department | Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Fund |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2017 |
End | 02/2018 |
Title | Endocytic Profiling |
Description | A methodological platform called Endocytic Profiling was developed to characterise the endocytic pathways of pre clinical cell models for drug delivery. A lipid nanoparticle vector enclosing mRNA as cargo was assessed using this platform that identified critical features regulation LNP transfection. We also designed an manufactured a new probe for analysing the pH on the endolysosomal pathway. |
Type Of Material | Cell line |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | This will be of value to academic and industrial researchers with an interest in preclinical drug delivery analysis of drug delivery vector performance in one of a hundereds of cell models now available. In this respect, the method has significant universality. A manuscript was published on this work in Molecular Therapy that awared the study a cover image. The work was a collaboration between Cardiff University and Astra Zeneca |
URL | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1525001619303570 |
Description | Astra Zeneca Project |
Organisation | AstraZeneca |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | New collaboration with funding from AstraZeneca starting starting in April 2016 running to June 2017. This stems from EPSRC data presented at Nanotechnologies in Drug Delivery Congress, London, UK 2015 |
Collaborator Contribution | AZ are synthesise targetted drug delivery vectors in the form of lipid nanaoparticles carrying mRNA for Cardiff University to test in in vitro models Submitted joint Cardiff University - AstraZeneca BBSRC-IPA application. Unsucessful |
Impact | Presentation of slides at international conferences since 2017. Abstract at International Conference: Puri, S., Ashford, M., Sayers E.J., Jones, A.T. (2018) The Subcellular Profile of Tumour Cells Influences the Intracellular Fate of mRNA Delivery Systems nanoDDS 16th International Nanomedicine & Drug Delivery Symposium, Portland USA. Poster 74 |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | University of Padova |
Organisation | University of Padova |
Country | Italy |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We have hosted a number of Masters and PhD students for research stays. We have provided materials, training in polymer synthesis, access to instrumentation and facilities. |
Collaborator Contribution | Excellent Masters students, of which 6 have stayed on to carry out PhD studies in Nottingham. The Padova group have also hosted our PhD students and PDRAs, giving hem training in pharmaceutical formulation science and pharmacokinetics. |
Impact | Multiple papers (> 10) EU/EPSRC Grants (Value > 500,000 GBP) Multidisciplinary (pharmacy, pharmacology, chemistry) |
Start Year | 2006 |
Description | National Eisteddfod of Wales Meifod 2015 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Through EPSRC funding (EP/J021334/1) a large science exhibition was organised under the title of Working Polymers; This was held over a eight day period at the Science and Technology Pavilion of the National Eisteddfod of Wales - Meifod Mid-Wales- August 1 - August 8 and officially opened by the First Minister for Wales Carwyn Jones. The aim of this exhibit was to highlight the science of polymers and the fact that we are now totally dependant on them but to also bring introduce EPSRC funded research in the ATJ laboratory on the use of polymers for designing nanomedicines to target diseases such as cancer. Approximately 130,000 visited the Eisteddfod over this eight day period and >20,000 were counted into the Science Pavilion. The Exhibit was staffed by Cardiff University academics and undergraduate students. Public engagement training was provided for all activity staff by Professor Jones. Feedback was extremely positive and there was much discussion surrounding the various polymer activities in display e.g. surface of rugby balls, nappies, cardiac stents with controlled release of drugs. This also attracted the media and numerous interviews were conducted with BBC Radio and TV and also S4C. A major outcome of these is that the public now clearly view science as a fundamental part of culture and this is why the Science and Technology Pavilion sits proudly and comfortably at the heart of this very large cultural festival. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://blogs.cardiff.ac.uk/pharmacy-engagement/2015/10/22/national-eisteddfod-2015/ |