Targeted delivery of antisense oligonucleotides to pancreatic β-cells

Sci Adv. 2018 Oct 17;4(10):eaat3386. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aat3386. eCollection 2018 Oct.

Abstract

Antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) silencing of the expression of disease-associated genes is an attractive novel therapeutic approach, but treatments are limited by the ability to deliver ASOs to cells and tissues. Following systemic administration, ASOs preferentially accumulate in liver and kidney. Among the cell types refractory to ASO uptake is the pancreatic insulin-secreting β-cell. Here, we show that conjugation of ASOs to a ligand of the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP1R) can productively deliver ASO cargo to pancreatic β-cells both in vitro and in vivo. Ligand-conjugated ASOs silenced target genes in pancreatic islets at doses that did not affect target gene expression in liver or other tissues, indicating enhanced tissue and cell type specificity. This finding has potential to broaden the use of ASO technology, opening up novel therapeutic opportunities, and presents an innovative approach for targeted delivery of ASOs to additional cell types.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Drug Delivery Systems / methods*
  • Forkhead Box Protein O1 / genetics
  • Forkhead Box Protein O1 / metabolism
  • Gene Silencing
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor / genetics
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor / metabolism*
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Insulin-Secreting Cells / drug effects*
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense / administration & dosage*
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense / chemistry
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense / pharmacokinetics
  • RNA, Long Noncoding / genetics

Substances

  • Forkhead Box Protein O1
  • Foxo1 protein, mouse
  • GLP1R protein, human
  • Glp1r protein, mouse
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor
  • Malat1 long non-coding RNA, mouse
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense
  • RNA, Long Noncoding
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists