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Neumann EN, Bertozzi TM, Wu E, Serack F, Harvey JW, Brauer PP, Pirtle CP, Coffey A, Howard M, Kamath N, Lenz K, Guzman K, Raymond MH, Khalil AS, Deverman BE, Minikel EV, Vallabh SM, Weissman JS. Brainwide silencing of prion protein by AAV-mediated delivery of an engineered compact epigenetic editor. Science 2024; 384:ado7082. [PMID: 38935715 DOI: 10.1126/science.ado7082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Prion disease is caused by misfolding of the prion protein (PrP) into pathogenic self-propagating conformations, leading to rapid-onset dementia and death. However, elimination of endogenous PrP halts prion disease progression. In this study, we describe Coupled Histone tail for Autoinhibition Release of Methyltransferase (CHARM), a compact, enzyme-free epigenetic editor capable of silencing transcription through programmable DNA methylation. Using a histone H3 tail-Dnmt3l fusion, CHARM recruits and activates endogenous DNA methyltransferases, thereby reducing transgene size and cytotoxicity. When delivered to the mouse brain by systemic injection of adeno-associated virus (AAV), Prnp-targeted CHARM ablates PrP expression across the brain. Furthermore, we have temporally limited editor expression by implementing a kinetically tuned self-silencing approach. CHARM potentially represents a broadly applicable strategy to suppress pathogenic proteins, including those implicated in other neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwin N Neumann
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Tessa M Bertozzi
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Elaine Wu
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Fiona Serack
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - John W Harvey
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Pamela P Brauer
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Catherine P Pirtle
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Alissa Coffey
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Michael Howard
- Comparative Medicine, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Nikita Kamath
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Kenney Lenz
- Comparative Medicine, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Kenia Guzman
- Comparative Medicine, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Michael H Raymond
- Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Ahmad S Khalil
- Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Benjamin E Deverman
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Eric Vallabh Minikel
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- McCance Center for Brain Health and Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Sonia M Vallabh
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- McCance Center for Brain Health and Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Jonathan S Weissman
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
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Bermejo-Pareja F, del Ser T. Controversial Past, Splendid Present, Unpredictable Future: A Brief Review of Alzheimer Disease History. J Clin Med 2024; 13:536. [PMID: 38256670 PMCID: PMC10816332 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13020536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: The concept of Alzheimer disease (AD)-since its histological discovery by Alzheimer to the present day-has undergone substantial modifications. Methods: We conducted a classical narrative review of this field with a bibliography selection (giving preference to Medline best match). Results: The following subjects are reviewed and discussed: Alzheimer's discovery, Kraepelin's creation of a new disease that was a rare condition until the 1970's, the growing interest and investment in AD as a major killer in a society with a large elderly population in the second half of the 20th century, the consolidation of the AD clinicopathological model, and the modern AD nosology based on the dominant amyloid hypothesis among many others. In the 21st century, the development of AD biomarkers has supported a novel biological definition of AD, although the proposed therapies have failed to cure this disease. The incidence of dementia/AD has shown a decrease in affluent countries (possibly due to control of risk factors), and mixed dementia has been established as the most frequent etiology in the oldest old. Conclusions: The current concept of AD lacks unanimity. Many hypotheses attempt to explain its complex physiopathology entwined with aging, and the dominant amyloid cascade has yielded poor therapeutic results. The reduction in the incidence of dementia/AD appears promising but it should be confirmed in the future. A reevaluation of the AD concept is also necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Félix Bermejo-Pareja
- CIBERNED, Institute of Health Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Research i+12, University Hospital “12 de Octubre”, 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - Teodoro del Ser
- Alzheimer’s Centre Reina Sofia—CIEN Foundation, Institute of Health Carlos III, 28031 Madrid, Spain;
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