Multicomponent Synthesis of Imidazole-Based Ionizable Lipids for Highly Efficient and Spleen-Selective Messenger RNA Delivery

J Am Chem Soc. 2024 Jun 5;146(22):15085-15095. doi: 10.1021/jacs.4c00451. Epub 2024 May 22.

Abstract

The spleen emerges as a pivotal target for mRNA delivery, prompting a continual quest for specialized and efficient lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) designed to enhance spleen-selective transfection efficiency. Here we report imidazole-containing ionizable lipids (IMILs) that demonstrate a pronounced preference for mRNA delivery into the spleen with exceptional transfection efficiency. We optimized IMIL structures by constructing and screening a multidimensional IMIL library containing multiple heads, tails, and linkers to perform a structure-activity correlation analysis. Following high-throughput in vivo screening, we identified A3B7C2 as a top-performing IMIL in spleen-specific mRNA delivery via the formulated LNPs, achieving a remarkable 98% proportion of splenic transfection. Moreover, A3B7C2-based LNPs are particularly potent in splenic dendritic cell transfection. Comparative analyses revealed that A3B7C2-based LNPs achieved a notable 2.8-fold and 12.9-fold increase in splenic mRNA transfection compared to SM102 and DLin-MC3-DMA lipid formulations, respectively. Additionally, our approach yielded an 18.3-fold enhancement in splenic mRNA expression compared to the SORT method without introducing additional anionic lipids. Collectively, these IMILs highlight promising avenues for further research in spleen-selective mRNA delivery. This work offers valuable insights for the swift discovery and rational design of ionizable lipid candidates tailored for spleen-selective transfection, thereby facilitating the application of mRNA therapeutics in spleen-related interventions.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Imidazoles* / chemistry
  • Lipids* / chemical synthesis
  • Lipids* / chemistry
  • Mice
  • Molecular Structure
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry
  • RNA, Messenger* / administration & dosage
  • RNA, Messenger* / genetics
  • Spleen* / metabolism
  • Transfection / methods

Substances

  • Imidazoles
  • Lipids
  • RNA, Messenger
  • imidazole