1
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Dume B, Licarete E, Banciu M. Advancing cancer treatments: The role of oligonucleotide-based therapies in driving progress. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2024; 35:102256. [PMID: 39045515 PMCID: PMC11264197 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2024]
Abstract
Although recent advancements in cancer immunology have resulted in the approval of numerous immunotherapies, minimal progress has been observed in addressing hard-to-treat cancers. In this context, therapeutic oligonucleotides, including interfering RNAs, antisense oligonucleotides, aptamers, and DNAzymes, have gained a central role in cancer therapeutic approaches due to their capacity to regulate gene expression and protein function with reduced toxicity compared with conventional chemotherapeutics. Nevertheless, systemic administration of naked oligonucleotides faces many extra- and intracellular challenges that can be overcome by using effective delivery systems. Thus, viral and non-viral carriers can improve oligonucleotide stability and intracellular uptake, enhance tumor accumulation, and increase the probability of endosomal escape while minimizing other adverse effects. Therefore, gaining more insight into fundamental mechanisms of actions of various oligonucleotides and the challenges posed by naked oligonucleotide administration, this article provides a comprehensive review of the recent progress on oligonucleotide delivery systems and an overview of completed and ongoing cancer clinical trials that can shape future oncological treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bogdan Dume
- Doctoral School in Integrative Biology, Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babes-Bolyai University, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Emilia Licarete
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Centre of Systems Biology, Biodiversity and Bioresources, Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babes-Bolyai University, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Manuela Banciu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Centre of Systems Biology, Biodiversity and Bioresources, Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babes-Bolyai University, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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2
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Qassem S, Breier D, Naidu GS, Hazan-Halevy I, Peer D. Unlocking the therapeutic potential of locked nucleic acids through lipid nanoparticle delivery. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2024; 35:102224. [PMID: 38933259 PMCID: PMC11201112 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Locked nucleic acids (LNAs) are a subtype of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) that are characterized by a bridge within the sugar moiety. LNAs owe their robustness to this chemical modification, which as the name suggests, locks it in one conformation. This perspective includes two components: a general overview on ASOs from one side and on delivery issues focusing on lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) on the other side. Throughout, a screening of the ongoing clinical trials involving ASOs is given, as well as a take on the versatility and challenges of using LNAs. Finally, we highlight the potential of LNPs as carriers for the successful delivery of LNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahd Qassem
- Laboratory of Precision NanoMedicine, Shmunis School for Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Department of Materials Sciences and Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Dor Breier
- Laboratory of Precision NanoMedicine, Shmunis School for Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Department of Materials Sciences and Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Gonna Somu Naidu
- Laboratory of Precision NanoMedicine, Shmunis School for Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Department of Materials Sciences and Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Inbal Hazan-Halevy
- Laboratory of Precision NanoMedicine, Shmunis School for Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Department of Materials Sciences and Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Dan Peer
- Laboratory of Precision NanoMedicine, Shmunis School for Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Department of Materials Sciences and Engineering, Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
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3
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Sorets AG, Schwensen KR, Francini N, Kjar A, Abdulrahman AM, Shostak A, Katdare KA, Schoch KM, Cowell RP, Park JC, Ligocki AP, Ford WT, Ventura-Antunes L, Hoogenboezem EN, Prusky A, Castleberry M, Michell DL, Miller TM, Vickers KC, Schrag MS, Duvall CL, Lippmann ES. Lipid-siRNA conjugate accesses a perivascular transport mechanism and achieves widespread and durable knockdown in the central nervous system. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.09.598079. [PMID: 38915549 PMCID: PMC11195074 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.09.598079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Short-interfering RNA (siRNA) has gained significant interest for treatment of neurological diseases by providing the capacity to achieve sustained inhibition of nearly any gene target. Yet, achieving efficacious drug delivery throughout deep brain structures of the CNS remains a considerable hurdle. We herein describe a lipid-siRNA conjugate that, following delivery into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), is transported effectively through perivascular spaces, enabling broad dispersion within CSF compartments and through the CNS parenchyma. We provide a detailed examination of the temporal kinetics of gene silencing, highlighting potent knockdown for up to five months from a single injection without detectable toxicity. Single-cell RNA sequencing further demonstrates gene silencing activity across diverse cell populations in the parenchyma and at brain borders, which may provide new avenues for neurological disease-modifying therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander G. Sorets
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Katrina R. Schwensen
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Nora Francini
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Andrew Kjar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Adam M. Abdulrahman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Alena Shostak
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Ketaki A. Katdare
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Kathleen M. Schoch
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Rebecca P. Cowell
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Joshua C. Park
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Alexander P. Ligocki
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - William T. Ford
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | | | | | - Alex Prusky
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Mark Castleberry
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Danielle L. Michell
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Timothy M. Miller
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Kasey C. Vickers
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Matthew S. Schrag
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Craig L. Duvall
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Ethan S. Lippmann
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt Memory and Alzheimer’s Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
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4
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Alammari F, Al-Hujaily EM, Alshareeda A, Albarakati N, Al-Sowayan BS. Hidden regulators: the emerging roles of lncRNAs in brain development and disease. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1392688. [PMID: 38841098 PMCID: PMC11150811 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1392688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as critical players in brain development and disease. These non-coding transcripts, which once considered as "transcriptional junk," are now known for their regulatory roles in gene expression. In brain development, lncRNAs participate in many processes, including neurogenesis, neuronal differentiation, and synaptogenesis. They employ their effect through a wide variety of transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms through interactions with chromatin modifiers, transcription factors, and other regulatory molecules. Dysregulation of lncRNAs has been associated with certain brain diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, cancer, and neurodevelopmental disorders. Altered expression and function of specific lncRNAs have been implicated with disrupted neuronal connectivity, impaired synaptic plasticity, and aberrant gene expression pattern, highlighting the functional importance of this subclass of brain-enriched RNAs. Moreover, lncRNAs have been identified as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for neurological diseases. Here, we give a comprehensive review of the existing knowledge of lncRNAs. Our aim is to provide a better understanding of the diversity of lncRNA structure and functions in brain development and disease. This holds promise for unravelling the complexity of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, paving the way for the development of novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for improved diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farah Alammari
- Department of Blood and Cancer Research, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Clinical Laboratory Sciences Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ensaf M. Al-Hujaily
- Department of Blood and Cancer Research, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Alaa Alshareeda
- Department of Blood and Cancer Research, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Saudi Biobank Department, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nada Albarakati
- Department of Blood and Cancer Research, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Ministry of the National Guard-Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Batla S. Al-Sowayan
- Department of Blood and Cancer Research, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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5
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Vandermeulen L, Geric I, Fumagalli L, Kreir M, Lu A, Nonneman A, Premereur J, Wolfs L, Policarpo R, Fattorelli N, De Bondt A, Van Den Wyngaert I, Asselbergh B, Fiers M, De Strooper B, d'Ydewalle C, Mancuso R. Regulation of human microglial gene expression and function via RNAase-H active antisense oligonucleotides in vivo in Alzheimer's disease. Mol Neurodegener 2024; 19:37. [PMID: 38654375 PMCID: PMC11040766 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-024-00725-9] [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: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microglia play important roles in maintaining brain homeostasis and neurodegeneration. The discovery of genetic variants in genes predominately or exclusively expressed in myeloid cells, such as Apolipoprotein E (APOE) and triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2), as the strongest risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD) highlights the importance of microglial biology in the brain. The sequence, structure and function of several microglial proteins are poorly conserved across species, which has hampered the development of strategies aiming to modulate the expression of specific microglial genes. One way to target APOE and TREM2 is to modulate their expression using antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs). METHODS In this study, we identified, produced, and tested novel, selective and potent ASOs for human APOE and TREM2. We used a combination of in vitro iPSC-microglia models, as well as microglial xenotransplanted mice to provide proof of activity in human microglial in vivo. RESULTS We proved their efficacy in human iPSC microglia in vitro, as well as their pharmacological activity in vivo in a xenografted microglia model. We demonstrate ASOs targeting human microglia can modify their transcriptional profile and their response to amyloid-β plaques in vivo in a model of AD. CONCLUSIONS This study is the first proof-of-concept that human microglial can be modulated using ASOs in a dose-dependent manner to manipulate microglia phenotypes and response to neurodegeneration in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Vandermeulen
- Neuroscience Discovery, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Ivana Geric
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Laura Fumagalli
- MIND Lab, VIB Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Mohamed Kreir
- Preclinical Development & Safety, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Ashley Lu
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Annelies Nonneman
- Neuroscience Discovery, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Jessie Premereur
- MIND Lab, VIB Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Leen Wolfs
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Rafaela Policarpo
- Neuroscience Discovery, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - Nicola Fattorelli
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
| | - An De Bondt
- Discovery Sciences, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Ilse Van Den Wyngaert
- Discovery Sciences, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Bob Asselbergh
- Neuromics Support Facility, VIB Center for Molecular Neurology, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium
- Neuromics Support Facility, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Mark Fiers
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, W1T 7NF, UK
| | - Bart De Strooper
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium
- UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, W1T 7NF, UK
| | - Constantin d'Ydewalle
- Neuroscience Discovery, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, 2340, Beerse, Belgium.
| | - Renzo Mancuso
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.
- Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, 3000, Belgium.
- MIND Lab, VIB Center for Molecular Neurology, VIB, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium.
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6
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Bandakinda M, Mishra A. Insights into role of microRNA in Alzheimer's disease: From contemporary research to bedside perspective. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 253:126561. [PMID: 37659493 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.126561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023]
Abstract
One of the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders is Alzheimer's disease (AD). Despite the pervasiveness of AD being considerable, the rates of both diagnosis and therapy are comparatively less and still lacking. For the treatment of AD, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and NMDA receptor antagonists (Memantine) have received clinical approval. The approved drugs are only capable of mitigating the symptoms; however, halting the progression of the disease remains a matter of substantial concern. MicroRNAs (miRs) are a subclass of non-coding single-stranded RNA molecules that target mRNAs to control the expression of genes in certain tissues. Dysregulation in the expression and function of miRs contributes to a neurodegeneration-like pathogenesis seen in Alzheimer's disease (AD), featuring hallmark characteristics such as Aβ aggregation, hyper-phosphorylation of Tau proteins, mitochondrial dysfunction, neuroinflammation, and apoptosis. These factors collectively underpin the cognitive deterioration and learning disabilities associated with AD. According to the research, numerous miRs have considerably different expression patterns in AD patients compared to healthy people. Due to these attributes, miRs prove to be effective diagnostic and therapeutic agents for AD. This review will examine clinical and preclinical data concerning the potential of miRs as diagnostic and therapeutic agents, utilizing various techniques (such as miR antagonists or inhibitors, miR agonists or mimics, miR sponges, and miR antisense oligonucleotides) to target specific pathogenic mechanisms in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mounisha Bandakinda
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) - Guwahati, Changsari, Kamrup, Assam 781101, India
| | - Awanish Mishra
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) - Guwahati, Changsari, Kamrup, Assam 781101, India.
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7
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Vemula P, Schoch KM, Miller TM. Evaluating the efficacy of purchased antisense oligonucleotides to reduce mouse and human tau in vivo. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1320182. [PMID: 38192302 PMCID: PMC10773814 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1320182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Many preclinical and clinical studies support the use of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) as effective therapeutic strategies. However, acquiring ASOs for research purposes may be limited by partnerships with the pharmaceutical companies. Our lab previously developed an effective ASO strategy to lower human tau and reverse pathology in aged tauopathy model mice. Testing the efficacy of purchased tau lowering ASOs would provide support for these reagents as broad research tools. Purchased mouse and human tau lowering ASOs were infused or injected intracerebroventricularly into wildtype and tau transgenic mice. Following treatment, brain tissue evaluated for ASO distribution and levels of tau mRNA, protein, and phosphorylated tau. We show that purchased ASOs enter cell types of the brain and effectively decrease mouse or human tau mRNA and protein levels. Human tau lowering ASO treatment in PS19 mice decreased phosphorylated tau and gliosis relative to saline-treated PS19 mice, consistent with our previous study using a non-commercial tau lowering ASO. The results of this study demonstrate the efficacy of purchased tau targeting ASOs in vivo to support their broad use by researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pranav Vemula
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Kathleen M Schoch
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Timothy M Miller
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
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8
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Rothstein JD, Baskerville V, Rapuri S, Mehlhop E, Jafar-Nejad P, Rigo F, Bennett F, Mizielinska S, Isaacs A, Coyne AN. G 2C 4 targeting antisense oligonucleotides potently mitigate TDP-43 dysfunction in human C9orf72 ALS/FTD induced pluripotent stem cell derived neurons. Acta Neuropathol 2023; 147:1. [PMID: 38019311 PMCID: PMC10840905 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-023-02652-3] [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: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
The G4C2 repeat expansion in the C9orf72 gene is the most common genetic cause of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Many studies suggest that dipeptide repeat proteins produced from this repeat are toxic, yet, the contribution of repeat RNA toxicity is under investigated and even less is known regarding the pathogenicity of antisense repeat RNA. Recently, two clinical trials targeting G4C2 (sense) repeat RNA via antisense oligonucleotide failed despite a robust decrease in sense-encoded dipeptide repeat proteins demonstrating target engagement. Here, in this brief report, we show that G2C4 antisense, but not G4C2 sense, repeat RNA is sufficient to induce TDP-43 dysfunction in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) derived neurons (iPSNs). Unexpectedly, only G2C4, but not G4C2 sense strand targeting, ASOs mitigate deficits in TDP-43 function in authentic C9orf72 ALS/FTD patient iPSNs. Collectively, our data suggest that the G2C4 antisense repeat RNA may be an important therapeutic target and provide insights into a possible explanation for the recent G4C2 ASO clinical trial failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey D Rothstein
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
| | - Victoria Baskerville
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Sampath Rapuri
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Emma Mehlhop
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | | | - Frank Rigo
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, CA, 92010, USA
| | | | - Sarah Mizielinska
- UK Dementia Research Institute at King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Adrian Isaacs
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, UK
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
- UCL Queen Square Motor Neuron Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Alyssa N Coyne
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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9
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Iyer AK, Schoch KM, Verbeck A, Galasso G, Chen H, Smith S, Oldenborg A, Miller TM, Karch CM, Bonni A. Targeted ASO-mediated Atp1a2 knockdown in astrocytes reduces SOD1 aggregation and accelerates disease onset in mutant SOD1 mice. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0294731. [PMID: 38015828 PMCID: PMC10683999 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294731] [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: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrocyte-specific ion pump α2-Na+/K+-ATPase plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Here, we test the effect of Atp1a2 mRNA-specific antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) to induce α2-Na+/K+-ATPase knockdown in the widely used ALS animal model, SOD1*G93A mice. Two ASOs led to efficient Atp1a2 knockdown and significantly reduced SOD1 aggregation in vivo. Although Atp1a2 ASO-treated mice displayed no off-target or systemic toxicity, the ASO-treated mice exhibited an accelerated disease onset and shorter lifespan than control mice. Transcriptomics studies reveal downregulation of genes involved in oxidative response, metabolic pathways, trans-synaptic signaling, and upregulation of genes involved in glutamate receptor signaling and complement activation, suggesting a potential role for these molecular pathways in de-coupling SOD1 aggregation from survival in Atp1a2 ASO-treated mice. Together, these results reveal a role for α2-Na+/K+-ATPase in SOD1 aggregation and highlight the critical effect of temporal modulation of genetically validated therapeutic targets in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhirami K. Iyer
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Kathleen M. Schoch
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Anthony Verbeck
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Grant Galasso
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Hao Chen
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Sarah Smith
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Anna Oldenborg
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Timothy M. Miller
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Celeste M. Karch
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Azad Bonni
- Neuroscience and Rare Diseases, Roche Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED), Roche Innovation Centre Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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10
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Zhao Y, Zheng Q, Hong Y, Gao Y, Hu J, Lang M, Zhang H, Zhou Y, Luo H, Zhang X, Sun H, Yan XX, Huang TY, Wang YJ, Xu H, Liu C, Wang X. β 2-Microglobulin coaggregates with Aβ and contributes to amyloid pathology and cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease model mice. Nat Neurosci 2023:10.1038/s41593-023-01352-1. [PMID: 37264159 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01352-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Extensive studies indicate that β-amyloid (Aβ) aggregation is pivotal for Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression; however, cumulative evidence suggests that Aβ itself is not sufficient to trigger AD-associated degeneration, and whether other additional pathological factors drive AD pathogenesis remains unclear. Here, we characterize pathogenic aggregates composed of β2-microglobulin (β2M) and Aβ that trigger neurodegeneration in AD. β2M, a component of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC class I), is upregulated in the brains of individuals with AD and constitutes the amyloid plaque core. Elevation of β2M aggravates amyloid pathology independent of MHC class I, and coaggregation with β2M is essential for Aβ neurotoxicity. B2m genetic ablation abrogates amyloid spreading and cognitive deficits in AD mice. Antisense oligonucleotide- or monoclonal antibody-mediated β2M depletion mitigates AD-associated neuropathology, and inhibition of β2M-Aβ coaggregation with a β2M-based blocking peptide ameliorates amyloid pathology and cognitive deficits in AD mice. Our findings identify β2M as an essential factor for Aβ neurotoxicity and a potential target for treating AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yini Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qiuyang Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yujuan Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yue Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jiaojiao Hu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Maoju Lang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Hongfeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ying Zhou
- National Institute for Data Science in Health and Medicine, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Hong Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Xian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Hao Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Xiao-Xin Yan
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Central South University Xiangya Medical School, Changsha, China
| | - Timothy Y Huang
- Degenerative Diseases Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Yan-Jiang Wang
- Department of Neurology and Centre for Clinical Neuroscience, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Huaxi Xu
- Center for Brain Sciences, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Institute for Brain Science and Disease, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Cong Liu
- Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Xiamen University, Shenzhen, China.
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11
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Araújo D, Gonçalves B, Vilas Boas D, Rodrigues ME, Henriques M, Silva S. Combined Application of Antisense Oligomers to Control Transcription Factors of Candida albicans Biofilm Formation. Mycopathologia 2023:10.1007/s11046-023-00734-0. [PMID: 37099227 DOI: 10.1007/s11046-023-00734-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/27/2023]
Abstract
Antisense oligomers (ASOs) have been little exploited to control determinants of Candida albicans virulence. Biofilm formation is an important virulence factor of C. albicans, that is regulated by a complex network of transcription factors (such as EFG1, BRG1 and ROB1). Thus, the main goal of this work was to project ASOs, based on the 2'-OMethyl chemical modification, to target BRG1 and ROB1 mRNA and to validate its application either alone or in combination with the EFG1 mRNA target, to reduce C. albicans biofilm formation. The ability of ASOs to control gene expression was evaluate by qRT-PCR. The effect on biofilm formation was determined by the total biomass quantification, and simultaneously the carbohydrates and proteins reduction on extracellular matrix. It was verified that all the oligomers were able to reduce the levels of gene expression and the ability of C. albicans to form biofilms. Furthermore, the combined application of the cocktail of ASOs enhances the inhibition of C. albicans biofilm formation, minimizing biofilm thickness by reducing the quantity of matrix content (protein and carbohydrate). So, our work confirms that ASOs are useful tools for research and therapeutic development on the control of Candida species biofilm formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Araújo
- Centre of Biological Engineering, LMaS-Laboratório de Microbiologia Aplicada à Saúde, CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal.
- LABBELS, Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
| | - B Gonçalves
- Centre of Biological Engineering, LMaS-Laboratório de Microbiologia Aplicada à Saúde, CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS, Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - D Vilas Boas
- Centre of Biological Engineering, LMaS-Laboratório de Microbiologia Aplicada à Saúde, CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS, Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - M E Rodrigues
- Centre of Biological Engineering, LMaS-Laboratório de Microbiologia Aplicada à Saúde, CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS, Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - M Henriques
- Centre of Biological Engineering, LMaS-Laboratório de Microbiologia Aplicada à Saúde, CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
- LABBELS, Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - S Silva
- Centre of Biological Engineering, LMaS-Laboratório de Microbiologia Aplicada à Saúde, CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal
- INIAV, IP-National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary, Rua Dos Lagidos, Lugar da Madalena, Vairão, Vila Do Conde, Portugal
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12
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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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13
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Li Y, Zeng H, Wei Y, Ma X, He Z. An Overview of the Therapeutic Strategies for the Treatment of Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Hum Gene Ther 2023; 34:180-191. [PMID: 36762938 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2022.189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a recessive, neurodegenerative disorder. It is one of the most common genetic causes of infant mortality and is characterized by muscle weakness, loss of ambulation, and respiratory failure. SMA is primarily caused by a homozygous deletion or mutation of the survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene. Humans possess a second, nearly identical copy of SMN, known as the SMN2 gene. Although the disease severity correlates inversely with the number of SMN2 copies present, it can never completely compensate for the loss of SMN1 in patients with SMA; SMN2 expresses only a fraction of the functional SMN transcript. The SMN protein is ubiquitous in human cells and plays several roles, ranging from assembling the spliceosome machinery to autophagy, RNA metabolism, signal transduction, cellular homeostasis, DNA repair, and recombination. Although the underlying mechanism remains unclear, anterior horn cells of the spinal cord gray matter are highly vulnerable to decreased SMN protein levels. To harness SMN2's ability to provide SMN function, two treatment strategies have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including an antisense oligonucleotide, nusinersen (Spinraza), and a small molecule, risdiplam (Evrysdi). Onasemnogene abeparvovec (Zolgensma) is an FDA-approved adeno-associated virus 9-mediated gene replacement therapy that creates a copy of the human SMN1 gene. In this review, we summarize the SMA etiology and FDA-approved therapies, and discuss the development of SMA therapeutic strategies and the challenges we faced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueyi Li
- Division of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hongyu Zeng
- Division of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- West China School of Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuhao Wei
- Division of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- West China School of Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xuelei Ma
- Division of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhiyao He
- Division of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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14
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Mukherjee SK, Ghosh A. Silencing of Thrips palmi UHRF1BP1 and PFAS Using Antisense Oligos Induces Mortality and Reduces Tospovirus Titer in Its Vector. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11111319. [PMID: 36365070 PMCID: PMC9695589 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11111319] [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: 09/10/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Thrips palmi (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is an important pest of vegetables, legumes, and ornamentals. In addition, it transmits several plant viruses. T. palmi genes associated with innate immunity, endocytosis-related pathways, and cuticular development are highly enriched in response to Groundnut bud necrosis orthotospovirus (GBNV, genus Orthotospovirus, family Tospoviridae) infection. As the previous transcriptomic study suggested the involvement of T. palmi UHRF1BP1 and PFAS in GBNV infection, these two genes were targeted for silencing using antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), and the effects on thrips’ fitness and virus acquisition were observed. Phosphorothioate modification of ASOs was carried out by replacing the nonbridging oxygen atom with a sulfur atom at the 3′ position to increase nuclease stability. The modified ASOs were delivered orally through an artificial diet. Exposure to ASOs reduced the target mRNA expression up to 2.70-fold optimally. Silencing of T. palmi UHRF1BP1 and PFAS induced 93.33% mortality that further increased up to 100% with an increase in exposure. Silencing of T. palmi UHRF1BP1 and PFAS also produced morphological deformities in the treated T. palmi. GBNV titer in T. palmi significantly declined post-exposure to ASOs. This is the first-ever report of silencing T. palmi UHRF1BP1 and PFAS using modified ASO to induce mortality and impair virus transmission in T. palmi. T. palmi UHRF1BP1 and PFAS would be novel genetic targets to manage thrips and restrict the spread of tospovirus.
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15
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Hedna R, Kovacic H, Pagano A, Peyrot V, Robin M, Devred F, Breuzard G. Tau Protein as Therapeutic Target for Cancer? Focus on Glioblastoma. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:5386. [PMID: 36358803 PMCID: PMC9653627 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14215386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite being extensively studied for several decades, the microtubule-associated protein Tau has not finished revealing its secrets. For long, Tau has been known for its ability to promote microtubule assembly. A less known feature of Tau is its capability to bind to cancer-related protein kinases, suggesting a possible role of Tau in modulating microtubule-independent cellular pathways that are associated with oncogenesis. With the intention of finding new therapeutic targets for cancer, it appears essential to examine the interaction of Tau with these kinases and their consequences. This review aims at collecting the literature data supporting the relationship between Tau and cancer with a particular focus on glioblastoma tumors in which the pathological significance of Tau remains largely unexplored. We will first treat this subject from a mechanistic point of view showing the pivotal role of Tau in oncogenic processes. Then, we will discuss the involvement of Tau in dysregulating critical pathways in glioblastoma. Finally, we will outline promising strategies to target Tau protein for the therapy of glioblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rayane Hedna
- Faculté des Sciences Médicales et Paramédicales, Institut de Neurophysiopathologie (INP), UMR 7051, CNRS, Aix Marseille Université, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Hervé Kovacic
- Faculté des Sciences Médicales et Paramédicales, Institut de Neurophysiopathologie (INP), UMR 7051, CNRS, Aix Marseille Université, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Alessandra Pagano
- Faculté des Sciences Médicales et Paramédicales, Institut de Neurophysiopathologie (INP), UMR 7051, CNRS, Aix Marseille Université, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Vincent Peyrot
- Faculté des Sciences Médicales et Paramédicales, Institut de Neurophysiopathologie (INP), UMR 7051, CNRS, Aix Marseille Université, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Maxime Robin
- Faculté de Pharmacie, Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et Ecologie marine et continentale (IMBE), UMR 7263, CNRS, IRD 237, Aix-Marseille Université, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - François Devred
- Faculté des Sciences Médicales et Paramédicales, Institut de Neurophysiopathologie (INP), UMR 7051, CNRS, Aix Marseille Université, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Gilles Breuzard
- Faculté des Sciences Médicales et Paramédicales, Institut de Neurophysiopathologie (INP), UMR 7051, CNRS, Aix Marseille Université, 13005 Marseille, France
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16
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Li T, Liu J, Wu W. Factor XI, a potential target for anticoagulation therapy for venous thromboembolism. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:975767. [PMID: 36386334 PMCID: PMC9659736 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.975767] [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: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common cause of mortality and disability in hospitalized patients, and anticoagulation is an essential therapeutic option. Despite the increasing use of direct oral anticoagulants, complications and adverse drug reactions still occur in patients with VTE. Within 5 years, 20% of patients with VTE experience recurrence, and 50% of patients with deep vein thrombosis develop post-thrombotic syndrome. Furthermore, bleeding due to anticoagulants is a side effect that must be addressed. Therefore, safer and more effective anticoagulant strategies with higher patient compliance are urgently needed. Available epidemiological evidence and animal studies have shown that factor XI (FXI) inhibitors can reduce thrombus size and loosen the thrombus structure with a relatively low risk of bleeding, suggesting that FXI has an important role in thrombus stabilization and is a safer target for anticoagulation. Recent clinical trial data have also shown that FXI inhibitors are as effective as enoxaparin and apixaban in preventing VTE, but with a significantly lower incidence of bleeding. Furthermore, FXI inhibitors can be administered daily or monthly; therefore, the monitoring interval can be longer. Additionally, FXI inhibitors can prolong the activated partial thromboplastin time without affecting prothrombin time, which is an easy and common test used in clinical testing, providing a cost-effective monitoring routine for patients. Consequently, the inhibition of FXI may be an effective strategy for the prevention and treatment of VTE. Enormous progress has been made in the research strategies for FXI inhibitors, with abelacimab already in phase III clinical trials and most other inhibitors in phase I or II trials. In this review, we discuss the challenges of VTE therapy, briefly describe the structure and function of FXI, summarize the latest FXI/activated FXI (FXIa) inhibitor strategies, and summarize the latest developments in clinical trials of FXI/FXIa inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Li
- National Center for Clinical Laboratories, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Beijing, China
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jiang Liu
- Department of Nephrology, Metabolic Vascular Disease Key Laboratory, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Nephropathy, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Weihua Wu
- Department of Nephrology, Metabolic Vascular Disease Key Laboratory, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Nephropathy, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Weihua Wu
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17
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Transcriptomics and RNA-Based Therapeutics as Potential Approaches to Manage SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911058. [PMID: 36232363 PMCID: PMC9570475 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911058] [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: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is a coronavirus family member that appeared in China in December 2019 and caused the disease called COVID-19, which was declared a pandemic in 2020 by the World Health Organization. In recent months, great efforts have been made in the field of basic and clinical research to understand the biology and infection processes of SARS-CoV-2. In particular, transcriptome analysis has contributed to generating new knowledge of the viral sequences and intracellular signaling pathways that regulate the infection and pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2, generating new information about its biology. Furthermore, transcriptomics approaches including spatial transcriptomics, single-cell transcriptomics and direct RNA sequencing have been used for clinical applications in monitoring, detection, diagnosis, and treatment to generate new clinical predictive models for SARS-CoV-2. Consequently, RNA-based therapeutics and their relationship with SARS-CoV-2 have emerged as promising strategies to battle the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic with the assistance of novel approaches such as CRISPR-CAS, ASOs, and siRNA systems. Lastly, we discuss the importance of precision public health in the management of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 and establish that the fusion of transcriptomics, RNA-based therapeutics, and precision public health will allow a linkage for developing health systems that facilitate the acquisition of relevant clinical strategies for rapid decision making to assist in the management and treatment of the SARS-CoV-2-infected population to combat this global public health problem.
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18
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Kassahun GS, Farias ED, Benizri S, Mortier C, Gaubert A, Salinas G, Garrigue P, Kuhn A, Zigah D, Barthélémy P. Electropolymerizable Thiophene-Oligonucleotides for Electrode Functionalization. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:26350-26358. [PMID: 35649248 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c02993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Inserting complex biomolecules such as oligonucleotides during the synthesis of polymers remains an important challenge in the development of functionalized materials. In order to engineer such a biofunctionalized interface, a single-step method for the covalent immobilization of oligonucleotides (ONs) based on novel electropolymerizable lipid thiophene-oligonucleotide (L-ThON) conjugates was employed. Here, we report a new thiophene phosphoramidite building block for the synthesis of modified L-ThONs. The biofunctionalized material was obtained by direct electropolymerization of L-ThONs in the presence of 2,2'-bithiophene (BTh) to obtain a copolymer film on indium tin oxide electrodes. In situ electroconductance measurements and microstructural studies showed that the L-ThON was incorporated in the BTh copolymer backbone. Furthermore, the covalently immobilized L-ThON sequence showed selectivity in subsequent hybridization processes with a complementary target, demonstrating that L-ThONs can directly be used for manufacturing materials via an electropolymerization strategy. These results indicate that L-ThONs are promising candidates for the development of stable ON-based bioelectrochemical platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Getnet S Kassahun
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, ISM, UMR 5255, ENSCBP, 33607 Pessac Cedex, France
| | - Eliana D Farias
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, ISM, UMR 5255, ENSCBP, 33607 Pessac Cedex, France
| | - Sebastien Benizri
- ARNA Laboratory, University of Bordeaux, UMR CNRS 5320, INSERM U121, 33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - Claudio Mortier
- ARNA Laboratory, University of Bordeaux, UMR CNRS 5320, INSERM U121, 33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - Alexandra Gaubert
- ARNA Laboratory, University of Bordeaux, UMR CNRS 5320, INSERM U121, 33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - Gerardo Salinas
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, ISM, UMR 5255, ENSCBP, 33607 Pessac Cedex, France
| | - Patrick Garrigue
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, ISM, UMR 5255, ENSCBP, 33607 Pessac Cedex, France
| | - Alexander Kuhn
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, ISM, UMR 5255, ENSCBP, 33607 Pessac Cedex, France
| | - Dodzi Zigah
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, Bordeaux INP, ISM, UMR 5255, ENSCBP, 33607 Pessac Cedex, France
- Université de Poitiers, IC2MP UMR-CNRS 7285, 86073 Poitiers Cedex 9, France
| | - Philippe Barthélémy
- ARNA Laboratory, University of Bordeaux, UMR CNRS 5320, INSERM U121, 33076 Bordeaux, France
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19
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Coyne AN, Rothstein JD. Nuclear pore complexes - a doorway to neural injury in neurodegeneration. Nat Rev Neurol 2022; 18:348-362. [PMID: 35488039 PMCID: PMC10015220 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-022-00653-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The genetic underpinnings and end-stage pathological hallmarks of neurodegenerative diseases are increasingly well defined, but the cellular pathophysiology of disease initiation and propagation remains poorly understood, especially in sporadic forms of these diseases. Altered nucleocytoplasmic transport is emerging as a prominent pathomechanism of multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer disease, frontotemporal dementia and Huntington disease. The nuclear pore complex (NPC) and interactions between its individual nucleoporin components and nuclear transport receptors regulate nucleocytoplasmic transport, as well as genome organization and gene expression. Specific nucleoporin abnormalities have been identified in sporadic and familial forms of neurodegenerative disease, and these alterations are thought to contribute to disrupted nucleocytoplasmic transport. The specific nucleoporins and nucleocytoplasmic transport proteins that have been linked to different neurodegenerative diseases are partially distinct, suggesting that NPC injury contributes to the cellular specificity of neurodegenerative disease and could be an early initiator of the pathophysiological cascades that underlie neurodegenerative disease. This concept is consistent with the fact that rare genetic mutations in some nucleoporins cause cell-type-specific neurological disease. In this Review, we discuss nucleoporin and NPC disruptions and consider their impact on cellular function and the pathophysiology of neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa N Coyne
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. .,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Jeffrey D Rothstein
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. .,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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20
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Targeting TGF-ß in the Central Nervous System: Assessment of Cynomolgus Monkey—Toxicity and Pharmacokinetics for an LNA-Antisense Oligonucleotide. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12030973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Increasingly antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are developed for potential treatment of CNS disorders, and due to the inability to cross the blood brain barrier, they require direct administration into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In this regard, intrathecal (i.th.) administration in cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) is a well-established approach for preclinical safety studies. Here, we present an innovative preclinical approach that is intended to support rapid entry into clinical development with ASOs targeting the CNS. The preclinical approach comprises one non-GLP study in 26 non-human primates, followed by a pivotal GLP repeated dose toxicity study in the same species. No pivotal rodent studies were conducted, and regulatory guidance to initiate this study was met by in vitro work. The non-GLP study consists of three separate phases: Phase A determines toxicity after i.th. administrations with five escalating dose levels in a single male and female animal, respectively. Dosing is conducted on days 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 and the experiment is terminated 36 days after start of the study. The second phase (Phase B) investigates pharmacokinetics over a 2- or 4-week period at two dose levels following single administrations in eight (8) animals (4 females, 4 males). Finally, a third phase (Phase C) investigates toxicity and pharmacokinetics after repeated (9×) dosing over a 13-week period at two dose levels in sixteen (8 females, 8 males) animals. In each phase, clinical observations and physical/neurological parameters are investigated directly pre-dose, 4 h and 24 h post-dose, respectively. In all phases, CSF and blood samples are taken pre-dose and after each dosing, for determination of test article concentration, biomarkers of tolerability and biomarkers of pharmacology. In all phases, tissue samples from the liver, kidney, spinal cord, and brain are collected for determination of NVP-13 tissue concentrations. The above concept has successfully supported first-in-human clinical trials. The entire non-GLP program is completed within less than six months and requires fewer animals in comparison to the conduct of three independent studies.
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21
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Peters S, Wirkert E, Kuespert S, Heydn R, Johannesen S, Friedrich A, Mailänder S, Korte S, Mecklenburg L, Aigner L, Bruun TH, Bogdahn U. Safe and Effective Cynomolgus Monkey GLP-Tox Study with Repetitive Intrathecal Application of a TGFBR2 Targeting LNA-Gapmer Antisense Oligonucleotide as Treatment Candidate for Neurodegenerative Disorders. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:200. [PMID: 35057094 PMCID: PMC8780845 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14010200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The capability of the adult central nervous system to self-repair/regenerate was demonstrated repeatedly throughout the last decades but remains in debate. Reduced neurogenic niche activity paralleled by a profound neuronal loss represents fundamental hallmarks in the disease course of neurodegenerative disorders. We and others have demonstrated the endogenous TGFβ system to represent a potential pathogenic participant in disease progression, of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in particular, by generating and promoting a disequilibrium of neurodegenerative and neuroregenerative processes. The novel human/primate specific LNA Gapmer Antisense Oligonucleotide "NVP-13", targeting TGFBR2, effectively reduced its expression and lowered TGFβ signal transduction in vitro and in vivo, paralleled by boosting neurogenic niche activity in human neuronal progenitor cells and nonhuman primate central nervous system. Here, we investigated NVP-13 in vivo pharmacology, safety, and tolerability following repeated intrathecal injections in nonhuman primate cynomolgus monkeys for 13 weeks in a GLP-toxicology study approach. NVP-13 was administered intrathecally with 1, 2, or 4 mg NVP-13/animal within 3 months on days 1, 15, 29, 43, 57, 71, and 85 in the initial 13 weeks. We were able to demonstrate an excellent local and systemic tolerability, and no adverse events in physiological, hematological, clinical chemistry, and microscopic findings in female and male Cynomolgus Monkeys. Under the conditions of this study, the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) is at least 4 mg/animal NVP-13.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Peters
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany; (S.P.); (E.W.); (S.K.); (R.H.); (S.J.); (T.-H.B.)
- Velvio GmbH, Am Biopark 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Eva Wirkert
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany; (S.P.); (E.W.); (S.K.); (R.H.); (S.J.); (T.-H.B.)
| | - Sabrina Kuespert
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany; (S.P.); (E.W.); (S.K.); (R.H.); (S.J.); (T.-H.B.)
| | - Rosmarie Heydn
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany; (S.P.); (E.W.); (S.K.); (R.H.); (S.J.); (T.-H.B.)
| | - Siw Johannesen
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany; (S.P.); (E.W.); (S.K.); (R.H.); (S.J.); (T.-H.B.)
- BG Trauma Center, Professor Küntscher Str. 8, 82418 Murnau am Staffelsee, Germany
| | - Anita Friedrich
- Granzer Regulatory Consulting & Services, Kistlerhofstr. 172C, 81379 München, Germany; (A.F.); (S.M.)
| | - Susanne Mailänder
- Granzer Regulatory Consulting & Services, Kistlerhofstr. 172C, 81379 München, Germany; (A.F.); (S.M.)
| | - Sven Korte
- Labcorp Early Development Services GmbH, 48163 Münster, Germany; (S.K.); (L.M.)
| | - Lars Mecklenburg
- Labcorp Early Development Services GmbH, 48163 Münster, Germany; (S.K.); (L.M.)
| | - Ludwig Aigner
- Institute of Molecular Regenerative Medicine, Spinal Cord Injury and Tissue Regeneration Center Salzburg (SCI-TReCS), Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria;
| | - Tim-Henrik Bruun
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany; (S.P.); (E.W.); (S.K.); (R.H.); (S.J.); (T.-H.B.)
- Velvio GmbH, Am Biopark 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Ulrich Bogdahn
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany; (S.P.); (E.W.); (S.K.); (R.H.); (S.J.); (T.-H.B.)
- Velvio GmbH, Am Biopark 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
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22
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Ezerskiy LA, Schoch KM, Sato C, Beltcheva M, Horie K, Rigo F, Martynowicz R, Karch CM, Bateman RJ, Miller TM. Astrocytic 4R tau expression drives astrocyte reactivity and dysfunction. JCI Insight 2022; 7:152012. [PMID: 34874917 PMCID: PMC8765054 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.152012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The protein tau and its isoforms are associated with several neurodegenerative diseases, many of which are characterized by greater deposition of the 4-repeat (4R) tau isoform; however, the role of 4R tau in disease pathogenesis remains unclear. We created antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) that alter the ratio of 3R to 4R tau to investigate the role of specific tau isoforms in disease. Preferential expression of 4R tau in human tau-expressing (hTau-expressing) mice was previously shown to increase seizure severity and phosphorylated tau deposition without neuronal or synaptic loss. In this study, we observed strong colocalization of 4R tau within reactive astrocytes and increased expression of pan-reactive and neurotoxic genes following 3R to 4R tau splicing ASO treatment in hTau mice. Increasing 4R tau levels in primary astrocytes provoked a similar response, including a neurotoxic genetic profile and diminished homeostatic function, which was replicated in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived (iPSC-derived) astrocytes harboring a mutation that exhibits greater 4R tau. Healthy neurons cultured with 4R tau-expressing human iPSC-derived astrocytes exhibited a higher firing frequency and hypersynchrony, which could be prevented by lowering tau expression. These findings support a potentially novel pathway by which astrocytic 4R tau mediates reactivity and dysfunction and suggest that astrocyte-targeted therapeutics against 4R tau may mitigate neurodegenerative disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Mariana Beltcheva
- Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | | | - Frank Rigo
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, California, USA
| | | | - Celeste M. Karch
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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23
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Guimaraes G, Yuan L, Li P. Antisense Oligonucleotide In Vitro Protein Binding Determination in Plasma, Brain and Cerebral Spinal Fluid Using Hybridization LC-MS/MS. Drug Metab Dispos 2021; 50:268-276. [PMID: 34921096 DOI: 10.1124/dmd.121.000751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of quantitative models for prediction of drug pharmacokinetics based on in vitro data has transformed early drug discovery. Drug unbound fraction (ƒu) characterization is a key consideration in pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) modeling, assuming only unbound drug can interact with the target, and therefore has direct implications in the efficacy and potential toxicity of the drug. The current study describes the implementation of a hybridization LC-MS/MS platform for the direct quantitation of antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) ƒu The method provides substantial improvements including minimal matrix effects and high specificity when compared to previously used oligonucleotide ƒu detection methods such as ligand binding assays or liquid scintillation. The hybridization LC-MS/MS platform was integrated with ultracentrifugation, ultrafiltration and equilibrium dialysis, and method performance for each technique was evaluated. While ASO protein binding has been previously characterized in plasma, there were no studies that quantitated ASO ƒu in brain or CSF. As ASOs continue to undergo clinical trials for neurological and neuromuscular indications, ƒu characterization in brain and CSF can provide invaluable information about ASO distribution and target engagement in the central nervous system, therefore providing support for in vivo PK-PD data characterization. Significance Statement A novel hybridization LC-MS/MS based approach was successfully developed for the determination of ASO in vitro protein binding in plasma, and for the first time brain and cerebral spinal fluid. Ultrafiltration, equilibrium dialysis, and ultracentrifugation were assessed for the separation of unbound ASO from biological matrices. The hybridization LC-MS/MS platform provided unique advantages, including minimal matrix effects and high specificity, comparing to traditional ligand binding assays or liquid scintillation approaches, which enabled efficient and reliable in vitro protein binding assay.
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24
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García-Garrido E, Cordani M, Somoza Á. Modified Gold Nanoparticles to Overcome the Chemoresistance to Gemcitabine in Mutant p53 Cancer Cells. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:2067. [PMID: 34959348 PMCID: PMC8703659 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13122067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutant p53 proteins result from missense mutations in the TP53 gene, the most mutated in human cancer, and have been described to contribute to cancer initiation and progression. Therapeutic strategies for targeting mutant p53 proteins in cancer cells are limited and have proved unsuitable for clinical application due to problems related to drug delivery and toxicity to healthy tissues. Therefore, the discovery of efficient and safe therapeutic strategies that specifically target mutant p53 remains challenging. In this study, we generated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) chemically modified with low molecular branched polyethylenimine (bPEI) for the efficient delivery of gapmers targeting p53 mutant protein. The AuNPs formulation consists of a combination of polymeric mixed layer of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and PEI, and layer-by-layer assembly of bPEI through a sensitive linker. These nanoparticles can bind oligonucleotides through electrostatic interactions and release them in the presence of a reducing agent as glutathione. The nanostructures generated here provide a non-toxic and powerful system for the delivery of gapmers in cancer cells, which significantly downregulated mutant p53 proteins and altered molecular markers related to cell growth and apoptosis, thus overcoming chemoresistance to gemcitabine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo García-Garrido
- Instituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados en Nanociencia (IMDEA Nanociencia), Faraday 9, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Marco Cordani
- Instituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados en Nanociencia (IMDEA Nanociencia), Faraday 9, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Álvaro Somoza
- Instituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados en Nanociencia (IMDEA Nanociencia), Faraday 9, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Unidad Asociada al Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CSIC), Darwin 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain
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25
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Araújo D, Mil-Homens D, Rodrigues ME, Henriques M, Jørgensen PT, Wengel J, Silva S. Antisense locked nucleic acid gapmers to control Candida albicans filamentation. NANOMEDICINE-NANOTECHNOLOGY BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2021; 39:102469. [PMID: 34606999 DOI: 10.1016/j.nano.2021.102469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Whereas locked nucleic acid (LNA) has been extensively used to control gene expression, it has never been exploited to control Candida virulence genes. Thus, the main goal of this work was to compare the efficacy of five different LNA-based antisense oligonucleotides (ASO) with respect to the ability to control EFG1 gene expression, to modulate filamentation and to reduce C. albicans virulence. In vitro, all LNA-ASOs were able to significantly reduce C. albicans filamentation and to control EFG1 gene expression. Using the in vivo Galleria mellonella model, important differences among the five LNA-ASOs were revealed in terms of C. albicans virulence reduction. The inclusion of PS-linkage and palmitoyl-2'-amino-LNA chemical modification in these five LNA gapmers proved to be the most promising combination, increasing the survival of G. mellonella by 40%. Our work confirms that LNA-ASOs are useful tools for research and therapeutic development in the candidiasis field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Araújo
- LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Dalila Mil-Homens
- iBB-Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Lisbon University, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Maria Elisa Rodrigues
- LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Mariana Henriques
- LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Per Trolle Jørgensen
- Biomolecular Nanoscale Engineering Center, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Jesper Wengel
- Biomolecular Nanoscale Engineering Center, Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Sónia Silva
- LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research, Vairão, Vila do Conde, Portugal.
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26
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Sexton C, Snyder H, Beher D, Boxer AL, Brannelly P, Brion JP, Buée L, Cacace AM, Chételat G, Citron M, DeVos SL, Diaz K, Feldman HH, Frost B, Goate AM, Gold M, Hyman B, Johnson K, Karch CM, Kerwin DR, Koroshetz WJ, Litvan I, Morris HR, Mummery CJ, Mutamba J, Patterson MC, Quiroz YT, Rabinovici GD, Rommel A, Shulman MB, Toledo-Sherman LM, Weninger S, Wildsmith KR, Worley SL, Carrillo MC. Current directions in tau research: Highlights from Tau 2020. Alzheimers Dement 2021; 18:988-1007. [PMID: 34581500 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Studies supporting a strong association between tau deposition and neuronal loss, neurodegeneration, and cognitive decline have heightened the allure of tau and tau-related mechanisms as therapeutic targets. In February 2020, leading tau experts from around the world convened for the first-ever Tau2020 Global Conference in Washington, DC, co-organized and cosponsored by the Rainwater Charitable Foundation, the Alzheimer's Association, and CurePSP. Representing academia, industry, government, and the philanthropic sector, presenters and attendees discussed recent advances and current directions in tau research. The meeting provided a unique opportunity to move tau research forward by fostering global partnerships among academia, industry, and other stakeholders and by providing support for new drug discovery programs, groundbreaking research, and emerging tau researchers. The meeting also provided an opportunity for experts to present critical research-advancing tools and insights that are now rapidly accelerating the pace of tau research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Adam L Boxer
- Memory and Aging Center, Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Pat Brannelly
- Alzheimer's Disease Data Initiative, Kirkland, WI, USA
| | - Jean-Pierre Brion
- Laboratory of Histology, Neuroanatomy and Neuropathology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Luc Buée
- Univ Lille, Inserm, CHU-Lille, Lille Neuroscience and Cognition, Place de Verdun, Lille, France
| | | | - Gaël Chételat
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, INSERM, U1237, PhIND "Physiopathology and Imaging of Neurological Disorders", Institut Blood and Brain @ Caen-Normandie, Cyceron, Caen, France
| | - Martin Citron
- Neuroscience TA, Braine l'Alleud, UCB Biopharma, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sarah L DeVos
- Translational Sciences, Denali Therapeutics, San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Howard H Feldman
- Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study, Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Bess Frost
- Sam & Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's & Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Cell Systems & Anatomy, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Alison M Goate
- Ronald M. Loeb Center for Alzheimer's Disease, Department of Neuroscience, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Michael Gold
- AbbVie, Neurosciences Development, North Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Bradley Hyman
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Keith Johnson
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Celeste M Karch
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Diana R Kerwin
- Kerwin Medical Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Walter J Koroshetz
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Irene Litvan
- Parkinson and Other Movement Disorders Center, Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Huw R Morris
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neuroscience, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Catherine J Mummery
- Dementia Research Centre, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Marc C Patterson
- Departments of Neurology, Pediatrics and Medical Genetics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Yakeel T Quiroz
- Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Gil D Rabinovici
- Memory & Aging Center, Departments of Neurology, Radiology & Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Amy Rommel
- Tau Consortium, Rainwater Charitable Foundation, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| | - Melanie B Shulman
- Neurodegeneration Development Unit, Biogen, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | | | - Kristin R Wildsmith
- Department of Biomarker Development, Genentech, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Susan L Worley
- Independent science writer, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, USA
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27
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Coyne AN, Baskerville V, Zaepfel BL, Dickson DW, Rigo F, Bennett F, Lusk CP, Rothstein JD. Nuclear accumulation of CHMP7 initiates nuclear pore complex injury and subsequent TDP-43 dysfunction in sporadic and familial ALS. Sci Transl Med 2021; 13:eabe1923. [PMID: 34321318 PMCID: PMC9022198 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abe1923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Alterations in the components [nucleoporins (Nups)] and function of the nuclear pore complex (NPC) have been implicated as contributors to the pathogenesis of genetic forms of neurodegeneration including C9orf72 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/frontotemporal dementia (ALS/FTD). We hypothesized that Nup alterations and the consequential loss of NPC function may lie upstream of TDP-43 dysfunction and mislocalization widely observed in ALS, FTD, and related neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we provide evidence that CHMP7, a critical mediator of NPC quality control, is increased in nuclei of C9orf72 and sporadic ALS induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived spinal neurons (iPSNs) and postmortem human motor cortex before the emergence of Nup alterations. Inhibiting the nuclear export of CHMP7 triggered Nup reduction and TDP-43 dysfunction and pathology in human neurons. Knockdown of CHMP7 alleviated disease-associated Nup alterations, deficits in Ran GTPase localization, defects in TDP-43-associated mRNA expression, and downstream glutamate-induced neuronal death. Thus, our data support a role for altered CHMP7-mediated Nup homeostasis as a prominent initiating pathological mechanism for familial and sporadic ALS and highlight the potential for CHMP7 as therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa N Coyne
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Victoria Baskerville
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Benjamin L Zaepfel
- Biochemistry, Cellular, and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Dennis W Dickson
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - Frank Rigo
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | | | - C Patrick Lusk
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Jeffrey D Rothstein
- Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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28
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Policarpo R, Sierksma A, De Strooper B, d'Ydewalle C. From Junk to Function: LncRNAs in CNS Health and Disease. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:714768. [PMID: 34349622 PMCID: PMC8327212 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.714768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in RNA sequencing technologies helped to uncover the existence of tens of thousands of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that arise from the dark matter of the genome. These lncRNAs were originally thought to be transcriptional noise but an increasing number of studies demonstrate that these transcripts can modulate protein-coding gene expression by a wide variety of transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. The spatiotemporal regulation of lncRNA expression is particularly evident in the central nervous system, suggesting that they may directly contribute to specific brain processes, including neurogenesis and cellular homeostasis. Not surprisingly, lncRNAs are therefore gaining attention as putative novel therapeutic targets for disorders of the brain. In this review, we summarize the recent insights into the functions of lncRNAs in the brain, their role in neuronal maintenance, and their potential contribution to disease. We conclude this review by postulating how these RNA molecules can be targeted for the treatment of yet incurable neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafaela Policarpo
- VIB-KU Leuven Center For Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.,Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Neuroscience Discovery, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V., Beerse, Belgium
| | - Annerieke Sierksma
- VIB-KU Leuven Center For Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.,Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bart De Strooper
- VIB-KU Leuven Center For Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium.,Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute (LBI), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,UK Dementia Research Institute, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Constantin d'Ydewalle
- Neuroscience Discovery, Janssen Research & Development, Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V., Beerse, Belgium
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29
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW There has been an explosion of advancement in the field of genetic therapies. The first gene-based treatments are now in clinical practice, with several additional therapeutic programs in various stages of development. Novel technologies are being developed that will further advance the breadth and success of genetic medicine.Congenital myopathies are an important group of neuromuscular disorders defined by structural changes in the muscle and characterized by severe clinical symptoms caused by muscle weakness. At present, there are no approved drug therapies for any subtype of congenital myopathy.In this review, we present an overview of genetic therapies and discuss their application to congenital myopathies. RECENT FINDINGS Several candidate therapeutics for congenital myopathies are in the development pipeline, including ones in clinical trial. These include genetic medicines such as gene replacement therapy and antisense oligonucleotide-based gene knockdown. We highlight the programs related to genetic medicine, and also discuss congenital myopathy subtypes where genetic therapy could be applied. SUMMARY Genetic therapies are ushering in an era of precision medicine for neurological diseases. Congenital myopathies are conditions ideally suited for genetic medicine approaches, and the first such therapies will hopefully soon be reaching congenital myopathy patients.
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30
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Barbosa A, Araújo D, Henriques M, Silva S. The combined application of the anti-RAS1 and anti-RIM101 2'-OMethylRNA oligomers enhances Candida albicans filamentation control. Med Mycol 2021; 59:1024-1031. [PMID: 34097057 DOI: 10.1093/mmy/myab033] [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: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Whereas antisense oligomers (ASOs) have been successfully utilized to control gene expression, they have been little exploited to control Candida albicans virulence's determinants. Filamentation is an important virulence factor of C. albicans, and RAS1 and RIM101 genes are involved in its regulation. Thus, the main goal of this work was to project ASOs, based on 2'-OMethyl chemical modification, to target RAS1 and RIM101 mRNA and to validate its application either alone or in combination, to reduce Candida filamentation in different human body fluids.It was verified that both, anti-RAS1 2'OMe and anti-RIM101 2'OMe oligomers, were able to reduce the levels of RAS1 and RIM101 genes' expression and to significantly reduce C. albicans filamentation. Furthermore, the combined application of anti-RAS1 2'OMe oligomer and anti-RIM101 2'OMe oligomer enhances the control of C. albicans filamentation in artificial saliva and urine.Our work confirms that ASOs are useful tools for research and therapeutic development on the control of candidiasis. LAY ABSTRACT This work aimed to project antisense oligomers to control Candida albicans filamentation. The results revealed that the projected oligomers, anti-RAS1 2'OMe and anti-RIM101 2'OMe, were able to control RAS1 and RIM101 gene expression and to significantly reduce C. albicans filamentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Barbosa
- LIBRO - Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Daniela Araújo
- LIBRO - Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Mariana Henriques
- LIBRO - Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Sónia Silva
- LIBRO - Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, CEB - Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
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Jin L, Hong N, Ai X, Wang J, Li Z, Han Z, Zhang Q, Yu Y, Sun K. LncRNAs as Therapeutic Targets for Autophagy-involved Cardiovascular Diseases: A Review of Molecular Mechanism and T herapy Strategy. Curr Med Chem 2021; 28:1796-1814. [PMID: 32196441 DOI: 10.2174/0929867327666200320161835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Revised: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the leading cause of death worldwide. The concept of precision medicine in CVD therapy today requires the incorporation of individual genetic and environmental variability to achieve personalized disease prevention and tailored treatment. Autophagy, an evolutionarily conserved intracellular degradation process, has been demonstrated to be essential in the pathogenesis of various CVDs. Nonetheless, there have been no effective treatments for autophagy- involved CVDs. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are noncoding RNA sequences that play versatile roles in autophagy regulation, but much needs to be explored about the relationship between lncRNAs and autophagy-involved CVDs. SUMMARY Increasing evidence has shown that lncRNAs contribute considerably to modulate autophagy in the context of CVDs. In this review, we first summarize the current knowledge of the role lncRNAs play in cardiovascular autophagy and autophagy-involved CVDs. Then, recent developments of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) designed to target lncRNAs to specifically modulate autophagy in diseased hearts and vessels are discussed, focusing primarily on structure-activity relationships of distinct chemical modifications and relevant clinical trials. PERSPECTIVE ASOs are promising in cardiovascular drug innovation. We hope that future studies of lncRNA-based therapies would overcome existing technical limitations and help people who suffer from autophagy-involved CVDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihui Jin
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Nanchao Hong
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xuefeng Ai
- Department of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Zhuoyan Li
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Zhenyuan Han
- Department of Oral Pathology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200001, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yu Yu
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Kun Sun
- Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200092, China
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Araújo D, Braz J, Dencheva NV, Carvalho I, Henriques M, Denchev ZZ, Malfois M, Silva S. Polyamide Microsized Particulate Polyplex Carriers for the 2'- OMethylRNA EFG1 Antisense Oligonucleotide. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2021; 4:4607-4617. [PMID: 35006798 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.1c00334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Anti-EFG1 2'-OMethylRNA is an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) that has the ability to recognize and block the EFG1 gene and to control Candida albicans filamentation. However, it is important to protect the anti-EFG1 2'-OMethylRNA ASO from the environmental human body conditions and to ensure that they will be delivered to their site of action, and polyplex microparticles (MPs) represent a class of vehicles to ASO cargo with these functionalities. Thus, the goal of this work was to develop polyplexes based on porous poly(γ-butyrolactam) (PA4) or poly(ε-caprolactam) (PA6) MPs for the anti-EFG1 2'-OMethylRNA ASO cargo and delivery. Two types of polyplexes were prepared with payloads of anti-EFG1 2'-OMethylRNA molecules, either entrapped or immobilized on prefabricated polyamide MPs. Our data confirm that PA4 and PA6 polyplex MPs can be feasible carriers for anti-EFG1 2'-OMethylRNA ASO molecules, using either the entrapment or immobilization strategies, whereby the released ASO maintains its activity against C. albicans cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Araújo
- LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Joana Braz
- IPC-Institute for Polymers and Composites, Department of Polymers Engineering, University of Minho, 4800-056 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Nadya V Dencheva
- IPC-Institute for Polymers and Composites, Department of Polymers Engineering, University of Minho, 4800-056 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Isabel Carvalho
- LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Mariana Henriques
- LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
| | - Zlatan Z Denchev
- IPC-Institute for Polymers and Composites, Department of Polymers Engineering, University of Minho, 4800-056 Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Marc Malfois
- ALBA Synchrotron Facility, Cerdanyola del Valés, Barcelona 0890, Spain
| | - Sónia Silva
- LIBRO-Laboratório de Investigação em Biofilmes Rosário Oliveira, CEB-Centre of Biological Engineering, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
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Litvinchuk A, Huynh TPV, Shi Y, Jackson RJ, Finn MB, Manis M, Francis CM, Tran A, Sullivan PM, Ulrich JD, Hyman BT, Cole T, Holtzman DM. Apolipoprotein E4 Reduction with Antisense Oligonucleotides Decreases Neurodegeneration in a Tauopathy Model. Ann Neurol 2021; 89:952-966. [PMID: 33550655 PMCID: PMC8260038 DOI: 10.1002/ana.26043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genotype is the strongest genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease, with the ε4 allele increasing risk in a dose-dependent fashion. In addition to ApoE4 playing a crucial role in amyloid-β deposition, recent evidence suggests that it also plays an important role in tau pathology and tau-mediated neurodegeneration. It is not known, however, whether therapeutic reduction of ApoE4 would exert protective effects on tau-mediated neurodegeneration. METHODS Herein, we used antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) against human APOE to reduce ApoE4 levels in the P301S/ApoE4 mouse model of tauopathy. We treated P301S/ApoE4 mice with ApoE or control ASOs via intracerebroventricular injection at 6 and 7.5 months of age and performed brain pathological assessments at 9 months of age. RESULTS Our results indicate that treatment with ApoE ASOs reduced ApoE4 protein levels by ~50%, significantly protected against tau pathology and associated neurodegeneration, decreased neuroinflammation, and preserved synaptic density. These data were also corroborated by a significant reduction in levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL) protein in plasma of ASO-treated mice. INTERPRETATION We conclude that reducing ApoE4 levels should be explored further as a therapeutic approach for APOE4 carriers with tauopathy including Alzheimer's disease. ANN NEUROL 2021;89:952-966.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Litvinchuk
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Tien-Phat V. Huynh
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA,Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Yang Shi
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Rosemary J. Jackson
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02114, USA
| | - Mary Beth Finn
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Melissa Manis
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Caroline M. Francis
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Ainsley Tran
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Patrick M. Sullivan
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham Veterans Health Administration Medical Center’s Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Jason D. Ulrich
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Bradley T. Hyman
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02114, USA
| | - Tracy Cole
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 2855 Gazelle Ct. Carlsbad, CA 92024, USA
| | - David M. Holtzman
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Knight Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA,Lead Contact
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Schätzl T, Kaiser L, Deigner HP. Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy: genetics, gene activation and downstream signalling with regard to recent therapeutic approaches: an update. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2021; 16:129. [PMID: 33712050 PMCID: PMC7953708 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-021-01760-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Whilst a disease-modifying treatment for Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) does not exist currently, recent advances in complex molecular pathophysiology studies of FSHD have led to possible therapeutic approaches for its targeted treatment. Although the underlying genetics of FSHD have been researched extensively, there remains an incomplete understanding of the pathophysiology of FSHD in relation to the molecules leading to DUX4 gene activation and the downstream gene targets of DUX4 that cause its toxic effects. In the context of the local proximity of chromosome 4q to the nuclear envelope, a contraction of the D4Z4 macrosatellite induces lower methylation levels, enabling the ectopic expression of DUX4. This disrupts numerous signalling pathways that mostly result in cell death, detrimentally affecting skeletal muscle in affected individuals. In this regard different options are currently explored either to suppress the transcription of DUX4 gene, inhibiting DUX4 protein from its toxic effects, or to alleviate the symptoms triggered by its numerous targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Schätzl
- Institute of Precision Medicine, Medical and Life Sciences Faculty, Furtwangen University, Jakob-Kienzle-Straße 17, 78054, Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany
| | - Lars Kaiser
- Institute of Precision Medicine, Medical and Life Sciences Faculty, Furtwangen University, Jakob-Kienzle-Straße 17, 78054, Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Freiburg, Albertstraße 25, 79104, Freiburg i. Br., Germany
| | - Hans-Peter Deigner
- Institute of Precision Medicine, Medical and Life Sciences Faculty, Furtwangen University, Jakob-Kienzle-Straße 17, 78054, Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany.
- EXIM Department, Fraunhofer Institute IZI, Leipzig, Schillingallee 68, 18057, Rostock, Germany.
- Faculty of Science, Tuebingen University, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
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Wegmann S, DeVos SL, Zeitler B, Marlen K, Bennett RE, Perez-Rando M, MacKenzie D, Yu Q, Commins C, Bannon RN, Corjuc BT, Chase A, Diez L, Nguyen HOB, Hinkley S, Zhang L, Goodwin A, Ledeboer A, Lam S, Ankoudinova I, Tran H, Scarlott N, Amora R, Surosky R, Miller JC, Robbins AB, Rebar EJ, Urnov FD, Holmes MC, Pooler AM, Riley B, Zhang HS, Hyman BT. Persistent repression of tau in the brain using engineered zinc finger protein transcription factors. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/12/eabe1611. [PMID: 33741591 PMCID: PMC7978433 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abe1611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Neuronal tau reduction confers resilience against β-amyloid and tau-related neurotoxicity in vitro and in vivo. Here, we introduce a novel translational approach to lower expression of the tau gene MAPT at the transcriptional level using gene-silencing zinc finger protein transcription factors (ZFP-TFs). Following a single administration of adeno-associated virus (AAV), either locally into the hippocampus or intravenously to enable whole-brain transduction, we selectively reduced tau messenger RNA and protein by 50 to 80% out to 11 months, the longest time point studied. Sustained tau lowering was achieved without detectable off-target effects, overt histopathological changes, or molecular alterations. Tau reduction with AAV ZFP-TFs was able to rescue neuronal damage around amyloid plaques in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (APP/PS1 line). The highly specific, durable, and controlled knockdown of endogenous tau makes AAV-delivered ZFP-TFs a promising approach for the treatment of tau-related human brain diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Wegmann
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA.
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Sarah L DeVos
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | | | | | - Rachel E Bennett
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Marta Perez-Rando
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Danny MacKenzie
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Qi Yu
- Sangamo Therapeutics Inc., Richmond, CA 94804, USA
| | - Caitlin Commins
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Riley N Bannon
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Bianca T Corjuc
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Alison Chase
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Lisa Diez
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | - Lei Zhang
- Sangamo Therapeutics Inc., Richmond, CA 94804, USA
| | | | | | - Stephen Lam
- Sangamo Therapeutics Inc., Richmond, CA 94804, USA
| | | | - Hung Tran
- Sangamo Therapeutics Inc., Richmond, CA 94804, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Ashley B Robbins
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | | | | | | | - Amy M Pooler
- Sangamo Therapeutics Inc., Richmond, CA 94804, USA
| | - Brigit Riley
- Sangamo Therapeutics Inc., Richmond, CA 94804, USA
| | | | - Bradley T Hyman
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Neurodegenerative Disease, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA.
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FTLD Treatment: Current Practice and Future Possibilities. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1281:297-310. [PMID: 33433882 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-51140-1_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/21/2023]
Abstract
While behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and primary progressive aphasia (PPA) remain unrelenting and universally fatal conditions, there is a framework for supportive treatment in patients diagnosed with these frontotemporal dementia (FTD) syndromes and the larger spectrum of clinical syndromes associated with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) pathology on autopsy. A managing physician has an important role in weighing therapeutic options, organizing caregiver support, and framing long-term expectations for patients and caregivers. Additionally, a dedicated neurologist may assist patients and caregivers in navigating a growing range of FTD research, including exciting opportunities in clinical therapeutic trials. This chapter will review current therapeutic options for patients with bvFTD and PPA and detail the landscape of potential new disease-modifying therapies targeting the pathophysiology or FTLD.
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A novel rationale for targeting FXI: Insights from the hemostatic microRNA targetome for emerging anticoagulant strategies. Pharmacol Ther 2021; 218:107676. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2020.107676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Chen B, Mei L, Wang Y, Guo G. Advances in intelligent DNA nanomachines for targeted cancer therapy. Drug Discov Today 2020; 26:1018-1029. [PMID: 33217344 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2020.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
As an emerging field, DNA nanotechnology has been applied to the fabrication of drug delivery systems. Unprecedented spatial addressability and intrinsic sequence encoding enable DNA strands to self-assemble into well-defined 2D and 3D DNA nanostructures with specifically controlled sizes, shapes and surface charges. Multifunctional DNA nanostructures have been created and applied as promising platforms for drug delivery, imaging, and theranostics. Advantages of chemotherapy, gene therapy, and immunotherapy, among others, have been integrated into such functional nanodevices, showing potential in tumor-targeted therapy and diagnosis. In this review, we summarize general methods for the construction of DNA nanodevices and focus on targeting strategies favored by the compatibility of DNA nanotechnology. Additionally, we highlight the outlook and challenges facing the use of DNA nanotechnology in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, and Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu 610041, PR China
| | - Lan Mei
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, and Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu 610041, PR China
| | - Yuelong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, and Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu 610041, PR China
| | - Gang Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, and Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, No. 17, Block 3, Southern Renmin Road, Chengdu 610041, PR China.
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Abstract
Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease variably associated with motor, nonmotor, and autonomic symptoms, resulting from putaminal and cerebellar degeneration and associated with glial cytoplasmic inclusions enriched with α-synuclein in oligodendrocytes and neurons. Although symptomatic treatment of MSA can provide significant improvements in quality of life, the benefit is often partial, limited by adverse effects, and fails to treat the underlying cause. Consistent with the multisystem nature of the disease and evidence that motor symptoms, autonomic failure, and depression drive patient assessments of quality of life, treatment is best achieved through a coordinated multidisciplinary approach driven by the patient's priorities and goals of care. Research into disease-modifying therapies is ongoing with a particular focus on synuclein-targeted therapies among others. This review focuses on both current management and emerging therapies for this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R. Burns
- Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases at UFHealth, Movement Disorders Division, Department of Neurology, University of Florida, 3009 SW Williston Rd, Gainesville, FL 32608 USA
| | - Nikolaus R. McFarland
- Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases at UFHealth, Movement Disorders Division, Department of Neurology, University of Florida, 3009 SW Williston Rd, Gainesville, FL 32608 USA
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40
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Therapeutic Strategies Targeting DUX4 in FSHD. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9092886. [PMID: 32906621 PMCID: PMC7564105 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9092886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is a common muscle dystrophy typically affecting patients within their second decade. Patients initially exhibit asymmetric facial and humeral muscle damage, followed by lower body muscle involvement. FSHD is associated with a derepression of DUX4 gene encoded by the D4Z4 macrosatellite located on the subtelomeric part of chromosome 4. DUX4 is a highly regulated transcription factor and its expression in skeletal muscle contributes to multiple cellular toxicities and pathologies ultimately leading to muscle weakness and atrophy. Since the discovery of the FSHD candidate gene DUX4, many cell and animal models have been designed for therapeutic approaches and clinical trials. Today there is no treatment available for FSHD patients and therapeutic strategies targeting DUX4 toxicity in skeletal muscle are being actively investigated. In this review, we will discuss different research areas that are currently being considered to alter DUX4 expression and toxicity in muscle tissue and the cell and animal models designed to date.
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Jaudon F, Baldassari S, Musante I, Thalhammer A, Zara F, Cingolani LA. Targeting Alternative Splicing as a Potential Therapy for Episodic Ataxia Type 2. Biomedicines 2020; 8:E332. [PMID: 32899500 PMCID: PMC7555146 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines8090332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Episodic ataxia type 2 (EA2) is an autosomal dominant neurological disorder characterized by paroxysmal attacks of ataxia, vertigo, and nausea that usually last hours to days. It is caused by loss-of-function mutations in CACNA1A, the gene encoding the pore-forming α1 subunit of P/Q-type voltage-gated Ca2+ channels. Although pharmacological treatments, such as acetazolamide and 4-aminopyridine, exist for EA2, they do not reduce or control the symptoms in all patients. CACNA1A is heavily spliced and some of the identified EA2 mutations are predicted to disrupt selective isoforms of this gene. Modulating splicing of CACNA1A may therefore represent a promising new strategy to develop improved EA2 therapies. Because RNA splicing is dysregulated in many other genetic diseases, several tools, such as antisense oligonucleotides, trans-splicing, and CRISPR-based strategies, have been developed for medical purposes. Here, we review splicing-based strategies used for genetic disorders, including those for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular dystrophy, and frontotemporal dementia with Parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17, and discuss their potential applicability to EA2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny Jaudon
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy;
| | - Simona Baldassari
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy; (S.B.); (I.M.); (F.Z.)
| | - Ilaria Musante
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy; (S.B.); (I.M.); (F.Z.)
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, 16126 Genoa, Italy
| | - Agnes Thalhammer
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 16132 Genoa, Italy;
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - Federico Zara
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy; (S.B.); (I.M.); (F.Z.)
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), University of Genoa, 16126 Genoa, Italy
| | - Lorenzo A. Cingolani
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy;
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 16132 Genoa, Italy;
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Falzarano MS, Argenziano M, Marsollier AC, Mariot V, Rossi D, Selvatici R, Dumonceaux J, Cavalli R, Ferlini A. Chitosan-Shelled Nanobubbles Irreversibly Encapsulate Morpholino Conjugate Antisense Oligonucleotides and Are Ineffective for Phosphorodiamidate Morpholino-Mediated Gene Silencing of DUX4. Nucleic Acid Ther 2020; 31:201-207. [PMID: 32679000 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2020.0862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Orphan drugs, including antisense oligonucleotides (AONs), siRNAs/miRNAs, Cas9 nuclease, and recombinant genes, have recently been made available for rare diseases. However, the main bottleneck for these new therapies is delivery. Drugs/synthetic genes need to reach the affected tissues with minimal off-target effects and immune reactions. AON molecules are currently delivered as backboned naked compounds or via viral vectors. Nanocarriers are considered promising vehicles, able to improve drug distribution by organ targeting and limiting safety issues. We tested perfluoropentane-based nanobubbles (NBs) as vehicles for loading phosphorodiamidate morpholino (PMO) AON to suppress DUX4 expression in a facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy cell model. In vitro cell-free analysis demonstrated a good loading capacity of PMO into NBs, while experiments in cell cultures showed lack of therapeutic effect since expression of DUX4 and its targets remained unmodified. We conclude that these types of chitosan-shelled NBs do not release PMO-AON and are therefore not ideal for PMO AON-related therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Monica Argenziano
- Department of Scienza e Tecnologia del Farmaco, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Anne Chalotte Marsollier
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, University College London, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health and Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Virginie Mariot
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, University College London, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health and Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Davide Rossi
- Department of Scienza e Tecnologia del Farmaco, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Rita Selvatici
- Unit of Medical Genetics, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Julie Dumonceaux
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, University College London, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health and Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Roberta Cavalli
- Department of Scienza e Tecnologia del Farmaco, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Alessandra Ferlini
- Unit of Medical Genetics, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,The Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, UCL Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
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43
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Silva AC, Lobo DD, Martins IM, Lopes SM, Henriques C, Duarte SP, Dodart JC, Nobre RJ, Pereira de Almeida L. Antisense oligonucleotide therapeutics in neurodegenerative diseases: the case of polyglutamine disorders. Brain 2020; 143:407-429. [PMID: 31738395 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awz328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Revised: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Polyglutamine (polyQ) disorders are a group of nine neurodegenerative diseases that share a common genetic cause, which is an expansion of CAG repeats in the coding region of the causative genes that are otherwise unrelated. The trinucleotide expansion encodes for an expanded polyQ tract in the respective proteins, resulting in toxic gain-of-function and eventually in neurodegeneration. Currently, no disease-modifying therapies are available for this group of disorders. Nevertheless, given their monogenic nature, polyQ disorders are ideal candidates for therapies that target specifically the gene transcripts. Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) have been under intense investigation over recent years as gene silencing tools. ASOs are small synthetic single-stranded chains of nucleic acids that target specific RNA transcripts through several mechanisms. ASOs can reduce the levels of mutant proteins by breaking down the targeted transcript, inhibit mRNA translation or alter the maturation of the pre-mRNA via splicing correction. Over the years, chemical optimization of ASO molecules has allowed significant improvement of their pharmacological properties, which has in turn made this class of therapeutics a very promising strategy to treat a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. Indeed, preclinical and clinical strategies have been developed in recent years for some polyQ disorders using ASO therapeutics. The success of ASOs in several animal models, as well as encouraging results in the clinic for Huntington's disease, points towards a promising future regarding the application of ASO-based therapies for polyQ disorders in humans, offering new opportunities to address unmet medical needs for this class of disorders. This review aims to present a brief overview of key chemical modifications, mechanisms of action and routes of administration that have been described for ASO-based therapies. Moreover, it presents a review of the most recent and relevant preclinical and clinical trials that have tested ASO therapeutics in polyQ disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana C Silva
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Diana D Lobo
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Inês M Martins
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Sara M Lopes
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Carina Henriques
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,ViraVector, Viral Vector for Gene Transfer Core Facility, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Sónia P Duarte
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | | | - Rui Jorge Nobre
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,ViraVector, Viral Vector for Gene Transfer Core Facility, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Luis Pereira de Almeida
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,ViraVector, Viral Vector for Gene Transfer Core Facility, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
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44
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Nourse J, Spada S, Danckwardt S. Emerging Roles of RNA 3'-end Cleavage and Polyadenylation in Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Therapy of Human Disorders. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10060915. [PMID: 32560344 PMCID: PMC7356254 DOI: 10.3390/biom10060915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
A crucial feature of gene expression involves RNA processing to produce 3′ ends through a process termed 3′ end cleavage and polyadenylation (CPA). This ensures the nascent RNA molecule can exit the nucleus and be translated to ultimately give rise to a protein which can execute a function. Further, alternative polyadenylation (APA) can produce distinct transcript isoforms, profoundly expanding the complexity of the transcriptome. CPA is carried out by multi-component protein complexes interacting with multiple RNA motifs and is tightly coupled to transcription, other steps of RNA processing, and even epigenetic modifications. CPA and APA contribute to the maintenance of a multitude of diverse physiological processes. It is therefore not surprising that disruptions of CPA and APA can lead to devastating disorders. Here, we review potential CPA and APA mechanisms involving both loss and gain of function that can have tremendous impacts on health and disease. Ultimately we highlight the emerging diagnostic and therapeutic potential CPA and APA offer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie Nourse
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131 Mainz, Germany; (J.N.); (S.S.)
- Center for Thrombosis and Hemostasis (CTH), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Stefano Spada
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131 Mainz, Germany; (J.N.); (S.S.)
- Center for Thrombosis and Hemostasis (CTH), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Sven Danckwardt
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131 Mainz, Germany; (J.N.); (S.S.)
- Center for Thrombosis and Hemostasis (CTH), University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131 Mainz, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Rhine-Main, Germany
- Correspondence:
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45
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Kaniowski D, Kulik K, Ebenryter-Olbińska K, Wielgus E, Lesnikowski Z, Nawrot B. Metallacarborane Complex Boosts the Rate of DNA Oligonucleotide Hydrolysis in the Reaction Catalyzed by Snake Venom Phosphodiesterase. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10050718. [PMID: 32380792 PMCID: PMC7277537 DOI: 10.3390/biom10050718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Antisense oligonucleotides conjugated with boron clusters (B-ASOs) have been described as potential gene expression inhibitors and carriers of boron for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT), providing a dual-action therapeutic platform. In this study, we tested the nucleolytic stability of DNA oligonucleotides labeled with metallacarborane [(3,3'-iron-1,2,1',2'-dicarbollide)(-1)]ate [Fe(C2B9H11)2] (FESAN) against snake venom phosphodiesterase (svPDE, 3'→5'-exonuclease). Contrary to the previously observed protective effect of carborane (C2B10H12) modifications, the B-ASOs containing a metallacarborane moiety at the 5'-end of the oligonucleotide chain were hydrolyzed faster than their parent nonmodified oligomers. Interestingly, an enhancement in the hydrolysis rate was also observed in the presence of free metallacarborane, and this reaction was dependent on the concentration of the metallacarborane. Microscale thermophoresis (MST) analysis confirmed the high affinity (Kd nM range) of the binding of the metallacarborane to the proteins of crude snake venom and the moderate affinity (Kd µM range) between the metallacarborane and the short single-stranded DNA. We hypothesize that the metallacarborane complex covalently bound to B-ASO holds DNA molecules close to the protein surface, facilitating enzymatic cleavage. The addition of metallacarborane alone to the ASO/svPDE reaction mixture provides the interface to attract freely floating DNA molecules. In both cases, the local DNA concentration around the enzymes increases, giving rise to faster hydrolysis. It was experimentally shown that an allosteric effect, possibly attributable to the observed boost in the 3´→5´-exonucleolytic activity of snake venom phosphodiesterase, is much less plausible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damian Kaniowski
- Centre of Molecular and Macromolecular Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sienkiewicza 112, 90-363 Lodz, Poland; (D.K.); (K.K.); (K.E.-O.); (E.W.)
| | - Katarzyna Kulik
- Centre of Molecular and Macromolecular Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sienkiewicza 112, 90-363 Lodz, Poland; (D.K.); (K.K.); (K.E.-O.); (E.W.)
| | - Katarzyna Ebenryter-Olbińska
- Centre of Molecular and Macromolecular Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sienkiewicza 112, 90-363 Lodz, Poland; (D.K.); (K.K.); (K.E.-O.); (E.W.)
| | - Ewelina Wielgus
- Centre of Molecular and Macromolecular Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sienkiewicza 112, 90-363 Lodz, Poland; (D.K.); (K.K.); (K.E.-O.); (E.W.)
| | - Zbigniew Lesnikowski
- Institute of Medical Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, 106 Lodowa St., 92-232 Lodz, Poland;
| | - Barbara Nawrot
- Centre of Molecular and Macromolecular Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sienkiewicza 112, 90-363 Lodz, Poland; (D.K.); (K.K.); (K.E.-O.); (E.W.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-42-6803248
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46
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Samanta D, Ebrahimi SB, Mirkin CA. Nucleic-Acid Structures as Intracellular Probes for Live Cells. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2020; 32:e1901743. [PMID: 31271253 PMCID: PMC6942251 DOI: 10.1002/adma.201901743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
The chemical composition of cells at the molecular level determines their growth, differentiation, structure, and function. Probing this composition is powerful because it provides invaluable insight into chemical processes inside cells and in certain cases allows disease diagnosis based on molecular profiles. However, many techniques analyze fixed cells or lysates of bulk populations, in which information about dynamics and cellular heterogeneity is lost. Recently, nucleic-acid-based probes have emerged as a promising platform for the detection of a wide variety of intracellular analytes in live cells with single-cell resolution. Recent advances in this field are described and common strategies for probe design, types of targets that can be identified, current limitations, and future directions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devleena Samanta
- Department of Chemistry and International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Sasha B Ebrahimi
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Chad A Mirkin
- Department of Chemistry and International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
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47
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Coughlin DG, Litvan I. Progressive supranuclear palsy: Advances in diagnosis and management. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2020; 73:105-116. [PMID: 32487421 PMCID: PMC7462164 DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2020.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a complex clinicopathologic disease with no current cure or disease modulating therapies that can only be definitively confirmed at autopsy. Growing understanding of the phenotypic diversity of PSP has led to expanded clinical criteria and new insights into etiopathogenesis that coupled with improved in vivo biomarkers makes increased access to current clinical trials possible. Current standard-of-care treatment of PSP is multidisciplinary, supportive and symptomatic, and several trials of potentially disease modulating agents have already been completed with disappointing results. Current ongoing clinical trials target the abnormal aggregation of tau through a variety of mechanisms including immunotherapy and gene therapy offer a more direct method of treatment. Here we review PSP clinicopathologic correlations, in vivo biomarkers including MRI, PET, and CSF biomarkers. We additionally review current pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic methods of treatment, prior and ongoing clinical trials in PSP. Newly expanded clinical criteria and improved specific biomarkers will aid in identifying patients with PSP earlier and more accurately and expand access to these potentially beneficial clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- David G Coughlin
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Irene Litvan
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA.
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48
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Antisense Oligonucleotide in LNA-Gapmer Design Targeting TGFBR2-A Key Single Gene Target for Safe and Effective Inhibition of TGFβ Signaling. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21061952. [PMID: 32178467 PMCID: PMC7139664 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21061952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Antisense Oligonucleotides (ASOs) are an emerging drug class in gene modification. In our study we developed a safe, stable, and effective ASO drug candidate in locked nucleic acid (LNA)-gapmer design, targeting TGFβ receptor II (TGFBR2) mRNA. Discovery was performed as a process using state-of-the-art library development and screening. We intended to identify a drug candidate optimized for clinical development, therefore human specificity and gymnotic delivery were favored by design. A staggered process was implemented spanning in-silico-design, in-vitro transfection, and in-vitro gymnotic delivery of small batch syntheses. Primary in-vitro and in-vivo toxicity studies and modification of pre-lead candidates were also part of this selection process. The resulting lead compound NVP-13 unites human specificity and highest efficacy with lowest toxicity. We particularly focused at attenuation of TGFβ signaling, addressing both safety and efficacy. Hence, developing a treatment to potentially recondition numerous pathological processes mediated by elevated TGFβ signaling, we have chosen to create our data in human lung cell lines and human neuronal stem cell lines, each representative for prospective drug developments in pulmonary fibrosis and neurodegeneration. We show that TGFBR2 mRNA as a single gene target for NVP-13 responds well, and that it bears great potential to be safe and efficient in TGFβ signaling related disorders.
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49
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Poplawski SG, Garbett KA, McMahan RL, Kordasiewicz HB, Zhao H, Kennedy AJ, Goleva SB, Sanders TH, Motley ST, Swayze EE, Ecker DJ, Sweatt JD, Michael TP, Greer CB. An Antisense Oligonucleotide Leads to Suppressed Transcription of Hdac2 and Long-Term Memory Enhancement. MOLECULAR THERAPY-NUCLEIC ACIDS 2020; 19:1399-1412. [PMID: 32160709 PMCID: PMC7047133 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2020.01.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 01/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Knockout of the memory suppressor gene histone deacetylase 2 (Hdac2) in mice elicits cognitive enhancement, and drugs that block HDAC2 have potential as therapeutics for disorders affecting memory. Currently available HDAC2 catalytic activity inhibitors are not fully isoform specific and have short half-lives. Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are drugs that elicit extremely long-lasting, specific inhibition through base pairing with RNA targets. We utilized an ASO to reduce Hdac2 messenger RNA (mRNA) in mice and determined its longevity, specificity, and mechanism of repression. A single injection of the Hdac2-targeted ASO in the central nervous system produced persistent reduction in HDAC2 protein and Hdac2 mRNA levels for 16 weeks. It enhanced object location memory for 8 weeks. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis of brain tissues revealed that the repression was specific to Hdac2 relative to related Hdac isoforms, and Hdac2 reduction caused alterations in the expression of genes involved in extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and memory-associated immune signaling pathways. Hdac2-targeted ASOs also suppress a nonpolyadenylated Hdac2 regulatory RNA and elicit direct transcriptional suppression of the Hdac2 gene through stalling RNA polymerase II. These findings identify transcriptional suppression of the target gene as a novel mechanism of action of ASOs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shane G Poplawski
- J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA; Ibis Biosciences and Abbott Company, Carlsbad, CA, USA
| | | | - Rebekah L McMahan
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | | | - Hien Zhao
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, CA, USA
| | | | - Slavina B Goleva
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Teresa H Sanders
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | | | | | - David J Ecker
- Ibis Biosciences and Abbott Company, Carlsbad, CA, USA
| | - J David Sweatt
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Todd P Michael
- J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA; Ibis Biosciences and Abbott Company, Carlsbad, CA, USA.
| | - Celeste B Greer
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
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50
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Goodman LD, Bonini NM. New Roles for Canonical Transcription Factors in Repeat Expansion Diseases. Trends Genet 2019; 36:81-92. [PMID: 31837826 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2019.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The presence of microsatellite repeat expansions within genes is associated with >30 neurological diseases. Of interest, (GGGGCC)>30-repeats within C9orf72 are associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia (ALS/FTD). These expansions can be 100s to 1000s of units long. Thus, it is perplexing how RNA-polymerase II (RNAPII) can successfully transcribe them. Recent investigations focusing on GGGGCC-transcription have identified specific, canonical complexes that may promote RNAPII-transcription at these GC-rich microsatellites: the DSIF complex and PAF1C. These complexes may be important for resolving the unique secondary structures formed by GGGGCC-DNA during transcription. Importantly, this process can produce potentially toxic repeat-containing RNA that can encode potentially toxic peptides, impacting neuron function and health. Understanding how transcription of these repeats occurs has implications for therapeutics in multiple diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey D Goodman
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Neurological Research Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Nancy M Bonini
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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