1. Academic Validation
  2. RNA nanotherapeutics with fibrosis overexpression and retention for MASH treatment

RNA nanotherapeutics with fibrosis overexpression and retention for MASH treatment

  • Nat Commun. 2024 Aug 27;15(1):7263. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-51571-8.
Xinzhu Shan # 1 2 Zhiqiang Zhao # 1 2 3 Pingping Lai 4 Yuxiu Liu 5 Buyao Li 2 Yubin Ke 6 Hanqiu Jiang 6 Yilong Zhou 7 Wenzhe Li 1 Qian Wang 1 Pengxia Qin 2 Yizhe Xue 2 Zihan Zhang 2 Chenlong Wei 2 Bin Ma 1 2 Wei Liu 8 Cong Luo 3 Xueguang Lu 9 Jiaqi Lin 10 Li Shu 11 Yin Jie 5 Xunde Xian 4 Derfogail Delcassian 12 Yifan Ge 11 Lei Miao 13 14 15
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
  • 2 Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
  • 3 Department of Pharmaceutics, Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China.
  • 4 Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
  • 5 Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China.
  • 6 China Spallation Neutron Source, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Dongguan, China.
  • 7 Department of Surgery, Nantong Tumor Hospital, Tumor Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Nantong, China.
  • 8 Keymed Biosciences (Chengdu) Limited, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
  • 9 Key Laboratory of Colloid, Interface and Chemical Thermodynamics, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
  • 10 MOE Key Laboratory of Bio-Intelligent Manufacturing, School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China.
  • 11 Interdisplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
  • 12 Department of Bioengineering, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
  • 13 State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China. lmiao_pharm@bjmu.edu.cn.
  • 14 Beijing Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China. lmiao_pharm@bjmu.edu.cn.
  • 15 Peking University-Yunnan Baiyao International Medical Research Center, Beijing, China. lmiao_pharm@bjmu.edu.cn.
  • # Contributed equally.
Abstract

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) poses challenges for targeted delivery and retention of therapeutic proteins due to excess extracellular matrix (ECM). Here we present a new approach to treat MASH, termed "Fibrosis overexpression and retention (FORT)". In this strategy, we design (1) retinoid-derivative lipid nanoparticle (LNP) to enable enhanced mRNA overexpression in fibrotic regions, and (2) mRNA modifications which facilitate anchoring of therapeutic proteins in ECM. LNPs containing carboxyl-retinoids, rather than alcohol- or ester-retinoids, effectively deliver mRNA with over 10-fold enhancement of protein expression in fibrotic livers. The carboxyl-retinoid rearrangement on the LNP surface improves protein binding and membrane fusion. Therapeutic proteins are then engineered with an endogenous collagen-binding domain. These fusion proteins exhibit increased retention in fibrotic lesions and reduced systemic toxicity. In vivo, fibrosis-targeting LNPs encoding fusion proteins demonstrate superior therapeutic efficacy in three clinically relevant male-animal MASH models. This approach holds promise in fibrotic diseases unsuited for protein injection.

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