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Bracha S, Johnson HJ, Pranckevicius NA, Catto F, Economides AE, Litvinov S, Hassi K, Rigoli MT, Cheroni C, Bonfanti M, Valenti A, Stucchi S, Attreya S, Ross PD, Walsh D, Malachi N, Livne H, Eshel R, Krupalnik V, Levin D, Cobb S, Koumoutsakos P, Caporale N, Testa G, Aguzzi A, Koshy AA, Sheiner L, Rechavi O. Engineering Toxoplasma gondii secretion systems for intracellular delivery of multiple large therapeutic proteins to neurons. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:2051-2072. [PMID: 39075233 PMCID: PMC11306108 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01750-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
Delivering macromolecules across biological barriers such as the blood-brain barrier limits their application in vivo. Previous work has demonstrated that Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that naturally travels from the human gut to the central nervous system (CNS), can deliver proteins to host cells. Here we engineered T. gondii's endogenous secretion systems, the rhoptries and dense granules, to deliver multiple large (>100 kDa) therapeutic proteins into neurons via translational fusions to toxofilin and GRA16. We demonstrate delivery in cultured cells, brain organoids and in vivo, and probe protein activity using imaging, pull-down assays, scRNA-seq and fluorescent reporters. We demonstrate robust delivery after intraperitoneal administration in mice and characterize 3D distribution throughout the brain. As proof of concept, we demonstrate GRA16-mediated brain delivery of the MeCP2 protein, a putative therapeutic target for Rett syndrome. By characterizing the potential and current limitations of the system, we aim to guide future improvements that will be required for broader application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahar Bracha
- Department of Neurobiology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, Wise Faculty of Life Sciences and Sagol School for Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Hannah J Johnson
- Neuroscience Graduate Interdisciplinary Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
- Departments of Neurology and Immunobiology, College of Medicine, and BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Nicole A Pranckevicius
- Centre for Parasitology, School of Infection and Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Francesca Catto
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Athena E Economides
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sergey Litvinov
- Computational Science and Engineering Laboratory, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Karoliina Hassi
- Centre for Parasitology, School of Infection and Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Marco Tullio Rigoli
- Human Technopole, Milan, Italy
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Cheroni
- Human Technopole, Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Alessia Valenti
- Human Technopole, Milan, Italy
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Sarah Stucchi
- Human Technopole, Milan, Italy
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Shruti Attreya
- Undergraduate Biology Research Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Paul D Ross
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Daniel Walsh
- Centre for Parasitology, School of Infection and Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Stuart Cobb
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Petros Koumoutsakos
- Computational Science and Engineering Laboratory, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Nicolò Caporale
- Human Technopole, Milan, Italy
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Testa
- Human Technopole, Milan, Italy.
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy.
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
| | - Adriano Aguzzi
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Anita A Koshy
- Departments of Neurology and Immunobiology, College of Medicine, and BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
| | - Lilach Sheiner
- Centre for Parasitology, School of Infection and Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
| | - Oded Rechavi
- Department of Neurobiology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, Wise Faculty of Life Sciences and Sagol School for Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
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2
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Neumayer G, Torkelson JL, Li S, McCarthy K, Zhen HH, Vangipuram M, Mader MM, Gebeyehu G, Jaouni TM, Jacków-Malinowska J, Rami A, Hansen C, Guo Z, Gaddam S, Tate KM, Pappalardo A, Li L, Chow GM, Roy KR, Nguyen TM, Tanabe K, McGrath PS, Cramer A, Bruckner A, Bilousova G, Roop D, Tang JY, Christiano A, Steinmetz LM, Wernig M, Oro AE. A scalable and cGMP-compatible autologous organotypic cell therapy for Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5834. [PMID: 38992003 PMCID: PMC11239819 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49400-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
We present Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Cell Therapy (DEBCT), a scalable platform producing autologous organotypic iPS cell-derived induced skin composite (iSC) grafts for definitive treatment. Clinical-grade manufacturing integrates CRISPR-mediated genetic correction with reprogramming into one step, accelerating derivation of COL7A1-edited iPS cells from patients. Differentiation into epidermal, dermal and melanocyte progenitors is followed by CD49f-enrichment, minimizing maturation heterogeneity. Mouse xenografting of iSCs from four patients with different mutations demonstrates disease modifying activity at 1 month. Next-generation sequencing, biodistribution and tumorigenicity assays establish a favorable safety profile at 1-9 months. Single cell transcriptomics reveals that iSCs are composed of the major skin cell lineages and include prominent holoclone stem cell-like signatures of keratinocytes, and the recently described Gibbin-dependent signature of fibroblasts. The latter correlates with enhanced graftability of iSCs. In conclusion, DEBCT overcomes manufacturing and safety roadblocks and establishes a reproducible, safe, and cGMP-compatible therapeutic approach to heal lesions of DEB patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gernot Neumayer
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jessica L Torkelson
- Department of Dermatology-Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Center for Definitive and Curative Medicine, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Shengdi Li
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Genome Biology Unit, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kelly McCarthy
- Department of Dermatology-Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Center for Definitive and Curative Medicine, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Hanson H Zhen
- Department of Dermatology-Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Center for Definitive and Curative Medicine, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Madhuri Vangipuram
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Marius M Mader
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Gulilat Gebeyehu
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Life Sciences Solutions Group, Cell Biology, Research and Development, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Taysir M Jaouni
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Life Sciences Solutions Group, Cell Biology, Research and Development, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Joanna Jacków-Malinowska
- Department of Dermatology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- St. John's Institute of Dermatology, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Avina Rami
- Department of Dermatology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Corey Hansen
- Department of Dermatology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Zongyou Guo
- Department of Dermatology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sadhana Gaddam
- Department of Dermatology-Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Keri M Tate
- Center for Definitive and Curative Medicine, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Lingjie Li
- Department of Dermatology-Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Grace M Chow
- Department of Dermatology-Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Kevin R Roy
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Genome Technology Center, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Thuylinh Michelle Nguyen
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Genome Technology Center, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Patrick S McGrath
- Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Amber Cramer
- Department of Dermatology-Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Center for Definitive and Curative Medicine, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Anna Bruckner
- Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Ganna Bilousova
- Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Dennis Roop
- Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jean Y Tang
- Department of Dermatology-Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Center for Definitive and Curative Medicine, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Lars M Steinmetz
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Genome Biology Unit, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Genome Technology Center, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Marius Wernig
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Anthony E Oro
- Department of Dermatology-Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Center for Definitive and Curative Medicine, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
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Elamin M, Dumarchey A, Stoddard C, Robinson TM, Cowie C, Gorka D, Chamberlain SJ, Levine ES. The role of UBE3A in the autism and epilepsy-related Dup15q syndrome using patient-derived, CRISPR-corrected neurons. Stem Cell Reports 2023; 18:884-898. [PMID: 36898382 PMCID: PMC10147551 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2023.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Chromosome 15q11-q13 duplication syndrome (Dup15q) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by maternal duplications of this region. Autism and epilepsy are key features of Dup15q. UBE3A, which encodes an E3 ubiquitin ligase, is likely a major driver of Dup15q because UBE3A is the only imprinted gene expressed solely from the maternal allele. Nevertheless, the exact role of UBE3A has not been determined. To establish whether UBE3A overexpression is required for Dup15q neuronal deficits, we generated an isogenic control line for a Dup15q patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cell line. Dup15q neurons exhibited hyperexcitability compared with control neurons, and this phenotype was generally prevented by normalizing UBE3A levels using antisense oligonucleotides. Overexpression of UBE3A resulted in a profile similar to that of Dup15q neurons except for synaptic phenotypes. These results indicate that UBE3A overexpression is necessary for most Dup15q cellular phenotypes but also suggest a role for other genes in the duplicated region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwa Elamin
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Aurelie Dumarchey
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Christopher Stoddard
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Tiwanna M Robinson
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Christopher Cowie
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Dea Gorka
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Stormy J Chamberlain
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Eric S Levine
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA.
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4
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Neumayer G, Torkelson JL, Li S, McCarthy K, Zhen HH, Vangipuram M, Jackow J, Rami A, Hansen C, Guo Z, Gaddam S, Pappalardo A, Li L, Cramer A, Roy KR, Nguyen TM, Tanabe K, McGrath PS, Bruckner A, Bilousova G, Roop D, Bailey I, Tang JY, Christiano A, Steinmetz LM, Wernig M, Oro AE. A scalable, GMP-compatible, autologous organotypic cell therapy for Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.28.529447. [PMID: 36909618 PMCID: PMC10002612 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.28.529447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Background Gene editing in induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells has been hailed to enable new cell therapies for various monogenetic diseases including dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB). However, manufacturing, efficacy and safety roadblocks have limited the development of genetically corrected, autologous iPS cell-based therapies. Methods We developed Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Cell Therapy (DEBCT), a new generation GMP-compatible (cGMP), reproducible, and scalable platform to produce autologous clinical-grade iPS cell-derived organotypic induced skin composite (iSC) grafts to treat incurable wounds of patients lacking type VII collagen (C7). DEBCT uses a combined high-efficiency reprogramming and CRISPR-based genetic correction single step to generate genome scar-free, COL7A1 corrected clonal iPS cells from primary patient fibroblasts. Validated iPS cells are converted into epidermal, dermal and melanocyte progenitors with a novel 2D organoid differentiation protocol, followed by CD49f enrichment and expansion to minimize maturation heterogeneity. iSC product characterization by single cell transcriptomics was followed by mouse xenografting for disease correcting activity at 1 month and toxicology analysis at 1-6 months. Culture-acquired mutations, potential CRISPR-off targets, and cancer-driver variants were evaluated by targeted and whole genome sequencing. Findings iPS cell-derived iSC grafts were reproducibly generated from four recessive DEB patients with different pathogenic mutations. Organotypic iSC grafts onto immune-compromised mice developed into stable stratified skin with functional C7 restoration. Single cell transcriptomic characterization of iSCs revealed prominent holoclone stem cell signatures in keratinocytes and the recently described Gibbin-dependent signature in dermal fibroblasts. The latter correlated with enhanced graftability. Multiple orthogonal sequencing and subsequent computational approaches identified random and non-oncogenic mutations introduced by the manufacturing process. Toxicology revealed no detectable tumors after 3-6 months in DEBCT-treated mice. Interpretation DEBCT successfully overcomes previous roadblocks and represents a robust, scalable, and safe cGMP manufacturing platform for production of a CRISPR-corrected autologous organotypic skin graft to heal DEB patient wounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gernot Neumayer
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Pathology, and Department of Chemical and Systems Biology
| | - Jessica L. Torkelson
- Program in Epithelial Biology and Department of Dermatology
- Center for Definitive and Curative Medicine
| | - Shengdi Li
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Genome Biology Unit, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kelly McCarthy
- Program in Epithelial Biology and Department of Dermatology
- Center for Definitive and Curative Medicine
| | - Hanson H. Zhen
- Program in Epithelial Biology and Department of Dermatology
- Center for Definitive and Curative Medicine
| | - Madhuri Vangipuram
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Pathology, and Department of Chemical and Systems Biology
| | - Joanna Jackow
- Department of Dermatology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032
- St John’s Institute of Dermatology, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Avina Rami
- Department of Dermatology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032
| | - Corey Hansen
- Department of Dermatology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032
| | - Zongyou Guo
- Department of Dermatology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032
| | - Sadhana Gaddam
- Program in Epithelial Biology and Department of Dermatology
| | | | - Lingjie Li
- Program in Epithelial Biology and Department of Dermatology
| | - Amber Cramer
- Program in Epithelial Biology and Department of Dermatology
| | - Kevin R. Roy
- Department of Genetics and Stanford Genome Technology Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Thuylinh Michelle Nguyen
- Department of Genetics and Stanford Genome Technology Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | - Patrick S. McGrath
- Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Anna Bruckner
- Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Ganna Bilousova
- Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Dennis Roop
- Department of Dermatology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Irene Bailey
- Program in Epithelial Biology and Department of Dermatology
- Center for Definitive and Curative Medicine
| | - Jean Y. Tang
- Program in Epithelial Biology and Department of Dermatology
- Center for Definitive and Curative Medicine
| | | | - Lars M. Steinmetz
- Department of Genetics and Stanford Genome Technology Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Genome Biology Unit, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marius Wernig
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Pathology, and Department of Chemical and Systems Biology
| | - Anthony E. Oro
- Program in Epithelial Biology and Department of Dermatology
- Center for Definitive and Curative Medicine
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5
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Hiratsuka K, Miyoshi T, Kroll KT, Gupta NR, Valerius MT, Ferrante T, Yamashita M, Lewis JA, Morizane R. Organoid-on-a-chip model of human ARPKD reveals mechanosensing pathomechanisms for drug discovery. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabq0866. [PMID: 36129975 PMCID: PMC9491724 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abq0866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Organoids serve as a novel tool for disease modeling in three-dimensional multicellular contexts. Static organoids, however, lack the requisite biophysical microenvironment such as fluid flow, limiting their ability to faithfully recapitulate disease pathology. Here, we unite organoids with organ-on-a-chip technology to unravel disease pathology and develop therapies for autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease. PKHD1-mutant organoids-on-a-chip are subjected to flow that induces clinically relevant phenotypes of distal nephron dilatation. Transcriptomics discover 229 signal pathways that are not identified by static models. Mechanosensing molecules, RAC1 and FOS, are identified as potential therapeutic targets and validated by patient kidney samples. On the basis of this insight, we tested two U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved and one investigational new drugs that target RAC1 and FOS in our organoid-on-a-chip model, which suppressed cyst formation. Our observations highlight the vast potential of organoid-on-a-chip models to elucidate complex disease mechanisms for therapeutic testing and discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken Hiratsuka
- Nephrology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Renal Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tomoya Miyoshi
- Division of Renal Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Katharina T. Kroll
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Navin R. Gupta
- Nephrology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Renal Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI), Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - M. Todd Valerius
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Renal Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI), Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Thomas Ferrante
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michifumi Yamashita
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer A. Lewis
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI), Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ryuji Morizane
- Nephrology Division, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Renal Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI), Cambridge, MA, USA
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6
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Dabi YT, Degechisa ST. Genome Editing and Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Technologies for in vitro Monogenic Diabetes Modeling. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes 2022; 15:1785-1797. [PMID: 35719247 PMCID: PMC9199525 DOI: 10.2147/dmso.s366967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Diabetes is a metabolic disease characterized by chronic hyperglycemia. Polygenic diabetes, which encompasses type-1 and type-2 diabetes, is the most prevalent kind of diabetes and is caused by a combination of different genetic and environmental factors, whereas rare phenotype monogenic diabetes is caused by a single gene mutation. Monogenic diabetes includes Neonatal diabetes mellitus and Maturity-onset diabetes of the young. The majority of our current knowledge about the pathogenesis of diabetes stems from studies done on animal models. However, the genetic difference between these creatures and humans makes it difficult to mimic human clinical pathophysiology, limiting their value in modeling key aspects of human disease. Human pluripotent stem cell technologies combined with genome editing techniques have been shown to be better alternatives for creating in vitro models that can provide crucial knowledge about disease etiology. This review paper addresses genome editing and human pluripotent stem cell technologies for in vitro monogenic diabetes modeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yosef Tsegaye Dabi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Wollega University, Nekemte, Ethiopia
- Correspondence: Yosef Tsegaye Dabi, Email
| | - Sisay Teka Degechisa
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia
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7
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Kheirallah KA, Abdulrazeq F, Alzoubi A, Alsulaiman JW, Alrabadi N, Alfaqih MA, Al Zoubi MS, Matsumoto MM. Stem cell-related knowledge and attitudes among physicians in Jordan. Int J Clin Pract 2021; 75:e14142. [PMID: 33682227 DOI: 10.1111/ijcp.14142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rapid advancement of stem cell (SC) therapies provides both opportunities and risks for patients and physicians alike. Physicians have a role in counselling patients about unproven SC therapies, requiring a basic level of knowledge and access to information about SCs. OBJECTIVE This study sought to assess SC-related knowledge of and attitudes among physicians in Jordan to elucidate areas of deficiency that can be addressed. METHODS A cross-sectional survey, comprising questions on demographics and SC knowledge and attitudes, was designed as a scoring system to evaluate physicians' knowledge and attitudes. Participants were recruited from 10 major hospitals in Jordan over 3 months between February and April 2019. The internal consistency of the scoring scales was calculated using Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient. Gender differences were evaluated with an independent t-test. RESULTS In total, 382 physicians in Jordan completed the survey (59.9% response rate). They demonstrated a low/moderate level of overall SC knowledge (51.3%), but most lacked confidence in their ability to answer patients' questions about SC therapies (64.7%). However, the total attitude score was moderate/high positive (66.8%) and most were interested in learning more about SCs (80.8%). Male physicians reported significantly more knowledge than females (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS This study reveals Jordanian physicians' hesitancy to counsel patients about SC therapies, largely because of gaps in knowledge. However, overall attitudes toward SC research and therapies are positive. The results of this study demonstrate a need to cover SC-related information in medical curricula in Jordan, as well as to support initiatives to regulate SC tourism in Jordan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khalid A Kheirallah
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Fayez Abdulrazeq
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
- Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Yemen University of Science and Technology-Jordan Branch, Amman, Jordan
| | - Abdallah Alzoubi
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Jomana W Alsulaiman
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Nasr Alrabadi
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Mahmoud A Alfaqih
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Mazhar S Al Zoubi
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan
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8
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Pioner JM, Fornaro A, Coppini R, Ceschia N, Sacconi L, Donati MA, Favilli S, Poggesi C, Olivotto I, Ferrantini C. Advances in Stem Cell Modeling of Dystrophin-Associated Disease: Implications for the Wider World of Dilated Cardiomyopathy. Front Physiol 2020; 11:368. [PMID: 32477154 PMCID: PMC7235370 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Familial dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is mostly caused by mutations in genes encoding cytoskeletal and sarcomeric proteins. In the pediatric population, DCM is the predominant type of primitive myocardial disease. A severe form of DCM is associated with mutations in the DMD gene encoding dystrophin, which are the cause of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). DMD-associated cardiomyopathy is still poorly understood and orphan of a specific therapy. In the last 5 years, a rise of interest in disease models using human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) has led to more than 50 original studies on DCM models. In this review paper, we provide a comprehensive overview on the advances in DMD cardiomyopathy disease modeling and highlight the most remarkable findings obtained from cardiomyocytes differentiated from hiPSCs of DMD patients. We will also describe how hiPSCs based studies have contributed to the identification of specific myocardial disease mechanisms that may be relevant in the pathogenesis of DCM, representing novel potential therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josè Manuel Pioner
- Division of Physiology, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Raffaele Coppini
- Department of NeuroFarBa, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy
| | - Nicole Ceschia
- Cardiomyopathy Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Leonardo Sacconi
- LENS, Università degli Studi di Firenze and National Institute of Optics (INO-CNR), Florence, Italy
| | | | - Silvia Favilli
- Pediatric Cardiology, Meyer Children's Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Corrado Poggesi
- Division of Physiology, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy
| | - Iacopo Olivotto
- Cardiomyopathy Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Cecilia Ferrantini
- Division of Physiology, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW We review the ways in which stem cells are used in psychiatric disease research, including the related advances in gene editing and directed cell differentiation. RECENT FINDINGS The recent development of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technologies has created new possibilities for the study of psychiatric disease. iPSCs can be derived from patients or controls and differentiated to an array of neuronal and non-neuronal cell types. Their genomes can be edited as desired, and they can be assessed for a variety of phenotypes. This makes them especially interesting for studying genetic variation, which is particularly useful today now that our knowledge on the genetics of psychiatric disease is quickly expanding. The recent advances in cell engineering have led to powerful new methods for studying psychiatric illness including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism. There is a wide array of possible applications as illustrated by the many examples from the literature, most of which are cited here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debamitra Das
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kyra Feuer
- Predoctoral Training Program in Human Genetics, Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Marah Wahbeh
- Predoctoral Training Program in Human Genetics, Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Dimitrios Avramopoulos
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Han Y, Teng K, Nawaz G, Feng X, Usman B, Wang X, Luo L, Zhao N, Liu Y, Li R. Generation of semi-dwarf rice ( Oryza sativa L.) lines by CRISPR/Cas9-directed mutagenesis of OsGA20ox2 and proteomic analysis of unveiled changes caused by mutations. 3 Biotech 2019; 9:387. [PMID: 31656725 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-019-1919-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant height (PH) is one of the most important agronomic traits of rice, as it directly affects the yield potential and lodging resistance. Here, semi-dwarf mutant lines were developed through CRISPR/Cas9-based editing of OsGA20ox2 in an indica rice cultivar. Total 24 independent lines were obtained in T0 generation with the mean mutation rate of 73.5% including biallelic (29.16%), homozygous (47.91%) and heterozygous (16.66%) mutations, and 16 T-DNA-free lines (50%) were obtained in T1 generation without off-target effect in four most likely sites. Mutations resulted in a changed amino acid sequence of mutant plants and reduced gibberellins (GA) level and PH (22.2%), flag leaf length (FLL) and increased yield per plant (YPP) (6.0%), while there was no effect on other agronomic traits. Mutants restored their PH to normal by exogenous GA3 treatment. The expression of the OsGA20ox2 gene was significantly suppressed in mutant plants, while the expression level was not affected for other GA biosynthesis (OsGA2ox3 and OsGA3ox2) and signaling (D1, GIDI and SLR1) genes. The mutant lines showed decreased cell length and width, abnormal cell elongation, while increased cell numbers in the second internode sections at mature stage. Total 30 protein spots were exercised, and 24 proteins were identified, and results showed that OsGA20ox2 editing altered protein expression. Five proteins including, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, putative ATP synthase, fructose-bisphosphate aldolase 1, S-adenosyl methionine synthetase 1 and gibberellin 20 oxidase 2, were downregulated in dwarf mutant lines which may affect the plant growth. Collectively, our results provide the insights into the role of OsGA20ox2 in PH and confirmed that CRISPR-Cas9 is a powerful tool to understand the gene functions.
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Nawaz G, Han Y, Usman B, Liu F, Qin B, Li R. Knockout of OsPRP1, a gene encoding proline-rich protein, confers enhanced cold sensitivity in rice ( Oryza sativa L.) at the seedling stage. 3 Biotech 2019; 9:254. [PMID: 31192079 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-019-1787-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Proline-rich proteins (PRPs) play multiple physiological and biochemical roles in plant growth and stress response. In this study, we reported that the knockout of OsPRP1 induced cold sensitivity in rice. Mutant plants were generated by CRISPR/Cas9 technology to investigate the role of OsPRP1 in cold stress and 26 mutant plants were obtained in T0 generation with the mutation rate of 85% including 15% bi-allelic, 53.3% homozygous, and 16.7% heterozygous and 16 T-DNA-free lines in T1 generation. The conserved amino acid sequence was changed and the expression level of OsPRP1 was reduced in mutant plants. The OsPRP1 mutant plants displayed more sensitivity to cold stress and showed low survival rate with decreased root biomass than wild-type (WT) and homozygous mutant line with large fragment deletion was more sensitive to low temperature. Mutant lines accumulated less antioxidant enzyme activity and lower levels of proline, chlorophyll, abscisic acid (ABA), and ascorbic acid (AsA) content relative to WT under low-temperature stress. The changes of antioxidant enzymes were examined in the leaves and roots with exogenous salicylic acid (SA) treatment which resulted in increased activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) under cold stress, while enzyme antioxidant activity was lower in untreated seedlings which showed that exogenous SA pretreatment could alleviate the low-temperature stress in rice. Furthermore, the expression of three genes encoding antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD4, POX1, and OsCAT3) was significantly down-regulated in the mutant lines as compared to WT. These results suggested that OsPRP1 enhances cold tolerance by modulating antioxidants and maintaining cross talk through signaling pathways. Therefore, OsPRP1 gene could be exploited for improving cold tolerance in rice and CRISPR/Cas9 technology is helpful to study the function of a gene by analyzing the phenotypes of knockout mutants generated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gul Nawaz
- College of Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004 China
| | - Yue Han
- College of Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004 China
| | - Babar Usman
- College of Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004 China
| | - Fang Liu
- College of Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004 China
| | - Baoxiang Qin
- College of Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004 China
| | - Rongbai Li
- College of Agriculture, State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004 China
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