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Osanai Y, Xing YL, Mochizuki S, Kobayashi K, Homman-Ludiye J, Cooray A, Poh J, Inutsuka A, Ohno N, Merson TD. 5' Transgenes drive leaky expression of 3' transgenes in Cre-inducible bi-cistronic vectors. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2024; 32:101288. [PMID: 39104576 PMCID: PMC11298883 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2024.101288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
Molecular cloning techniques enabling contemporaneous expression of two or more protein-coding sequences provide an invaluable tool for understanding the molecular regulation of cellular functions. The Cre-lox system is used for inducing the expression of recombinant proteins encoded within a bi-/poly-cistronic cassette. However, leak expression of transgenes is often observed in the absence of Cre recombinase activity, compromising the utility of this approach. To investigate the mechanism of leak expression, we generated Cre-inducible bi-cistronic vectors to monitor the expression of transgenes positioned either 5' or 3' of a 2A peptide or internal ribosomal entry site (IRES) sequence. Cells transfected with these bi-cistronic vectors exhibited Cre-independent leak expression specifically of transgenes positioned 3' of the 2A peptide or IRES sequence. Similarly, AAV-FLEX vectors encoding bi-cistronic cassettes or fusion proteins revealed the selective Cre-independent leak expression of transgenes positioned at the 3' end of the open reading frame. Our data demonstrate that 5' transgenes confer promoter-like activity that drives the expression of 3' transgenes. An additional lox-STOP-lox cassette between the 2A sequence and 3' transgene dramatically decreased Cre-independent transgene expression. Our findings highlight the need for appropriate experimental controls when using Cre-inducible bi-/poly-cistronic constructs and inform improved design of vectors for more tightly regulated inducible transgene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuyuki Osanai
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, 15 Innovation Walk, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- Department of Anatomy, Division of Histology and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi 329-0431, Japan
| | - Yao Lulu Xing
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, 15 Innovation Walk, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Shinya Mochizuki
- Department of Anatomy, Bioimaging and Neuro-cell Science, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi 329-0431, Japan
| | - Kenta Kobayashi
- Section of Viral Vector Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Myodaiji, Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
- The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Shonan Village, Hayama, Kanagawa 240-0193, Japan
| | - Jihane Homman-Ludiye
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, 15 Innovation Walk, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Amali Cooray
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, 15 Innovation Walk, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Jasmine Poh
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, 15 Innovation Walk, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Ayumu Inutsuka
- Division of Brain and Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi 329-0431, Japan
| | - Nobuhiko Ohno
- Department of Anatomy, Division of Histology and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi 329-0431, Japan
- Division of Ultrastructure Research, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Myodaiji, Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
| | - Tobias D. Merson
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, 15 Innovation Walk, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- Oligodendroglial Interactions Group, Systems Neurodevelopment Laboratory, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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2
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Huang KP, Acosta AA, Ghidewon MY, McKnight AD, Almeida MS, Nyema NT, Hanchak ND, Patel N, Gbenou YSK, Adriaenssens AE, Bolding KA, Alhadeff AL. Dissociable hindbrain GLP1R circuits for satiety and aversion. Nature 2024; 632:585-593. [PMID: 38987598 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07685-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
The most successful obesity therapeutics, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP1R) agonists, cause aversive responses such as nausea and vomiting1,2, effects that may contribute to their efficacy. Here, we investigated the brain circuits that link satiety to aversion, and unexpectedly discovered that the neural circuits mediating these effects are functionally separable. Systematic investigation across drug-accessible GLP1R populations revealed that only hindbrain neurons are required for the efficacy of GLP1-based obesity drugs. In vivo two-photon imaging of hindbrain GLP1R neurons demonstrated that most neurons are tuned to either nutritive or aversive stimuli, but not both. Furthermore, simultaneous imaging of hindbrain subregions indicated that area postrema (AP) GLP1R neurons are broadly responsive, whereas nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) GLP1R neurons are biased towards nutritive stimuli. Strikingly, separate manipulation of these populations demonstrated that activation of NTSGLP1R neurons triggers satiety in the absence of aversion, whereas activation of APGLP1R neurons triggers strong aversion with food intake reduction. Anatomical and behavioural analyses revealed that NTSGLP1R and APGLP1R neurons send projections to different downstream brain regions to drive satiety and aversion, respectively. Importantly, GLP1R agonists reduce food intake even when the aversion pathway is inhibited. Overall, these findings highlight NTSGLP1R neurons as a population that could be selectively targeted to promote weight loss while avoiding the adverse side effects that limit treatment adherence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Misgana Y Ghidewon
- Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Aaron D McKnight
- Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Nisha Patel
- Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Alice E Adriaenssens
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Kevin A Bolding
- Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Amber L Alhadeff
- Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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3
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Rallapalli H, McCall EC, Koretsky AP. Genetic control of MRI contrast using the manganese transporter Zip14. Magn Reson Med 2024; 92:820-835. [PMID: 38573932 PMCID: PMC11142883 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.29993] [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: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Gene-expression reporter systems, such as green fluorescent protein, have been instrumental to understanding biological processes in living organisms at organ system, tissue, cell, and molecular scales. More than 30 years of work on developing MRI-visible gene-expression reporter systems has resulted in a variety of clever application-specific methods. However, these techniques have not yet been widely adopted, so a general-purpose expression reporter is still required. Here, we demonstrate that the manganese ion transporter Zip14 is an in vivo MRI-visible, flexible, and robust gene-expression reporter to meet this need. METHODS Plasmid constructs consisting of a cell type-specific promoter, gene coding for human Zip14, and a histology-visible tag were packaged into adeno-associated viruses. These viruses were intracranially injected into the mouse brain. Serial in vivo MRI was performed using a vendor-supplied 3D-MPRAGE sequence. No additional contrast agents were administered. Animals were sacrificed after the last imaging timepoint for immunohistological validation. RESULTS Neuron-specific overexpression of Zip14 produced substantial and long-lasting changes in MRI contrast. Using appropriate viruses enabled both anterograde and retrograde neural tracing. Expression of Zip14 in astrocytes also enabled MRI of glia populations in the living mammalian brain. CONCLUSIONS The flexibility of this system as an MRI-visible gene-expression reporter will enable many applications of serial, high-resolution imaging of gene expression for basic science and therapy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harikrishna Rallapalli
- Section on Plasticity and Imaging of the Nervous System, NINDS/NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Eleanor C McCall
- Section on Plasticity and Imaging of the Nervous System, NINDS/NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Alan P Koretsky
- Section on Plasticity and Imaging of the Nervous System, NINDS/NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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4
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Bihorac J, Salem Y, Lückemann L, Schedlowski M, Doenlen R, Engler H, Mark MD, Dombrowski K, Spoida K, Hadamitzky M. Investigations on the Ability of the Insular Cortex to Process Peripheral Immunosuppression. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol 2024; 19:40. [PMID: 39078442 PMCID: PMC11289148 DOI: 10.1007/s11481-024-10143-9] [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: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
The brain and immune system communicate through complex bidirectional pathways, but the specificity by which the brain perceives or even remembers alterations in immune homeostasis is still poorly understood. Recent data revealed that immune-related information under peripheral inflammatory conditions, termed as "immunengram", were represented in specific neuronal ensembles in the insular cortex (IC). Chemogenetic reactivation of these neuronal ensembles was sufficient to retrieve the inflammatory stages, indicating that the brain can store and retrieve specific immune responses. Against this background, the current approach was designed to investigate the ability of the IC to process states of immunosuppression pharmacologically induced by the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor rapamycin. We here show that the IC perceives the initial state of immunosuppression, reflected by increased deep-brain electroencephalography (EEG) activity during acute immunosuppressive drug treatment. Following an experienced period of immunosuppression, though, diminished splenic cytokine production as formerly induced by rapamycin could not be reinstated by nonspecific chemogenetic activation or inhibition of the IC. These findings suggest that the information of a past, or experienced status of pharmacologically induced immunosuppression is not represented in the IC. Together, the present work extends the view of immune-to-brain communication during the states of peripheral immunosuppression and foster the prominent role of the IC for interoception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Bihorac
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Immunobiology, Center for Translational Neuro- Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, 45147, Germany
| | - Yasmin Salem
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Immunobiology, Center for Translational Neuro- Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, 45147, Germany
| | - Laura Lückemann
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Immunobiology, Center for Translational Neuro- Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, 45147, Germany
| | - Manfred Schedlowski
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Immunobiology, Center for Translational Neuro- Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, 45147, Germany
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Raphael Doenlen
- Center of Phenogenomics, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Harald Engler
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Immunobiology, Center for Translational Neuro- Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, 45147, Germany
| | - Melanie D Mark
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Faculty for Biology and Biotechnology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Kirsten Dombrowski
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Immunobiology, Center for Translational Neuro- Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, 45147, Germany
| | - Katharina Spoida
- Department of General Zoology and Neurobiology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Martin Hadamitzky
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Immunobiology, Center for Translational Neuro- Behavioral Sciences (C-TNBS), University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, 45147, Germany.
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5
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Fogaça MV, Daher F, Picciotto MR. Effects of ketamine on GABAergic and glutamatergic activity in the mPFC: biphasic recruitment of GABA function in antidepressant-like responses. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.29.605610. [PMID: 39131322 PMCID: PMC11312475 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.29.605610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with disruptions in glutamatergic and GABAergic activity in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), leading to altered synaptic formation and function. Low doses of ketamine rapidly rescue these deficits, inducing fast and sustained antidepressant effects. While it is suggested that ketamine produces a rapid glutamatergic enhancement in the mPFC, the temporal dynamics and the involvement of GABA interneurons in its sustained effects remain unclear. Using simultaneous photometry recordings of calcium activity in mPFC pyramidal and GABA neurons, as well as chemogenetic approaches in Gad1-Cre mice, we explored the hypothesis that initial effects of ketamine on glutamate signaling trigger subsequent enhancement of GABAergic responses, contributing to its sustained antidepressant responses. Calcium recordings revealed a biphasic effect of ketamine on activity of mPFC GABA neurons, characterized by an initial transient decrease (phase 1, <30 min) followed by an increase (phase 2, >60 min), in parallel with a transient increase in excitation/inhibition levels (10 min) and lasting enhancement of glutamatergic activity (30-120 min). Previous administration of ketamine enhanced GABA neuron activity during the sucrose splash test (SUST) and novelty suppressed feeding test (NSFT), 24 h and 72 h post-treatment, respectively. Chemogenetic inhibition of GABA interneurons during the surge of GABAergic activity (phase 2), or immediately before the SUST or NSFT, occluded ketamine's behavioral actions. These results indicate that time-dependent modulation of GABAergic activity is required for the sustained antidepressant-like responses induced by ketamine, suggesting that approaches to enhance GABAergic plasticity and function are promising therapeutic targets for antidepressant development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoela V. Fogaça
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
| | - Fernanda Daher
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester Medical Center, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Marina R. Picciotto
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, New Haven, CT 06519, USA
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6
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Ha LJ, Yeo HG, Kim YG, Baek I, Baeg E, Lee YH, Won J, Jung Y, Park J, Jeon CY, Kim K, Min J, Song Y, Park JH, Nam KR, Son S, Yoo SBM, Park SH, Choi WS, Lim KS, Choi JY, Cho JH, Lee Y, Choi HJ. Hypothalamic neuronal activation in non-human primates drives naturalistic goal-directed eating behavior. Neuron 2024; 112:2218-2230.e6. [PMID: 38663401 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
Maladaptive feeding behavior is the primary cause of modern obesity. While the causal influence of the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) on eating behavior has been established in rodents, there is currently no primate-based evidence available on naturalistic eating behaviors. We investigated the role of LHA GABAergic (LHAGABA) neurons in eating using chemogenetics in three macaques. LHAGABA neuron activation significantly increased naturalistic goal-directed behaviors and food motivation, predominantly for palatable food. Positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance spectroscopy validated chemogenetic activation. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging revealed that the functional connectivity (FC) between the LHA and frontal areas was increased, while the FC between the frontal cortices was decreased after LHAGABA neuron activation. Thus, our study elucidates the role of LHAGABA neurons in eating and obesity therapeutics for primates and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie Jaesun Ha
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience Research Institute, Wide River Institute of Immunology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeon-Gu Yeo
- National Primate Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Cheongju, Republic of Korea; KRIBB School of Bioscience, Korea National University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yu Gyeong Kim
- National Primate Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Cheongju, Republic of Korea; KRIBB School of Bioscience, Korea National University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Inhyeok Baek
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience Research Institute, Wide River Institute of Immunology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunha Baeg
- Department of Nano-bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon, Republic of Korea; Center for Brain-Machine Interface, Incheon National University, Incheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Hee Lee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience Research Institute, Wide River Institute of Immunology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinyoung Won
- National Primate Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Yunkyo Jung
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience Research Institute, Wide River Institute of Immunology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; National Primate Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Junghyung Park
- National Primate Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Yeop Jeon
- National Primate Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Keonwoo Kim
- National Primate Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Cheongju, Republic of Korea; School of Life Sciences, BK21 Plus KNU Creative BioResearch Group, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Jisun Min
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience Research Institute, Wide River Institute of Immunology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; National Primate Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngkyu Song
- Center for Bio-imaging and Translational Research, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong-Heon Park
- Center for Bio-imaging and Translational Research, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung Rok Nam
- Division of Applied RI, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangkyu Son
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Suwon, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea; Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seng Bum Michael Yoo
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Suwon, Republic of Korea; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea; Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Hyun Park
- National Primate Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Won Seok Choi
- National Primate Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung Seob Lim
- Futuristic Animal Resource and Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Yong Choi
- Division of Applied RI, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Radiological and Medico-Oncological Sciences, Korea National University of Science and, Technology, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jee-Hyun Cho
- Center for Bio-imaging and Translational Research, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju, Republic of Korea.
| | - Youngjeon Lee
- National Primate Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Cheongju, Republic of Korea; KRIBB School of Bioscience, Korea National University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hyung Jin Choi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience Research Institute, Wide River Institute of Immunology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
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7
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Zhang Z, Su J, Tang J, Chung L, Page JC, Winter CC, Liu Y, Kegeles E, Conti S, Zhang Y, Biundo J, Chalif JI, Hua CY, Yang Z, Yao X, Yang Y, Chen S, Schwab JM, Wang KH, Chen C, Prerau MJ, He Z. Spinal projecting neurons in rostral ventromedial medulla co-regulate motor and sympathetic tone. Cell 2024; 187:3427-3444.e21. [PMID: 38733990 PMCID: PMC11193620 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.04.022] [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: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Many behaviors require the coordinated actions of somatic and autonomic functions. However, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. By opto-stimulating different populations of descending spinal projecting neurons (SPNs) in anesthetized mice, we show that stimulation of excitatory SPNs in the rostral ventromedial medulla (rVMM) resulted in a simultaneous increase in somatomotor and sympathetic activities. Conversely, opto-stimulation of rVMM inhibitory SPNs decreased both activities. Anatomically, these SPNs innervate both sympathetic preganglionic neurons and motor-related regions in the spinal cord. Fiber-photometry recording indicated that the activities of rVMM SPNs correlate with different levels of muscle and sympathetic tone during distinct arousal states. Inhibiting rVMM excitatory SPNs reduced basal muscle and sympathetic tone, impairing locomotion initiation and high-speed performance. In contrast, silencing the inhibitory population abolished muscle atonia and sympathetic hypoactivity during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Together, these results identify rVMM SPNs as descending spinal projecting pathways controlling the tone of both the somatomotor and sympathetic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zicong Zhang
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Junfeng Su
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jing Tang
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Leeyup Chung
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jessica C Page
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Carla C Winter
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard/MIT MD-PhD Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yuchu Liu
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Evgenii Kegeles
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; PhD Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sara Conti
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yu Zhang
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jason Biundo
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joshua I Chalif
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Charles Y Hua
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zhiyun Yang
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xue Yao
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yang Yang
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shuqiang Chen
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jan M Schwab
- Belford Center for Spinal Cord Injury, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; Departments of Neurology and Neuroscience, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Kuan Hong Wang
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Chinfei Chen
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael J Prerau
- Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zhigang He
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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8
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Hunter JE, Molony CM, Bagel JH, O’Donnell P, Vite CH, Chawla S, Poptani H, Wolfe JH. Widespread correction of brain pathology in feline alpha-mannosidosis by dose escalation of intracisternal AAV vector injection. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2024; 32:101272. [PMID: 38946937 PMCID: PMC11214173 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2024.101272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Alpha-mannosidosis is caused by a genetic deficiency of lysosomal alpha-mannosidase, leading to the widespread presence of storage lesions in the brain and other tissues. Enzyme replacement therapy is available but is not approved for treating the CNS, since the enzyme does not penetrate the blood-brain barrier. However, intellectual disability is a major manifestation of the disease; thus, a complimentary treatment is needed. While enzyme replacement therapy into the brain is technically feasible, it requires ports and frequent administration over time that are difficult to manage medically. Infusion of adeno-associated viral vectors into the cerebrospinal fluid is an attractive route for broadly targeting brain cells. We demonstrate here the widespread post-symptomatic correction of the globally distributed storage lesions by infusion of a high dose of AAV1-feline alpha-mannosidase (fMANB) into the CSF via the cisterna magna in the gyrencephalic alpha-mannosidosis cat brain. Significant improvements in clinical parameters occurred, and widespread global correction was documented pre-mortem by non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging. Postmortem analysis demonstrated high levels of MANB activity and reversal of lysosomal storage lesions throughout the brain. Thus, CSF treatment by adeno-associated viral vector gene therapy appears to be a suitable complement to systemic enzyme replacement therapy to potentially treat the whole patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline E. Hunter
- Research Institute of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Caitlyn M. Molony
- W.F. Goodman Center for Comparative Medical Genetics, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jessica H. Bagel
- W.F. Goodman Center for Comparative Medical Genetics, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Patricia O’Donnell
- W.F. Goodman Center for Comparative Medical Genetics, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Charles H. Vite
- W.F. Goodman Center for Comparative Medical Genetics, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sanjeev Chawla
- Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | | | - John H. Wolfe
- Research Institute of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- W.F. Goodman Center for Comparative Medical Genetics, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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9
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Gonzalez Burgos G, Miyamae T, Nishihata Y, Krimer OL, Wade K, Fish KN, Arion D, Cai ZL, Xue M, Stauffer WR, Lewis DA. Synaptic alterations in pyramidal cells following genetic manipulation of neuronal excitability in monkey prefrontal cortex. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.12.598658. [PMID: 38915638 PMCID: PMC11195287 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.12.598658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
In schizophrenia, layer 3 pyramidal neurons (L3PNs) in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) are thought to receive fewer excitatory synaptic inputs and to have lower expression levels of activity-dependent genes and of genes involved in mitochondrial energy production. In concert, these findings from previous studies suggest that DLPFC L3PNs are hypoactive in schizophrenia, disrupting the patterns of activity that are crucial for working memory, which is impaired in the illness. However, whether lower PN activity produces alterations in inhibitory and/or excitatory synaptic strength has not been tested in the primate DLPFC. Here, we decreased PN excitability in rhesus monkey DLPFC in vivo using adeno-associated viral vectors (AAVs) to produce Cre recombinase-mediated overexpression of Kir2.1 channels, a genetic silencing tool that efficiently decreases neuronal excitability. In acute slices prepared from DLPFC 7-12 weeks post-AAV microinjections, Kir2.1-overexpressing PNs had a significantly reduced excitability largely attributable to highly specific effects of the AAV-encoded Kir2.1 channels. Moreover, recordings of synaptic currents showed that Kir2.1-overexpressing DLPFC PNs had reduced strength of excitatory synapses whereas inhibitory synaptic inputs were not affected. The decrease in excitatory synaptic strength was not associated with changes in dendritic spine number, suggesting that excitatory synapse quantity was unaltered in Kir2.1-overexpressing DLPFC PNs. These findings suggest that, in schizophrenia, the excitatory synapses on hypoactive L3PNs are weaker and thus might represent a substrate for novel therapeutic interventions. Significance Statement In schizophrenia, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) pyramidal neurons (PNs) have both transcriptional and structural alterations that suggest they are hypoactive. PN hypoactivity is thought to produce synaptic alterations in schizophrenia, however the effects of lower neuronal activity on synaptic function in primate DLPFC have not been examined. Here, we used, for the first time in primate neocortex, adeno-associated viral vectors (AAVs) to reduce PN excitability with Kir2.1 channel overexpression and tested if this manipulation altered the strength of synaptic inputs onto the Kir2.1-overexpressing PNs. Recordings in DLPFC slices showed that Kir2.1 overexpression depressed excitatory (but not inhibitory), synaptic currents, suggesting that, in schizophrenia, the hypoactivity of PNs might be exacerbated by reduced strength of the excitatory synapses they receive.
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10
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Hu SW, Lv J, Wang Z, Tang H, Wang H, Wang F, Wang D, Zhang J, Zhang L, Cao Q, Chen Y, Gao Z, Han Y, Wang W, Li GL, Shu Y, Li H. Engineering of the AAV-Compatible Hair Cell-Specific Small-Size Myo15 Promoter for Gene Therapy in the Inner Ear. RESEARCH (WASHINGTON, D.C.) 2024; 7:0341. [PMID: 38665848 PMCID: PMC11045262 DOI: 10.34133/research.0341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated gene therapy is widely applied to treat numerous hereditary diseases in animal models and humans. The specific expression of AAV-delivered transgenes driven by cell type-specific promoters should further increase the safety of gene therapy. However, current methods for screening cell type-specific promoters are labor-intensive and time-consuming. Herein, we designed a "multiple vectors in one AAV" strategy for promoter construction in vivo. Through this strategy, we truncated a native promoter for Myo15 expression in hair cells (HCs) in the inner ear, from 1,611 bp down to 1,157 bp, and further down to 956 bp. Under the control of these 2 promoters, green fluorescent protein packaged in AAV-PHP.eB was exclusively expressed in the HCs. The transcription initiation ability of the 2 promoters was further verified by intein-mediated otoferlin recombination in a dual-AAV therapeutic system. Driven by these 2 promoters, human otoferlin was selectively expressed in HCs, resulting in the restoration of hearing in treated Otof -/- mice for at least 52 weeks. In summary, we developed an efficient screening strategy for cell type-specific promoter engineering and created 2 truncated Myo15 promoters that not only restored hereditary deafness in animal models but also show great potential for treating human patients in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shao Wei Hu
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China
- Institute of Biomedical Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine (Fudan University), Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jun Lv
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China
- Institute of Biomedical Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine (Fudan University), Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Zijing Wang
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China
- Institute of Biomedical Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine (Fudan University), Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Honghai Tang
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China
- Institute of Biomedical Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine (Fudan University), Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Hui Wang
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China
- Institute of Biomedical Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine (Fudan University), Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Fang Wang
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China
- Institute of Biomedical Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine (Fudan University), Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Daqi Wang
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China
- Institute of Biomedical Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine (Fudan University), Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Juan Zhang
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China
- Institute of Biomedical Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine (Fudan University), Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Longlong Zhang
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China
- Institute of Biomedical Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine (Fudan University), Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Qi Cao
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China
- Institute of Biomedical Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine (Fudan University), Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yuxin Chen
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China
- Institute of Biomedical Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine (Fudan University), Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Ziwen Gao
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China
- Institute of Biomedical Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine (Fudan University), Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yu Han
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China
- Institute of Biomedical Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine (Fudan University), Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Wuqing Wang
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China
- Institute of Biomedical Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine (Fudan University), Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Geng-lin Li
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China
- Institute of Biomedical Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine (Fudan University), Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yilai Shu
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China
- Institute of Biomedical Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine (Fudan University), Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Huawei Li
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China
- Institute of Biomedical Science,
Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine (Fudan University), Shanghai, 200032, China
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11
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Shmal D, Mantero G, Floss T, Benfenati F, Maya-Vetencourt JF. Restoring vision in adult amblyopia by enhancing plasticity through deletion of the transcriptional repressor REST. iScience 2024; 27:109507. [PMID: 38591011 PMCID: PMC11000024 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Visual cortical plasticity is high during early life, but gradually decreases with development. This is due to the Otx2-driven maturation of intracortical inhibition that parallels the condensation of extracellular matrix components into perineuronal nets mainly around parvalbumin-positive GABAergic neurons. Repressor Element 1 Silencing Transcription (REST) epigenetically controls the expression of a plethora of neuron-specific genes. We demonstrate that the conditional knockout of REST in the primary visual cortex of adult mice induces a shift of ocular dominance after short-term monocular deprivation and promotes the recovery of vision in long-term deprived animals after reverse suture. These phenomena paralleled a reduction of perineuronal net density and increased expression of REST target genes, but not of the homeoprotein Otx2 in the visual cortex contralateral to the deprived eye. This shows that REST regulates adult visual cortical plasticity and is a potential therapeutic target to restore vision in adult amblyopia by enhancing V1 plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmytro Shmal
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - Giulia Mantero
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Thomas Floss
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Fabio Benfenati
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy
| | - José Fernando Maya-Vetencourt
- Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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12
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Wang H, Xun M, Tang H, Zhao J, Hu S, Zhang L, Lv J, Wang D, Chen Y, Liu J, Li GL, Wang W, Shu Y, Li H. Hair cell-specific Myo15 promoter-mediated gene therapy rescues hearing in DFNB9 mouse model. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2024; 35:102135. [PMID: 38404504 PMCID: PMC10883836 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102135] [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] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors are increasingly used as vehicles for gene delivery to treat hearing loss. However, lack of specificity of the transgene expression may lead to overexpression of the transgene in nontarget tissues. In this study, we evaluated the expression efficiency and specificity of transgene delivered by AAV-PHP.eB under the inner ear sensory cell-specific Myo15 promoter. Compared with the ubiquitous CAG promoter, the Myo15 promoter initiates efficient expression of the GFP fluorescence reporter in hair cells, while minimizing non-specific expression in other cell types of the inner ear and CNS. Furthermore, using the Myo15 promoter, we constructed an AAV-mediated therapeutic system with the coding sequence of OTOF gene. After inner ear injection, we observed apparent hearing recovery in Otof-/- mice, highly efficient expression of exogenous otoferlin, and significant improvement in the exocytosis function of inner hair cells. Overall, our results indicate that gene therapy mediated by the hair cell-specific Myo15 promoter has potential clinical application for the treatment of autosomal recessive deafness and yet for other hereditary hearing loss related to dysfunction of hair cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - MengZhao Xun
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Honghai Tang
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jingjing Zhao
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Shaowei Hu
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Longlong Zhang
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jun Lv
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Daqi Wang
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Yuxin Chen
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jianping Liu
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Geng-lin Li
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Wuqing Wang
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Yilai Shu
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Huawei Li
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
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13
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Simpson EH, Akam T, Patriarchi T, Blanco-Pozo M, Burgeno LM, Mohebi A, Cragg SJ, Walton ME. Lights, fiber, action! A primer on in vivo fiber photometry. Neuron 2024; 112:718-739. [PMID: 38103545 PMCID: PMC10939905 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.11.016] [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: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Fiber photometry is a key technique for characterizing brain-behavior relationships in vivo. Initially, it was primarily used to report calcium dynamics as a proxy for neural activity via genetically encoded indicators. This generated new insights into brain functions including movement, memory, and motivation at the level of defined circuits and cell types. Recently, the opportunity for discovery with fiber photometry has exploded with the development of an extensive range of fluorescent sensors for biomolecules including neuromodulators and peptides that were previously inaccessible in vivo. This critical advance, combined with the new availability of affordable "plug-and-play" recording systems, has made monitoring molecules with high spatiotemporal precision during behavior highly accessible. However, while opening exciting new avenues for research, the rapid expansion in fiber photometry applications has occurred without coordination or consensus on best practices. Here, we provide a comprehensive guide to help end-users execute, analyze, and suitably interpret fiber photometry studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor H Simpson
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA; New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Thomas Akam
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Tommaso Patriarchi
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zürich, University and ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Marta Blanco-Pozo
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Lauren M Burgeno
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Ali Mohebi
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Stephanie J Cragg
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Mark E Walton
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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14
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Parks TV, Szczupak D, Choi SH, Schaeffer DJ. Noninvasive focal transgene delivery with viral neuronal tracers in the marmoset monkey. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2024; 4:100709. [PMID: 38359822 PMCID: PMC10921014 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2024.100709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
We establish a reliable method for selectively delivering adeno-associated viral vectors (AAVs) across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in the marmoset without the need for neurosurgical injection. We focally perturbed the BBB (∼1 × 2 mm) in area 8aD of the frontal cortex in four adult marmoset monkeys using low-intensity transcranial focused ultrasound aided by microbubbles. Within an hour of opening the BBB, either AAV2 or AAV9 was delivered systemically via tail-vein injection. In all four marmosets, fluorescence-encoded neurons were observed at the site of BBB perturbation, with AAV2 showing a sparse distribution of transduced neurons when compared to AAV9. The results are compared to direct intracortical injections of anterograde tracers into area 8aD and similar (albeit sparser) long-range connectivity was observed. With evidence of transduced neurons specific to the region of BBB opening as well as long-distance tracing, we establish a framework for focal noninvasive transgene delivery to the marmoset brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Vincenza Parks
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Diego Szczupak
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Sang-Ho Choi
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - David J Schaeffer
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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15
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Araujo VG, Dias MS, Hauswirth WW, Linden R, Petrs-Silva H. rAAV-compatible human mini promoters enhance transgene expression in rat retinal ganglion cells. Exp Eye Res 2024; 239:109758. [PMID: 38123011 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2023.109758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors (rAAV) are the safest and most effective gene delivery platform to drive the treatment of many inherited eye disorders in well-characterized animal models. The use in rAAV of ubiquitous promoters derived from viral sequences such as CMV/CBA (chicken β-actin promoter with cytomegalovirus enhancer) can lead to unwanted side effects such as pro-inflammatory immune responses and retinal cytotoxicity, thus reducing therapy efficacy. Thus, an advance in gene therapy is the availability of small promoters, that potentiate and direct gene expression to the cell type of interest, with higher safety and efficacy. In this study, we used six human mini-promoters packaged in rAAV2 quadruple mutant (Y-F) to test for transduction of the rat retina after intravitreal injection. After four weeks, immunohistochemical analysis detected GFP-labeled cells in the ganglion cell layer (GCL) for all constructs tested. Among them, Ple25sh1, Ple25sh2 and Ple53 promoted a widespread reporter-transgene expression in the GCL, with an increased number of GFP-expressing retinal ganglion cells when compared with the CMV/CBA vector. Moreover, Ple53 provided the strongest levels of GFP fluorescence in both cell soma and axons of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) without any detectable adverse effects in retina function. Remarkably, a nearly 50-fold reduction in the number of intravitreally injected vector particles containing Ple53 promoter, still attained levels of transgene expression similar to CMV/CBA. Thus, the tested MiniPs show great potential for protocols of retinal gene therapy in therapeutic applications for retinal degenerations, especially those involving RGC-related disorders such as glaucoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor G Araujo
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy and Viral Vector, Carlos Chagas Filho Institute of Biophysics, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Mariana S Dias
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy and Viral Vector, Carlos Chagas Filho Institute of Biophysics, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - William W Hauswirth
- Retinal Gene Therapy Group, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Rafael Linden
- Laboratory of Neurogenesis, Carlos Chagas Filho Institute of Biophysics, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Hilda Petrs-Silva
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy and Viral Vector, Carlos Chagas Filho Institute of Biophysics, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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16
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O'Rawe JF, Zhou Z, Li AJ, LaFosse PK, Goldbach HC, Histed MH. Excitation creates a distributed pattern of cortical suppression due to varied recurrent input. Neuron 2023; 111:4086-4101.e5. [PMID: 37865083 PMCID: PMC10872553 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
Dense local, recurrent connections are a major feature of cortical circuits, yet how they affect neurons' responses has been unclear, with some studies reporting weak recurrent effects, some reporting amplification, and others indicating local suppression. Here, we show that optogenetic input to mouse V1 excitatory neurons generates salt-and-pepper patterns of both excitation and suppression. Responses in individual neurons are not strongly predicted by that neuron's direct input. A balanced-state network model reconciles a set of diverse observations: the observed dynamics, suppressed responses, decoupling of input and output, and long tail of excited responses. The model shows recurrent excitatory-excitatory connections are strong and also variable across neurons. Together, these results demonstrate that excitatory recurrent connections can have major effects on cortical computations by shaping and changing neurons' responses to input.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan F O'Rawe
- National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Program, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Zhishang Zhou
- National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Program, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Anna J Li
- National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Program, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Paul K LaFosse
- National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Program, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA; NIH-University of Maryland Graduate Partnerships Program, Bethesda, MD, USA; Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Hannah C Goldbach
- National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Program, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Mark H Histed
- National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Program, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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17
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Zhang L, Wang H, Xun M, Tang H, Wang J, Lv J, Zhu B, Chen Y, Wang D, Hu S, Gao Z, Liu J, Chen ZY, Chen B, Li H, Shu Y. Preclinical evaluation of the efficacy and safety of AAV1-hOTOF in mice and nonhuman primates. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2023; 31:101154. [PMID: 38027066 PMCID: PMC10679773 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2023.101154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Pathogenic mutations in the OTOF gene cause autosomal recessive hearing loss (DFNB9), one of the most common forms of auditory neuropathy. There is no biological treatment for DFNB9. Here, we designed an OTOF gene therapy agent by dual-adeno-associated virus 1 (AAV1) carrying human OTOF coding sequences with the expression driven by the hair cell-specific promoter Myo15, AAV1-hOTOF. To develop a clinical application of AAV1-hOTOF gene therapy, we evaluated its efficacy and safety in animal models using pharmacodynamics, behavior, and histopathology. AAV1-hOTOF inner ear delivery significantly improved hearing in Otof-/- mice without affecting normal hearing in wild-type mice. AAV1 was predominately distributed to the cochlea, although it was detected in other organs such as the CNS and the liver, and no obvious toxic effects of AAV1-hOTOF were observed in mice. To further evaluate the safety of Myo15 promoter-driven AAV1-transgene, AAV1-GFP was delivered into the inner ear of Macaca fascicularis via the round window membrane. AAV1-GFP transduced 60%-94% of the inner hair cells along the cochlear turns. AAV1-GFP was detected in isolated organs and no significant adverse effects were detected. These results suggest that AAV1-hOTOF is well tolerated and effective in animals, providing critical support for its clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longlong Zhang
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Hui Wang
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Mengzhao Xun
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Honghai Tang
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jinghan Wang
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jun Lv
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Biyun Zhu
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Yuxin Chen
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Daqi Wang
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Shaowei Hu
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Ziwen Gao
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jianping Liu
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Zheng-Yi Chen
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Eaton-Peabody Laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, 243 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Bing Chen
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Huawei Li
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Yilai Shu
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
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18
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Minskaia E, Galieva A, Egorov AD, Ivanov R, Karabelsky A. Viral Vectors in Gene Replacement Therapy. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2023; 88:2157-2178. [PMID: 38462459 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297923120179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Throughout the years, several hundred million people with rare genetic disorders have been receiving only symptom management therapy. However, research and development efforts worldwide have led to the development of long-lasting, highly efficient, and safe gene therapy for a wide range of hereditary diseases. Improved viral vectors are now able to evade the preexisting immunity and more efficiently target and transduce therapeutically relevant cells, ensuring genome maintenance and expression of transgenes at the relevant levels. Hematological, ophthalmological, neurodegenerative, and metabolic therapeutic areas have witnessed successful treatment of hemophilia and muscular dystrophy, restoration of immune system in children with immunodeficiencies, and restoration of vision. This review focuses on three leading vector platforms of the past two decades: adeno-associated viruses (AAVs), adenoviruses (AdVs), and lentiviruses (LVs). Special attention is given to successful preclinical and clinical studies that have led to the approval of gene therapies: six AAV-based (Glybera® for lipoprotein lipase deficiency, Luxturna® for retinal dystrophy, Zolgensma® for spinal muscular atrophy, Upstaza® for AADC, Roctavian® for hemophilia A, and Hemgenix® for hemophilia B) and three LV-based (Libmeldy® for infantile metachromatic leukodystrophy, Zynteglo® for β-thalassemia, and Skysona® for ALD). The review also discusses the problems that arise in the development of gene therapy treatments, which, nevertheless, do not overshadow the successes of already developed gene therapies and the hope these treatments give to long-suffering patients and their families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Minskaia
- Scientific Center of Translational Medicine, Department of Gene Therapy, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi, 354530, Russia.
| | - Alima Galieva
- Scientific Center of Translational Medicine, Department of Gene Therapy, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi, 354530, Russia
| | - Alexander D Egorov
- Scientific Center of Translational Medicine, Department of Gene Therapy, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi, 354530, Russia
| | - Roman Ivanov
- Scientific Center of Translational Medicine, Department of Gene Therapy, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi, 354530, Russia
| | - Alexander Karabelsky
- Scientific Center of Translational Medicine, Department of Gene Therapy, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Sochi, 354530, Russia
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19
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Bangari DS, Lanigan LG, Cramer SD, Grieves JL, Meisner R, Rogers AB, Galbreath EJ, Bolon B. Toxicologic Neuropathology of Novel Biotherapeutics. Toxicol Pathol 2023; 51:414-431. [PMID: 38380881 DOI: 10.1177/01926233241230542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Biotherapeutic modalities such as cell therapies, gene therapies, nucleic acids, and proteins are increasingly investigated as disease-modifying treatments for severe and life-threatening neurodegenerative disorders. Such diverse bio-derived test articles are fraught with unique and often unpredictable biological consequences, while guidance regarding nonclinical experimental design, neuropathology evaluation, and interpretation is often limited. This paper summarizes key messages offered during a half-day continuing education course on toxicologic neuropathology of neuro-targeted biotherapeutics. Topics included fundamental neurobiology concepts, pharmacology, frequent toxicological findings, and their interpretation including adversity decisions. Covered biotherapeutic classes included cell therapies, gene editing and gene therapy vectors, nucleic acids, and proteins. If agents are administered directly into the central nervous system, initial screening using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained sections of currently recommended neural organs (brain [7 levels], spinal cord [3 levels], and sciatic nerve) may need to expand to include other components (e.g., more brain levels, ganglia, and/or additional nerves) and/or special neurohistological procedures to characterize possible neural effects (e.g., cell type-specific markers for reactive glial cells). Scientists who evaluate the safety of novel biologics will find this paper to be a practical reference for preclinical safety testing and risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - René Meisner
- Denali Therapeutics, South San Francisco, California, USA
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20
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Qiao N, Ma L, Zhang Y, Wang L. Update on Nonhuman Primate Models of Brain Disease and Related Research Tools. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2516. [PMID: 37760957 PMCID: PMC10525665 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11092516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The aging of the population is an increasingly serious issue, and many age-related illnesses are on the rise. These illnesses pose a serious threat to the health and safety of elderly individuals and create a serious economic and social burden. Despite substantial research into the pathogenesis of these diseases, their etiology and pathogenesis remain unclear. In recent decades, rodent models have been used in attempts to elucidate these disorders, but such models fail to simulate the full range of symptoms. Nonhuman primates (NHPs) are the most ideal neuroscientific models for studying the human brain and are more functionally similar to humans because of their high genetic similarities and phenotypic characteristics in comparison with humans. Here, we review the literature examining typical NHP brain disease models, focusing on NHP models of common diseases such as dementia, Parkinson's disease, and epilepsy. We also explore the application of electroencephalography (EEG), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and optogenetic study methods on NHPs and neural circuits associated with cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Qiao
- School of Life Sciences, Hebei University, 180 Wusi Dong Lu, Baoding 071002, China;
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, 27 Taiping Road, Beijing 100850, China;
| | - Lizhen Ma
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, 27 Taiping Road, Beijing 100850, China;
| | - Yi Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Hebei University, 180 Wusi Dong Lu, Baoding 071002, China;
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, 27 Taiping Road, Beijing 100850, China;
| | - Lifeng Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Hebei University, 180 Wusi Dong Lu, Baoding 071002, China;
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, 27 Taiping Road, Beijing 100850, China;
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21
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Kimura K, Nagai Y, Hatanaka G, Fang Y, Tanabe S, Zheng A, Fujiwara M, Nakano M, Hori Y, Takeuchi RF, Inagaki M, Minamimoto T, Fujita I, Inoue KI, Takada M. A mosaic adeno-associated virus vector as a versatile tool that exhibits high levels of transgene expression and neuron specificity in primate brain. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4762. [PMID: 37553329 PMCID: PMC10409865 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40436-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent emphasis has been placed on gene transduction mediated through recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector to manipulate activity of neurons and their circuitry in the primate brain. In the present study, we created a novel vector of which capsid was composed of capsid proteins derived from both of the AAV serotypes 1 and 2 (AAV1 and AAV2). Following the injection into the frontal cortex of macaque monkeys, this mosaic vector, termed AAV2.1 vector, was found to exhibit the excellence in transgene expression (for AAV1 vector) and neuron specificity (for AAV2 vector) simultaneously. To explore its applicability to chemogenetic manipulation and in vivo calcium imaging, the AAV2.1 vector expressing excitatory DREADDs or GCaMP was injected into the striatum or the visual cortex of macaque monkeys, respectively. Our results have defined that such vectors secure intense and stable expression of the target proteins and yield conspicuous modulation and imaging of neuronal activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kei Kimura
- Systems Neuroscience Section, Department of Neuroscience, Primate Research Institute, and Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan
| | - Yuji Nagai
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan
| | - Gaku Hatanaka
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, 1-4 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
- Center for Information and Neural Networks, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology and Osaka University, 1-4 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yang Fang
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, 1-4 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
- Center for Information and Neural Networks, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology and Osaka University, 1-4 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Soshi Tanabe
- Systems Neuroscience Section, Department of Neuroscience, Primate Research Institute, and Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan
| | - Andi Zheng
- Systems Neuroscience Section, Department of Neuroscience, Primate Research Institute, and Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan
| | - Maki Fujiwara
- Systems Neuroscience Section, Department of Neuroscience, Primate Research Institute, and Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan
| | - Mayuko Nakano
- Systems Neuroscience Section, Department of Neuroscience, Primate Research Institute, and Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan
| | - Yukiko Hori
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan
| | - Ryosuke F Takeuchi
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, 1-4 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
- Center for Information and Neural Networks, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology and Osaka University, 1-4 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Mikio Inagaki
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, 1-4 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
- Center for Information and Neural Networks, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology and Osaka University, 1-4 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Takafumi Minamimoto
- Department of Functional Brain Imaging, National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, Chiba, 263-8555, Japan
| | - Ichiro Fujita
- Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, 1-4 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
- Center for Information and Neural Networks, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology and Osaka University, 1-4 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Ken-Ichi Inoue
- Systems Neuroscience Section, Department of Neuroscience, Primate Research Institute, and Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan.
- PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Saitama, 332-0012, Japan.
| | - Masahiko Takada
- Systems Neuroscience Section, Department of Neuroscience, Primate Research Institute, and Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan.
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22
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Melin E, Andersson M, Gøtzsche CR, Wickham J, Huang Y, Szczygiel JA, Boender A, Christiansen SH, Pinborg L, Woldbye DPD, Kokaia M. Combinatorial gene therapy for epilepsy: Gene sequence positioning and AAV serotype influence expression and inhibitory effect on seizures. Gene Ther 2023; 30:649-658. [PMID: 37029201 PMCID: PMC10457185 DOI: 10.1038/s41434-023-00399-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023]
Abstract
Gene therapy with AAV vectors carrying genes for neuropeptide Y and its receptor Y2 has been shown to inhibit seizures in multiple animal models of epilepsy. It is however unknown how the AAV serotype or the sequence order of these two transgenes in the expression cassette affects the actual parenchymal gene expression levels and the seizure-suppressant efficacy. To address these questions, we compared three viral vector serotypes (AAV1, AAV2 and AAV8) and two transgene sequence orders (NPY-IRES-Y2 and Y2-IRES-NPY) in a rat model of acutely induced seizures. Wistar male rats were injected bilaterally with viral vectors and 3 weeks later acute seizures were induced by a subcutaneous injection of kainate. The latency until 1st motor seizure, time spent in motor seizure and latency to status epilepticus were measured to evaluate the seizure-suppressing efficacy of these vectors compared to an empty cassette control vector. Based on the results, the effect of the AAV1-NPY-IRES-Y2 vector was further investigated by in vitro electrophysiology, and its ability to achieve transgene overexpression in resected human hippocampal tissue was evaluated. The AAV1-NPY-IRES-Y2 proved to be better to any other serotype or gene sequence considering both transgene expression and ability to suppress induced seizures in rats. The vector also demonstrated transgene-induced decrease of glutamate release from excitatory neuron terminals and significantly increased both NPY and Y2 expression in resected human hippocampal tissue from patients with drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy. These results validate the feasibility of NPY/Y2 receptor gene therapy as a therapeutic opportunity in focal epilepsies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esbjörn Melin
- Experimental Epilepsy Group, Epilepsy Centre, Lund University Hospital, 17 Sölvegatan, 221 84, Lund, Sweden.
| | - My Andersson
- Experimental Epilepsy Group, Epilepsy Centre, Lund University Hospital, 17 Sölvegatan, 221 84, Lund, Sweden
| | - Casper R Gøtzsche
- CombiGene AB, Medicon Village, 2 Scheelevägen, 223 81, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Neuroscience, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, 3B Blegdamsvej, DK-2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Jenny Wickham
- Experimental Epilepsy Group, Epilepsy Centre, Lund University Hospital, 17 Sölvegatan, 221 84, Lund, Sweden
| | - Yuzhe Huang
- Department of Neuroscience, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, 3B Blegdamsvej, DK-2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Julia Alicja Szczygiel
- Department of Neuroscience, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, 3B Blegdamsvej, DK-2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Arnie Boender
- Experimental Epilepsy Group, Epilepsy Centre, Lund University Hospital, 17 Sölvegatan, 221 84, Lund, Sweden
| | - Søren H Christiansen
- Department of Neuroscience, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, 3B Blegdamsvej, DK-2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Lars Pinborg
- Department of Neurology and Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, 9 Blegdamsvej, DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - David P D Woldbye
- Department of Neuroscience, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, 3B Blegdamsvej, DK-2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Merab Kokaia
- Experimental Epilepsy Group, Epilepsy Centre, Lund University Hospital, 17 Sölvegatan, 221 84, Lund, Sweden
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23
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Herdt AR, Peng H, Dickson DW, Golde TE, Eckman EA, Lee CW. Brain Targeted AAV1-GALC Gene Therapy Reduces Psychosine and Extends Lifespan in a Mouse Model of Krabbe Disease. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1517. [PMID: 37628569 PMCID: PMC10454254 DOI: 10.3390/genes14081517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Krabbe disease (KD) is a progressive and devasting neurological disorder that leads to the toxic accumulation of psychosine in the white matter of the central nervous system (CNS). The condition is inherited via biallelic, loss-of-function mutations in the galactosylceramidase (GALC) gene. To rescue GALC gene function in the CNS of the twitcher mouse model of KD, an adeno-associated virus serotype 1 vector expressing murine GALC under control of a chicken β-actin promoter (AAV1-GALC) was administered to newborn mice by unilateral intracerebroventricular injection. AAV1-GALC treatment significantly improved body weight gain and survival of the twitcher mice (n = 8) when compared with untreated controls (n = 5). The maximum weight gain after postnatal day 10 was significantly increased from 81% to 217%. The median lifespan was extended from 43 days to 78 days (range: 74-88 days) in the AAV1-GALC-treated group. Widespread expression of GALC protein and alleviation of KD neuropathology were detected in the CNS of the treated mice when examined at the moribund stage. Functionally, elevated levels of psychosine were completely normalized in the forebrain region of the treated mice. In the posterior region, which includes the mid- and the hindbrain, psychosine was reduced by an average of 77% (range: 53-93%) compared to the controls. Notably, psychosine levels in this region were inversely correlated with body weight and lifespan of AAV1-GALC-treated mice, suggesting that the degree of viral transduction of posterior brain regions following ventricular injection determined treatment efficacy on growth and survivability, respectively. Overall, our results suggest that viral vector delivery via the cerebroventricular system can partially correct psychosine accumulation in brain that leads to slower disease progression in KD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aimee R. Herdt
- Biomedical Research Institute of New Jersey, Cedar Knolls, NJ 07927, USA (E.A.E.)
- MidAtlantic Neonatology Associates (MANA), Morristown, NJ 07960, USA
- Atlantic Health System, Morristown, NJ 07960, USA
| | - Hui Peng
- Biomedical Research Institute of New Jersey, Cedar Knolls, NJ 07927, USA (E.A.E.)
- MidAtlantic Neonatology Associates (MANA), Morristown, NJ 07960, USA
- Atlantic Health System, Morristown, NJ 07960, USA
| | - Dennis W. Dickson
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA
| | - Todd E. Golde
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
- Emory Center for Neurodegenerative Disease, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Eckman
- Biomedical Research Institute of New Jersey, Cedar Knolls, NJ 07927, USA (E.A.E.)
- MidAtlantic Neonatology Associates (MANA), Morristown, NJ 07960, USA
- Atlantic Health System, Morristown, NJ 07960, USA
| | - Chris W. Lee
- Biomedical Research Institute of New Jersey, Cedar Knolls, NJ 07927, USA (E.A.E.)
- MidAtlantic Neonatology Associates (MANA), Morristown, NJ 07960, USA
- Atlantic Health System, Morristown, NJ 07960, USA
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24
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Watakabe A, Skibbe H, Nakae K, Abe H, Ichinohe N, Rachmadi MF, Wang J, Takaji M, Mizukami H, Woodward A, Gong R, Hata J, Van Essen DC, Okano H, Ishii S, Yamamori T. Local and long-distance organization of prefrontal cortex circuits in the marmoset brain. Neuron 2023; 111:2258-2273.e10. [PMID: 37196659 PMCID: PMC10789578 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.04.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) has dramatically expanded in primates, but its organization and interactions with other brain regions are only partially understood. We performed high-resolution connectomic mapping of the marmoset PFC and found two contrasting corticocortical and corticostriatal projection patterns: "patchy" projections that formed many columns of submillimeter scale in nearby and distant regions and "diffuse" projections that spread widely across the cortex and striatum. Parcellation-free analyses revealed representations of PFC gradients in these projections' local and global distribution patterns. We also demonstrated column-scale precision of reciprocal corticocortical connectivity, suggesting that PFC contains a mosaic of discrete columns. Diffuse projections showed considerable diversity in the laminar patterns of axonal spread. Altogether, these fine-grained analyses reveal important principles of local and long-distance PFC circuits in marmosets and provide insights into the functional organization of the primate brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akiya Watakabe
- Laboratory for Molecular Analysis of Higher Brain Function, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan; Laboratory for Haptic Perception and Cognitive Physiology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
| | - Henrik Skibbe
- Brain Image Analysis Unit, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
| | - Ken Nakae
- Integrated Systems Biology Laboratory, Department of Systems Science, Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Abe
- Laboratory for Molecular Analysis of Higher Brain Function, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan; Laboratory for Haptic Perception and Cognitive Physiology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Noritaka Ichinohe
- Laboratory for Molecular Analysis of Higher Brain Function, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan; Department of Ultrastructural Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-0031, Japan
| | - Muhammad Febrian Rachmadi
- Brain Image Analysis Unit, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan; Faculty of Computer Science, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, Jawa Barat 16424, Indonesia
| | - Jian Wang
- Laboratory for Molecular Analysis of Higher Brain Function, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Masafumi Takaji
- Laboratory for Molecular Analysis of Higher Brain Function, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan; Laboratory for Haptic Perception and Cognitive Physiology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Mizukami
- Division of Genetic Therapeutics, Center for Molecular Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan
| | - Alexander Woodward
- Connectome Analysis Unit, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Rui Gong
- Connectome Analysis Unit, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Junichi Hata
- Laboratory for Marmoset Neural Architecture, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan; Graduate School of Human Health Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo 116-8551, Japan
| | - David C Van Essen
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Hideyuki Okano
- Laboratory for Marmoset Neural Architecture, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan; Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 108-8345, Japan
| | - Shin Ishii
- Integrated Systems Biology Laboratory, Department of Systems Science, Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Tetsuo Yamamori
- Laboratory for Molecular Analysis of Higher Brain Function, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan; Laboratory for Haptic Perception and Cognitive Physiology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan; Department of Marmoset Biology and Medicine, Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 210-0821, Japan.
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25
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Skibbe H, Rachmadi MF, Nakae K, Gutierrez CE, Hata J, Tsukada H, Poon C, Schlachter M, Doya K, Majka P, Rosa MGP, Okano H, Yamamori T, Ishii S, Reisert M, Watakabe A. The Brain/MINDS Marmoset Connectivity Resource: An open-access platform for cellular-level tracing and tractography in the primate brain. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002158. [PMID: 37384809 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The primate brain has unique anatomical characteristics, which translate into advanced cognitive, sensory, and motor abilities. Thus, it is important that we gain insight on its structure to provide a solid basis for models that will clarify function. Here, we report on the implementation and features of the Brain/MINDS Marmoset Connectivity Resource (BMCR), a new open-access platform that provides access to high-resolution anterograde neuronal tracer data in the marmoset brain, integrated to retrograde tracer and tractography data. Unlike other existing image explorers, the BMCR allows visualization of data from different individuals and modalities in a common reference space. This feature, allied to an unprecedented high resolution, enables analyses of features such as reciprocity, directionality, and spatial segregation of connections. The present release of the BMCR focuses on the prefrontal cortex (PFC), a uniquely developed region of the primate brain that is linked to advanced cognition, including the results of 52 anterograde and 164 retrograde tracer injections in the cortex of the marmoset. Moreover, the inclusion of tractography data from diffusion MRI allows systematic analyses of this noninvasive modality against gold-standard cellular connectivity data, enabling detection of false positives and negatives, which provide a basis for future development of tractography. This paper introduces the BMCR image preprocessing pipeline and resources, which include new tools for exploring and reviewing the data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Skibbe
- Brain Image Analysis Unit, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama, Japan
| | | | - Ken Nakae
- Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Aichi, Japan
| | - Carlos Enrique Gutierrez
- Neural Computation Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna Village, Japan
| | - Junichi Hata
- Laboratory for Marmoset Neural Architecture, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama, Japan
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiromichi Tsukada
- Neural Computation Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna Village, Japan
- Center for Mathematical Science and Artificial Intelligence, Chubu University, Kasugai, Aichi, Japan
| | - Charissa Poon
- Brain Image Analysis Unit, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama, Japan
| | - Matthias Schlachter
- Brain Image Analysis Unit, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama, Japan
| | - Kenji Doya
- Neural Computation Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna Village, Japan
| | - Piotr Majka
- Laboratory of Neuroinformatics, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
- Australian Research Council, Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, Monash University Node, Clayton, Australia
- Neuroscience Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Marcello G P Rosa
- Australian Research Council, Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, Monash University Node, Clayton, Australia
- Neuroscience Program, Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Hideyuki Okano
- Laboratory for Marmoset Neural Architecture, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama, Japan
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tetsuo Yamamori
- Laboratory of Haptic Perception and Cognitive Physiology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama, Japan
- Department of Marmoset Biology and Medicine, Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Kawasaki, Japan
| | - Shin Ishii
- Department of Systems Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Marco Reisert
- Brain Image Analysis Unit, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama, Japan
- Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Medical Center of the University of Freiburg, Freiburg Im Breisgau, Germany
- Medical Faculty of the University of Freiburg, Freiburg Im Breisgau, Germany
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Medical Physics, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Freiburg Im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Akiya Watakabe
- Laboratory of Haptic Perception and Cognitive Physiology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama, Japan
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26
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Chen X, Wolfe DA, Bindu DS, Zhang M, Taskin N, Goertsen D, Shay TF, Sullivan EE, Huang SF, Ravindra Kumar S, Arokiaraj CM, Plattner VM, Campos LJ, Mich JK, Monet D, Ngo V, Ding X, Omstead V, Weed N, Bishaw Y, Gore BB, Lein ES, Akrami A, Miller C, Levi BP, Keller A, Ting JT, Fox AS, Eroglu C, Gradinaru V. Functional gene delivery to and across brain vasculature of systemic AAVs with endothelial-specific tropism in rodents and broad tropism in primates. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3345. [PMID: 37291094 PMCID: PMC10250345 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38582-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Delivering genes to and across the brain vasculature efficiently and specifically across species remains a critical challenge for addressing neurological diseases. We have evolved adeno-associated virus (AAV9) capsids into vectors that transduce brain endothelial cells specifically and efficiently following systemic administration in wild-type mice with diverse genetic backgrounds, and in rats. These AAVs also exhibit superior transduction of the CNS across non-human primates (marmosets and rhesus macaques), and in ex vivo human brain slices, although the endothelial tropism is not conserved across species. The capsid modifications translate from AAV9 to other serotypes such as AAV1 and AAV-DJ, enabling serotype switching for sequential AAV administration in mice. We demonstrate that the endothelial-specific mouse capsids can be used to genetically engineer the blood-brain barrier by transforming the mouse brain vasculature into a functional biofactory. We apply this approach to Hevin knockout mice, where AAV-X1-mediated ectopic expression of the synaptogenic protein Sparcl1/Hevin in brain endothelial cells rescued synaptic deficits.
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Grants
- P51 OD010425 NIH HHS
- P51 OD011107 NIH HHS
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute
- DP1 NS111369 NINDS NIH HHS
- OT2 OD024899 NIH HHS
- DP1 MH104069 NIMH NIH HHS
- UF1 MH128336 NIMH NIH HHS
- DP1 EB016986 NIBIB NIH HHS
- DP1 OD000616 NIH HHS
- DP2 NS087949 NINDS NIH HHS
- UG3 MH120095 NIMH NIH HHS
- U42 OD011123 NIH HHS
- NIH Director’s New Innovator DP2NS087949 and PECASE, NIH BRAIN Armamentarium 1UF1MH128336-01, NIH Pioneer 5DP1NS111369-04 and SPARC 1OT2OD024899. Additional funding includes the Vallee Foundation, the Moore Foundation, the CZI Neurodegeneration Challenge Network, and the NSF NeuroNex Technology Hub grant 1707316, the Heritage Medical Research Institute and the Beckman Institute for CLARITY, Optogenetics and Vector Engineering Research (CLOVER) for technology development and dissemination, NIH BRAIN UG3MH120095.
- The Swiss National Science Foundation (310030_188952, A.K), the Synapsis (grant 2019-PI02, A.K.), the Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Society (A.K.).
- CNPRC base grant (NIH P51 OD011107)
- The CZI Neurodegeneration Challenge Network. C.E. is an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinhong Chen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Damien A Wolfe
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | | | - Mengying Zhang
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Naz Taskin
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - David Goertsen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Timothy F Shay
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Erin E Sullivan
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Sheng-Fu Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neuroscience Center, Zürich University Hospital, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Sripriya Ravindra Kumar
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Cynthia M Arokiaraj
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | | | - Lillian J Campos
- Department of Psychology and California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - John K Mich
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Deja Monet
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Victoria Ngo
- Cortical Systems and Behavior Lab, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92039, USA
| | - Xiaozhe Ding
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | | | - Natalie Weed
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Yeme Bishaw
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Bryan B Gore
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ed S Lein
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Athena Akrami
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre, University College London, London, UK
| | - Cory Miller
- Cortical Systems and Behavior Lab, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92039, USA
| | - Boaz P Levi
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Annika Keller
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neuroscience Center, Zürich University Hospital, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zürich, University of Zürich and ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Jonathan T Ting
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Andrew S Fox
- Department of Psychology and California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Cagla Eroglu
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Viviana Gradinaru
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA.
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27
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Guan S, Tian H, Yang Y, Liu M, Ding J, Wang J, Fang Y. Self-assembled ultraflexible probes for long-term neural recordings and neuromodulation. Nat Protoc 2023; 18:1712-1744. [PMID: 37248393 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-023-00824-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Ultraflexible microelectrode arrays (MEAs) that can stably record from a large number of neurons after their chronic implantation offer opportunities for understanding neural circuit mechanisms and developing next-generation brain-computer interfaces. The implementation of ultraflexible MEAs requires their reliable implantation into deep brain tissues in a minimally invasive manner, as well as their precise integration with optogenetic tools to enable the simultaneous recording of neural activity and neuromodulation. Here, we describe the process for the preparation of elastocapillary self-assembled ultraflexible MEAs, their use in combination with adeno-associated virus vectors carrying opsin genes and promoters to form an optrode probe and their in vivo experimental use in the brains of rodents, enabling electrophysiological recordings and optical modulation of neuronal activity over long periods of time (on the order of weeks to months). The procedures, including device fabrication, probe assembly and implantation, can be completed within 3 weeks. The protocol is intended to facilitate the applications of ultraflexible MEAs for long-term neuronal activity recording and combined electrophysiology and optogenetics. The protocol requires users with expertise in clean room facilities for the fabrication of ultraflexible MEAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shouliang Guan
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Huihui Tian
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Yinan Yang
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Mengcheng Liu
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Jianfei Ding
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Jinfen Wang
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Fang
- CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, China.
- CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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28
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Merlin S, Vidyasagar T. Optogenetics in primate cortical networks. Front Neuroanat 2023; 17:1193949. [PMID: 37284061 PMCID: PMC10239886 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2023.1193949] [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: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The implementation of optogenetics in studies on non-human primates has generally proven quite difficult, but recent successes have paved the way for its rapid increase. Limitations in the genetic tractability in primates, have been somewhat overcome by implementing tailored vectors and promoters to maximize expression and specificity in primates. More recently, implantable devices, including microLED arrays, have made it possible to deliver light deeper into brain tissue, allowing targeting of deeper structures. However, the greatest limitation in applying optogenetics to the primate brain is the complex connections that exist within many neural circuits. In the past, relatively cruder methods such as cooling or pharmacological blockade have been used to examine neural circuit functions, though their limitations were well recognized. In some ways, similar shortcomings remain for optogenetics, with the ability to target a single component of complex neural circuits being the greatest challenge in applying optogenetics to systems neuroscience in primate brains. Despite this, some recent approaches combining Cre-expressing and Cre-dependent vectors have overcome some of these limitations. Here we suggest that optogenetics provides its greatest advantage to systems neuroscientists when applied as a specific tool to complement the techniques of the past, rather than necessarily replacing them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam Merlin
- Medical Science, School of Science, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW, Australia
| | - Trichur Vidyasagar
- Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, School of Health Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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29
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Tsuchimochi R, Yamagami K, Kubo N, Amimoto N, Raudzus F, Samata B, Kikuchi T, Doi D, Yoshimoto K, Mihara A, Takahashi J. Viral delivery of L1CAM promotes axonal extensions by embryonic cerebral grafts in mouse brain. Stem Cell Reports 2023; 18:899-914. [PMID: 36963389 PMCID: PMC10147836 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2023.02.012] [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: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell replacement therapy is expected as a new and more radical treatment against brain damage. We previously reported that transplanted human cerebral organoids extend their axons along the corticospinal tract in rodent brains. The axons reached the spinal cord but were still sparse. Therefore, this study optimized the host brain environment by the adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated expression of axon guidance proteins in mouse brain. Among netrin-1, SEMA3, and L1CAM, only L1CAM significantly promoted the axonal extension of mouse embryonic brain tissue-derived grafts. L1CAM was also expressed by donor neurons, and this promotion was exerted in a haptotactic manner by their homophilic binding. Primary cortical neurons cocultured on L1CAM-expressing HEK-293 cells supported this mechanism. These results suggest that optimizing the host environment by the AAV-mediated expression of axon guidance molecules enhances the effect of cell replacement therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryosuke Tsuchimochi
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan; Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Keitaro Yamagami
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan; Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Naoko Kubo
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Naoya Amimoto
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Fabian Raudzus
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Bumpei Samata
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Tetsuhiro Kikuchi
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Daisuke Doi
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Koji Yoshimoto
- Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Aya Mihara
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Jun Takahashi
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan; Department of Neurosurgery, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
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30
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Caulfield ME, Vander Werp MJ, Stancati JA, Collier TJ, Sortwell CE, Sandoval IM, Manfredsson FP, Steece-Collier K. Downregulation of striatal CaV1.3 inhibits the escalation of levodopa-induced dyskinesia in male and female parkinsonian rats of advanced age. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 181:106111. [PMID: 37001610 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
In the past 25 years, the prevalence of Parkinson's disease (PD) has nearly doubled. Age remains the primary risk factor for PD and as the global aging population increases this trend is predicted to continue. Even when treated with levodopa, the gold standard dopamine (DA) replacement therapy, individuals with PD frequently develop therapeutic side effects. Levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID), a common side effect of long-term levodopa use, represents a significant unmet clinical need in the treatment of PD. Previously, in young adult (3-month-old) male parkinsonian rats, we demonstrated that the silencing of CaV1.3 (Cacan1d) L-type voltage-gated calcium channels via striatal delivery of rAAV-CaV1.3-shRNA provides uniform protection against the induction of LID, and significant reduction of established severe LID. With the goal of more closely replicating a clinical demographic, the current study examined the effects of CaV1.3-targeted gene therapy on LID escalation in male and female parkinsonian rats of advanced age (18-month-old at study completion). We tested the hypothesis that silencing aberrant CaV1.3 channel activity in the parkinsonian striatum would prevent moderate to severe dyskinesia with levodopa dose escalation. To test this hypothesis, 15-month-old male and female F344 rats were rendered unilaterally parkinsonian and primed with low-dose (3-4 mg/kg) levodopa. Following the establishment of stable, mild dyskinesias, rats received an intrastriatal injection of either the Cacna1d-specific rAAV-CaV1.3-shRNA vector (CAV-shRNA), or the scramble control rAAV-SCR-shRNA vector (SCR-shRNA). Daily (M-Fr) low-dose levodopa was maintained for 4 weeks during the vector transduction and gene silencing window followed by escalation to 6 mg/kg, then to 12 mg/kg levodopa. SCR-shRNA-shRNA rats showed stable LID expression with low-dose levodopa and the predicted escalation of LID severity with increased levodopa doses. Conversely, complex behavioral responses were observed in aged rats receiving CAV-shRNA, with approximately half of the male and female subjects-therapeutic 'Responders'-demonstrating protection against LID escalation, while the remaining half-therapeutic 'Non-Responders'-showed LID escalation similar to SCR-shRNA rats. Post-mortem histological analyses revealed individual variability in the detection of Cacna1d regulation in the DA-depleted striatum of aged rats. However, taken together, male and female therapeutic 'Responder' rats receiving CAV-shRNA had significantly less striatal Cacna1d in their vector-injected striatum relative to contralateral striatum than those with SCR-shRNA. The current data suggest that mRNA-level silencing of striatal CaV1.3 channels maintains potency in a clinically relevant in vivo scenario by preventing dose-dependent dyskinesia escalation in rats of advanced age. As compared to the uniform response previously reported in young male rats, there was notable variability between individual aged rats, particularly females, in the current study. Future investigations are needed to derive the sex-specific and age-related mechanisms which underlie variable responses to gene therapy and to elucidate factors which determine the therapeutic efficacy of treatment for PD.
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31
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Daw TB, El-Nahal HG, Basso MA, Jun EJ, Bautista AR, Samulski RJ, Sommer MA, Bohlen MO. Direct Comparison of Epifluorescence and Immunostaining for Assessing Viral Mediated Gene Expression in the Primate Brain. Hum Gene Ther 2023; 34:228-246. [PMID: 36719771 PMCID: PMC10031143 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2022.194] [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: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Viral vector technologies are commonly used in neuroscience research to understand and manipulate neural circuits, but successful applications of these technologies in non-human primate models have been inconsistent. An essential component to improve these technologies is an impartial and accurate assessment of the effectiveness of different viral constructs in the primate brain. We tested a diverse array of viral vectors delivered to the brain and extraocular muscles of macaques and compared three methods for histological assessment of viral-mediated fluorescent transgene expression: epifluorescence (Epi), immunofluorescence (IF), and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Importantly, IF and IHC identified a greater number of transduced neurons compared to Epi. Furthermore, IF and IHC reliably provided enhanced visualization of transgene in most cellular compartments (i.e., dendritic, axonal, and terminal fields), whereas the degree of labeling provided by Epi was inconsistent and predominantly restricted to somas and apical dendrites. Because Epi signals are unamplified (in contrast to IF and IHC), Epi may provide a more veridical assessment for the amount of accumulated transgene and, thus, the potential to chemogenetically or optogenetically manipulate neuronal activity. The comparatively weak Epi signals suggest that the current generations of viral constructs, regardless of delivered transgene, are not optimized for primates. This reinforces an emerging viewpoint that viral vectors tailored for the primate brain are necessary for basic research and human gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tierney B. Daw
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Hala G. El-Nahal
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Michele A. Basso
- Fuster Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Biological Structure, Washington National Primate Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Washington National Primate Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Elizabeth J. Jun
- Fuster Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Alex R. Bautista
- Fuster Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - R. Jude Samulski
- Gene Therapy Center and Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- R&D Department, Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio), Research Triangle, North Carolina, USA
| | - Marc A. Sommer
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Martin O. Bohlen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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32
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Azadi R, Bohn S, Lopez E, Lafer-Sousa R, Wang K, Eldridge MAG, Afraz A. Image-dependence of the detectability of optogenetic stimulation in macaque inferotemporal cortex. Curr Biol 2023; 33:581-588.e4. [PMID: 36610394 PMCID: PMC9905296 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Artificial activation of neurons in early visual areas induces perception of simple visual flashes.1,2 Accordingly, stimulation in high-level visual cortices is expected to induce perception of complex features.3,4 However, results from studies in human patients challenge this expectation. Stimulation rarely induces any detectable visual event, and never a complex one, in human subjects with closed eyes.2 Stimulation of the face-selective cortex in a human patient led to remarkable hallucinations only while the subject was looking at faces.5 In contrast, stimulations of color- and face-selective sites evoke notable hallucinations independent of the object being viewed.6 These anecdotal observations suggest that stimulation of high-level visual cortex can evoke perception of complex visual features, but these effects depend on the availability and content of visual input. In this study, we introduce a novel psychophysical task to systematically investigate characteristics of the perceptual events evoked by optogenetic stimulation of macaque inferior temporal (IT) cortex. We trained macaque monkeys to detect and report optogenetic impulses delivered to their IT cortices7,8,9 while holding fixation on object images. In a series of experiments, we show that detection of cortical stimulation is highly dependent on the choice of images presented to the eyes and it is most difficult when fixating on a blank screen. These findings suggest that optogenetic stimulation of high-level visual cortex results in easily detectable distortions of the concurrent contents of vision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Azadi
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| | - Simon Bohn
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Emily Lopez
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Rosa Lafer-Sousa
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Karen Wang
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Mark A G Eldridge
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Arash Afraz
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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33
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Jendritza P, Klein FJ, Fries P. Multi-area recordings and optogenetics in the awake, behaving marmoset. Nat Commun 2023; 14:577. [PMID: 36732525 PMCID: PMC9895452 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36217-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The common marmoset has emerged as a key model in neuroscience. Marmosets are small in size, show great potential for genetic modification and exhibit complex behaviors. Thus, it is necessary to develop technology that enables monitoring and manipulation of the underlying neural circuits. Here, we describe a novel approach to record and optogenetically manipulate neural activity in awake, behaving marmosets. Our design utilizes a light-weight, 3D printed titanium chamber that can house several high-density silicon probes for semi-chronic recordings, while enabling simultaneous optogenetic stimulation. We demonstrate the application of our method in male marmosets by recording multi- and single-unit data from areas V1 and V6 with 192 channels simultaneously, and show that optogenetic activation of excitatory neurons in area V6 can influence behavior in a detection task. This method may enable future studies to investigate the neural basis of perception and behavior in the marmoset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Jendritza
- Ernst Strüngmann Institute (ESI) for Neuroscience in Cooperation with Max Planck Society, Frankfurt, Germany.
- International Max Planck Research School for Neural Circuits, Frankfurt, Germany.
| | - Frederike J Klein
- Ernst Strüngmann Institute (ESI) for Neuroscience in Cooperation with Max Planck Society, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Pascal Fries
- Ernst Strüngmann Institute (ESI) for Neuroscience in Cooperation with Max Planck Society, Frankfurt, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Neural Circuits, Frankfurt, Germany
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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34
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Nieuwenhuis B, Laperrousaz E, Tribble JR, Verhaagen J, Fawcett JW, Martin KR, Williams PA, Osborne A. Improving adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector-mediated transgene expression in retinal ganglion cells: comparison of five promoters. Gene Ther 2023:10.1038/s41434-022-00380-z. [PMID: 36635457 DOI: 10.1038/s41434-022-00380-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors (AAVs) are an effective system for gene transfer. AAV serotype 2 (AAV2) is commonly used to deliver transgenes to retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) via intravitreal injection. The AAV serotype however is not the only factor contributing to the effectiveness of gene therapies. Promoters influence the strength and cell-selectivity of transgene expression. This study compares five promoters designed to maximise AAV2 cargo space for gene delivery: chicken β-actin (CBA), cytomegalovirus (CMV), short CMV early enhancer/chicken β-actin/short β-globulin intron (sCAG), mouse phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK), and human synapsin (SYN). The promoters driving enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) were examined in adult C57BL/6J mice eyes and tissues of the visual system. eGFP expression was strongest in the retina, optic nerves and brain when driven by the sCAG and SYN promoters. CBA, CMV, and PGK had moderate expression by comparison. The SYN promoter had almost exclusive transgene expression in RGCs. The PGK promoter had predominant expression in both RGCs and AII amacrine cells. The ubiquitous CBA, CMV, and sCAG promoters expressed eGFP in a variety of cell types across multiple retinal layers including Müller glia and astrocytes. We also found that these promoters could transduce human retina ex vivo, although expression was predominantly in glial cells due to low RGC viability. Taken together, this promoter comparison study contributes to optimising AAV-mediated transduction in the retina, and could be valuable for research in ocular disorders, particularly those with large or complex genetic cargos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart Nieuwenhuis
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. .,Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0XY, UK.
| | - Elise Laperrousaz
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - James R Tribble
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Division of Eye and Vision, St. Erik Eye Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Joost Verhaagen
- Laboratory for Regeneration of Sensorimotor Systems, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Centre for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - James W Fawcett
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Centre of Reconstructive Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Keith R Martin
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Pete A Williams
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Division of Eye and Vision, St. Erik Eye Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andrew Osborne
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. .,Ikarovec Ltd, The Norwich Research Park Innovation Centre, Norwich, UK.
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Chen X, Wolfe DA, Bindu DS, Zhang M, Taskin N, Goertsen D, Shay TF, Sullivan E, Huang SF, Kumar SR, Arokiaraj CM, Plattner V, Campos LJ, Mich J, Monet D, Ngo V, Ding X, Omstead V, Weed N, Bishaw Y, Gore B, Lein ES, Akrami A, Miller C, Levi BP, Keller A, Ting JT, Fox AS, Eroglu C, Gradinaru V. Functional gene delivery to and across brain vasculature of systemic AAVs with endothelial-specific tropism in rodents and broad tropism in primates. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.12.523844. [PMID: 36711773 PMCID: PMC9882234 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.12.523844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Delivering genes to and across the brain vasculature efficiently and specifically across species remains a critical challenge for addressing neurological diseases. We have evolved adeno-associated virus (AAV9) capsids into vectors that transduce brain endothelial cells specifically and efficiently following systemic administration in wild-type mice with diverse genetic backgrounds and rats. These AAVs also exhibit superior transduction of the CNS across non-human primates (marmosets and rhesus macaques), and ex vivo human brain slices although the endothelial tropism is not conserved across species. The capsid modifications translate from AAV9 to other serotypes such as AAV1 and AAV-DJ, enabling serotype switching for sequential AAV administration in mice. We demonstrate that the endothelial specific mouse capsids can be used to genetically engineer the blood-brain barrier by transforming the mouse brain vasculature into a functional biofactory. Vasculature-secreted Hevin (a synaptogenic protein) rescued synaptic deficits in a mouse model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinhong Chen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Damien A. Wolfe
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | | | - Mengying Zhang
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Naz Taskin
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - David Goertsen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Timothy F. Shay
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Erin Sullivan
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Sheng-Fu Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neuroscience Center, Zurich University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sripriya Ravindra Kumar
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Cynthia M. Arokiaraj
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Viktor Plattner
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre, University College London, London, UK
| | - Lillian J. Campos
- Department of Psychology and California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - John Mich
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Deja Monet
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Victoria Ngo
- Cortical Systems and Behavior Lab, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92039, USA
| | - Xiaozhe Ding
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | | | - Natalie Weed
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Yeme Bishaw
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Bryan Gore
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ed S Lein
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Athena Akrami
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre, University College London, London, UK
| | - Cory Miller
- Cortical Systems and Behavior Lab, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92039, USA
| | - Boaz P. Levi
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Annika Keller
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neuroscience Center, Zurich University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jonathan T. Ting
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Andrew S. Fox
- Department of Psychology and California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Cagla Eroglu
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Viviana Gradinaru
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
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36
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Heller G, Bradbury AM, Sands MS, Bongarzone ER. Preclinical studies in Krabbe disease: A model for the investigation of novel combination therapies for lysosomal storage diseases. Mol Ther 2023; 31:7-23. [PMID: 36196048 PMCID: PMC9840155 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Krabbe disease (KD) is a lysosomal storage disease (LSD) caused by mutations in the galc gene. There are over 50 monogenetic LSDs, which largely impede the normal development of children and often lead to premature death. At present, there are no cures for LSDs and the available treatments are generally insufficient, short acting, and not without co-morbidities or long-term side effects. The last 30 years have seen significant advances in our understanding of LSD pathology as well as treatment options. Two gene therapy-based clinical trials, NCT04693598 and NCT04771416, for KD were recently started based on those advances. This review will discuss how our knowledge of KD got to where it is today, focusing on preclinical investigations, and how what was discovered may prove beneficial for the treatment of other LSDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory Heller
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 808 S. Wood St M/C 512, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Allison M Bradbury
- Center for Gene Therapy, Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA; Abigail Wexner Research Institute Nationwide Children's Hospital Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH 43205, USA.
| | - Mark S Sands
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue Box 8007, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue Box 8007, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Ernesto R Bongarzone
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 808 S. Wood St M/C 512, Chicago, IL, USA.
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37
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Pipe SW, Arruda VR, Lange C, Kitchen S, Eichler H, Wadsworth S. Characteristics of BAY 2599023 in the Current Treatment Landscape of Hemophilia A Gene Therapy. Curr Gene Ther 2023; 23:81-95. [PMID: 36111754 DOI: 10.2174/1566523222666220914105729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Hemophilia A, a single gene disorder leading to deficient Factor VIII (FVIII), is a suitable candidate for gene therapy. The aspiration is for single administration of a genetic therapy that would allow the production of endogenous FVIII sufficient to restore hemostasis and other biological processes. This would potentially result in reliable protection from bleeding and its associated physical and emotional impacts. Gene therapy offers the possibility of a clinically relevant improvement in disease phenotype and transformational improvement in quality of life, including an opportunity to engage in physical activities more confidently. Gene therapy products for hemophilia A in advanced clinical development use adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors and a codon-optimized B-domain deleted FVIII transgene. However, the different AAV-based gene therapies have distinct design features, such as choice of vector capsid, enhancer and promoter regions, FVIII transgene sequence and manufacturing processes. These, in turn, impact patient eligibility, safety and efficacy. Ideally, gene therapy technology for hemophilia A should offer bleed protection, durable FVIII expression, broad eligibility and limited response variability between patients, and long-term safety. However, several limitations and challenges must be overcome. Here, we introduce the characteristics of the BAY 2599023 (AAVhu37.hFVIIIco, DTX 201) gene therapy product, including the low prevalence in the general population of anti-AAV-hu37 antibodies, as well as other gene therapy AAV products and approaches. We will examine how these can potentially meet the challenges of gene therapy, with the ultimate aim of improving the lives of patients with hemophilia A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven W Pipe
- Departments of Pediatrics and Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Valder R Arruda
- Division of Hematology, Department of Pediatrics, Center for Cell and Molecular Therapeutics at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Stephen Kitchen
- Sheffield Haemophilia and Thrombosis Centre, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Sheffield, UK
| | - Hermann Eichler
- Institute of Clinical Hemostaseology and Transfusion Medicine, Saarland University and University Hospital, Homburg/Saar, Germany
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38
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Zou L, Wang J, Fang Y, Tian H. PEG-mediated transduction of rAAV as a platform for spatially confined and efficient gene delivery. Biomater Res 2022; 26:69. [PMID: 36461117 PMCID: PMC9716683 DOI: 10.1186/s40824-022-00322-1] [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: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAV) are commonly used vectors for gene delivery in both basic neuroscience and clinical applications due to their nonpathogenic, minimally immunogenic, and sustained expression properties. However, several challenges remain for the wide-scale rAAV applications, including poor infection of many clinically important cell lines, insufficient expression at low titers, and diffusive transduction in vivo. METHODS In this work, PEG, which is a safe and non-toxic polymer of ethylene oxide monomer, was applied as an auxiliary transduction agent to improve the expression of rAAV. In detail, a small dose of PEG was added into the rAAV solution for the transgene expression in cell lines in vitro, and in the central nervous system (CNS) in vivo. The biocompatibility of PEG enhancer was assessed by characterizing the immune responses, cell morphology, cell tropism of rAAV, neuronal apoptosis, as well as motor function of animals. RESULTS The results show that small dose of PEG additive can effectively improve the gene expression characteristics of rAAV both in vitro and in vivo. Specifically, the PEG additive allows efficient transgene expression in cell lines that are difficult to be transfected with rAAV alone. In vivo studies show that the PEG additive can promote a spatially confined and efficient transgene expression of low-titer rAAV in the brain over long terms. In addition, no obvious side effects of PEG were observed on CNS in the biocompatibility studies. CONCLUSIONS This spatially confined and efficient transduction method can facilitate the applications of rAAV in fundamental research, especially in the precise dissection of neural circuits, and also improve the capabilities of rAAV in the treatment of neurological diseases which originate from the disorders of small nuclei in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Zou
- grid.419265.d0000 0004 1806 6075CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190 China ,grid.9227.e0000000119573309CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031 China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Jinfen Wang
- grid.419265.d0000 0004 1806 6075CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190 China
| | - Ying Fang
- grid.419265.d0000 0004 1806 6075CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190 China ,grid.9227.e0000000119573309CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031 China ,grid.410726.60000 0004 1797 8419University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 China
| | - Huihui Tian
- grid.419265.d0000 0004 1806 6075CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190 China
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39
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Liu Q, Wu Y, Wang H, Jia F, Xu F. Viral Tools for Neural Circuit Tracing. Neurosci Bull 2022; 38:1508-1518. [PMID: 36136267 PMCID: PMC9723069 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-022-00949-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural circuits provide an anatomical basis for functional networks. Therefore, dissecting the structure of neural circuits is essential to understanding how the brain works. Recombinant neurotropic viruses are important tools for neural circuit tracing with many advantages over non-viral tracers: they allow for anterograde, retrograde, and trans-synaptic delivery of tracers in a cell type-specific, circuit-selective manner. In this review, we summarize the recent developments in the viral tools for neural circuit tracing, discuss the key principles of using viral tools in neuroscience research, and highlight innovations for developing and optimizing viral tools for neural circuit tracing across diverse animal species, including nonhuman primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Liu
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Viral Vectors for Biomedicine, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Viral Vector Technology in Cell and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Quality Control Technology for Virus-Based Therapeutics, Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yang Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, Wuhan Center for Magnetic Resonance, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Huadong Wang
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Viral Vectors for Biomedicine, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Viral Vector Technology in Cell and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Quality Control Technology for Virus-Based Therapeutics, Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Fan Jia
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Viral Vectors for Biomedicine, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Viral Vector Technology in Cell and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Quality Control Technology for Virus-Based Therapeutics, Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Fuqiang Xu
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Viral Vectors for Biomedicine, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Viral Vector Technology in Cell and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Quality Control Technology for Virus-Based Therapeutics, Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, Wuhan Center for Magnetic Resonance, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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40
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Megagiannis P, Suresh R, Rouleau GA, Zhou Y. Reversibility and therapeutic development for neurodevelopmental disorders, insights from genetic animal models. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2022; 191:114562. [PMID: 36183904 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2022.114562] [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: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs) encompass a broad spectrum of conditions resulting from atypical brain development. Over the past decades, we have had the fortune to witness enormous progress in diagnosis, etiology discovery, modeling, and mechanistic understanding of NDDs from both fundamental and clinical research. Here, we review recent neurobiological advances from experimental models of NDDs. We introduce several examples and highlight breakthroughs in reversal studies of phenotypes using genetically engineered models of NDDs. The in-depth understanding of brain pathophysiology underlying NDDs and evaluations of reversibility in animal models paves the foundation for discovering novel treatment options. We discuss how the expanding property of cutting-edge technologies, such as gene editing and AAV-mediated gene delivery, are leveraged in animal models for the therapeutic development of NDDs. We envision opportunities and challenges toward faithful modeling and fruitful clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Platon Megagiannis
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Rahul Suresh
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Guy A Rouleau
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Yang Zhou
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada.
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41
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Hollidge BS, Carroll HB, Qian R, Fuller ML, Giles AR, Mercer AC, Danos O, Liu Y, Bruder JT, Smith JB. Kinetics and durability of transgene expression after intrastriatal injection of AAV9 vectors. Front Neurol 2022; 13:1051559. [PMID: 36452163 PMCID: PMC9702554 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.1051559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the kinetics and durability of AAV-mediated transgene expression in the brain is essential for conducting basic neuroscience studies as well as for developing gene therapy approaches for CNS diseases. Here, we characterize and compare the temporal profile of transgene expression after bilateral injections into the mouse striatum of rAAV9 encoding GFP under the control of either a ubiquitous promoter (CAG), or the neuron-specific human synapsin (hSyn) and CamKII promoters. GFP protein expression with the CAG promoter was highest at 3 weeks, and then decreased to stable levels at 3 and 6 months. Surprisingly, GFP mRNA levels continued to increase from 3 weeks to 3 months, despite GFP protein expression decreasing during this time. GFP protein expression with hSyn increased more slowly, reaching a maximum at 3 months, which was equivalent to protein expression levels from CAG at that time point. Importantly, transgene expression driven by the hSyn promoter at 6 months was not silenced as previously reported, and GFP mRNA was continuing to rise even at the final 6-month time point. Thus, hSyn as a promoter for transgene expression demonstrates long-term durability but may require more time after vector administration to achieve steady-state levels. Because CAG had the highest GFP protein expression in our comparison, which was at 3 weeks post administration, the early kinetics of transgene expression from CAG was examined (1, 2, 5, and 10 days after injection). This analysis showed that GFP protein expression and GFP mRNA increased during the first 3 weeks after administration. Interestingly, vector DNA rapidly decreased 10-fold over the first 3 weeks following injection as it assembled into stable circular episomes and concatemers. Surprisingly, the processing of vector genomes into circular episomes and concatemers was continually dynamic up to 3 months after injection. These results provide novel insight into the dynamic processing of vector genomes and promoter-specific temporal patterns of transgene expression in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jared B. Smith
- Research and Early Development, REGENXBIO Inc., Rockville, MD, United States
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Han Z, Luo N, Wu Y, Kou J, Ma W, Yang X, Cai Y, Ma L, Han L, Wang X, Qin H, Shi Q, Wang J, Ye C, Lin K, Xu F. AAV13 Enables Precise Targeting of Local Neural Populations. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:12806. [PMID: 36361595 PMCID: PMC9653909 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232112806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
As powerful tools for local gene delivery, adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) are widely used for neural circuit studies and therapeutical purposes. However, most of them have the characteristics of large diffusion range and retrograde labeling, which may result in off-target transduction during in vivo application. Here, in order to achieve precise gene delivery, we screened AAV serotypes that have not been commonly used as gene vectors and found that AAV13 can precisely transduce local neurons in the brain, with a smaller diffusion range than AAV2 and rigorous anterograde labeling. Then, AAV13-based single-viral and dual-viral strategies for sparse labeling of local neurons in the brains of C57BL/6 or Cre transgenic mice were developed. Additionally, through the neurobehavioral test in the ventral tegmental area, we demonstrated that AAV13 was validated for functional monitoring by means of carrying Cre recombinase to drive the expression of Cre-dependent calcium-sensitive indicator. In summary, our study provides AAV13-based toolkits for precise local gene delivery, which can be used for in situ small nuclei targeting, sparse labeling and functional monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zengpeng Han
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, Wuhan Center for Magnetic Resonance, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Viral Vectors for Biomedicine, Key Laboratory of Quality Control Technology for Virus-Based Therapeutics, Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Viral Vector Technology in Cell and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Nengsong Luo
- Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Yang Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, Wuhan Center for Magnetic Resonance, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jiaxin Kou
- Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Wenyu Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, Wuhan Center for Magnetic Resonance, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, Wuhan Center for Magnetic Resonance, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Yuxiang Cai
- Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Lin Ma
- Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Lu Han
- College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Xiujie Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Hualing Qin
- College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Qing Shi
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Viral Vectors for Biomedicine, Key Laboratory of Quality Control Technology for Virus-Based Therapeutics, Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Viral Vector Technology in Cell and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Jie Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, Wuhan Center for Magnetic Resonance, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chaohui Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, Wuhan Center for Magnetic Resonance, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Kunzhang Lin
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Viral Vectors for Biomedicine, Key Laboratory of Quality Control Technology for Virus-Based Therapeutics, Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Viral Vector Technology in Cell and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Fuqiang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, Wuhan Center for Magnetic Resonance, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Viral Vectors for Biomedicine, Key Laboratory of Quality Control Technology for Virus-Based Therapeutics, Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Viral Vector Technology in Cell and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
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Ramamurthy RM, Atala A, Porada CD, Almeida-Porada G. Organoids and microphysiological systems: Promising models for accelerating AAV gene therapy studies. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1011143. [PMID: 36225917 PMCID: PMC9549755 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1011143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The FDA has predicted that at least 10-20 gene therapy products will be approved by 2025. The surge in the development of such therapies can be attributed to the advent of safe and effective gene delivery vectors such as adeno-associated virus (AAV). The enormous potential of AAV has been demonstrated by its use in over 100 clinical trials and the FDA’s approval of two AAV-based gene therapy products. Despite its demonstrated success in some clinical settings, AAV-based gene therapy is still plagued by issues related to host immunity, and recent studies have suggested that AAV vectors may actually integrate into the host cell genome, raising concerns over the potential for genotoxicity. To better understand these issues and develop means to overcome them, preclinical model systems that accurately recapitulate human physiology are needed. The objective of this review is to provide a brief overview of AAV gene therapy and its current hurdles, to discuss how 3D organoids, microphysiological systems, and body-on-a-chip platforms could serve as powerful models that could be adopted in the preclinical stage, and to provide some examples of the successful application of these models to answer critical questions regarding AAV biology and toxicity that could not have been answered using current animal models. Finally, technical considerations while adopting these models to study AAV gene therapy are also discussed.
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44
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Burdett T, Nuseibeh S. Changing trends in the development of AAV-based gene therapies: a meta-analysis of past and present therapies. Gene Ther 2022; 30:323-335. [PMID: 36089633 DOI: 10.1038/s41434-022-00363-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Gene therapy has seen a transformation from a proof-of-concept approach to a clinical reality over the past several decades, with adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated gene therapy emerging as the leading platform for in vivo gene transfer. A systematic review of AAV-based gene therapies in clinical development was conducted herein to determine why only a handful of AAV-based gene therapy products have achieved market approval. The indication to be treated, route of administration and vector design were investigated as critical factors and assessed for their impact on clinical safety and efficacy. A shift in recent years towards high-dose systemic administration for the treatment of metabolic, neurological and haematological diseases was identified, with intravenous administration demonstrating the highest efficacy and safety risks in clinical trials. Recent years have seen a decline in favour of traditional AAV serotypes and promoters, accompanied by an increase in favour and higher clinical success rate for novel capsids and tissue-specific promoters. Furthermore, a meta-analysis was performed to identify factors that may inhibit the translation of therapeutic efficacy from preclinical large animal studies to first-in-human clinical trials and a detrimental effect on clinical efficacy was associated with alterations to administration routes.
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45
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Fluorochromized tyramide-glucose oxidase as a multiplex fluorescent tyramide signal amplification system for histochemical analysis. Sci Rep 2022; 12:14807. [PMID: 36097273 PMCID: PMC9468149 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19085-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Tyramide signal amplification (TSA) is a highly sensitive method for histochemical analysis. Previously, we reported a TSA system, biotinyl tyramine-glucose oxidase (BT-GO), for bright-filed imaging. Here, we develop fluorochromized tyramide-glucose oxidase (FT-GO) as a multiplex fluorescent TSA system. FT-GO involves peroxidase-catalyzed deposition of fluorochromized tyramide (FT) with hydrogen peroxide produced by enzymatic reaction between glucose and glucose oxidase. We showed that FT-GO enhanced immunofluorescence signals while maintaining low background signals. Compared with indirect immunofluorescence detections, FT-GO demonstrated a more widespread distribution of monoaminergic projection systems in mouse and marmoset brains. For multiplex labeling with FT-GO, we quenched antibody-conjugated peroxidase using sodium azide. We applied FT-GO to multiplex fluorescent in situ hybridization, and succeeded in labeling neocortical interneuron subtypes by coupling with immunofluorescence. FT-GO immunofluorescence further increased the detectability of an adeno-associated virus tracer. Given its simplicity and a staining with a high signal-to-noise ratio, FT-GO would provide a versatile platform for histochemical analysis.
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46
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Liu S, Razon L, Ritchie O, Sihn CR, Handyside B, Berguig G, Woloszynek J, Zhang L, Batty P, Lillicrap D, Agrawal V, Cortesio C, Gebretsadik K, Akeefe H, Colosi P, Kim B, Bunting S, Fong S. Application of in- vitro-cultured primary hepatocytes to evaluate species translatability and AAV transduction mechanisms of action. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2022; 26:61-71. [PMID: 35782594 PMCID: PMC9204658 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2022.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) is an effective platform for therapeutic gene transfer; however, tissue-tropism differences between species are a challenge for successful translation of preclinical results to humans. We evaluated the use of in vitro primary hepatocyte cultures to predict in vivo liver-directed AAV expression in different species. We assessed whether in vitro AAV transduction assays in cultured primary hepatocytes from mice, nonhuman primates (NHPs), and humans could model in vivo liver-directed AAV expression of valoctocogene roxaparvovec (AAV5-hFVIII-SQ), an experimental gene therapy for hemophilia A with a hepatocyte-selective promoter. Relative levels of DNA and RNA in hepatocytes grown in vitro correlated with in vivo liver transduction across species. Expression in NHP hepatocytes more closely reflected expression in human hepatocytes than in mouse hepatocytes. We used this hepatocyte culture model to assess transduction efficacy of a novel liver-directed AAV capsid across species and identified which of 3 different canine factor VIII vectors produced the most transgene expression. Results were confirmed in vivo. Further, we determined mechanisms mediating inhibition of AAV5-hFVIII-SQ expression by concomitant isotretinoin using primary human hepatocytes. These studies support using in vitro primary hepatocyte models to predict species translatability of liver-directed AAV gene therapy and improve mechanistic understanding of drug-drug interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su Liu
- Biology Research, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., 105 Digital Drive, Novato, CA 94949, USA
| | - Lisa Razon
- Biology Research, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., 105 Digital Drive, Novato, CA 94949, USA
| | - Olivia Ritchie
- Biology Research, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., 105 Digital Drive, Novato, CA 94949, USA
| | - Choong-Ryoul Sihn
- Biology Research, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., 105 Digital Drive, Novato, CA 94949, USA
| | - Britta Handyside
- Biology Research, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., 105 Digital Drive, Novato, CA 94949, USA
| | - Geoffrey Berguig
- Biology Research, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., 105 Digital Drive, Novato, CA 94949, USA
| | - Jill Woloszynek
- Biology Research, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., 105 Digital Drive, Novato, CA 94949, USA
| | - Lening Zhang
- Biology Research, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., 105 Digital Drive, Novato, CA 94949, USA
| | - Paul Batty
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Richardson Laboratory, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - David Lillicrap
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Richardson Laboratory, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Vishal Agrawal
- Biology Research, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., 105 Digital Drive, Novato, CA 94949, USA
| | - Christa Cortesio
- Biology Research, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., 105 Digital Drive, Novato, CA 94949, USA
| | - Kahsay Gebretsadik
- Biology Research, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., 105 Digital Drive, Novato, CA 94949, USA
| | - Hassibullah Akeefe
- Biology Research, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., 105 Digital Drive, Novato, CA 94949, USA
| | - Peter Colosi
- Biology Research, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., 105 Digital Drive, Novato, CA 94949, USA
| | - Benjamin Kim
- Clinical Sciences, BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Inc., Novato, CA 94949, USA
| | - Stuart Bunting
- Biology Research, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., 105 Digital Drive, Novato, CA 94949, USA
| | - Sylvia Fong
- Biology Research, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., 105 Digital Drive, Novato, CA 94949, USA
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47
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Osanai Y, Battulga B, Yamazaki R, Kouki T, Yatabe M, Mizukami H, Kobayashi K, Shinohara Y, Yoshimura Y, Ohno N. Dark Rearing in the Visual Critical Period Causes Structural Changes in Myelinated Axons in the Adult Mouse Visual Pathway. Neurochem Res 2022; 47:2815-2825. [PMID: 35933550 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-022-03689-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
An appropriate sensory experience during the early developmental period is important for brain maturation. Dark rearing during the visual critical period delays the maturation of neuronal circuits in the visual cortex. Although the formation and structural plasticity of the myelin sheaths on retinal ganglion cell axons modulate the visual function, the effects of dark rearing during the visual critical period on the structure of the retinal ganglion cell axons and their myelin sheaths are still unclear. To address this question, mice were reared in a dark box during the visual critical period and then normally reared to adulthood. We found that myelin sheaths on the retinal ganglion cell axons of dark-reared mice were thicker than those of normally reared mice in both the optic chiasm and optic nerve. Furthermore, whole-mount immunostaining with fluorescent axonal labeling and tissue clearing revealed that the myelin internodal length in dark-reared mice was shorter than that in normally reared mice in both the optic chiasm and optic nerve. These findings demonstrate that dark rearing during the visual critical period affects the morphology of myelin sheaths, shortens and thickens myelin sheaths in the visual pathway, despite the mice being reared in normal light/dark conditions after the dark rearing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuyuki Osanai
- Division of Histology and Cell Biology, Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Japan. .,Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, 15 Innovation Walk, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia.
| | - Batpurev Battulga
- Division of Histology and Cell Biology, Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Japan
| | - Reiji Yamazaki
- Division of Histology and Cell Biology, Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Japan
| | - Tom Kouki
- Division of Histology and Cell Biology, Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Japan
| | - Megumi Yatabe
- Division of Histology and Cell Biology, Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Mizukami
- Division of Genetic Therapeutics, Center for Molecular Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Japan
| | - Kenta Kobayashi
- Section of Viral Vector Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan.,SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Okazaki, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Shinohara
- Division of Histology and Cell Biology, Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Japan
| | - Yumiko Yoshimura
- SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Okazaki, Japan.,Division of Visual Information Processing, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, 444-8585, Japan
| | - Nobuhiko Ohno
- Division of Histology and Cell Biology, Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Japan. .,Division of Ultrastructural Research, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan.
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48
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Baleisyte A, Schneggenburger R, Kochubey O. Stimulation of medial amygdala GABA neurons with kinetically different channelrhodopsins yields opposite behavioral outcomes. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110850. [PMID: 35613578 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The medial amygdala (MeA) receives pheromone information about conspecifics and has crucial functions in social behaviors. A previous study showed that activation of GABA neurons in the postero-dorsal MeA (MeApd) with channelrhodopsin-2H134R (ChR2) stimulates inter-male aggression. When performing these experiments using the faster channelrhodopsinH134R,E123T (ChETA), we find the opposite behavioral outcome. A systematic comparison between the two channelrhodopsin variants reveals that optogenetic activation of MeApd GABA neurons with ChETA suppresses aggression, whereas activation under ChR2 increases aggression. Although the mechanism for this paradoxical difference is not understood, we observe that activation of MeApd GABA neurons with ChR2 causes larger plateau depolarizations, smaller action potentials, and larger local inhibition than with ChETA. Thus, the channelrhodopsin variant used for in vivo optogenetic experiments can radically influence the behavioral outcome. Future work should continue to study the role of specific sub-populations of MeApd GABA neurons in aggression control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aiste Baleisyte
- Laboratory of Synaptic Mechanisms, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ralf Schneggenburger
- Laboratory of Synaptic Mechanisms, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Olexiy Kochubey
- Laboratory of Synaptic Mechanisms, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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49
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Oguchi M, Sakagami M. Dissecting the Prefrontal Network With Pathway-Selective Manipulation in the Macaque Brain—A Review. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:917407. [PMID: 35677354 PMCID: PMC9168219 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.917407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Macaque monkeys are prime animal models for studying the neural mechanisms of decision-making because of their close kinship with humans. Manipulation of neural activity during decision-making tasks is essential for approaching the causal relationship between the brain and its functions. Conventional manipulation methods used in macaque studies are coarse-grained, and have worked indiscriminately on mutually intertwined neural pathways. To systematically dissect neural circuits responsible for a variety of functions, it is essential to analyze changes in behavior and neural activity through interventions in specific neural pathways. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have applied optogenetics and chemogenetics to achieve fine-grained pathway-selective manipulation in the macaque brain. Here, we review the developments in macaque studies involving pathway-selective operations, with a particular focus on applications to the prefrontal network. Pathway selectivity can be achieved using single viral vector transduction combined with local light stimulation or ligand administration directly into the brain or double-viral vector transduction combined with systemic drug administration. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these methods. We also highlight recent technological developments in viral vectors that can effectively infect the macaque brain, as well as the development of methods to deliver photostimulation or ligand drugs to a wide area to effectively manipulate behavior. The development and dissemination of such pathway-selective manipulations of macaque prefrontal networks will enable us to efficiently dissect the neural mechanisms of decision-making and innovate novel treatments for decision-related psychiatric disorders.
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50
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Viral strategies for targeting spinal neuronal subtypes in adult wild-type rodents. Sci Rep 2022; 12:8627. [PMID: 35606530 PMCID: PMC9126985 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12535-4] [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: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeting specific subtypes of interneurons in the spinal cord is primarily restricted to a small group of genetic model animals. Since the development of new transgenic model animals can be expensive and labor intensive, it is often difficult to generalize these findings and verify them in other model organisms, such as the rat, ferret or monkey, that may be more beneficial in certain experimental investigations. Nevertheless, endogenous enhancers and promoters delivered using an adeno-associated virus (AAV) have been successful in providing expression in specific subtypes of neurons in the forebrain of wildtype animals, and therefore may introduce a shortcut. GABAergic interneurons, for instance, have successfully been targeted using the mDlx promoter, which has recently been developed and is now widely used in wild type animals. Here, we test the specificity and efficiency of the mDlx enhancer for robust targeting of inhibitory interneurons in the lumbar spinal cord of wild-type rats using AAV serotype 2 (AAV2). Since this has rarely been done in the spinal cord, we also test the expression and specificity of the CamKIIa and hSynapsin promoters using serotype 9. We found that AAV2-mDlx does in fact target many neurons that contain an enzyme for catalyzing GABA, the GAD-65, with high specificity and a small fraction of neurons containing an isoform, GAD-67. Expression was also seen in some motor neurons although with low correlation. Viral injections using the CamKIIa enhancer via AAV9 infected in some glutamatergic neurons, but also GABAergic neurons, whereas hSynapsin via AAV9 targets almost all the neurons in the lumbar spinal cord.
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