Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K31/00—Medicinal preparations containing organic active ingredients
  • A61K31/13—Amines
  • A61K31/132—Amines having two or more amino groups, e.g. spermidine, putrescine
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K38/00—Medicinal preparations containing peptides
  • A61K38/16—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof
  • A61K38/43—Enzymes; Proenzymes; Derivatives thereof
  • A61K38/46—Hydrolases (3)
  • A61K38/47—Hydrolases (3) acting on glycosyl compounds (3.2), e.g. cellulases, lactases
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K39/00—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies
  • A61K39/39—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies characterised by the immunostimulating additives, e.g. chemical adjuvants
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K48/00—Medicinal preparations containing genetic material which is inserted into cells of the living body to treat genetic diseases; Gene therapy
  • A61K48/0008—Medicinal preparations containing genetic material which is inserted into cells of the living body to treat genetic diseases; Gene therapy characterised by an aspect of the 'non-active' part of the composition delivered, e.g. wherein such 'non-active' part is not delivered simultaneously with the 'active' part of the composition
  • A61K48/0025—Medicinal preparations containing genetic material which is inserted into cells of the living body to treat genetic diseases; Gene therapy characterised by an aspect of the 'non-active' part of the composition delivered, e.g. wherein such 'non-active' part is not delivered simultaneously with the 'active' part of the composition wherein the non-active part clearly interacts with the delivered nucleic acid
  • A61K48/0041—Medicinal preparations containing genetic material which is inserted into cells of the living body to treat genetic diseases; Gene therapy characterised by an aspect of the 'non-active' part of the composition delivered, e.g. wherein such 'non-active' part is not delivered simultaneously with the 'active' part of the composition wherein the non-active part clearly interacts with the delivered nucleic acid the non-active part being polymeric
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K9/00—Medicinal preparations characterised by special physical form
  • A61K9/10—Dispersions; Emulsions
  • A61K9/127—Synthetic bilayered vehicles, e.g. liposomes or liposomes with cholesterol as the only non-phosphatidyl surfactant
  • A61K9/1271—Non-conventional liposomes, e.g. PEGylated liposomes or liposomes coated or grafted with polymers
  • A61K9/1272—Non-conventional liposomes, e.g. PEGylated liposomes or liposomes coated or grafted with polymers comprising non-phosphatidyl surfactants as bilayer-forming substances, e.g. cationic lipids or non-phosphatidyl liposomes coated or grafted with polymers
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P37/00—Drugs for immunological or allergic disorders
  • A61P37/02—Immunomodulators
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P43/00—Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07C—ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
  • C07C271/00—Derivatives of carbamic acids, i.e. compounds containing any of the groups, the nitrogen atom not being part of nitro or nitroso groups
  • C07C271/06—Esters of carbamic acids
  • C07C271/08—Esters of carbamic acids having oxygen atoms of carbamate groups bound to acyclic carbon atoms
  • C07C271/10—Esters of carbamic acids having oxygen atoms of carbamate groups bound to acyclic carbon atoms with the nitrogen atoms of the carbamate groups bound to hydrogen atoms or to acyclic carbon atoms
  • C07C271/20—Esters of carbamic acids having oxygen atoms of carbamate groups bound to acyclic carbon atoms with the nitrogen atoms of the carbamate groups bound to hydrogen atoms or to acyclic carbon atoms to carbon atoms of hydrocarbon radicals substituted by nitrogen atoms not being part of nitro or nitroso groups
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
  • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
  • C12N15/00—Mutation or genetic engineering; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification; Use of hosts therefor
  • C12N15/09—Recombinant DNA-technology
  • C12N15/87—Introduction of foreign genetic material using processes not otherwise provided for, e.g. co-transformation
  • C12N15/88—Introduction of foreign genetic material using processes not otherwise provided for, e.g. co-transformation using microencapsulation, e.g. using amphiphile liposome vesicle
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K39/00—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies
  • A61K2039/54—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies characterised by the route of administration
  • A61K2039/541—Mucosal route
  • A61K2039/543—Mucosal route intranasal
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K39/00—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies
  • A61K2039/555—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies characterised by a specific combination antigen/adjuvant
  • A61K2039/55511—Organic adjuvants
  • A61K2039/55555—Liposomes; Vesicles, e.g. nanoparticles; Spheres, e.g. nanospheres; Polymers
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K39/00—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies
  • A61K2039/555—Medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies characterised by a specific combination antigen/adjuvant
  • A61K2039/55511—Organic adjuvants
  • A61K2039/55561—CpG containing adjuvants; Oligonucleotide containing adjuvants

Definitions

• the present invention concerns novel sphingolipids' polyalkylamines conjugates and their use, inter alia, for transfection.
• WO 98/05678 "Novel cationic amphiphilic lipids for liposomal gene transfer"
• the complex composition of the cell membrane comprises phospholipids, glycolipids, and cholesterol, as well as intrinsic and extrinsic proteins, and its functions are influenced by cytoplasmic components which include Ca " and other metal ions, anions, ATP, microfilaments, microtubules, enzymes, and Ca ⁇ -binding proteins, also by the extracellular glycocalyx (proteoglycans, glycose aminoglycans and glycoproteins). Interactions among structural and cytoplasmic cell components and their response to external signals make up transport processes responsible for the membrane selectivity exhibited within and among cell types. Successful delivery of agents not naturally taken up by cells into cells has also been investigated.
• the membrane barrier can be overcome by associating agents in complexes with lipid formulations closely resembling the lipid composition of natural cell membranes. These formulations may fuse with the cell membranes on contact, or what is more common, taken up by pynocytosis, endocytosis and/or phagocytosis. In all these processes, the associated substances are delivered in to the cells.
• Lipid complexes can facilitate intracellular transfers also by overcoming charge repulsions between the cell surface, which in most cases is negatively charged.
• the lipids of the formulations comprise an amphipathic lipid, such as the phospholipids of cell membranes, and form various layers or aggregates such as micelles or hollow lipid vesicles (liposomes), in aqueous systems.
• the liposomes can be used to entrap the substance to be delivered within the liposomes; in other applications, the drug molecule of interest can be incorporated into the lipid vesicle as an intrinsic membrane component, rather than entrapped into the hollow aqueous interior, or electrostatically attached to aggregate surface.
• phospholipids used are either zwiterionic (neutral) or negatively charged.
• An advance in the area of intracellular delivery was the discovery that a positively charged synthetic cationic lipid, N-[l-(2,3-dioleyloxy)propyl]-N,N,N- trimethylammom ' um chloride (DOTMA), in the form of liposomes, or small vesicles, could interact spontaneously with DNA to form lipid-DNA complexes which are capable of adsorbing to cell membranes and being taken up by the cells either by fusion or more probably by adsorptive endocytosis, resulting in expression of the transgene [Feigner, P. L. et al. Proc. Natl.
• the LipofectinTM reagent (Bethesda Research Laboratories, Gaithersburg, MD.), an effective agent for the delivery of highly anionic polynucleotides into living tissue culture cells, comprises positively charged liposomes composed of positively charged lipid DOTMA and a neutral lipid dioleyl phosphatidyl ethanol amine (DOPE) referred to as helper lipids. These liposomes interact spontaneously with negatively charged nucleic acids to form complexes, referred to as lipoplexes. " When excess of positively charged liposomes over DNA negative charges are used, the net charge on the resulting complexes is also positive.
• DOTMA and DOTAP are good examples for monocationic lipids. [Illis et al. 2001, ibid.]
• Multivalent cations by themselves (including polyalkylamines, inorganic salts and complexes and dehydrating solvents) have also been shown to facilitate delivery of macromolecules into cells.
• multivalent cations provoke the collapse of oligo and polyanions (nucleic acids molecules, amino acid molecules and the like) to compact structural forms, and facilitate the packaging of these polyanions into viruses, their incorporation into liposomes, transfer into cells etc. [Thomas TJ. et al. Biochemistry 38:3821-3830 (1999)].
• the smallest natural polycations able to compact DNA are the polyalkylamines spermidine and spermine. By attaching a hydrophobic anchor to these molecules via a linker, a new class of transfection vectors, the polycationic lipopolymers, has been developed.
• Cationic lipids and cationic polymers interact electrostatically with the anionic groups of DNA (or of any other polyanionic macromolecule) forming DNA-lipid complexes (lipoplexes) or DNA-polycation complexes (polyplexes).
• the formation of the complex is associated with the release of counterions of the lipids or polymer, which is the thermodynamic driving force for lipoplex and polyplex spontaneous formation.
• the cationic lipids can be divided into four classes: (i) quaternary ammonium salt lipids (e.g.
• DOTMA LipofectinTM and DOTAP
• phosphonium/arsonium congeners phosphonium/arsonium congeners
• lipopolyamines iii
• cationic lipids bearing both quaternary ammonium and polyamine moieties iv) amidinium, guanidinium and heterocyclic salt lipids.
• the present invention provides a sphingoid-polyalkylamine conjugate of the following formula (I):
• Ri represents a hydrogen, a branched or linear alkyl, aryl, alkylamine, or a group -C(0)R 5 ;
• R 2 and R 5 represent, independently, a branched or linear C 10 -C 24 alkyl, alkenyl or polyenyl groups;
• R 3 and R 4 are independently a group -C(0)-NR 6 R 7 , R $ and R 7 being the same or different for R 3 and t and represent, independently, a hydrogen, or a saturated or unsaturated branched or linear polyalkylamine, wherein one or more amine units in said polyalkylamine may be a quaternary ammonium; or R 3 is a hydrogen; or
• R and R 4 form together with the oxygen atoms to which they are bound a heterocyclic ring comprising -C(0)-NR 9 -[R 8 -NR 9 ] m -C(0)-, Rg represents a saturated or unsaturated C r C 4 alkyl and R 9 represents a hydrogen or a polyalkylamine of the formula -[Rs- RgJ n -, wherein said R 9 or each alkylamine unit RgNR 9 - may be the same or different in said polyalkylamine; and
• n and m represent independently an integer from 1 to 10; preferably 3 to 6;
• W represents a group selected from -CH-CH-, -CH 2 ⁇ CH(OH)- or -CH 2 - CH 2 -; as well as salts and stereoisomers of said compound of formula (I).
• a specific and preferred sphingoid-polyalkylamine conjugate according to the invention is N-palmitoyl D-erythro s ⁇ hingosyl-1-carbamoyl spermine.
• the invention further provides a process for the preparation of a sphingoid- polyalkylamine conjugate of formula (I) as defined herein, the process comprises:
• step (b) reacting said compound of step (a) with an activating agent, optionally in the presence of a catalyst, to obtain an activated R 3 and/or 1 ⁇ group; (c) reacting said activated sphingoid compound with a polyalkylamine;
• the invention provides a composition comprising a sphingoid- polyalkylamine conjugate of the formula (I) as defined herein, optionally in combination with a physiologically acceptable carrier.
• the invention provides the use of a sphingoid-polyalkylamine conjugate of formula (I) as defined as a physiologically acceptable delivery vehicle.
• the invention provides the use of a sphingoid-polyalkylamine conjugate of formula (I) as defined, as a capturing agent.
• Figs. 1A-1D show several possible chemical structures, "linear”, branched” or “cyclic” lipid like cationic (LLC) compounds which are encompass under the general definition of sphingoid-polyalkylamine conjugate of formula (I), wherein Fig. 1A shows a sphingoid backbone (ceramide) linked to a single polyalkylamine chain, Figs. IB and 1C show the same sphingoid backbone linked to two polyalkylamine chains, Fig. ID shows again the same backbone, however, in which a single polyamine chain is linked via the two hydroxyl moieties to form a cyclic polyamine conjugate.
• Figs. 1A shows a sphingoid backbone (ceramide) linked to a single polyalkylamine chain
• Figs. IB and 1C show the same sphingoid backbone linked to two polyalkylamine chains
• Fig. ID shows again the same backbone, however,
• FIGS 2A-2C show Mass Spectra of a specific LLC compound according to the invention, the N-palmitoyl D-erythro sphingosyl-1-carbamoyl spermine, also referred to as ceramide carbamoyl spermine (CCS) either coupled to 2,4,6- trinitrobenzenesulphonic acid (TNBS) to form TNP-CCS (Fig. 2A) or alone (Fig. 2C), in comparison with spermine coupled to TNBS to form TNP-spermine-TNP (spermine(TNP) 2 ) (Fig. 2B).
• TNBS 2,4,6- trinitrobenzenesulphonic acid
• Figs. 3A-3E show bar graphs of follow up assays upon storage in Hepes buffer pH 7.4 at 4°C of CCS based lipid assemblies;
• Fig. 3B presents change in zeta potential during storage;
• Fig. 3C presents changes in the ratio of the excitation wavelengths 405 nm/380 nm of membrane-incorporated pH-sensitive probe HCPE (l,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3- phosphoethanolamine-N-(7-hydroxycoumarin) [Zuidam NJ, Barenholz Y.
• Fig. 3D presents change in lipid assemblies' diameter
• Fig. 3E presents change in transfection activity.
• Fig. 4 shows the effect of titration of different lipid assemblies (liposomes and micelles) comprising CCS with plasmid DNA on the electrical surface potential as determined by the pH and electrical potential probe, 4-heptadecyl-7- hydroxycoumarin (C17HC).
• Fig. 5 shows level hydration of different CCS based assemblies (acetate salt, acetate salt DOPE combination, Chloride salt, or chloride saltDOPE combination) before ("lipid) and after addition of plasmid ("lipid/DNA" at two different ratios), as determined semi-quantitatively through general excitation fluorescence polarization of the fluorescent probe Laurdan [Hirsch-Lerner D. and Barenholz Y. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1461(l):47-57 (1999)].
• Figs. 6A-6C show light microscopy images and in particular, Fig. 6A presents an image of liposomes comprising CCS chloride sal Chol (at a ratio of
• Fig. 6B presents an image of liposomes comprising CCS chloride salt:DOPE (at a ratio of 2:1)
• Fig. 6C presents an image of liposomes comprised of CCS acetate sal DOPE (at a ratio 2:1)
• Figs. 7A-7D present Cryo-TEM images and in particular, Fig. 7A presents an image of CCS chloride salt based assemblies (worm-like micelles), Fig. 7B presents an image of liposomes in Hepes buffer pH 7.4 comprising CCS chloride :DOPE (at a ratio 2:1), Fig. 7C presents an image of liposomes comprising CCS chloride:Chol (at a ratio 2:1), and Fig. 7D presents another image of liposomes comprising CCS chloride: Choi (at a ratio 2:1).
• Fig. 8 presents the structure and numbering of the central region of CCS
• FIG. 9A-9B present 1H-NMR (Fig. 9A) and 13 C-NMR (Fig. 9B) of CCS as described below.
• the present invention concerns novel lipid-like cationic (LLC) compounds which may be used, inter alia, as capturing agents and in particular, as vehicles for delivering of polynucleotides, oligonucleotides, proteins, peptides and drags into cells.
• LLC lipid-like cationic
• the lipid-like cationic compounds have the following general formula (I), as defined above.
• the LLC compound also encompasses salts and stereoisomers of said compound as defined.
• the LLC compound of the invention is obtainable, for example, by coupling
• N-substituted long-chain bases in particular, N-substituted sphingoids or sphingoid bases together with different polyalkylamines or their derivatives, to form a polyalkylamine-sphingoid entity.
• the resulting conjugates may be used as is, or further alkylated to obtain one or more quaternary amines within the compound.
• Protonation at a suitable pH or alkylation of the formed polyalkylamine- sphingoid entity attributed to the LLC compounds the desired positive charge for interaction with molecules of opposite charge, e.g. biologically active molecules, e.g. for delivery into target cells.
• the formed LLC compounds after their synthesis may be directly and efficiently complexed with biologically active molecules in the form of anions, oligoanions or polyanions or macromolecules containing negative charges, to form complexes (lipoplexes).
• biologically active molecule used herein interchangeably with the term biologically active entity as used herein refers to any biologically active substance having a net negative charge or containing one or more regions or moieties carrying a (local) negative charge, such that under suitable condition it interacts with the net positive charge of the LLC compound of the invention.
• biological entities which may be delivered by the LLC compounds of the invention include: polynucleotides, oligonucleotides, proteins, peptides and drugs.
• Interaction or complexation denotes any type of association known in the art, including electrostatic interaction, or when the LLC compound form micelles and/or vesiculate (e.g. to form liposomes), said association encompass encapsulation of the biological entity within the vesicle, entrapment of the biological entity (in whole or in part) within the lipid-like layer of the vesicle (insertion), electrostatic adsorption to the surface of the micelles or the vesicles or any combination of the above.
• complex all possible interactions between the LLC compound and the biologically active entity are referred to by the term "complex".
• the possible interactions between the LLC compound and the biologically active entity may be referred to by the general term "complexation".
• the complexes formed between the LLC compound and the biological entity may be suitable as a delivery system, e.g. for targeting such biological entities into cells.
• the term capturing agent as used herein refers to the characteristics of the conjugate of the invention to interact with molecules having a negative charge, a negative dipole or a local negative dipole.
• the conjugate of the invention may be applicable in research which involves, e.g. the identification and isolation, by capturing, of, e.g. biologically active molecules, for example, from an unknown biological sample.
• the capturing involves electrostatic interaction between the molecule to be captured, carrying a negative charge, a negative dipole or a local negative charge and the positively charged conjugate of the invention.
• the conjugate of the invention may also be used in kits, the kits comprising said conjugate of the invention along with instructions how to use the compound as a capturing agent.
• the conjugate of the invention may also be used as a delivery vehicle, carrying, by capturing, biologically active molecules as defined above to a target site/into a target cell.
• Non-limiting examples of the sphingoids or sphingoid bases which may be used in the contents of the present invention include sphingosine, dihydrosphingosine, phytosphingosine, dehydrophytosphinosine and derivatives thereof.
• Non-limiting examples of such derivatives include acyl derivatives, such as ceramide (N-acylsphingosine), dihydroceramides, phytoceramides and dihydrophytoceramides as well as ceramines (N-alkylsphinogsines) and the corresponding derivatives (e.g. dihydroceramine, phytoceramine, dihydrophytoceramines etc.).
• the suitably N-substituted sphingoids or sphingoid bases posses free hydroxyl groups which may be activated and subsequently reacted with polyalkylamines to form a polyalkylamine-sphingoid entity.
• activation agents are N,N'-disuccinimidylcarbonate, di- or tri- phosgene or imidazole derivatives.
• the reaction of these activation agents with the sphingoids or the sphingoid bases yields a succinimidyloxycarbonyl, chloroformate or imidazole carbamate, respectively, at one or both hydroxyls (depending on the reaction conditions).
• Fig. 1 displays chemical structures of several possible compounds according to the invention.
• Compound (Fig. 1A) is an example of a LLC compound comprising a single linear polyalkylamine chain; compound (Fig. IB) consists of two linear polyalkylamine chains; compound (Fig. 1C) consists of two branched polyalkylamine; and compound (Fig. ID) consists of a cyclic polyalkylamine moiety attached to the sphingoid base via the two oxo groups.
• Formation of branched, linear or cyclic polyalkylamine sphingoid conjugates may be directed by monitoring the excess of polyalkylamine used in the reaction and suitable protection of polyalkylamine prior to use.
• the sphingoid-polyalkylamine conjugate of formula (I) as defined herein may be prepared according to the following procedure:
• step (b) reacting said compound of step (a) with an activating agent, optionally in the presence of a catalyst, to obtain an activated R 3 and/or R 4 group;
• Protecting groups and their use for protecting active entities within a compound are well known in the art. Specific, non- limiting examples of such groups include trifluoroacetamide, fmoc, carbobenzoxy (CBZ), dialkyl Phosphoramidates.
• Other protecting groups may be found in the literature [e.g. in Theodora W. Greene and Peter G.M. Wuts, Protective Groups in Organic Synthesis, 2nd Edition, 1980 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
• Activating groups are also known to those versed in the art, and non-limiting examples thereof include N,N'-disuccinimidylcarbonate, di- or tri-phosgene or an imidazole derivative. Other activating agents may be found in the literature [e.g. in Greg T. Hermanson Bioconjugate Techniques, Academic Press 1996 pp 142, 183]
• Activation of the sphingoid compound may be achieved in the presence of a catalyst.
• catalysts include 4-dimethylamino pyridine (DMAP), tetrazole, dicyanoimidazole or diisopropylethylamine.
• the process of the invention requires that in step (a) both R 3 and R 4 are hydrogen atoms, and said process comprises reacting the compound of formula (I) with at least two equivalents of polyalkylamine to obtain a disubstituted sphingoid-polyalkylamine conjugate, with identical polyalkylamine substituents.
• step (a) the process required that in step (a) at least one of
• R 3 or R 4 is protected with a protecting group, the process comprises reacting in step
• step (a) both R 3 and R 4 are hydrogen atoms, said sphingoid compound is reacted with at least two equivalents of an activating agent to obtain an activated sphingoid compound wherein both R 3 and R 4 activated and reacting said activated sphingoid compound with less than an equivalent of polyalkylamine, thereby obtaining a heterocyclic sphingoid-polyalkylamine conjugate.
• Figs. 1A-1D the mono-, di- or heterocyclic sphingoid-polyalkylamine conjugates of the invention are shown in Figs. 1A-1D.
• the formed conjugates of the sphingoids with the polyalkylamines could be further reacted with memylation agents in order to form quaternary amines.
• the resulting compounds are positively charged to a different degree depending on the ratio between the quaternary, primary and/or secondary amines within the formed conjugates.
• a preferred LLC compound according to the invention is a ceramide coupled with spermine, namely, N-palmitoyl D-erythro sphingosyl-1-carbamoyl spermine, which is herein referred to by the abbreviation CCS.
• CCS N-palmitoyl D-erythro sphingosyl-1-carbamoyl spermine
• Figs. 2A-2B present Mass Spectra and deduced chemical structure of products of reacting TNBS with the acetate salt of CCS (Fig. 2A).
• Fig. 2A Mass Spectra of TNBS derivatized CCS to form TNP-CCS, only one primary amine in CCS (peak 978.9) reacted with TNBS.
• the second amino group of spermine is involved in the carbamoyl linker between spermine and the ceramide primary hydroxyl group at Cl as proved by NMR, i.e. if there were two primary amine groups in the cationic lipid of the invention, they would have both reacted with TNBS.
• Fig. 2B presents the Mass Spectra of Spermine-(TNP) 2 , which shows that spermine reacted with TNBS at both free primary amines.
• the binding of one TNBS per molecule confirmed that CCS contains a single TNBS-reactive primary amine.
• TLC system Chloroform:Methanol:Acetic acid 1:25:1.5 showed the presence of a single species as a reaction product, i.e. a substantially pure product.
• Methylated or non-methylated LLC compounds according to the invention may be processed by any known method to form lipid assemblies including micelles and liposomes. Such processing may include (non-limiting examples) incorporation of different non-cationic lipids like DOPE, Cholesterol or others at different mole ratios to the lipid-like compound.
• the formed liposomes may be shaped as unsized heterogeneous and heterolamellar vesicles (UHV) having a diameter of about 50 - 5000 nm.
• UHV heterogeneous and heterolamellar vesicles
• the formed UHV may be downsized and converted to large (more homoegenous) unilamellar vesicles (LUV) having a diameter of about 50-100 nm by further processing.
• LUV large unilamellar vesicles
• the structure and dimensions of the vesicles may have important implications on their efficiency as vehicles for delivery of the active biological entities to the target, i.e. these determine their transfection properties.
• UHV unsized heterogeneous
• LUV large unilamellar
• OLV oligolamellar
• MLV large multilamellar
• Another important factor for efficient delivery is the ratio between the amount of the amine positive charge of the LLC compound (L ) and the negatively charged oligo or polyanion complexed therewith (A " ).
• the ratio determines the overall charge of the charged complex, where for effective delivery the ratio may be 1000 ⁇ (L + /A " ) ⁇ 0.1, preferably 20 ⁇ (L + /A " ) ⁇ 1 and more preferably 8 ⁇ (L + /A " ) ⁇ 1.5 depending on the entrapped/associated moiety.
• the following data presents physical characterization of one preferred LLC compound according to the invention, the CCS compound, as an acetate (Acetate/) or chloride salt (Chloride/); in combination with DOPE (ratio of CCS/DOPE 2:1); or in combination with cholesterol (ratio CCS/Choi 2:1).
• CMC of CCS salts (Acetate and chloride) was measured by changes (increase) in diphenylhexatriene (DPH) fluorescence upon aggregation.
• the CMC of the acetate salt was equal to that of the chloride salt, both being 5x10 " 6 M.
• CCS Chloride salt micelles 25nm
• CCS Acetate/Cholesterol 2 1. liposomes 100nm-5000nm;
• the pKa of CCS micelles or CCS/DOPE liposomes was determined from the dissociation curve of the pH-sensitive, bilayer-incorporated fluorophore 4- heptadecyl 7-hydroxycoumarin (C17HC) or l,2-dioleoyl-.OT-glycero-3- phosphoethanolamine-N-(7-hydroxycoumarin) (HCPE) ( ⁇ o HC ) [Zuidam & Barenholz (1997) ibid.].
• the fluorescence excitation of the fluorophore 7- hydroxycoumarin (HC) moieties at 405 nm for HCPE and 380 nm for C17HC reflects the amount of the ionized species, while the excitation at 370 nm for HCPE and 330 nm for C17HC is the pH-independent isosbestic point, reflects the total amount of probe in the liposomes and micelles. Fluorescence emission was determined at 450nm for all the above excitations. These two ratios (405/370 for HCPE, and 380/330 for C17HC) give the degree of ionization of HC fluoropore.
• the titration curve of HC which is generated by plotting fluorescence excitation intensity ratio I 40 5 /I370 for HCPE and I380/I330 for C17HC at broad range of bulk pH, enables to calculate the apparent pKa of HC in HCPE and C17HC, respectively.
• the pXa of HC in the liposomal bilayer and/or in the micelles is calculated by fitting the above titration curve to the modified Henderson- Hasselbach equation, as described before [Zuidam & Barenholz (1997) ibid.].
• the surface potential is then determined from the shift of pKa. of HC that dramatically occurs in the strongly basic environment of cationic bilayer, according to the Boltzmann equation [Zuidam & Barenholz (1997) ibid.]
• Liposomes' and micelles' ⁇ -potential was measured at 25 °C by the mobility of the particles in the applied electrical field using a Zetasizer 3000 HAS, . Malvern Instruments, Malvern, UK, by diluting an aliquot of 40 ⁇ L in 20 mL of 10 mM NaCl (pH 6.7) and passing the solutions before measurement through a 0.2- ⁇ m syringe filter (Minisart, Sartorius, Germany), ⁇ -potential reflects the electrical potential at the plane of sheer (further away from the actual surface), which is sensed by the HCPE and C17HC.
• lipid assemblies' electrostatics include surface electrical potential ( ⁇ 0 ); surface pH; and ⁇ -potential, all of which are presented in the following Table 1 :
• Figs. 3A-3D show the results of the different follow up assays (follow up for 23 days).
• the follow up assay were based on TNBS test, which is a quantitative assay based on color reaction of
• Fig. 3A shows the results of follow up of level of primary amine followed by TNBS binding method (to form TNP derivative) upon storage of CCS-based liposomes, with or without DOPE. It may be concluded from this Figure that both in the presence or absence of DOPE the lipid assemblies formed from LLC compounds, e.g. CCS and a mixture of CCS and DOPE are stable (i.e. there is no substantial change in level of primary amines with time).
• LLC compounds e.g. CCS and a mixture of CCS and DOPE are stable (i.e. there is no substantial change in level of primary amines with time).
• Fig. 3B shows results of the follow up of Zeta potential during storage in HEPES buffer pH 7.4. Also in this case, no substantial change in time was exhibited with respect to the zeta potential. These results are in agreement with the above described integrity of CCS primary amino group (Fig. 3A). Therefore, the minimal changes exhibited in Figs. 3A and 3B reflect the chemical stability of CCS dispersions in aqueous phase for a period of at least 23 days.
• Fig. 3C presents the follow up results of HCPE 405/370 fluorescence excitation intensity ratio which showed that surface pH of cationic liposomes and cationic micelles, and their electrical surface potential ⁇ ° (reflected by 405/370 ratio of lipid assembly-incorporated probe HCPE) was unchanged over the entire period of storage, indicating the stability of the surface of CCS.
• Fig. 3D presents the follow up results of the change in time in the diameter of lipid assemblies.
• DOPE the particles remained relatively small, i.e. in the form of micelles.
• CCS-DOPE-based assemblies which are UHV are relatively much larger than micelles and they tend to aggregate during storage, leading to size increase.
• the aggregations to their original size distribution occurred upon short (lOsec) ultrasonic irradiation as described below.
• Fig. 3E presents results of follow up of the transfection activity. Generally, the transfection activity was assessed by luciferase expression (see methods of transfection). In view of aggregation upon storage (Fig. 3D), the lipid dispersions before preparation of lipoplexes were sonicated on Elma TRANSSONIC 460/H bath sonicator for 10 s. Only 2- and 23 -day points are shown. The conclusions which may be drawn from the results of the follow-up assays are as follows:
• Hydration level of the different CCS-based lipid assemblies before and after the addition of plasmid DNA was determined by monitoring changes of "Laurdan excitation general polarization" according to which the higher the value obtained, the lower is the level of hydration.
• Laurdan 6-Dodecanoyl-2-dimethylaminonaphthalene (Laurdan), purchased from Lambda (Graz, Austria), was used to follow changes in hydration level of the liposome bilayer.
• the naphthalene fluorophore of this probe is located at the hydrophilichydrophobic interface of the bilayer, and its 12-carbon chain is aligned parallel to the bilayer lipid acyl chains.
• Laurdan excitation and emission spectra depend strongly on the phase of the lipid. The differences in spectra at different phases are due to the SO phase being less hydrated than the LD phase in the lipid headgroup region.
• Laurdan steady-state fluorescence parameter referred to as generalized polarization (GP) [Hirsch- Lerner D, Barenholz Y. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1461(l):47-57 (1999)].
• Laurdan GP fluorescence spectra in lipid vesicles are dependent on the number of water molecules around the fluorescent moiety of Laurdan. Excitation GP was calculated according to the expression:
• / 440 and 7 90 are the intensities of fluorescence emission at wavelengths 440 and 490 nm and the excitation wavelength 340 nm.
• Fig. 6A presents a light microscope image of liposomes comprised of CCS chloride sal Chol (at a ratio of 2:1);
• Fig. 6B presents a light microscope image of liposomes comprised of CCS chloride sal DOPE (at a ratio of 2:1),
• Fig. 6C presents a light microscope image of liposomes comprised of CCS acetate saltDOPE (at a ratio 2:1),
• Fig. 7A presents a Cryo-TEM image of CCS chloride salt based micelles in Hepes, Fig.
• FIG. 7B presents a Cryo-TEM image of liposomes in Hepes comprised of CCS chloride:DOPE (at a ratio 2:1)
• Fig. 7C presents a Cryo-TEM image of micelles in Hepes comprised of CCS chloride:Chol (at a ratio 2:1).
• Transfection with the LLC compound of the invention may facilitate, for example, vaccination, introduction of genes into cells for their expression, gene and oligo- and poly - nucleotide therapy.
• liposomes and micelles formed by the LLC compound of the invention were found to efficiently induce on mice peritoneal macrophage surface the expression of high levels of MHC II and co- stimulatory molecules such as B7 and CD40 (data not shown). These are essential for productive antigen presentation. Neutral and anionic liposomes seem not to possess such abilities.
• the formed complexes according to the invention may be part of a pharmaceutical composition comprising the complex carrying an active biological entity to be delivered together with suitable excipients, preferably, physiologically acceptable carriers.
• Such pharmaceutical compositions may be prepared for, e.g. intravenous, subcutaneous, topical, intranasal, oral, ocular or intramuscular in vivo administration as well as ex vivo and in vitro (cell culture) applications.
• the physiologically acceptable carrier according to the invention generally refers to inert, non-toxic solid or liquid substances preferably not reacting with the biologically active molecule or with the conjugate and which is required for the effective delivery of the conjugate with the biologically active molecule.
• the assemblies forming part of the composition of the invention are typically in the form of suspensions or dispersions.
• physiologically acceptable carrier examples include water, saline, 5% dextrose (glucose), 10% sucrose etc., either alone or with minor amounts (up to 10%) of an alcohol, such as ethanol.
• One more specific example of efficient use of the LLC compounds vehicles is in oligonucleotide transfer into cells, and in particular into cancerous cells.
• One approach in cancer treatment is to target specified poly- or oligo- nucleotides in the form of antisense in order to interfere with cancer cell function.
• Another use of the LLC vehicles of the invention is in vaccination.
• antigens may be complexed (either encapsulated within the vehicle, entrapped in the lipid-like layer, associated at the surface of the vehicle etc. or mere complexation) with the LLC compound to form an antigenic entity (a vaccine).
• the complex may further include immunostimulants or any other biologically active compounds facilitating the desired modulation (stimulation, enhancement etc.) of the immune response.
• CCS-Antigen biologically active molecules formulations were found to have superior pharmacokinetics over antigens alone; antigens associated with negatively charges liposomes or even than DOTAP (monocationic lipid) based vaccines.
• CCS based vaccine was the only vaccine that was capable of delivering the antigen to the nasal lymph nodes (data not shown).
• N-palmitoylsphingosine (1.61g, 3mmol) was dissolved in dry THF (100ml) with heating. The clear solution was brought to room temperature and N,N'- disuccinimidyl carbonate (1.92g, 7.5 mmol) was added. DMAP (0.81g, 7.5 mmol) was added with stirring and the reaction further stirred for 16 hours. The solvent was removed under reduced pressure and the residue re-crystallized from n-heptane yielding 1.3g (68%) of disuccinimidylceramidyl carbonate as white powder m.p. 73-76°C.
• step (iii) For obtaining a quaternary amine within the compound, the product of step (ii) may be methylated with DMS or CH 3 I.
• step (ii) For obtaining a quaternary amine within the compound, the product of step (ii) may be methylated with DMS or CH 3 I.
• Example 2 Other synthetic procedures
• the disuccinimidyl derivative though obtained is reacted with an equivalent of spermine at room temperature using catalytic amount of DMAP to obtain the 3- monosubstituted ceramide-spermine conjugate of Fig. IB.
• Example 3 Chemical characterization of N-palmitoyl D-erythro sphingosyl-1-carbamoyl spermine TNBS assay was used to determine primary amines per CCS molecule in the exemplified cationic lipid of the invention. Accordingly, the tested compound, CCS, (100 ml) was added to bicarbonate solution (500 ⁇ l, pH 8.4) followed by the addition of TNBS (1200nmol, 20 ⁇ l). The mixture was incubated for 30 min. After incubation, acetic acid was added (20 ⁇ l). Red sediments were spun down and dissolved in acetonitrile. Mass spectra of the specific compound TNP-CCS were obtained. For structure analysis TNBS assay was also performed on spermine.
• CMC Critical micelle concentration
• Liposome size was determined by dynamic light scattering using non-invasive back scattering ALV instrument (ALV GmbH).
• Zeta potential was determined in lOmM NaCl with Zetasizer (Malvern instruments).
• HCPE Surface potential
• DOTAP N-(l-(2,3-dioleoyloxy)propyI), NNN-trimethylammonium chloride
• DOPE neutral lipid DOPE
• the pH-sensitive probe 7-hydroxycoumarin-phosphatidylethanolamine was prepared by labeling of DQPE primary amine with 7-HC succinimidyl ester (Molecular Probes), according to the amine labeling procedure of Molecular Probes (Eugene, OR). Trinitro benzene sulfonic acid (T ⁇ BS) and Hepes were from Sigma.
• 6-dodecanoyl-2-dimethylaminonaphthalene laurdan
• DPH ,6-diphenyl-l,3,5- hexatriene
• plasmids were used: (1) Commercially available plasmid pQBI 25 coding for green fluorescent protein (GFP) variant under control of CMV promoter-enhancer (Qbiogene, Montreal, Canada); (2) pCMV-EYFP ⁇ to , a plasmid coding for enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (EYFP), carrying mitochondrial localization signal, was purchased from
• pCMV-Luc coding for the luciferase gene was constructed by insertion of a 875-bp CMV promoter-enhancer fragment into pGL3-enhancer (Promega, Madison, WI);
• All plasmids were propagated in E.coli and purified in sterile endotoxin-free form using the QIAGEN EndoFree Plasmid Mega kit (QIAGEN, Hilden, Germany) according to the manufacturer's protocol, and were analyzed for purity and topology as described (Even-Chen and Barenholz, 2000).
• lipid dispersion For study of liposome size distribution, a drop of the lipid dispersion was placed on a slide, covered with a cover glass, and viewed in transmitted mode using Nomarsky contrast. The slides were viewed on an Olympus FV300 laser scanning microscope (Olympus Optical, Japan). For estimating size of aggregates, 3- ⁇ m latex beads (Sigma) were added to the formulations.
• lipid dispersions at concentrations of 10 mM cationic lipid were prepared in 20 mM HEPES buffer, pH 7.4.
• the vitrified specimens were prepared in a controlled environment vitrification system (CEVS) at 25°C and 100% relative humidity. Samples were examined in a Philips CM120 microscope operated at 120 kV. Specimens were equilibrated in the microscope below -178°C, then examined in the low-dose imaging mode to minimize electron beam radiation damage, and recorded at a nominal underfocus of 4-7 nm to enhance phase contrast. An Oxford CT-3500 cooling holder was used. Images were recorded digitally by a Gatan MultiScan 791 CCD camera using the Digital Micrograph 3.1 software package. CMC determination with DPH
• Table 3 Spectral assignment of 1H NMR resonances for central region of spermine-ceramide conjugate in CD40 at 25°C (see Fig. 8).
• Figs. 9A-9B present the 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR, respectively, of the CCS compound according to the invention, which correspond to the above results.

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
• Pharmacology & Pharmacy (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Epidemiology (AREA)
• Genetics & Genomics (AREA)
• Bioinformatics & Cheminformatics (AREA)
• Immunology (AREA)
• Molecular Biology (AREA)
• Biotechnology (AREA)
• Biophysics (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• Zoology (AREA)
• General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Microbiology (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Biochemistry (AREA)
• Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy & Molecular Imaging (AREA)
• Proteomics, Peptides & Aminoacids (AREA)
• Gastroenterology & Hepatology (AREA)
• Mycology (AREA)
• Plant Pathology (AREA)
• Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Medicinal Preparation (AREA)
• Pharmaceuticals Containing Other Organic And Inorganic Compounds (AREA)
• Medicines Containing Antibodies Or Antigens For Use As Internal Diagnostic Agents (AREA)
• Medicines That Contain Protein Lipid Enzymes And Other Medicines (AREA)
• Organic Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds And Preparation Thereof (AREA)
• Heterocyclic Carbon Compounds Containing A Hetero Ring Having Nitrogen And Oxygen As The Only Ring Hetero Atoms (AREA)
• Low-Molecular Organic Synthesis Reactions Using Catalysts (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (8)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=33556649

Family Applications (3)

Family Applications After (2)

Country Status (8)

Cited By (6)

Families Citing this family (45)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (25)

• 2004
  • 2004-06-17 MX MXPA05013746A patent/MXPA05013746A/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2004-06-17 US US10/560,932 patent/US8242089B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2004-06-17 JP JP2006516806A patent/JP4695075B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2004-06-17 JP JP2006516809A patent/JP2006527763A/ja active Pending
  • 2004-06-17 CA CA002528402A patent/CA2528402A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2004-06-17 WO PCT/IL2004/000536 patent/WO2004110980A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2004-06-17 WO PCT/IL2004/000534 patent/WO2004110496A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2004-06-17 AU AU2004246904A patent/AU2004246904B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2004-06-17 US US10/561,394 patent/US7771711B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2004-06-17 WO PCT/IL2004/000533 patent/WO2004110499A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2004-06-17 AU AU2004247505A patent/AU2004247505B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2004-06-17 BR BRPI0411505-8A patent/BRPI0411505A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2004-06-17 EP EP04744876A patent/EP1638919B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2004-06-17 US US10/560,928 patent/US8673285B2/en active Active
  • 2004-06-17 JP JP2006516807A patent/JP4782675B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2004-06-17 AU AU2004246905A patent/AU2004246905B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2004-06-17 EP EP04744874A patent/EP1638611B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2004-06-17 EP EP04744875.8A patent/EP1638610B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 2007
  • 2007-05-09 US US11/746,415 patent/US20070264273A1/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (4)

Non-Patent Citations (2)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events