Endosomal escape cell-penetrating peptides significantly enhance pharmacological effectiveness and CNS activity of systemically administered antisense oligonucleotides

Abstract

Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are an emerging class of gene-specific therapeutics for diseases associated with the central nervous system (CNS). However, ASO delivery across the blood–brain barrier (BBB) to their CNS target cells remains a major challenge. Since ASOs are mainly taken up into the brain capillary endothelial cells interface through endosomal routes, entrapment in the endosomal compartment is a major obstacle for efficient CNS delivery of ASOs. Therefore, we evaluated the effectiveness of a panel of cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) bearing several endosomal escape domains for the intracellular delivery, endosomal release and antisense activity of FDA-approved Spinraza (Nusi..