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Fehér A, Schnúr A, Muenthaisong S, Bellák T, Ayaydin F, Várady G, Kemter E, Wolf E, Dinnyés A. Establishment and characterization of a novel human induced pluripotent stem cell line stably expressing the iRFP720 reporter. Sci Rep 2022; 12:9874. [PMID: 35701501 PMCID: PMC9198085 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12956-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Stem cell therapy has great potential for replacing beta-cell loss in diabetic patients. However, a key obstacle to cell therapy’s success is to preserve viability and function of the engrafted cells. While several strategies have been developed to improve engrafted beta-cell survival, tools to evaluate the efficacy within the body by imaging are limited. Traditional labeling tools, such as GFP-like fluorescent proteins, have limited penetration depths in vivo due to tissue scattering and absorption. To circumvent this limitation, a near-infrared fluorescent mutant version of the DrBphP bacteriophytochrome, iRFP720, has been developed for in vivo imaging and stem/progenitor cell tracking. Here, we present the generation and characterization of an iRFP720 expressing human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line, which can be used for real-time imaging in various biological applications. To generate the transgenic cells, the CRISPR/Cas9 technology was applied. A puromycin resistance gene was inserted into the AAVS1 locus, driven by the endogenous PPP1R12C promoter, along with the CAG-iRFP720 reporter cassette, which was flanked by insulator elements. Proper integration of the transgene into the targeted genomic region was assessed by comprehensive genetic analysis, verifying precise genome editing. Stable expression of iRFP720 in the cells was confirmed and imaged by their near-infrared fluorescence. We demonstrated that the reporter iPSCs exhibit normal stem cell characteristics and can be efficiently differentiated towards the pancreatic lineage. As the genetically modified reporter cells show retained pluripotency and multilineage differentiation potential, they hold great potential as a cellular model in a variety of biological and pharmacological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Fehér
- BioTalentum Ltd, Aulich Lajos Street 26, Gödöllő, 2100, Hungary
| | - Andrea Schnúr
- BioTalentum Ltd, Aulich Lajos Street 26, Gödöllő, 2100, Hungary
| | | | - Tamás Bellák
- BioTalentum Ltd, Aulich Lajos Street 26, Gödöllő, 2100, Hungary.,Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, Szeged, 6724, Hungary
| | - Ferhan Ayaydin
- Functional Cell Biology and Immunology Advanced Core Facility, Hungarian Centre of Excellence for Molecular Medicine, University of Szeged (HCEMM-USZ), Szeged, 6720, Hungary.,Laboratory of Cellular Imaging, Biological Research Centre, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, Szeged, Hungary
| | - György Várady
- Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Institute of Enzymology, Budapest, 1117, Hungary
| | - Elisabeth Kemter
- Chair for Molecular Animal Breeding and Biotechnology, Gene Centre and Department of Veterinary Sciences, LMU Munich, 81377, Munich, Germany.,Centre for Innovative Medical Models (CiMM), Department of Veterinary Sciences, LMU Munich, 85764, Oberschleißheim, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Eckhard Wolf
- Chair for Molecular Animal Breeding and Biotechnology, Gene Centre and Department of Veterinary Sciences, LMU Munich, 81377, Munich, Germany.,Centre for Innovative Medical Models (CiMM), Department of Veterinary Sciences, LMU Munich, 85764, Oberschleißheim, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - András Dinnyés
- BioTalentum Ltd, Aulich Lajos Street 26, Gödöllő, 2100, Hungary. .,HCEMM-USZ Stem Cell Research Group, Hungarian Centre of Excellence for Molecular Medicine, Szeged, 6723, Hungary. .,Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, University of Szeged, Szeged, 6720, Hungary. .,Department of Physiology and Animal Health, Institute of Physiology and Animal Nutrition, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gödöllő, 2100, Hungary.
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2
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Hagen J, Sarkies P, Selkirk ME. Lentiviral transduction facilitates RNA interference in the nematode parasite Nippostrongylus brasiliensis. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009286. [PMID: 33497411 PMCID: PMC7864396 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal-parasitic nematodes have thus far been largely refractory to genetic manipulation, and methods employed to effect RNA interference (RNAi) have been ineffective or inconsistent in most cases. We describe here a new approach for genetic manipulation of Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, a widely used laboratory model of gastrointestinal nematode infection. N. brasiliensis was successfully transduced with Vesicular Stomatitis Virus glycoprotein G (VSV-G)-pseudotyped lentivirus. The virus was taken up via the nematode intestine, RNA reverse transcribed into proviral DNA, and transgene transcripts produced stably in infective larvae, which resulted in expression of the reporter protein mCherry. Improved transgene expression was achieved by incorporating the C. elegans hlh11 promoter and the tbb2 3´-UTR into viral constructs. MicroRNA-adapted short hairpin RNAs delivered in this manner were processed correctly and resulted in partial knockdown of β-tubulin isotype-1 (tbb-iso-1) and secreted acetylcholinesterase B (ache-B). The system was further refined by lentiviral delivery of double stranded RNAs, which acted as a trigger for RNAi following processing and generation of 22G-RNAs. Virus-encoded sequences were detectable in F1 eggs and third stage larvae, demonstrating that proviral DNA entered the germline and was heritable. Lentiviral transduction thus provides a new means for genetic manipulation of parasitic nematodes, including gene silencing and expression of exogenous genes. The complex life cycle of parasitic nematodes makes them very difficult to manipulate genetically, and methods to delete or silence genes which are routinely used in other organisms are ineffective in most species of nematodes which infect animals. This has hindered attempts to understand the function of defined genes and proteins, and their roles in development and interaction of nematode parasites with their host. We show here that foreign genetic material can be introduced into a widely used laboratory model of intestinal nematode infection by using a viral vector. The vector was modified to improve transgene expression, and a reporter protein expressed by transduced nematode larvae in vitro. We subsequently utilised the viral vector to deliver double stranded RNA molecules to the larvae. These molecules were processed along known pathways, resulting in partial knockdown of two test genes. This system represents a new means of genetically manipulating nematode parasites, and will aid in understanding their complex biology, in addition to defining new targets for control of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Hagen
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Sarkies
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Murray E. Selkirk
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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3
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Ittiprasert W, Mann VH, Karinshak SE, Coghlan A, Rinaldi G, Sankaranarayanan G, Chaidee A, Tanno T, Kumkhaek C, Prangtaworn P, Mentink-Kane MM, Cochran CJ, Driguez P, Holroyd N, Tracey A, Rodpai R, Everts B, Hokke CH, Hoffmann KF, Berriman M, Brindley PJ. Programmed genome editing of the omega-1 ribonuclease of the blood fluke, Schistosoma mansoni. eLife 2019; 8:41337. [PMID: 30644357 PMCID: PMC6355194 DOI: 10.7554/elife.41337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing has yet to be reported in species of the Platyhelminthes. We tested this approach by targeting omega-1 (ω1) of Schistosoma mansoni as proof of principle. This secreted ribonuclease is crucial for Th2 polarization and granuloma formation. Schistosome eggs were exposed to Cas9 complexed with guide RNA complementary to ω1 by electroporation or by transduction with lentiviral particles. Some eggs were also transfected with a single stranded donor template. Sequences of amplicons from gene-edited parasites exhibited Cas9-catalyzed mutations including homology directed repaired alleles, and other analyses revealed depletion of ω1 transcripts and the ribonuclease. Gene-edited eggs failed to polarize Th2 cytokine responses in macrophage/T-cell co-cultures, while the volume of pulmonary granulomas surrounding ω1-mutated eggs following tail-vein injection into mice was vastly reduced. Knock-out of ω1 and the diminished levels of these cytokines following exposure showcase the novel application of programmed gene editing for functional genomics in schistosomes. Schistosomiasis is a tropical disease that can cause serious health problems, including damage to the liver and kidneys, infertility and bladder cancer. Nearly a quarter billion people are currently infected, mostly in poor regions of sub-Saharan Africa, the Philippines and Brazil. A freshwater worm known as Schistosoma mansoni causes the disease. These parasites enter the human body by burrowing into the skin; once in the bloodstream, they move to various organs where they rapidly start to reproduce. Their eggs release several molecules, including a protein known as omega-1 ribonuclease, which can damage the surrounding tissues. A gene editing technique called CRISPR/Cas9 allows scientists to precisely target and then deactivate the genetic information a cell needs to produce a given protein. While the tool has been used in other species before, it was unknown if it could be applied to S. mansoni. Here, Ittiprasert et al. harnessed CRISPR/Cas9 to deactivate the gene that codes for omega-1 ribonuclease and create parasites that do not produce the protein, or only very little of it. The experiments showed that mice infected with the gene-edited worm eggs displayed far fewer symptoms of schistosomiasis compared to those that carry the non-edited parasites. Alongside this work, Arunsan et al. used CRISPR/Cas9 to inactivate a gene in another species of worm that can cause liver cancer in humans. Together, these findings demonstrate for the first time that the gene editing method can be adapted for use in parasitic flatworms, which are a major public health problem in tropical climates. This tool should help scientists understand how the parasites invade and damage our bodies, and provide new ideas for treatment and disease control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wannaporn Ittiprasert
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States.,Research Center for Neglected Diseases of Poverty, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Victoria H Mann
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States.,Research Center for Neglected Diseases of Poverty, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Shannon E Karinshak
- Research Center for Neglected Diseases of Poverty, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Avril Coghlan
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Gabriel Rinaldi
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | | | - Apisit Chaidee
- Research Center for Neglected Diseases of Poverty, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States.,Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Toshihiko Tanno
- Department of Surgery, University of Maryland, Baltimore, United States.,Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, United States
| | - Chutima Kumkhaek
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Laboratory, National Heart, Lungs and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Pannathee Prangtaworn
- Research Center for Neglected Diseases of Poverty, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States.,Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Christina J Cochran
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Patrick Driguez
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Nancy Holroyd
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Alan Tracey
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Rutchanee Rodpai
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Bart Everts
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Cornelis H Hokke
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Karl F Hoffmann
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew Berriman
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Paul J Brindley
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States
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4
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Cellular Antisilencing Elements Support Transgene Expression from Herpes Simplex Virus Vectors in the Absence of Immediate Early Gene Expression. J Virol 2018; 92:JVI.00536-18. [PMID: 29950408 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00536-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Inactivation of all herpes simplex virus (HSV) immediate early (IE) genes to eliminate vector cytotoxicity results in rapid silencing of the viral genome, similar to the establishment of HSV latency. We recently reported that silencing of a nonviral reporter cassette could be overcome in nonneuronal cells by positioning the cassette in the viral latency (LAT) locus between resident chromatin boundary elements. Here, we tested the abilities of the chicken hypersensitive site 4 insulator and the human ubiquitous chromatin opening element A2UCOE to promote transgene expression from an IE-gene-inactivated HSV vector. We found that A2UCOE was particularly active in nonneuronal cells and reduced reporter promoter occupancy by a repressive histone mark. We determined whether multiple transgenes could be expressed under the control of different promoters from different loci of the same virus. The results showed abundant coexpression of LAT-embedded and A2UCOE-flanked genes in nonneuronal cells. In addition, a third reporter gene without known protective elements was active in cultured rat sensory neurons. These findings indicate that cellular antisilencing sequences can contribute to the expression of multiple genes from separate promoters in fully IE gene-disabled HSV vectors, providing an opportunity for therapeutic applications requiring mutually independent expression of different gene products from a single vector.IMPORTANCE Gene therapy has now entered a phase of development in which a growing number of recessive single gene defects can be successfully treated by vector-mediated introduction of a wild-type copy of the gene into the appropriate tissue. However, many disease conditions, such as neurodegeneration, cancer, and inflammatory processes, are more complex, requiring either multiple gene corrections or provision of coordinated gene activities to achieve a therapeutic outcome. Although herpes simplex virus (HSV) vectors have the capacity to meet this need, the challenge has been to genetically engineer the HSV genome in a manner to prevent expression of any viral genes while retaining the ability to express multiple therapeutic transgenes under independent transcriptional control. Here, we show that non-HSV insulator elements can be applied to retain at least transient transgene activity from multiple viral loci, thereby opening the door for more complex gene therapy applications in the future.
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5
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Developmental Sensitivity in Schistosoma mansoni to Puromycin To Establish Drug Selection of Transgenic Schistosomes. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2018; 62:AAC.02568-17. [PMID: 29760143 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02568-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 04/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is considered the most important disease caused by helminth parasites, in terms of morbidity and mortality. Tools to facilitate gain- and loss-of-function approaches can be expected to precipitate the discovery of novel interventions, and drug selection of transgenic schistosomes would facilitate the establishment of stable lines of engineered parasites. Sensitivity of developmental stages of schistosomes to the aminonucleoside antibiotic puromycin was investigated. For the schistosomulum and sporocyst stages, viability was quantified by fluorescence microscopy following dual staining with fluorescein diacetate and propidium iodine. By 6 days in culture, the 50% lethal concentration (LC50) for schistosomula was 19 μg/ml whereas the sporocysts were 45-fold more resilient. Puromycin potently inhibited the development of in vitro-laid eggs (LC50, 68 ng/ml) but was less effective against liver eggs (LC50, 387 μg/ml). Toxicity for adult stages was evaluated using the xCELLigence-based, real-time motility assay (xWORM), which revealed LC50s after 48 h of 4.9 and 17.3 μg/ml for male and female schistosomes, respectively. Also, schistosomula transduced with pseudotyped retrovirus encoding the puromycin resistance marker were partially rescued when cultured in the presence of the antibiotic. Together, these findings will facilitate selection on puromycin of transgenic schistosomes and the enrichment of cultures of transgenic eggs and sporocysts to facilitate the establishment of schistosome transgenic lines. Streamlining schistosome transgenesis with drug selection will open new avenues to understand parasite biology and hopefully lead to new interventions for this neglected tropical disease.
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6
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Spontaneous reactivation of latent HIV-1 promoters is linked to the cell cycle as revealed by a genetic-insulators-containing dual-fluorescence HIV-1-based vector. Sci Rep 2018; 8:10204. [PMID: 29977044 PMCID: PMC6033903 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-28161-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 06/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-lived latently HIV-1-infected cells represent a barrier to cure. We developed a dual-fluorescence HIV-1-based vector containing a pair of genetic insulators flanking a constitutive fluorescent reporter gene to study HIV-1 latency. The protective effects of these genetic insulators are demonstrated through long-term (up to 394 days) stable fluorescence profiles in transduced SUP-T1 cells. Analysis of 1,941 vector integration sites confirmed reproduction of HIV-1 integration patterns. We sorted monoclonal cells representing latent HIV-1 infections and found that both vector integration sites and integrity of the vector genomes influence the reactivation potentials of latent HIV-1 promoters. Interestingly, some latent monoclonal cells exhibited a small cell subpopulation with a spontaneously reactivated HIV-1 promoter. Higher expression levels of genes involved in cell cycle progression are observed in these cell subpopulations compared to their counterparts with HIV-1 promoters that remained latent. Consistently, larger fractions of spontaneously reactivated cells are in the S and G2 phases of the cell cycle. Furthermore, genistein and nocodazole treatments of these cell clones, which halted cells in the G2 phase, resulted in a 1.4–2.9-fold increase in spontaneous reactivation. Taken together, our HIV-1 latency model reveals that the spontaneous reactivation of latent HIV-1 promoters is linked to the cell cycle.
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Abstract
Retroviral vector gene therapy is a promising approach to treating HIV-1. However, integrated vectors are mutagens with the potential to dysregulate nearby genes and cause severe adverse side effects. Leukemia has already been a documented severe adverse event in gene therapy clinical trials for the treatment of primary immunodeficiencies. These side effects will need to be reduced or avoided if retroviral vectors are to be used clinically for HIV-1 treatment. The addition of chromatin insulators to retroviral vectors is a potential strategy for reducing adverse side effects. Insulators have already been effectively used in retroviral vectors to reduce genotoxicity in pre-clinical studies. Here, we will review how insulators function, genotoxicity in gene therapy clinical trials, the design of insulated retroviral vectors, promising results from insulated retroviral vector studies, and considerations for the development of insulated retroviral treatment vectors for HIV-1 gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana L. Browning
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA;
| | - Grant D. Trobridge
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA;
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Washington State University Spokane, Spokane, WA 99202, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-509-368-6535
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8
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Knocking down schistosomes - promise for lentiviral transduction in parasites. Trends Parasitol 2015; 31:324-32. [PMID: 25933926 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2015.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2014] [Revised: 03/18/2015] [Accepted: 03/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Underpinned by major advances in our understanding of the genomes of schistosomes, progress in the development of functional genomic tools is providing unique prospects to gain insights into the intricacies of the biology of these blood flukes, their host relationships, and the diseases that they cause. This article reviews some key applications of double-stranded RNA interference (RNAi) in Schistosoma mansoni, appraises delivery systems for transgenesis and stable gene silencing, considers ways of increasing efficiency and specificity of gene silencing, and discusses the prospects of using a lentivirus delivery system for future functional genomic-phenomic explorations of schistosomes and other parasites. The ability to achieve effective and stable gene perturbation in parasites has major biological implications and could facilitate the development of new interventions.
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9
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Rinaldi G, Yan H, Nacif-Pimenta R, Matchimakul P, Bridger J, Mann VH, Smout MJ, Brindley PJ, Knight M. Cytometric analysis, genetic manipulation and antibiotic selection of the snail embryonic cell line Bge from Biomphalaria glabrata, the intermediate host of Schistosoma mansoni. Int J Parasitol 2015; 45:527-35. [PMID: 25907768 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2015.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2015] [Revised: 02/25/2015] [Accepted: 02/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The invertebrate cell line, Bge, from embryos of the snail Biomphalaria glabrata, remains to date the only established cell line from any species of the Phylum Mollusca. Since its establishment in 1976 by Eder Hansen, few studies have focused on profiling its cytometrics, growth characteristics or sensitivity to xenobiotics. Bge cells are reputed to be challenging to propagate and maintain. Therefore, even though this cell line is a noteworthy resource, it has not been studied widely. With growing interest in functional genomics, including genetic transformation, to elucidate molecular aspects of the snail intermediate hosts responsible for transmission of schistosomiasis, and aiming to enhance the convenience of maintenance of this molluscan cell line, we deployed the xCELLigene real time approach to study Bge cells. Doubling times for three isolates of Bge, termed CB, SL and UK, were longer than for mammalian cell lines - longer than 40 h in complete Bge medium supplemented with 7% fetal bovine serum at 25°C, ranging from ∼42 h to ∼157 h when 40,000 cells were seeded. To assess the potential of the cells for genetic transformation, antibiotic selection was explored. Bge cells were sensitive to the aminonucleoside antibiotic puromycin (from Streptomyces alboniger) from 5 μg/ml to 200 ng/ml, displaying a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of ∼1.91 μg/ml. Sensitivity to puromycin, and a relatively quick kill time (<48 h in 5 μg/ml) facilitated use of this antibiotic, together with the cognate resistance gene (puromycin N-acetyl-transferase) for selection of Bge cells transformed with the PAC gene (puroR). Bge cells transfected with a plasmid encoding puroR were partially rescued when cultured in the presence of 5 μg/ml of puromycin. These findings pave the way for the development of functional genomic tools applied to the host-parasite interaction during schistosomiasis and neglected tropical trematodiases at large.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Rinaldi
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Tropical Medicine, Research Center for the Neglected Diseases of Poverty, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA
| | - Hongbin Yan
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Tropical Medicine, Research Center for the Neglected Diseases of Poverty, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA; State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China
| | - Rafael Nacif-Pimenta
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Tropical Medicine, Research Center for the Neglected Diseases of Poverty, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA; Laboratorio de Laboratório de Esquistossomose, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Pitchaya Matchimakul
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Tropical Medicine, Research Center for the Neglected Diseases of Poverty, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA; Biomedical Sciences Program, Graduate School, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Control of Opisthorchiasis (Southeast Asian Liver Fluke Disease), Tropical Disease Research Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | | | - Victoria H Mann
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Tropical Medicine, Research Center for the Neglected Diseases of Poverty, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA
| | - Michael J Smout
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, Queensland Tropical Health Alliance, James Cook University, McGregor Rd, Smithfield, Cairns, Queensland 4878, Australia
| | - Paul J Brindley
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Tropical Medicine, Research Center for the Neglected Diseases of Poverty, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA
| | - Matty Knight
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Tropical Medicine, Research Center for the Neglected Diseases of Poverty, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA.
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10
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Hagen J, Scheerlinck JPY, Young ND, Gasser RB, Kalinna BH. Prospects for Vector-Based Gene Silencing to Explore Immunobiological Features of Schistosoma mansoni. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2015; 88:85-122. [PMID: 25911366 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2015.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a prevalent, socioeconomically important disease of humans caused by parasites of the genus Schistosoma (schistosomes or blood flukes). Currently, more than 200 million people worldwide are infected with schistosomes. Despite major research efforts, there is only one drug routinely used for effective treatment, and no vaccine is available to combat schistosomiasis. The purpose of the present article is to (1) provide a background on the parasites and different forms of disease; (2) describe key immunomolecular aspects of disease induced in the host; and (3) critically appraise functional genomic methods employed to explore parasite biology, parasite-host interactions and disease at the molecular level. Importantly, the article also describes the features and advantages of lentiviral delivery of artificial microRNAs to silence genes. It also discusses the first successful application of such an approach in schistosomes, in order to explore the immunobiological role of selected target proteins known to be involved in egg-induced disease. The lentiviral transduction system provides exciting prospects for future, fundamental investigations of schistosomes, and is likely to have broad applicability to other eukaryotic pathogens and infectious diseases. The ability to achieve effective and stable gene perturbation in parasites has major biotechnological implications, and might facilitate the development of radically new methods for the treatment and control of parasitic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Hagen
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jean-Pierre Y Scheerlinck
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Neil D Young
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Robin B Gasser
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bernd H Kalinna
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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11
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Pseudotyped murine leukemia virus for schistosome transgenesis: approaches, methods and perspectives. Transgenic Res 2014; 23:539-56. [DOI: 10.1007/s11248-013-9779-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2013] [Accepted: 12/19/2013] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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12
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Rinaldi G, Eckert SE, Tsai IJ, Suttiprapa S, Kines KJ, Tort JF, Mann VH, Turner DJ, Berriman M, Brindley PJ. Germline transgenesis and insertional mutagenesis in Schistosoma mansoni mediated by murine leukemia virus. PLoS Pathog 2012; 8:e1002820. [PMID: 22911241 PMCID: PMC3406096 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1002820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2012] [Accepted: 06/11/2012] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional studies will facilitate characterization of role and essentiality of newly available genome sequences of the human schistosomes, Schistosoma mansoni, S. japonicum and S. haematobium. To develop transgenesis as a functional approach for these pathogens, we previously demonstrated that pseudotyped murine leukemia virus (MLV) can transduce schistosomes leading to chromosomal integration of reporter transgenes and short hairpin RNA cassettes. Here we investigated vertical transmission of transgenes through the developmental cycle of S. mansoni after introducing transgenes into eggs. Although MLV infection of schistosome eggs from mouse livers was efficient in terms of snail infectivity, >10-fold higher transgene copy numbers were detected in cercariae derived from in vitro laid eggs (IVLE). After infecting snails with miracidia from eggs transduced by MLV, sequencing of genomic DNA from cercariae released from the snails also revealed the presence of transgenes, demonstrating that transgenes had been transmitted through the asexual developmental cycle, and thereby confirming germline transgenesis. High-throughput sequencing of genomic DNA from schistosome populations exposed to MLV mapped widespread and random insertion of transgenes throughout the genome, along each of the autosomes and sex chromosomes, validating the utility of this approach for insertional mutagenesis. In addition, the germline-transmitted transgene encoding neomycin phosphotransferase rescued cultured schistosomules from toxicity of the antibiotic G418, and PCR analysis of eggs resulting from sexual reproduction of the transgenic worms in mice confirmed that retroviral transgenes were transmitted to the next (F1) generation. These findings provide the first description of wide-scale, random insertional mutagenesis of chromosomes and of germline transmission of a transgene in schistosomes. Transgenic lines of schistosomes expressing antibiotic resistance could advance functional genomics for these significant human pathogens. DATABASE ACCESSION: Sequence data from this study have been submitted to the European Nucleotide Archive (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/embl) under accession number ERP000379.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Rinaldi
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States of America
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, (UDELAR), Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Sabine E. Eckert
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Isheng J. Tsai
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Sutas Suttiprapa
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States of America
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kristine J. Kines
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States of America
- Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - José F. Tort
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, (UDELAR), Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Victoria H. Mann
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Daniel J. Turner
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew Berriman
- The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Paul J. Brindley
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States of America
- Research Center for Neglected Diseases of Poverty, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States of America
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Rinaldi G, Suttiprapa S, Tort JF, Folley AE, Skinner DE, Brindley PJ. An antibiotic selection marker for schistosome transgenesis. Int J Parasitol 2011; 42:123-30. [PMID: 22155152 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2011.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2011] [Revised: 11/16/2011] [Accepted: 11/17/2011] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Drug selection is widely used in transgene studies of microbial pathogens, mammalian cell and plant cell lines. Drug selection of transgenic schistosomes would be desirable to provide a means to enrich for populations of transgenic worms. We adapted murine leukaemia retrovirus vectors - widely used in human gene therapy research - to transduce schistosomes, leading to integration of transgenes into the genome of the blood fluke. A dose-response kill curve and lethal G418 (geneticin) concentrations were established: 125-1,000μg/ml G418 were progressively more toxic for schistosomules of Schistosoma mansoni with toxicity increasing with antibiotic concentration and with duration of exposure. By day 6 of exposure to ⩾500μg/ml, significantly fewer worms survived compared with non-exposed controls and by day 8, significantly fewer worms survived than controls at ⩾250μg/ml G418. When schistosomules were transduced with murine leukaemia retrovirus encoding the neomycin resistance (neoR) transgene and cultured in media containing G418, the neoR transgene rescued transgenic schistosomules from the antibiotic; by day 4 in 1,000μg/ml and by day 8 in 500μg/ml G418, significantly more transgenic worms survived the toxic effects of the antibiotic. More copies of neoR were detected per nanogram of genomic DNA from populations of transgenic schistosomes cultured in G418 than from transgenic schistosomes cultured without G418. This trend was G418 dose-dependent, demonstrating enrichment of transgenic worms from among the schistosomules exposed to virions. Furthermore, higher expression of neoR was detected in transgenic schistosomes cultured in the presence of G418 than in transgenic worms cultured without antibiotic. The availability of antibiotic selection can be expected to enhance progress with functional genomics research on the helminth parasites responsible for major neglected tropical diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Rinaldi
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, The George Washington University, 2300 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20037, USA
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