Skip to main content

Antibody-Targeted Liposomes for Enhanced Targeting of the Blood-Brain Barrier

Pharmaceutical Research volume 39, pages 1523–1534 (2022)Cite this article

Abstract

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) hinders therapeutic delivery to the central nervous system (CNS), thereby impeding the development of therapies for brain injury and disease. Receptor-mediated transcytosis (RMT) systems are a promising way to shuttle a targeted therapeutic into the brain. Here, we developed and evaluated an RMT antibody-targeted liposomal system. A previously identified antibody, scFv46.1, that binds to the human and murine BBB and can pass through the murine BBB by transcytosis after intravenous injection was used to decorate the surface of liposomes. Using an in vitro BBB model, we demonstrated the cellular uptake of scFv46.1-modified liposomes (46.1-Lipo). Next, the biodistribution and brain uptake capacity of 46.1-targeted liposomes were assessed after intravenous administration. Our results showed that 46.1-Lipo can lead to increased brain accumulation through targeting of the brain vasculature. Initial rate pharmacokinetic experiments and biodistribution analyses indicated that 46.1-Lipo loaded with pralidoxime exhibited a 10-fold increase in brain accumulation compared with a mock-targeted liposomal group, and this increased accumulation was brain-specific. These studies indicate the potential of this 46.1-Lipo system as a synthetic vehicle for the targeted transport of therapeutic molecules into the CNS.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price includes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

References

  1. Oller-Salvia B, Sánchez-Navarro M, Giralt E, Teixidó M. Blood–brain barrier shuttle peptides: an emerging paradigm for brain delivery. Chem Soc Rev. 2016;45.

  2. Abbott NJ, Rönnbäck L, Hansson E. Astrocyte–endothelial interactions at the blood–brain barrier. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2006;7:41–53.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Chen Y, Liu L. Modern methods for delivery of drugs across the blood–brain barrier. Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2012;64:640–65.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Furtado D, Björnmalm M, Ayton S, Bush AI, Kempe K, Caruso F. Overcoming the blood-brain barrier: the role of nanomaterials in treating neurological diseases. Adv Mater. 2018;30:1801362.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Lajoie JM, Shusta E V. Targeting Receptor-Mediated Transport for Delivery of Biologics Across the Blood-Brain Barrier. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. 2015;55.

  6. Terstappen GC, Meyer AH, Bell RD, Zhang W. Strategies for delivering therapeutics across the blood–brain barrier. Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2021.

  7. Johnsen KB, Burkhart A, Melander F, Kempen PJ, Vejlebo JB, Siupka P, et al. Targeting transferrin receptors at the blood-brain barrier improves the uptake of immunoliposomes and subsequent cargo transport into the brain parenchyma. Sci Rep. 2017;7.

  8. Boado RJ, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Pardridge WM. Humanization of anti-human insulin receptor antibody for drug targeting across the human blood–brain barrier. Biotechnol Bioeng. 2007;96:381–91.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Axmann M, Sezgin E, Karner A, Novacek J, Brodesser MD, Röhrl C, et al. Receptor-independent transfer of low density lipoprotein cargo to biomembranes. Nano Lett. 2019;19:2562–7.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Giugliani R, Giugliani L, de Oliveira PF, Donis KC, Corte AD, Schmidt M, et al. Neurocognitive and somatic stabilization in pediatric patients with severe Mucopolysaccharidosis type I after 52 weeks of intravenous brain-penetrating insulin receptor antibody-iduronidase fusion protein (valanafusp alpha): an open label phase 1-2 trial. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2018;13:110.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Georgieva J V., Goulatis LI, Stutz CC, Canfield SG, Song HW, Gastfriend BD, et al. Antibody screening using a human iPSC-based blood-brain barrier model identifies antibodies that accumulate in the CNS. FASEB J. 2020;34.

  12. Agrawal M, Ajazuddin TDK, Saraf S, Saraf S, Antimisiaris SG, et al. Recent advancements in liposomes targeting strategies to cross blood-brain barrier (BBB) for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. J Control Release. 2017;260:61–77.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Faiz Norrrahim MN, Idayu Abdul Razak MA, Ahmad Shah NA, Kasim H, Wan Yusoff WY, Halim NA, et al. Recent developments on oximes to improve the blood brain barrier penetration for the treatment of organophosphorus poisoning: a review. RSC Adv. 2020;10:4465–89.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Johnson MK, Jacobsen D, Meredith TJ, Eyer P, Heath AJ, Ligtenstein DA, et al. Evaluation of antidotes for poisoning by organophosphorus pesticides. Emerg Med Australas. 2000;12:22–37.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Lippmann ES, Azarin SM, Kay JE, Nessler RA, Wilson HK, Al-Ahmad A, et al. Derivation of blood-brain barrier endothelial cells from human pluripotent stem cells. Nat Biotechnol. 2012;30:783–91.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Stebbins MJ, Wilson HK, Canfield SG, Qian T, Palecek SP, Shusta EV. Differentiation and characterization of human pluripotent stem cell-derived brain microvascular endothelial cells. Methods. 2016;101:93–102.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Roux F, Durieu-Trautmann O, Chaverot N, Claire M, Mailly P, Bourre J-M, et al. Regulation of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and alkaline phosphatase activities in immortalized rat brain microvessel endothelial cells. J Cell Physiol. 1994;159:101–13.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Marshall CJ, Grosskopf VA, Moehling TJ, Tillotson BJ, Wiepz GJ, Abbott NL, et al. An evolved Mxe GyrA Intein for enhanced production of fusion proteins. ACS Chem Biol. 2015;10.

  19. Shusta EV, Raines RT, Plückthun A, Wittrup KD. Increasing the secretory capacity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for production of single-chain antibody fragments. Nat Biotechnol. 1998;16:773–7.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Umlauf BJ, Mix KA, Grosskopf VA, Raines RT, Shusta E V. Site-Specific Antibody Functionalization Using Tetrazine–Styrene Cycloaddition. Bioconjug Chem. 2018;29.

  21. Umlauf BJ, Clark PA, Lajoie JM, Georgieva J V., Bremner S, Herrin BR, et al. Identification of variable lymphocyte receptors that can target therapeutics to pathologically exposed brain extracellular matrix. Sci Adv. 2019;5.

  22. Bickel U. How to measure drug transport across the blood-brain barrier. NeuroRX. 2005;2:15–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Hatakeyama H, Akita H, Maruyama K, Suhara T, Harashima H. Factors governing the in vivo tissue uptake of transferrin-coupled polyethylene glycol liposomes in vivo. Int J Pharm. 2004;281:25–33.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Ko YT, Bhattacharya R, Bickel U. Liposome encapsulated polyethylenimine/ODN polyplexes for brain targeting. J Control Release. 2009;133:230–7.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Pashirova TN, Zueva I V., Petrov KA, Babaev VM, Lukashenko SS, Rizvanov IK, et al. Nanoparticle-Delivered 2-PAM for Rat Brain Protection against Paraoxon Central Toxicity. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2017;9.

  26. Gallagher E, Minn I, Chambers JE, Searson PC. In vitro characterization of pralidoxime transport and acetylcholinesterase reactivation across MDCK cells and stem cell-derived human brain microvascular endothelial cells (BC1-hBMECs). Fluids Barriers CNS. 2016;13:10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Dadparvar M, Wagner S, Wien S, Worek F, von Briesen H, Kreuter J. Freeze-drying of HI-6-loaded recombinant human serum albumin nanoparticles for improved storage stability. Eur J Pharm Biopharm. 2014;88.

  28. Dadparvar M, Wagner S, Wien S, Kufleitner J, Worek F, von Briesen H, et al. HI 6 human serum albumin nanoparticles—development and transport over an in vitro blood–brain barrier model. Toxicol Lett. 2011;206.

  29. Chigumira W, Maposa P, Gadaga LL, Dube A, Tagwireyi D, Maponga CC. Preparation and evaluation of Pralidoxime-loaded PLGA nanoparticles as potential carriers of the drug across the blood brain barrier. J Nanomater. 2015;2015:1–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Pashirova TN, Zueva I V., Petrov KA, Lukashenko SS, Nizameev IR, Kulik N V., et al. Mixed cationic liposomes for brain delivery of drugs by the intranasal route: The acetylcholinesterase reactivator 2-PAM as encapsulated drug model. Colloids Surfaces B Biointerfaces. 2018;171.

  31. Yang J, Fan L, Wang F, Luo Y, Sui X, Li W, et al. Rapid-releasing of HI-6 via brain-targeted mesoporous silica nanoparticles for nerve agent detoxification. Nanoscale. 2016;8.

  32. Orbesteanu A-M, Cojocaru V, Ailiesei I, Mircioiu C, Cinteza LO. Studies on the formulation of nanostructured carriers for increasing the bioavailability of pralidoxime chloride. Stud Univ “Vasile Goldis”, Ser Stiint Vietii. 2014;24:357–61.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Zhang Y, He J, Shen L, Wang T, Yang J, Li Y, et al. Brain-targeted delivery of obidoxime, using aptamer-modified liposomes, for detoxification of organophosphorus compounds. J Control Release. 2021;329:1117–28.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  34. De Luca MA, Lai F, Corrias F, Caboni P, Bimpisidis Z, Maccioni E, et al. Lactoferrin- and antitransferrin-modified liposomes for brain targeting of the NK3 receptor agonist senktide: preparation and in vivo evaluation. Int J Pharm. 2015;479:129–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Schnyder A, Krähenbühl S, Drewe J, Huwyler J. Targeting of daunomycin using biotinylated immunoliposomes: pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution and in vitro pharmacological effects. J Drug Target. 2005;13:325–35.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Huwyler J, Wu D, Pardridge WM. Brain drug delivery of small molecules using immunoliposomes. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 1996;93:14164–9.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Zhang Z, Guan J, Jiang Z, Yang Y, Liu J, Hua W, et al. Brain-targeted drug delivery by manipulating protein corona functions. Nat Commun. 2019;10:3561.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Sharma G, Modgil A, Layek B, Arora K, Sun C, Law B, et al. Cell penetrating peptide tethered bi-ligand liposomes for delivery to brain in vivo: biodistribution and transfection. J Control Release. 2013;167:1–10.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Sharma G, Modgil A, Zhong T, Sun C, Singh J. Influence of short-chain cell-penetrating peptides on transport of doxorubicin encapsulating receptor-targeted liposomes across brain endothelial barrier. Pharm Res. 2014;31:1194–209.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This work was supported by Defense Threat Reduction Agency grant HDTRA1–15-1-0012 and National Institutes of Health grants NS118028 and NS099158. B.D.G. was supported by NIH Biotechnology Training Program grant T32 GM008349 and the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program under grant number 1747503

Author information

Author notes

  1. Benjamin J. Umlauf

    Present address: Department of Neurosurgery, Dell Medical School and the Mulva Clinic for the Neurosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA

    Zhou Ye, Benjamin D. Gastfriend, Benjamin J. Umlauf, David M. Lynn & Eric V. Shusta

  2. Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, USA

    David M. Lynn

  3. Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1415 Engineering Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA

    Eric V. Shusta

Authors
  1. Zhou Ye
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Benjamin D. Gastfriend
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Benjamin J. Umlauf
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. David M. Lynn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Eric V. Shusta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Z.Y., B.D.G., B.J.U. performed the experiments. Z.Y., D.M.L. and E.V.S. designed the experiments, analyzed the results, and wrote the paper.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Eric V. Shusta.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

ESM 1

(DOCX 526 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ye, Z., Gastfriend, B.D., Umlauf, B.J. et al. Antibody-Targeted Liposomes for Enhanced Targeting of the Blood-Brain Barrier. Pharm Res 39, 1523–1534 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11095-022-03186-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11095-022-03186-1

Key words

  • antibody
  • brain drug delivery
  • blood-brain barrier
  • liposome