Cellular uptake mediated by epidermal growth factor receptor facilitates the intracellular activity of phosphorothioate-modified antisense oligonucleotides

Nucleic Acids Res. 2018 Apr 20;46(7):3579-3594. doi: 10.1093/nar/gky145.

Abstract

Chemically modified antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) with phosphorothioate (PS) linkages have been extensively studied as research and therapeutic agents. PS-ASOs can enter the cell and trigger cleavage of complementary RNA by RNase H1 even in the absence of transfection reagent. A number of cell surface proteins have been identified that bind PS-ASOs and mediate their cellular uptake; however, the mechanisms that lead to productive internalization of PS-ASOs are not well understood. Here, we characterized the interaction between PS-ASOs and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). We found that PS-ASOs trafficked together with EGF and EGFR into clathrin-coated pit structures. Their co-localization was also observed at early endosomes and inside enlarged late endosomes. Reduction of EGFR decreased PS-ASO activity without affecting EGF-mediated signaling pathways and overexpression of EGFR increased PS-ASO activity in cells. Furthermore, reduction of EGFR delays PS-ASO trafficking from early to late endosomes. Thus, EGFR binds to PS-ASOs at the cell surface and mediates essential steps for active (productive) cellular uptake of PS-ASOs through its cargo-dependent trafficking processes which migrate PS-ASOs from early to late endosomes. This EGFR-mediated process can also serve as an additional model to better understand the mechanism of intracellular uptake and endosomal release of PS-ASOs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biological Transport / genetics
  • Cell Membrane / chemistry
  • Cell Membrane / genetics
  • Endocytosis / genetics*
  • Endosomes / chemistry
  • Endosomes / genetics
  • Epidermal Growth Factor / genetics
  • ErbB Receptors / chemistry
  • ErbB Receptors / genetics
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Membrane Proteins / chemistry
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense / chemistry
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense / genetics*
  • Phosphorothioate Oligonucleotides / chemistry
  • Phosphorothioate Oligonucleotides / genetics*
  • Protein Binding
  • Signal Transduction
  • Transfection

Substances

  • Membrane Proteins
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense
  • Phosphorothioate Oligonucleotides
  • Epidermal Growth Factor
  • EGFR protein, human
  • ErbB Receptors