Engineered Sumoylation-Deficient Prdx6 Mutant Protein-Loaded Nanoparticles Provide Increased Cellular Defense and Prevent Lens Opacity

• Main Authors: Bhavana Chhunchha, Eri Kubo, Uday B. Kompella, Dhirendra P. Singh
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-08-01
• Series: Antioxidants
• Subjects: peroxiredoxin 6; transduction domain; oxidative stress; antioxidants; nano-formulation; nanoparticles
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/10/8/1245

Aberrant Sumoylation-mediated protein dysfunction is involved in a variety of oxidative and aging pathologies. We previously reported that Sumoylation-deficient Prdx6K^{(lysine)122/142R(Arginine)} linked to the TAT-transduction domain gained stability and protective efficacy. In the present study, we formulated wild-type TAT-HA-Prdx6<i>^WT</i> and Sumoylation-deficient Prdx6-loaded poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) to further enhance stability, protective activities, and sustained delivery. We found that in vitro and subconjuctival delivery of Sumoylation-deficient Prdx6-NPs provided a greater protection of lens epithelial cells (LECs) derived from human and <i>Prdx6^−/−</i>-deficient mouse lenses against oxidative stress, and it also delayed the lens opacity in Shumiya cataract rats (SCRs) than TAT-HA-Prdx6<i>^WT</i>-NPs. The encapsulation efficiencies of TAT-HA-Prdx6-NPs were ≈56%–62%. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analyses showed that the NPs were spherical, with a size of 50–250 nm and a negative zeta potential (≈23 mV). TAT-HA-Prdx6 analog-NPs released bioactive TAT-HA-Prdx6 (6%–7%) within 24 h. Sumoylation-deficient TAT-HA-Prdx6-NPs provided 35% more protection by reducing the oxidative load of LECs exposed to H₂O₂ compared to TAT-HA-Prdx6<i>^WT</i>-NPs. A subconjuctival delivery of TAT-HA-Prdx6 analog-NPs demonstrated that released TAT-HA-Prdx6<i>^K122/142R</i> could reduce lens opacity by ≈60% in SCRs. Collectively, our results demonstrate for the first time that the subconjuctival delivery of Sumoylation-deficient Prdx6-NPs is efficiently cytoprotective and provide a proof of concept for potential use to delay cataract and oxidative-related pathobiology in general.