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Shen G, Liu J, Yang H, Xie N, Yang Y. mRNA therapies: Pioneering a new era in rare genetic disease treatment. J Control Release 2024; 369:696-721. [PMID: 38580137 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.03.056] [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: 11/04/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Rare genetic diseases, often referred to as orphan diseases due to their low prevalence and limited treatment options, have long posed significant challenges to our medical system. In recent years, Messenger RNA (mRNA) therapy has emerged as a highly promising treatment approach for various diseases caused by genetic mutations. Chemically modified mRNA is introduced into cells using carriers like lipid-based nanoparticles (LNPs), producing functional proteins that compensate for genetic deficiencies. Given the advantages of precise dosing, biocompatibility, transient expression, and minimal risk of genomic integration, mRNA therapies can safely and effectively correct genetic defects in rare diseases and improve symptoms. Currently, dozens of mRNA drugs targeting rare diseases are undergoing clinical trials. This comprehensive review summarizes the progress of mRNA therapy in treating rare genetic diseases. It introduces the development, molecular design, and delivery systems of mRNA therapy, highlighting their research progress in rare genetic diseases based on protein replacement and gene editing. The review also summarizes research progress in various rare disease models and clinical trials. Additionally, it discusses the challenges and future prospects of mRNA therapy. Researchers are encouraged to join this field and collaborate to advance the clinical translation of mRNA therapy, bringing hope to patients with rare genetic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guobo Shen
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Hanmei Yang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Na Xie
- West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; Department of Ophthalmology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
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Koeberl DD, Koch RL, Lim JA, Brooks ED, Arnson BD, Sun B, Kishnani PS. Gene therapy for glycogen storage diseases. J Inherit Metab Dis 2024; 47:93-118. [PMID: 37421310 PMCID: PMC10874648 DOI: 10.1002/jimd.12654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
Glycogen storage disorders (GSDs) are inherited disorders of metabolism resulting from the deficiency of individual enzymes involved in the synthesis, transport, and degradation of glycogen. This literature review summarizes the development of gene therapy for the GSDs. The abnormal accumulation of glycogen and deficiency of glucose production in GSDs lead to unique symptoms based upon the enzyme step and tissues involved, such as liver and kidney involvement associated with severe hypoglycemia during fasting and the risk of long-term complications including hepatic adenoma/carcinoma and end stage kidney disease in GSD Ia from glucose-6-phosphatase deficiency, and cardiac/skeletal/smooth muscle involvement associated with myopathy +/- cardiomyopathy and the risk for cardiorespiratory failure in Pompe disease. These symptoms are present to a variable degree in animal models for the GSDs, which have been utilized to evaluate new therapies including gene therapy and genome editing. Gene therapy for Pompe disease and GSD Ia has progressed to Phase I and Phase III clinical trials, respectively, and are evaluating the safety and bioactivity of adeno-associated virus vectors. Clinical research to understand the natural history and progression of the GSDs provides invaluable outcome measures that serve as endpoints to evaluate benefits in clinical trials. While promising, gene therapy and genome editing face challenges with regard to clinical implementation, including immune responses and toxicities that have been revealed during clinical trials of gene therapy that are underway. Gene therapy for the glycogen storage diseases is under development, addressing an unmet need for specific, stable therapy for these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dwight D. Koeberl
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical School, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Rebecca L. Koch
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical School, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Jeong-A Lim
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical School, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Elizabeth D. Brooks
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical School, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Benjamin D. Arnson
- Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Baodong Sun
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical School, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Priya S. Kishnani
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical School, Durham, NC, United States
- Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, United States
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Samanta A, George N, Arnaoutova I, Chen HD, Mansfield BC, Hart C, Carlo T, Chou JY. CRISPR/Cas9-based double-strand oligonucleotide insertion strategy corrects metabolic abnormalities in murine glycogen storage disease type-Ia. J Inherit Metab Dis 2023; 46:1147-1158. [PMID: 37467014 PMCID: PMC10796839 DOI: 10.1002/jimd.12660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
Glycogen storage disease type-Ia (GSD-Ia), characterized by impaired blood glucose homeostasis, is caused by a deficiency in glucose-6-phosphatase-α (G6Pase-α or G6PC). Using the G6pc-R83C mouse model of GSD-Ia, we explored a CRISPR/Cas9-based double-strand DNA oligonucleotide (dsODN) insertional strategy that uses the nonhomologous end-joining repair mechanism to correct the pathogenic p.R83C variant in G6pc exon-2. The strategy is based on the insertion of a short dsODN into G6pc exon-2 to disrupt the native exon and to introduce an additional splice acceptor site and the correcting sequence. When transcribed and spliced, the edited gene would generate a wild-type mRNA encoding the native G6Pase-α protein. The editing reagents formulated in lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) were delivered to the liver. Mice were treated either with one dose of LNP-dsODN at age 4 weeks or with two doses of LNP-dsODN at age 2 and 4 weeks. The G6pc-R83C mice receiving successful editing expressed ~4% of normal hepatic G6Pase-α activity, maintained glucose homeostasis, lacked hypoglycemic seizures, and displayed normalized blood metabolite profile. The outcomes are consistent with preclinical studies supporting previous gene augmentation therapy which is currently in clinical trials. This editing strategy may offer the basis for a therapeutic approach with an earlier clinical intervention than gene augmentation, with the additional benefit of a potentially permanent correction of the GSD-Ia phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ananya Samanta
- Section on Cellular Differentiation, Division of Translational Medicine, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Nelson George
- Section on Cellular Differentiation, Division of Translational Medicine, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Irina Arnaoutova
- Section on Cellular Differentiation, Division of Translational Medicine, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Hung-Dar Chen
- Section on Cellular Differentiation, Division of Translational Medicine, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Brian C. Mansfield
- Section on Cellular Differentiation, Division of Translational Medicine, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Christopher Hart
- Current affiliation, Prime Medicine Inc, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Troy Carlo
- Current affiliation, Prime Medicine Inc, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Janice Y. Chou
- Section on Cellular Differentiation, Division of Translational Medicine, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Chandler RJ. From Puppies to adults: In vivo editing of hepatocytes in a canine model of glycogen storage disease type Ia. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2023; 29:347-349. [PMID: 37206367 PMCID: PMC10188620 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2023.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Randy J. Chandler
- Metabolic Medicine Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Corresponding author: Randy J. Chandler, PhD, MB Organic Acid Research Section Metabolic Medicine Branch National Human Genome Research Institute National Institutes of Health Bldg 10, Room 5B39 Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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