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Suárez-Herrera N, Garanto A, Collin RWJ. Understanding and Rescuing the Splicing Defect Caused by the Frequent ABCA4 Variant c.4253+43G>A Underlying Stargardt Disease. Nucleic Acid Ther 2024; 34:73-82. [PMID: 38466963 DOI: 10.1089/nat.2023.0076] [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: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic variants in ABCA4 are the underlying molecular cause of Stargardt disease (STGD1), an autosomal recessive macular dystrophy characterized by a progressive loss of central vision. Among intronic ABCA4 variants, c.4253+43G>A is frequently detected in STGD1 cases and is classified as a hypomorphic allele, generally associated with late-onset cases. This variant was previously reported to alter splicing regulatory sequences, but the splicing outcome is not fully understood yet. In this study, we attempted to better understand its effect on splicing and to rescue the aberrant splicing via antisense oligonucleotides (AONs). Wild-type and c.4253+43G>A variant-harboring maxigene vectors revealed additional skipping events, which were not previously detected upon transfection in HEK293T cells. To restore exon inclusion, we designed a set of 27 AONs targeting either splicing silencer motifs or the variant region and screened these in maxigene-transfected HEK293T cells. Candidate AONs able to promote exon inclusion were selected for further testing in patient-derived photoreceptor precursor cells. Surprisingly, no robust splicing modulation was observed in this model system. Overall, this research helped to adequately characterize the splicing alteration caused by the c.4253+43G>A variant, although future development of AON-mediated exon inclusion therapy for ABCA4 is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuria Suárez-Herrera
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Alejandro Garanto
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Amalia Children's Hospital, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Rob W J Collin
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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2
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Chen S, Heendeniya SN, Le BT, Rahimizadeh K, Rabiee N, Zahra QUA, Veedu RN. Splice-Modulating Antisense Oligonucleotides as Therapeutics for Inherited Metabolic Diseases. BioDrugs 2024; 38:177-203. [PMID: 38252341 PMCID: PMC10912209 DOI: 10.1007/s40259-024-00644-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
The last decade (2013-2023) has seen unprecedented successes in the clinical translation of therapeutic antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs). Eight such molecules have been granted marketing approval by the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) during the decade, after the first ASO drug, fomivirsen, was approved much earlier, in 1998. Splice-modulating ASOs have also been developed for the therapy of inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs), due to their ability to redirect aberrant splicing caused by mutations, thus recovering the expression of normal transcripts, and correcting the deficiency of functional proteins. The feasibility of treating IEM patients with splice-switching ASOs has been supported by FDA permission (2018) of the first "N-of-1" study of milasen, an investigational ASO drug for Batten disease. Although for IEM, owing to the rarity of individual disease and/or pathogenic mutation, only a low number of patients may be treated by ASOs that specifically suppress the aberrant splicing pattern of mutant precursor mRNA (pre-mRNA), splice-switching ASOs represent superior individualized molecular therapeutics for IEM. In this work, we first summarize the ASO technology with respect to its mechanisms of action, chemical modifications of nucleotides, and rational design of modified oligonucleotides; following that, we precisely provide a review of the current understanding of developing splice-modulating ASO-based therapeutics for IEM. In the concluding section, we suggest potential ways to improve and/or optimize the development of ASOs targeting IEM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suxiang Chen
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
- Precision Nucleic Acid Therapeutics, Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Saumya Nishanga Heendeniya
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
- Precision Nucleic Acid Therapeutics, Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Bao T Le
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
- Precision Nucleic Acid Therapeutics, Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
- ProGenis Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Kamal Rahimizadeh
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
- Precision Nucleic Acid Therapeutics, Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Navid Rabiee
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
- Precision Nucleic Acid Therapeutics, Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Qurat Ul Ain Zahra
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
- Precision Nucleic Acid Therapeutics, Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Rakesh N Veedu
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia.
- Precision Nucleic Acid Therapeutics, Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Nedlands, WA, 6009, Australia.
- ProGenis Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.
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3
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In 't Groen SLM, Franken M, Bock T, Krüger M, de Greef JC, Pijnappel WWMP. A knock down strategy for rapid, generic, and versatile modelling of muscular dystrophies in 3D-tissue-engineered-skeletal muscle. Skelet Muscle 2024; 14:3. [PMID: 38389096 PMCID: PMC10882755 DOI: 10.1186/s13395-024-00335-5] [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: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human iPSC-derived 3D-tissue-engineered-skeletal muscles (3D-TESMs) offer advanced technology for disease modelling. However, due to the inherent genetic heterogeneity among human individuals, it is often difficult to distinguish disease-related readouts from random variability. The generation of genetically matched isogenic controls using gene editing can reduce variability, but the generation of isogenic hiPSC-derived 3D-TESMs can take up to 6 months, thereby reducing throughput. METHODS Here, by combining 3D-TESM and shRNA technologies, we developed a disease modelling strategy to induce distinct genetic deficiencies in a single hiPSC-derived myogenic progenitor cell line within 1 week. RESULTS As proof of principle, we recapitulated disease-associated pathology of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2A caused by loss of function of DMD and CAPN3, respectively. shRNA-mediated knock down of DMD or CAPN3 induced a loss of contractile function, disruption of tissue architecture, and disease-specific proteomes. Pathology in DMD-deficient 3D-TESMs was partially rescued by a candidate gene therapy treatment using micro-dystrophin, with similar efficacy compared to animal models. CONCLUSIONS These results show that isogenic shRNA-based humanized 3D-TESM models provide a fast, cheap, and efficient tool to model muscular dystrophies and are useful for the preclinical evaluation of novel therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stijn L M In 't Groen
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, 3015 GE, The Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, 3015 GE, The Netherlands
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, 3015 GE, The Netherlands
| | - Marnix Franken
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZA, Netherlands
| | - Theresa Bock
- Institute of Genetics and Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Marcus Krüger
- Institute of Genetics and Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jessica C de Greef
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, 2333 ZA, Netherlands
| | - W W M Pim Pijnappel
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, 3015 GE, The Netherlands.
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, 3015 GE, The Netherlands.
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, 3015 GE, The Netherlands.
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4
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Wu Y, Zhu X, Jiang W, Li J, Li H, Zhang K, Yang Y, Qu S, Guan X, Bai Y, Guo H, Dai L. LMNA-related muscular dystrophy involving myoblast proliferation and apoptosis through the FOXO1/GADD45A pathway. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:166943. [PMID: 37951507 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2023.166943] [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: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
LMNA-related muscular dystrophy is a major disease phenotype causing mortality and morbidity in laminopathies, but its pathogenesis is still unclear. To explore the molecular pathogenesis, a knock-in mouse harbouring the Lmna-W520R mutation was modelled. Morphological and motor functional analyses showed that homozygous mutant mice revealed severe muscular atrophy, profound motor dysfunction, and shortened lifespan, while heterozygotes showed a variant arrangement of muscle bundles and mildly reduced motor capacity. Mechanistically, the FOXO1/GADD45A pathway involving muscle atrophy processes was found to be altered in vitro and in vivo assays. The expression levels of FOXO1 and its downstream regulatory molecule GADD45A significantly increased in atrophic muscle tissue. The elevated expression of FOXO1 was associated with decreased H3K27me3 in its gene promotor region. Overexpression of GADD45A induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest of myoblasts in vitro, and it could be partially restored by the FOXO1 inhibitor AS1842856, which also slowed the muscle atrophy process with improved motor function and prolonged survival time of homozygous mutant mice in vivo. Notably, the inhibitor also partly rescued the apoptosis and cell cycle arrest of hiPSC-derived myoblasts harbouring the LMNA-W520R mutation. Together, these data suggest that the activation of the FOXO1/GADD45A pathway contributes to the pathogenesis of LMNA-related muscle atrophy, and it might serve as a potential therapeutic target for laminopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Wu
- Department of Medical Genetics, College of Basic Medical Science, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Xintong Zhu
- Department of Medical Genetics, College of Basic Medical Science, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Wen Jiang
- Department of Medical Genetics, College of Basic Medical Science, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Jia Li
- Department of Medical Genetics, College of Basic Medical Science, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Hongyan Li
- Department of Medical Genetics, College of Basic Medical Science, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Kun Zhang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, College of Basic Medical Science, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Yixuan Yang
- Department of Medical Genetics, College of Basic Medical Science, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Song Qu
- Department of Medical Genetics, College of Basic Medical Science, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Xingying Guan
- Department of Medical Genetics, College of Basic Medical Science, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Yun Bai
- Department of Medical Genetics, College of Basic Medical Science, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Hong Guo
- Department of Medical Genetics, College of Basic Medical Science, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China.
| | - Limeng Dai
- Department of Medical Genetics, College of Basic Medical Science, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China; Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Southwest Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing 400038, China.
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5
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Gragnaniello V, Cazzorla C, Gueraldi D, Puma A, Loro C, Porcù E, Stornaiuolo M, Miglioranza P, Salviati L, Burlina AP, Burlina AB. Light and Shadows in Newborn Screening for Lysosomal Storage Disorders: Eight Years of Experience in Northeast Italy. Int J Neonatal Screen 2023; 10:3. [PMID: 38248631 PMCID: PMC10801488 DOI: 10.3390/ijns10010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
In the last two decades, the development of high-throughput diagnostic methods and the availability of effective treatments have increased the interest in newborn screening for lysosomal storage disorders. However, long-term follow-up experience is needed to clearly identify risks, benefits and challenges. We report our 8-year experience of screening and follow-up on about 250,000 neonates screened for four lysosomal storage diseases (Pompe disease, mucopolysaccharidosis type I, Fabry disease, Gaucher disease), using the enzyme activity assay by tandem mass spectrometry, and biomarker quantification as a second-tier test. Among the 126 positive newborns (0.051%), 51 infants were confirmed as affected (positive predictive value 40%), with an overall incidence of 1:4874. Of these, three patients with infantile-onset Pompe disease, two with neonatal-onset Gaucher disease and four with mucopolysaccharidosis type I were immediately treated. Furthermore, another four Gaucher disease patients needed treatment in the first years of life. Our study demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of newborn screening for lysosomal storage diseases. Early diagnosis and treatment allow the achievement of better patient outcomes. Challenges such as false-positive rates, the diagnosis of variants of uncertain significance or late-onset forms and the lack of treatment for neuronopathic forms, should be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenza Gragnaniello
- Division of Inherited Metabolic Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Services, University Hospital of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy; (V.G.); (C.C.); (D.G.); (A.P.); (C.L.); (E.P.); (M.S.)
- Division of Inherited Metabolic Diseases, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy
| | - Chiara Cazzorla
- Division of Inherited Metabolic Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Services, University Hospital of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy; (V.G.); (C.C.); (D.G.); (A.P.); (C.L.); (E.P.); (M.S.)
| | - Daniela Gueraldi
- Division of Inherited Metabolic Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Services, University Hospital of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy; (V.G.); (C.C.); (D.G.); (A.P.); (C.L.); (E.P.); (M.S.)
| | - Andrea Puma
- Division of Inherited Metabolic Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Services, University Hospital of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy; (V.G.); (C.C.); (D.G.); (A.P.); (C.L.); (E.P.); (M.S.)
| | - Christian Loro
- Division of Inherited Metabolic Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Services, University Hospital of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy; (V.G.); (C.C.); (D.G.); (A.P.); (C.L.); (E.P.); (M.S.)
| | - Elena Porcù
- Division of Inherited Metabolic Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Services, University Hospital of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy; (V.G.); (C.C.); (D.G.); (A.P.); (C.L.); (E.P.); (M.S.)
| | - Maria Stornaiuolo
- Division of Inherited Metabolic Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Services, University Hospital of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy; (V.G.); (C.C.); (D.G.); (A.P.); (C.L.); (E.P.); (M.S.)
| | - Paolo Miglioranza
- Division of Inherited Metabolic Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Services, University Hospital of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy; (V.G.); (C.C.); (D.G.); (A.P.); (C.L.); (E.P.); (M.S.)
| | - Leonardo Salviati
- Clinical Genetics Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy;
| | | | - Alberto B. Burlina
- Division of Inherited Metabolic Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Services, University Hospital of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy; (V.G.); (C.C.); (D.G.); (A.P.); (C.L.); (E.P.); (M.S.)
- Division of Inherited Metabolic Diseases, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padua, 35128 Padua, Italy
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6
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van der Wal E, Iuliano A, In 't Groen SLM, Bholasing AP, Priesmann D, Sharma P, den Hamer B, Saggiomo V, Krüger M, Pijnappel WWMP, de Greef JC. Highly contractile 3D tissue engineered skeletal muscles from human iPSCs reveal similarities with primary myoblast-derived tissues. Stem Cell Reports 2023; 18:1954-1971. [PMID: 37774701 PMCID: PMC10656354 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2023.08.014] [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: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Skeletal muscle research is transitioning toward 3D tissue engineered in vitro models reproducing muscle's native architecture and supporting measurement of functionality. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) offer high yields of cells for differentiation. It has been difficult to differentiate high-quality, pure 3D muscle tissues from hiPSCs that show contractile properties comparable to primary myoblast-derived tissues. Here, we present a transgene-free method for the generation of purified, expandable myogenic progenitors (MPs) from hiPSCs grown under feeder-free conditions. We defined a protocol with optimal hydrogel and medium conditions that allowed production of highly contractile 3D tissue engineered skeletal muscles with forces similar to primary myoblast-derived tissues. Gene expression and proteomic analysis between hiPSC-derived and primary myoblast-derived 3D tissues revealed a similar expression profile of proteins involved in myogenic differentiation and sarcomere function. The protocol should be generally applicable for the study of personalized human skeletal muscle tissue in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik van der Wal
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Alessandro Iuliano
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Stijn L M In 't Groen
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Anjali P Bholasing
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Dominik Priesmann
- Institute of Genetics and Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Center for Molecular Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Preeti Sharma
- Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 WE Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Bianca den Hamer
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Vittorio Saggiomo
- Department of BioNanoTechnology, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 WG Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Marcus Krüger
- Institute of Genetics and Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Center for Molecular Medicine, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - W W M Pim Pijnappel
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Jessica C de Greef
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, the Netherlands.
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7
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Leng Y, Li X, Zheng F, Liu H, Wang C, Wang X, Liao Y, Liu J, Meng K, Yu J, Zhang J, Wang B, Tan Y, Liu M, Jia X, Li D, Li Y, Gu Z, Fan Y. Advances in In Vitro Models of Neuromuscular Junction: Focusing on Organ-on-a-Chip, Organoids, and Biohybrid Robotics. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2211059. [PMID: 36934404 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202211059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a peripheral synaptic connection between presynaptic motor neurons and postsynaptic skeletal muscle fibers that enables muscle contraction and voluntary motor movement. Many traumatic, neurodegenerative, and neuroimmunological diseases are classically believed to mainly affect either the neuronal or the muscle side of the NMJ, and treatment options are lacking. Recent advances in novel techniques have helped develop in vitro physiological and pathophysiological models of the NMJ as well as enable precise control and evaluation of its functions. This paper reviews the recent developments in in vitro NMJ models with 2D or 3D cultures, from organ-on-a-chip and organoids to biohybrid robotics. Related derivative techniques are introduced for functional analysis of the NMJ, such as the patch-clamp technique, microelectrode arrays, calcium imaging, and stimulus methods, particularly optogenetic-mediated light stimulation, microelectrode-mediated electrical stimulation, and biochemical stimulation. Finally, the applications of the in vitro NMJ models as disease models or for drug screening related to suitable neuromuscular diseases are summarized and their future development trends and challenges are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yubing Leng
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, and with the School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Xiaorui Li
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, and with the School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Fuyin Zheng
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, and with the School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Hui Liu
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, and with the School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Chunyan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Space Medicine Fundamentals and Application, China Astronaut Research and Training Center, Beijing, 100094, China
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Xudong Wang
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, and with the School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Yulong Liao
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, and with the School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Jiangyue Liu
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, and with the School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Kaiqi Meng
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, and with the School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Jiaheng Yu
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, and with the School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Jingyi Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, and with the School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Binyu Wang
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, and with the School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Yingjun Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Space Medicine Fundamentals and Application, China Astronaut Research and Training Center, Beijing, 100094, China
| | - Meili Liu
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, and with the School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Xiaoling Jia
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, and with the School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Deyu Li
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, and with the School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Yinghui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Space Medicine Fundamentals and Application, China Astronaut Research and Training Center, Beijing, 100094, China
| | - Zhongze Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China
| | - Yubo Fan
- Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Ministry of Education, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, and with the School of Engineering Medicine, Beihang University, Beijing, 100083, China
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8
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Goldstein JL, McGlaughon J, Kanavy D, Goomber S, Pan Y, Deml B, Donti T, Kearns L, Seifert BA, Schachter M, Son RG, Thaxton C, Udani R, Bali D, Baudet H, Caggana M, Hung C, Kyriakopoulou L, Rosenblum L, Steiner R, Pinto E Vairo F, Wang Y, Watson M, Fernandez R, Weaver M, Clarke L, Rehder C. Variant Classification for Pompe disease; ACMG/AMP specifications from the ClinGen Lysosomal Diseases Variant Curation Expert Panel. Mol Genet Metab 2023; 140:107715. [PMID: 37907381 PMCID: PMC10872922 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymgme.2023.107715] [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: 07/09/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Accurate determination of the clinical significance of genetic variants is critical to the integration of genomics in medicine. To facilitate this process, the NIH-funded Clinical Genome Resource (ClinGen) has assembled Variant Curation Expert Panels (VCEPs), groups of experts and biocurators which provide gene- and disease- specifications to the American College of Medical Genetics & Genomics and Association for Molecular Pathology's (ACMG/AMP) variation classification guidelines. With the goal of classifying the clinical significance of GAA variants in Pompe disease (Glycogen storage disease, type II), the ClinGen Lysosomal Diseases (LD) VCEP has specified the ACMG/AMP criteria for GAA. Variant classification can play an important role in confirming the diagnosis of Pompe disease as well as in the identification of carriers. Furthermore, since the inclusion of Pompe disease on the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP) for newborns in the USA in 2015, the addition of molecular genetic testing has become an important component in the interpretation of newborn screening results, particularly for asymptomatic individuals. To date, the LD VCEP has submitted classifications and supporting data on 243 GAA variants to public databases, specifically ClinVar and the ClinGen Evidence Repository. Here, we describe the ACMG/AMP criteria specification process for GAA, an update of the GAA-specific variant classification guidelines, and comparison of the ClinGen LD VCEP's GAA variant classifications with variant classifications submitted to ClinVar. The LD VCEP has added to the publicly available knowledge on the pathogenicity of variants in GAA by increasing the number of expert-curated GAA variants present in ClinVar, and aids in resolving conflicting classifications and variants of uncertain clinical significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Goldstein
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | | | - Dona Kanavy
- Duke University Health System, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | | | - Brett Deml
- Prevention Genetics, Marshfield, WI, USA
| | | | - Liz Kearns
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bryce A Seifert
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - Rachel G Son
- Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Courtney Thaxton
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Rupa Udani
- Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene at University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | - Heather Baudet
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Michele Caggana
- Newborn Screening Program, Division of Genetics, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA
| | | | | | | | - Robert Steiner
- Prevention Genetics, Marshfield, WI, USA; Medical College of Wisconsin, Brookfield, WI, USA
| | | | | | - Michael Watson
- American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Raquel Fernandez
- American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Meredith Weaver
- American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lorne Clarke
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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9
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Labella B, Cotti Piccinelli S, Risi B, Caria F, Damioli S, Bertella E, Poli L, Padovani A, Filosto M. A Comprehensive Update on Late-Onset Pompe Disease. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1279. [PMID: 37759679 PMCID: PMC10526932 DOI: 10.3390/biom13091279] [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: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Pompe disease (PD) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the GAA gene that lead to a deficiency in the acid alpha-glucosidase enzyme. Two clinical presentations are usually considered, named infantile-onset Pompe disease (IOPD) and late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD), which differ in age of onset, organ involvement, and severity of disease. Assessment of acid alpha-glucosidase activity on a dried blood spot is the first-line screening test, which needs to be confirmed by genetic analysis in case of suspected deficiency. LOPD is a multi-system disease, thus requiring a multidisciplinary approach for efficacious management. Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT), which was introduced over 15 years ago, changes the natural progression of the disease. However, it has limitations, including a reduction in efficacy over time and heterogeneous therapeutic responses among patients. Novel therapeutic approaches, such as gene therapy, are currently under study. We provide a comprehensive review of diagnostic advances in LOPD and a critical discussion about the advantages and limitations of current and future treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Labella
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, 25100 Brescia, Italy; (B.L.); (S.C.P.); (A.P.)
- Unit of Neurology, ASST Spedali Civili, 25100 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Stefano Cotti Piccinelli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, 25100 Brescia, Italy; (B.L.); (S.C.P.); (A.P.)
- NeMO-Brescia Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, 25064 Brescia, Italy; (B.R.); (F.C.); (S.D.); (E.B.)
| | - Barbara Risi
- NeMO-Brescia Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, 25064 Brescia, Italy; (B.R.); (F.C.); (S.D.); (E.B.)
| | - Filomena Caria
- NeMO-Brescia Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, 25064 Brescia, Italy; (B.R.); (F.C.); (S.D.); (E.B.)
| | - Simona Damioli
- NeMO-Brescia Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, 25064 Brescia, Italy; (B.R.); (F.C.); (S.D.); (E.B.)
| | - Enrica Bertella
- NeMO-Brescia Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, 25064 Brescia, Italy; (B.R.); (F.C.); (S.D.); (E.B.)
| | - Loris Poli
- Unit of Neurology, ASST Spedali Civili, 25100 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Alessandro Padovani
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, 25100 Brescia, Italy; (B.L.); (S.C.P.); (A.P.)
- Unit of Neurology, ASST Spedali Civili, 25100 Brescia, Italy;
| | - Massimiliano Filosto
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, 25100 Brescia, Italy; (B.L.); (S.C.P.); (A.P.)
- NeMO-Brescia Clinical Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, 25064 Brescia, Italy; (B.R.); (F.C.); (S.D.); (E.B.)
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10
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Christensen C, Heckman P, Rha A, Kan SH, Harb J, Wang R. Generation of two induced pluripotent stem cell lines (CHOCi002-A and CHOCi003-A) from Pompe disease patients with compound heterozygous mutations in the GAA gene. Stem Cell Res 2023; 69:103117. [PMID: 37167752 DOI: 10.1016/j.scr.2023.103117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Pompe disease is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disease caused by pathogenic variants in GAA, which encodes an enzyme integral to glycogen catabolism, acid α-glucosidase. Disease-relevant cell lines are necessary to evaluate the efficacy of genotype-specific therapies. Dermal fibroblasts from two patients presenting clinically with Pompe disease were reprogrammed to induced pluripotent stem cells using the Sendai viral method. One patient is compound heterozygous for the c.258dupC (p.N87QfsX9) frameshift mutation and the c.2227C>T (p.Q743X) nonsense mutation. The other patient harbors the c.-32-13T>G splice variant and the c.1826dupA (p.Y609X) frameshift mutation in compound heterozygosity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe Christensen
- CHOC Children's Research Institute, Orange, CA 92868, United States.
| | - Perla Heckman
- CHOC Children's Research Institute, Orange, CA 92868, United States
| | - Allisandra Rha
- CHOC Children's Research Institute, Orange, CA 92868, United States
| | - Shih-Hsin Kan
- CHOC Children's Research Institute, Orange, CA 92868, United States
| | - Jerry Harb
- CHOC Children's Research Institute, Orange, CA 92868, United States
| | - Raymond Wang
- Division of Metabolic Disorders, Children's Hospital of Orange County Specialists, Orange, CA 92868, United States; Department of Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA 92697, United States.
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11
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van Amerongen RA, Morton LT, Chaudhari UG, Remst DF, Hagedoorn RS, van den Berg CW, Freund C, Falkenburg JF, Heemskerk MH. Human iPSC-derived preclinical models to identify toxicity of tumor-specific T cells with clinical potential. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2023; 28:249-261. [PMID: 36816758 PMCID: PMC9931760 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2023.01.005] [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: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The balance between safety and efficacy of T cell therapies remains challenging and T cell mediated toxicities have occurred. The stringent selection of tumor-specific targets and careful selection of tumor-specific T cells using T cell toxicity screenings are essential. In vitro screening options against vital organs or specialized cell subsets would be preferably included in preclinical pipelines, but options remain limited. Here, we set up preclinical models with human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes, epicardial cells, and kidney organoids to investigate toxicity risks of tumor-specific T cells more thoroughly. CD8+T cells reactive against PRAME, HA-1H, CD20, or WT1, currently used or planned to be used in phase I/II clinical studies, were included. Using these hiPSC-derived preclinical models, we demonstrated that WT1-specific T cells caused on-target toxicity that correlated with target gene expression. Multiple measures of T cell reactivity demonstrated this toxicity on the level of T cells and hiPSC-derived target cells. In addition, phenotypic analysis illustrated interaction and crosstalk between infiltrated T cells and kidney organoids. In summary, we demonstrated the benefit of hiPSC-derived models in determining toxicity risks of tumor-specific T cells. Furthermore, our data emphasizes the additional value of other measures of T cell reactivity on top of the commonly used cytokine levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa A. van Amerongen
- Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333ZA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Laura T. Morton
- Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333ZA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Umesh G. Chaudhari
- LUMC hiPSC Hotel, Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333ZA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Dennis F.G. Remst
- Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333ZA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Renate S. Hagedoorn
- Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333ZA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Cathelijne W. van den Berg
- Department of Internal Medicine-Nephrology and Einthoven Laboratory of Vascular and Regenerative Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333ZA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Christian Freund
- LUMC hiPSC Hotel, Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333ZA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | - Mirjam H.M. Heemskerk
- Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333ZA Leiden, the Netherlands,Corresponding author: Mirjam H.M. Heemskerk, Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333ZA Leiden, the Netherlands.
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12
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Abstract
Late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD) is a genetic myopathy causing skeletal muscle weakness and severe respiratory impairment, due to the deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA) leading to lysosomal glycogen accumulation along with other complex pathophysiological processes. A major step for treatment of Pompe disease was reached in 2006 with the marketing of alglucosidase alfa, a first enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) that showed a significant motor and respiratory benefit. However, efficacy of alglucosidase alfa is limited in LOPD with a loss of efficacy over time, promoting research on new treatments. Next-generation ERT are new enzymes biochemically modified to increase the uptake of exogenous enzyme by target tissues, and the benefit of two recombinant enzymes (avalglucosidase alfa and cipaglucosidase alfa) has been recently studied in large phase III clinical trials, the latest combined with miglustat. Several innovative therapies, based on GAA gene transfer, antisense oligonucleotides or inhibition of glycogen synthesis with substrate reduction therapy, are currently under study, but are still at an early stage of development. Overall, active research for new treatments raises hope for LOPD patients but challenges remain for the clinician with the need for reliable efficacy assessment tools, long-term registry data, and evidence-based recommendations for the best use of these new molecules recently available or under development.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Guémy
- Neurology Department, Nord-Est-Île-de-France Neuromuscular Reference Center, Raymond-Poincaré Hospital, AP-HP, Garches, France.
| | - P Laforêt
- Neurology Department, Nord-Est-Île-de-France Neuromuscular Reference Center, Raymond-Poincaré Hospital, AP-HP, Garches, France; FHU PHENIX, Garches, France
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13
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Gragnaniello V, Pijnappel PW, Burlina AP, In 't Groen SL, Gueraldi D, Cazzorla C, Maines E, Polo G, Salviati L, Di Salvo G, Burlina AB. Newborn screening for Pompe disease in Italy: Long-term results and future challenges. Mol Genet Metab Rep 2022; 33:100929. [PMID: 36310651 PMCID: PMC9597184 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymgmr.2022.100929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Pompe disease (PD) is a progressive neuromuscular disorder caused by a lysosomal acid α-glucosidase (GAA) deficiency. Enzymatic replacement therapy is available, but early diagnosis by newborn screening (NBS) is essential for early treatment and better outcomes, especially with more severe forms. We present results from 7 years of NBS for PD and the management of infantile-onset (IOPD) and late-onset (LOPD) patients, during which we sought candidate predictive parameters of phenotype severity at baseline and during follow-up. We used a tandem mass spectrometry assay for α-glucosidase activity to screen 206,741 newborns and identified 39 positive neonates (0.019%). Eleven had two pathogenic variants of the GAA gene (3 IOPD, 8 LOPD); six carried variants of uncertain significance (VUS). IOPD patients were treated promptly and had good outcomes. LOPD and infants with VUS were followed; all were asymptomatic at the last visit (mean age 3.4 years, range 0.5–5.5). Urinary glucose tetrasaccharide was a useful and biomarker for rapidly differentiating IOPD from LOPD and monitoring response to therapy during follow-up. Our study, the largest reported to date in Europe, presents data from longstanding NBS for PD, revealing an incidence in North East Italy of 1/18,795 (IOPD 1/68,914; LOPD 1/25,843), and the absence of mortality in IOPD treated from birth. In LOPD, rigorous long-term follow-up is needed to evaluate the best time to start therapy. The high pseudodeficiency frequency, ethical issues with early LOPD diagnosis, and difficulty predicting phenotypes based on biochemical parameters and genotypes, especially in LOPD, need further study.
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Key Words
- Acid α-glucosidase
- CLIR, Collaborative Laboratory Integrated Reports
- CRIM, cross-reactive immunological material
- DBS, dried blood spot
- DMF, digital microfluidics
- ECG, electrocardiogram
- EF, ejection fraction
- EMG, electromyography
- ERT, enzyme replacement therapy
- Enzyme replacement therapy
- GAA, acid α-glucosidase
- GMFM-88, Gross Motor Function Measure
- Glc4, glucose tetrasaccharide
- IOPD, infantile-onset Pompe disease
- ITI, immunotolerance induction
- LOPD, late-onset Pompe disease
- LVMI, left ventricular max index
- MFM-20, motor function measurement
- MRC, Medical Research Council Scale
- MRI, magnetic resonance imaging
- MS/MS, tandem mass spectrometry
- NBS, newborn screening
- Newborn screening
- PBMC, peripheral blood mononuclear cells
- PD, Pompe disease
- PPV, positive predictive value
- Pompe disease
- RUSP, Recommended Uniform Screening Panel
- Tandem mass-spectrometry
- Urinary tetrasaccharide
- VUS, variants of uncertain significance.
- nv, normal values
- rhGAA, recombinant human GAA
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenza Gragnaniello
- Division of Inherited Metabolic Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Services, University Hospital, Padua, Italy
| | - Pim W.W.M. Pijnappel
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Stijn L.M. In 't Groen
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Daniela Gueraldi
- Division of Inherited Metabolic Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Services, University Hospital, Padua, Italy
| | - Chiara Cazzorla
- Division of Inherited Metabolic Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Services, University Hospital, Padua, Italy
| | - Evelina Maines
- Division of Pediatrics, S. Chiara General Hospital, Trento, Italy
| | - Giulia Polo
- Division of Inherited Metabolic Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Services, University Hospital, Padua, Italy
| | - Leonardo Salviati
- Clinical Genetics Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, and Myology Center, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Giovanni Di Salvo
- Division of Paediatric Cardiology, Department of Women's and Children's Health, University Hospital Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Alberto B. Burlina
- Division of Inherited Metabolic Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Services, University Hospital, Padua, Italy
- Corresponding author at: Division of Inherited Metabolic Diseases, Department of Diagnostic Services, University Hospital, via Orus 2/c, 35129 Padua, Italy.
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14
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Picache JA, Zheng W, Chen CZ. Therapeutic Strategies For Tay-Sachs Disease. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:906647. [PMID: 35865957 PMCID: PMC9294361 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.906647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tay-Sachs disease (TSD) is an autosomal recessive disease that features progressive neurodegenerative presentations. It affects one in 100,000 live births. Currently, there is no approved therapy or cure. This review summarizes multiple drug development strategies for TSD, including enzyme replacement therapy, pharmaceutical chaperone therapy, substrate reduction therapy, gene therapy, and hematopoietic stem cell replacement therapy. In vitro and in vivo systems are described to assess the efficacy of the aforementioned therapeutic strategies. Furthermore, we discuss using MALDI mass spectrometry to perform a high throughput screen of compound libraries. This enables discovery of compounds that reduce GM2 and can lead to further development of a TSD therapy.
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15
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Liang Q, Vlaar EC, Catalano F, Pijnenburg JM, Stok M, van Helsdingen Y, Vulto AG, Unger WW, van der Ploeg AT, Pijnappel WP, van Til NP. Lentiviral gene therapy prevents anti-human acid α-glucosidase antibody formation in murine Pompe disease. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2022; 25:520-532. [PMID: 35662813 PMCID: PMC9127119 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2022.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) is the current standard treatment for Pompe disease, a lysosomal storage disorder caused by deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA). ERT has shown to be lifesaving in patients with classic infantile Pompe disease. However, a major drawback is the development of neutralizing antibodies against ERT. Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell-mediated lentiviral gene therapy (HSPC-LVGT) provides a novel, potential lifelong therapy with a single intervention and may induce immune tolerance. Here, we investigated whether ERT can be safely applied as additional or alternative therapy following HSPC-LVGT in a murine model of Pompe disease. We found that lentiviral expression at subtherapeutic dose was sufficient to induce tolerance to the transgene product, as well as to subsequently administered ERT. Immune tolerance was established within 4–6 weeks after gene therapy. The mice tolerated ERT doses up to 100 mg/kg, allowing ERT to eliminate glycogen accumulation in cardiac and skeletal muscle and normalizing locomotor function. The presence of HSPC-derived cells expressing GAA in the thymus suggested the establishment of central immune tolerance. These findings demonstrate that lentiviral gene therapy in murine Pompe disease induced robust and long-term immune tolerance to GAA either expressed by a transgene or supplied as ERT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiushi Liang
- Department of Hematology and Research Laboratory of Hematology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P.R. China
- Molecular Stem Cell Biology, Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Eva C. Vlaar
- Molecular Stem Cell Biology, Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Fabio Catalano
- Molecular Stem Cell Biology, Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Joon M. Pijnenburg
- Molecular Stem Cell Biology, Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Merel Stok
- Molecular Stem Cell Biology, Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Hematology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Yvette van Helsdingen
- Department of Hematology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Arnold G. Vulto
- Hospital Pharmacy, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Wendy W.J. Unger
- Laboratory of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center-Sophia Children’s Hospital, 3015GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ans T. van der Ploeg
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - W.W.M. Pim Pijnappel
- Molecular Stem Cell Biology, Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Corresponding author W.W.M. Pim Pijnappel, PhD, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Niek P. van Til
- Department of Hematology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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16
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Han D, Wu G, Chen R, Drexler HCA, MacCarthy CM, Kim KP, Adachi K, Gerovska D, Mavrommatis L, Bedzhov I, Araúzo-Bravo MJ, Schöler HR. A balanced Oct4 interactome is crucial for maintaining pluripotency. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabe4375. [PMID: 35171666 PMCID: PMC8849292 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abe4375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Oct4 collaborates primarily with other transcriptional factors or coregulators to maintain pluripotency. However, how Oct4 exerts its function is still unclear. Here, we show that the Oct4 linker interface mediates competing yet balanced Oct4 protein interactions that are crucial for maintaining pluripotency. Oct4 linker mutant embryonic stem cells (ESCs) show decreased expression of self-renewal genes and increased expression of differentiation genes, resulting in impaired ESC self-renewal and early embryonic development. The linker mutation interrupts the balanced Oct4 interactome. In mutant ESCs, the interaction between Oct4 and Klf5 is decreased. In contrast, interactions between Oct4 and Cbx1, Ctr9, and Cdc73 are increased, disrupting the epigenetic state of ESCs. Control of the expression level of Klf5, Cbx1, or Cdc73 rebalances the Oct4 interactome and rescues the pluripotency of linker mutant ESCs, indicating that such factors interact with Oct4 competitively. Thus, we provide previously unidentified molecular insights into how Oct4 maintains pluripotency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Han
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Röntgenstrasse 20, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Guangming Wu
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Röntgenstrasse 20, 48149 Münster, Germany
- Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory, 6 Luoxuan Avenue, Haizhu District, 510320 Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Rui Chen
- Embryonic Self-Organization Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Röntgenstrasse 20, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Hannes C. A. Drexler
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Röntgenstrasse 20, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Caitlin M. MacCarthy
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Röntgenstrasse 20, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Kee-Pyo Kim
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Röntgenstrasse 20, 48149 Münster, Germany
- Department of Medical Life Sciences, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-daero Seocho-gu, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Kenjiro Adachi
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Röntgenstrasse 20, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Daniela Gerovska
- Group of Computational Biology and Systems Biomedicine, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, San Sebastian 20014, Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao 48011, Spain
| | - Lampros Mavrommatis
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Röntgenstrasse 20, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Ivan Bedzhov
- Embryonic Self-Organization Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Röntgenstrasse 20, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Marcos J. Araúzo-Bravo
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Röntgenstrasse 20, 48149 Münster, Germany
- Group of Computational Biology and Systems Biomedicine, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, San Sebastian 20014, Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao 48011, Spain
| | - Hans R. Schöler
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Röntgenstrasse 20, 48149 Münster, Germany
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17
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Keegan NP, Wilton SD, Fletcher S. Analysis of Pathogenic Pseudoexons Reveals Novel Mechanisms Driving Cryptic Splicing. Front Genet 2022; 12:806946. [PMID: 35140743 PMCID: PMC8819188 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.806946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding pre-mRNA splicing is crucial to accurately diagnosing and treating genetic diseases. However, mutations that alter splicing can exert highly diverse effects. Of all the known types of splicing mutations, perhaps the rarest and most difficult to predict are those that activate pseudoexons, sometimes also called cryptic exons. Unlike other splicing mutations that either destroy or redirect existing splice events, pseudoexon mutations appear to create entirely new exons within introns. Since exon definition in vertebrates requires coordinated arrangements of numerous RNA motifs, one might expect that pseudoexons would only arise when rearrangements of intronic DNA create novel exons by chance. Surprisingly, although such mutations do occur, a far more common cause of pseudoexons is deep-intronic single nucleotide variants, raising the question of why these latent exon-like tracts near the mutation sites have not already been purged from the genome by the evolutionary advantage of more efficient splicing. Possible answers may lie in deep intronic splicing processes such as recursive splicing or poison exon splicing. Because these processes utilize intronic motifs that benignly engage with the spliceosome, the regions involved may be more susceptible to exonization than other intronic regions would be. We speculated that a comprehensive study of reported pseudoexons might detect alignments with known deep intronic splice sites and could also permit the characterisation of novel pseudoexon categories. In this report, we present and analyse a catalogue of over 400 published pseudoexon splice events. In addition to confirming prior observations of the most common pseudoexon mutation types, the size of this catalogue also enabled us to suggest new categories for some of the rarer types of pseudoexon mutation. By comparing our catalogue against published datasets of non-canonical splice events, we also found that 15.7% of pseudoexons exhibit some splicing activity at one or both of their splice sites in non-mutant cells. Importantly, this included seven examples of experimentally confirmed recursive splice sites, confirming for the first time a long-suspected link between these two splicing phenomena. These findings have the potential to improve the fidelity of genetic diagnostics and reveal new targets for splice-modulating therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niall P. Keegan
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
- Centre for Neuromuscular and Neurological Disorders, Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- *Correspondence: Niall P. Keegan,
| | - Steve D. Wilton
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
- Centre for Neuromuscular and Neurological Disorders, Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Sue Fletcher
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Health Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
- Centre for Neuromuscular and Neurological Disorders, Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
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18
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Franck S, Couvreu De Deckersberg E, Bubenik JL, Markouli C, Barbé L, Allemeersch J, Hilven P, Duqué G, Swanson MS, Gheldof A, Spits C, Sermon KD. Myotonic dystrophy type 1 embryonic stem cells show decreased myogenic potential, increased CpG methylation at the DMPK locus and RNA mis-splicing. Biol Open 2022; 11:273965. [PMID: 35019138 PMCID: PMC8764412 DOI: 10.1242/bio.058978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Skeletal muscle tissue is severely affected in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) patients, characterised by muscle weakness, myotonia and muscle immaturity in the most severe congenital form of the disease. Previously, it was not known at what stage during myogenesis the DM1 phenotype appears. In this study we differentiated healthy and DM1 human embryonic stem cells to myoblasts and myotubes and compared their differentiation potential using a comprehensive multi-omics approach. We found myogenesis in DM1 cells to be abnormal with altered myotube generation compared to healthy cells. We did not find differentially expressed genes between DM1 and non-DM1 cell lines within the same developmental stage. However, during differentiation we observed an aberrant inflammatory response and increased CpG methylation upstream of the CTG repeat at the myoblast level and RNA mis-splicing at the myotube stage. We show that early myogenesis modelled in hESC reiterates the early developmental manifestation of DM1. Summary: Early developmental abnormalities in myotonic dystrophy type 1 are reiterated in vitro in myotubes differentiated from human embryonic stem cells that carry the mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvie Franck
- Department Reproduction and Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | | | - Jodi L Bubenik
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for NeuroGenetics and the Genetics Institute, University of Florida, College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Christina Markouli
- Department Reproduction and Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Lise Barbé
- Center for Systems and Therapeutics, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, 94107 CA, United States
| | | | - Pierre Hilven
- Department Reproduction and Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Geoffrey Duqué
- Department Reproduction and Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Maurice S Swanson
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for NeuroGenetics and the Genetics Institute, University of Florida, College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Alexander Gheldof
- Department Reproduction and Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels 1090, Belgium.,Center for Medical Genetics, UZ Brussel, Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Claudia Spits
- Department Reproduction and Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Karen D Sermon
- Department Reproduction and Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels 1090, Belgium
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19
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Herrero-Hernandez P, Bergsma AJ, Pijnappel WWMP. Generation of Human iPSC-Derived Myotubes to Investigate RNA-Based Therapies In Vitro. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2434:235-243. [PMID: 35213021 PMCID: PMC9703849 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2010-6_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Alternative pre-mRNA splicing can be cell-type specific and results in the generation of different protein isoforms from a single gene. Deregulation of canonical pre-mRNA splicing by disease-associated variants can result in genetic disorders. Antisense oligonucleotides (AONs) offer an attractive solution to modulate endogenous gene expression through alteration of pre-mRNA splicing events. Relevant in vitro models are crucial for appropriate evaluation of splicing modifying drugs. In this chapter, we describe how to investigate the splicing modulating activity of AONs in an in vitro skeletal muscle model, applied to Pompe disease. We also provide a detailed description of methods to visualize and analyze gene expression in differentiated skeletal muscle cells for the analysis of muscle differentiation and splicing outcome. The methodology described here is relevant to develop treatment options using AONs for other genetic muscle diseases as well, including Duchenne muscular dystrophy, myotonic dystrophy, and facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Herrero-Hernandez
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Atze J Bergsma
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - W W M Pim Pijnappel
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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20
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Fralish Z, Lotz EM, Chavez T, Khodabukus A, Bursac N. Neuromuscular Development and Disease: Learning From in vitro and in vivo Models. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:764732. [PMID: 34778273 PMCID: PMC8579029 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.764732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a specialized cholinergic synaptic interface between a motor neuron and a skeletal muscle fiber that translates presynaptic electrical impulses into motor function. NMJ formation and maintenance require tightly regulated signaling and cellular communication among motor neurons, myogenic cells, and Schwann cells. Neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) can result in loss of NMJ function and motor input leading to paralysis or even death. Although small animal models have been instrumental in advancing our understanding of the NMJ structure and function, the complexities of studying this multi-tissue system in vivo and poor clinical outcomes of candidate therapies developed in small animal models has driven the need for in vitro models of functional human NMJ to complement animal studies. In this review, we discuss prevailing models of NMDs and highlight the current progress and ongoing challenges in developing human iPSC-derived (hiPSC) 3D cell culture models of functional NMJs. We first review in vivo development of motor neurons, skeletal muscle, Schwann cells, and the NMJ alongside current methods for directing the differentiation of relevant cell types from hiPSCs. We further compare the efficacy of modeling NMDs in animals and human cell culture systems in the context of five NMDs: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, myotonic dystrophy, and Pompe disease. Finally, we discuss further work necessary for hiPSC-derived NMJ models to function as effective personalized NMD platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary Fralish
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Ethan M Lotz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Taylor Chavez
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Alastair Khodabukus
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Nenad Bursac
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
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21
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Niño MY, In't Groen SLM, de Faria DOS, Hoogeveen-Westerveld M, van den Hout HJMP, van der Ploeg AT, Bergsma AJ, Pijnappel WWMP. Broad variation in phenotypes for common GAA genotypes in Pompe disease. Hum Mutat 2021; 42:1461-1472. [PMID: 34405923 PMCID: PMC9292902 DOI: 10.1002/humu.24272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Patients with the common c.-32-13T > G/null GAA genotype have a broad variation in age at symptom onset, ranging from early childhood to late adulthood. Phenotypic variation for other common GAA genotypes remains largely unexplored. Here, we analyzed variation in age at symptom onset for the most common GAA genotypes using the updated and extended Pompe GAA variant database. Patients with the c.2647-7G > A/null genotype invariably presented symptoms at adulthood, while the c.-32-13T > G/null, c.546G > T/null, c.1076-22T > G/null, c.2238G > C/null, and c.2173C > T/null genotypes led to presentations from early childhood up to late adulthood. The c.1309C > T/null genotype was associated with onset at early to late childhood. Symptom onset shifted toward higher ages in homozygous patients. These findings indicate that a broad variation in symptom onset occurs for various common GAA genotypes, suggesting the presence of modifying factors. We identified three new compound heterozygous c.-32-13T > G/null patients who carried the genetic modifier c.510C > T and who showed symptom onset at childhood. While c.510C > T acted by lowering GAA enzyme activity, other putative genetic modifiers did not at the group level, suggesting that these act in trans on processes downstream of GAA enzyme activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Y Niño
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Stijn L M In't Groen
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Douglas O S de Faria
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Hannerieke J M P van den Hout
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ans T van der Ploeg
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Atze J Bergsma
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - W W M Pim Pijnappel
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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22
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Pereira JA, Gerber J, Ghidinelli M, Gerber D, Tortola L, Ommer A, Bachofner S, Santarella F, Tinelli E, Lin S, Rüegg MA, Kopf M, Toyka KV, Suter U. Mice carrying an analogous heterozygous dynamin 2 K562E mutation that causes neuropathy in humans develop predominant characteristics of a primary myopathy. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 29:1253-1273. [PMID: 32129442 PMCID: PMC7254847 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Some mutations affecting dynamin 2 (DNM2) can cause dominantly inherited Charcot–Marie–Tooth (CMT) neuropathy. Here, we describe the analysis of mice carrying the DNM2 K562E mutation which has been associated with dominant-intermediate CMT type B (CMTDIB). Contrary to our expectations, heterozygous DNM2 K562E mutant mice did not develop definitive signs of an axonal or demyelinating neuropathy. Rather, we found a primary myopathy-like phenotype in these mice. A likely interpretation of these results is that the lack of a neuropathy in this mouse model has allowed the unmasking of a primary myopathy due to the DNM2 K562E mutation which might be overshadowed by the neuropathy in humans. Consequently, we hypothesize that a primary myopathy may also contribute to the disease mechanism in some CMTDIB patients. We propose that these findings should be considered in the evaluation of patients, the determination of the underlying disease processes and the development of tailored potential treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge A Pereira
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Joanne Gerber
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Monica Ghidinelli
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Gerber
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Luigi Tortola
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Ommer
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sven Bachofner
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Francesco Santarella
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Elisa Tinelli
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Shuo Lin
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50/70, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Markus A Rüegg
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50/70, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Manfred Kopf
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Klaus V Toyka
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Würzburg, University of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ueli Suter
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
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23
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Alarcin E, Bal-Öztürk A, Avci H, Ghorbanpoor H, Dogan Guzel F, Akpek A, Yesiltas G, Canak-Ipek T, Avci-Adali M. Current Strategies for the Regeneration of Skeletal Muscle Tissue. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:5929. [PMID: 34072959 PMCID: PMC8198586 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic injuries, tumor resections, and degenerative diseases can damage skeletal muscle and lead to functional impairment and severe disability. Skeletal muscle regeneration is a complex process that depends on various cell types, signaling molecules, architectural cues, and physicochemical properties to be successful. To promote muscle repair and regeneration, various strategies for skeletal muscle tissue engineering have been developed in the last decades. However, there is still a high demand for the development of new methods and materials that promote skeletal muscle repair and functional regeneration to bring approaches closer to therapies in the clinic that structurally and functionally repair muscle. The combination of stem cells, biomaterials, and biomolecules is used to induce skeletal muscle regeneration. In this review, we provide an overview of different cell types used to treat skeletal muscle injury, highlight current strategies in biomaterial-based approaches, the importance of topography for the successful creation of functional striated muscle fibers, and discuss novel methods for muscle regeneration and challenges for their future clinical implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emine Alarcin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Marmara University, 34854 Istanbul, Turkey;
| | - Ayca Bal-Öztürk
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Istinye University, 34010 Istanbul, Turkey;
- Department of Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering, Institute of Health Sciences, Istinye University, 34010 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Hüseyin Avci
- Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, 26040 Eskisehir, Turkey;
- Cellular Therapy and Stem Cell Research Center, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, 26040 Eskisehir, Turkey
- AvciBio Research Group, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, 26040 Eskisehir, Turkey;
- Translational Medicine Research and Clinical Center, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, 26040 Eskisehir, Turkey
| | - Hamed Ghorbanpoor
- AvciBio Research Group, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, 26040 Eskisehir, Turkey;
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, 06010 Ankara, Turkey;
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, 26040 Eskisehir, Turkey
| | - Fatma Dogan Guzel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, 06010 Ankara, Turkey;
| | - Ali Akpek
- Department of Bioengineering, Gebze Technical University, 41400 Gebze, Turkey; (A.A.); (G.Y.)
| | - Gözde Yesiltas
- Department of Bioengineering, Gebze Technical University, 41400 Gebze, Turkey; (A.A.); (G.Y.)
| | - Tuba Canak-Ipek
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Tuebingen, Calwerstraße 7/1, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany;
| | - Meltem Avci-Adali
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Tuebingen, Calwerstraße 7/1, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany;
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24
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Sustained intrinsic WNT and BMP4 activation impairs hESC differentiation to definitive endoderm and drives the cells towards extra-embryonic mesoderm. Sci Rep 2021; 11:8242. [PMID: 33859268 PMCID: PMC8050086 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87547-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We identified a human embryonic stem cell subline that fails to respond to the differentiation cues needed to obtain endoderm derivatives, differentiating instead into extra-embryonic mesoderm. RNA-sequencing analysis showed that the subline has hyperactivation of the WNT and BMP4 signalling. Modulation of these pathways with small molecules confirmed them as the cause of the differentiation impairment. While activation of WNT and BMP4 in control cells resulted in a loss of endoderm differentiation and induction of extra-embryonic mesoderm markers, inhibition of these pathways in the subline restored its ability to differentiate. Karyotyping and exome sequencing analysis did not identify any changes in the genome that could account for the pathway deregulation. These findings add to the increasing evidence that different responses of stem cell lines to differentiation protocols are based on genetic and epigenetic factors, inherent to the line or acquired during cell culture.
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25
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Bergsma AJ, In 't Groen SLM, Catalano F, Yamanaka M, Takahashi S, Okumiya T, van der Ploeg AT, Pijnappel WWMP. A generic assay for the identification of splicing variants that induce nonsense-mediated decay in Pompe disease. Eur J Hum Genet 2021; 29:422-433. [PMID: 33168984 PMCID: PMC7940403 DOI: 10.1038/s41431-020-00751-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA variants affecting mRNA expression and processing in genetic diseases are often missed or poorly characterized. We previously reported a generic assay to identify variants that affect mRNA expression and splicing in Pompe disease, a monogenic disorder caused by deficiency of acid α-glucosidase (GAA). However, this assay could miss mRNA that is subjected to degradation. Here, we inhibited mRNA degradation using cycloheximide and performed unbiased splicing analysis of all GAA exons using exon flanking RT-PCR and exon internal RT-qPCR. In four patients that were suspected of harboring splicing variants but for which aberrant splicing could not be detected in normally growing cells, we detected a total of 10 novel splicing events in cells treated with cycloheximide. In addition, we found that sequences of GAA introns 6 and 12 were naturally included in a subset of transcripts from patients and healthy controls, indicating inefficient canonical splicing. Identification of aberrant splicing caused by the common Asian variant c.546G>T allowed the development of an antisense oligonucleotide that promoted canonical GAA pre-mRNA splicing and elevated GAA enzymatic activity. Our results indicate that this extended generic splicing assay allows the detection of aberrant splicing in cases of mRNA degradation to enable functional analysis of unknown splicing variants and the development of targeted treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atze J Bergsma
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
| | - Stijn L M In 't Groen
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Fabio Catalano
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Manjiro Yamanaka
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shinshu University Hospital, Nagano, Japan
| | - Satoru Takahashi
- Department of Pediatrics, Asahikawa Medical University, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Toshika Okumiya
- Department of Biomedical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Ans T van der Ploeg
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - W W M Pim Pijnappel
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
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26
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Kuijper EC, Bergsma AJ, Pijnappel WP, Aartsma‐Rus A. Opportunities and challenges for antisense oligonucleotide therapies. J Inherit Metab Dis 2021; 44:72-87. [PMID: 32391605 PMCID: PMC7891411 DOI: 10.1002/jimd.12251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Antisense oligonucleotide (AON) therapies involve short strands of modified nucleotides that target RNA in a sequence-specific manner, inducing targeted protein knockdown or restoration. Currently, 10 AON therapies have been approved in the United States and Europe. Nucleotides are chemically modified to protect AONs from degradation, enhance bioavailability and increase RNA affinity. Whereas single stranded AONs can efficiently be delivered systemically, delivery of double stranded AONs requires capsulation in lipid nanoparticles or binding to a conjugate as the uptake enhancing backbone is hidden in this conformation. With improved chemistry, delivery vehicles and conjugates, doses can be lowered, thereby reducing the risk and occurrence of side effects. AONs can be used to knockdown or restore levels of protein. Knockdown can be achieved by single stranded or double stranded AONs binding the RNA transcript and activating RNaseH-mediated and RISC-mediated degradation respectively. Transcript binding by AONs can also prevent translation, hence reducing protein levels. For protein restoration, single stranded AONs are used to modulate pre-mRNA splicing and either include or skip an exon to restore protein production. Intervening at a genetic level, AONs provide therapeutic options for inherited metabolic diseases as well. This review provides an overview of the different AON approaches, with a focus on AONs developed for inborn errors of metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elsa C. Kuijper
- Department of Human GeneticsLeiden University Medical CenterLeidenThe Netherlands
| | - Atze J. Bergsma
- Department of PediatricsCenter for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus Medical CenterRotterdamThe Netherlands
- Department of Clinical GeneticsCenter for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus Medical CenterRotterdamThe Netherlands
| | - W.W.M. Pim Pijnappel
- Department of PediatricsCenter for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus Medical CenterRotterdamThe Netherlands
- Department of Clinical GeneticsCenter for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus Medical CenterRotterdamThe Netherlands
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27
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Modeling CNS Involvement in Pompe Disease Using Neural Stem Cells Generated from Patient-Derived Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. Cells 2020; 10:cells10010008. [PMID: 33375166 PMCID: PMC7822217 DOI: 10.3390/cells10010008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pompe disease is a lysosomal storage disorder caused by autosomal recessive mutations in the acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA) gene. Acid alpha-glucosidase deficiency leads to abnormal glycogen accumulation in patient cells. Given the increasing evidence of central nervous system (CNS) involvement in classic infantile Pompe disease, we used neural stem cells, differentiated from patient induced pluripotent stem cells, to model the neuronal phenotype of Pompe disease. These Pompe neural stem cells exhibited disease-related phenotypes including glycogen accumulation, increased lysosomal staining, and secondary lipid buildup. These morphological phenotypes in patient neural stem cells provided a tool for drug efficacy evaluation. Two potential therapeutic agents, hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin and δ-tocopherol, were tested along with recombinant human acid alpha-glucosidase (rhGAA) in this cell-based Pompe model. Treatment with rhGAA reduced LysoTracker staining in Pompe neural stem cells, indicating reduced lysosome size. Additionally, treatment of diseased neural stem cells with the combination of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin and δ-tocopherol significantly reduced the disease phenotypes. These results demonstrated patient-derived Pompe neural stem cells could be used as a model to study disease pathogenesis, to evaluate drug efficacy, and to screen compounds for drug discovery in the context of correcting CNS defects.
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28
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Broeders M, Smits K, Goynuk B, Oussoren E, van den Hout HJMP, Bergsma AJ, van der Ploeg AT, Pijnappel WWMP. A Generic Assay to Detect Aberrant ARSB Splicing and mRNA Degradation for the Molecular Diagnosis of MPS VI. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2020; 19:174-185. [PMID: 33209960 PMCID: PMC7648089 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2020.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Identification and characterization of disease-associated variants in monogenic disorders is an important aspect of diagnosis, genetic counseling, prediction of disease severity, and development of therapy. However, the effects of disease-associated variants on pre-mRNA splicing and mRNA degradation are difficult to predict and often missed. Here we present a generic assay for unbiased identification and quantification of arylsulfatase B (ARSB) mRNA for molecular diagnosis of patients with mucopolysaccharidosis VI (MPS VI). We found that healthy control individuals have inefficient ARSB splicing because of natural skipping of exon 5 and inclusion of two pseudoexons in introns 5 and 6. Analyses of 12 MPS VI patients with 10 different genotypes resulted in identification of a 151-bp intron inclusion caused by the c.1142+2T>C variant and detection of low ARSB expression from alleles with the c.629A>G variant. A special case showed skipping of exon 4 and low ARSB expression. Although no disease-associated DNA variant could be identified in this patient, the molecular diagnosis could be made based on RNA. These results highlight the relevance of RNA-based analyses to establish a molecular diagnosis of MPS VI. We speculate that inefficient natural splicing of ARSB may be a target for therapy based on promotion of canonical splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mike Broeders
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Kasper Smits
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Busra Goynuk
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Esmee Oussoren
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Hannerieke J M P van den Hout
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Atze J Bergsma
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ans T van der Ploeg
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - W W M Pim Pijnappel
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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29
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Franck S, Barbé L, Ardui S, De Vlaeminck Y, Allemeersch J, Dziedzicka D, Spits C, Vanroye F, Hilven P, Duqué G, Vermeesch JR, Gheldof A, Sermon K. MSH2 knock-down shows CTG repeat stability and concomitant upstream demethylation at the DMPK locus in myotonic dystrophy type 1 human embryonic stem cells. Hum Mol Genet 2020; 29:3566-3577. [PMID: 33242073 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is caused by expansion of a CTG repeat in the DMPK gene, where expansion size and somatic mosaicism correlates with disease severity and age of onset. While it is known that the mismatch repair protein MSH2 contributes to the unstable nature of the repeat, its role on other disease-related features, such as CpG methylation upstream of the repeat, is unknown. In this study, we investigated the effect of an MSH2 knock-down (MSH2KD) on both CTG repeat dynamics and CpG methylation pattern in human embryonic stem cells (hESC) carrying the DM1 mutation. Repeat size in MSH2 wild-type (MSH2WT) and MSH2KD DM1 hESC was determined by PacBio sequencing and CpG methylation by bisulfite massive parallel sequencing. We found stabilization of the CTG repeat concurrent with a gradual loss of methylation upstream of the repeat in MSH2KD cells, while the repeat continued to expand and upstream methylation remained unchanged in MSH2WT control lines. Repeat instability was re-established and biased towards expansions upon MSH2 transgenic re-expression in MSH2KD lines while upstream methylation was not consistently re-established. We hypothesize that the hypermethylation at the mutant DM1 locus is promoted by the MMR machinery and sustained by a constant DNA repair response, establishing a potential mechanistic link between CTG repeat instability and upstream CpG methylation. Our work represents a first step towards understanding how epigenetic alterations and repair pathways connect and contribute to the DM1 pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvie Franck
- Department Reproduction and Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Lise Barbé
- Center for systems and Therapeutics, Gladstone Institutes, Finkbeiner lab, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Simon Ardui
- Center of Human Genetics, University Hospital Leuven, KU Leuven, Laboratory for Cytogenetics and Genome Research, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Yannick De Vlaeminck
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | | | - Dominika Dziedzicka
- Department Reproduction and Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Claudia Spits
- Department Reproduction and Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Fien Vanroye
- Laboratory HIV/STD, Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp, Antwerp 2000, Belgium
| | - Pierre Hilven
- Department Reproduction and Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Geoffrey Duqué
- Department Reproduction and Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Joris R Vermeesch
- Center of Human Genetics, University Hospital Leuven, KU Leuven, Laboratory for Cytogenetics and Genome Research, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Alexander Gheldof
- Department Reproduction and Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels 1090, Belgium.,Center of Medical Genetics, UZ Brussel, Brussels 1090, Belgium
| | - Karen Sermon
- Department Reproduction and Genetics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels 1090, Belgium
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30
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Modelling Neuromuscular Diseases in the Age of Precision Medicine. J Pers Med 2020; 10:jpm10040178. [PMID: 33080928 PMCID: PMC7712305 DOI: 10.3390/jpm10040178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances in knowledge resulting from the sequencing of the human genome, coupled with technological developments and a deeper understanding of disease mechanisms of pathogenesis are paving the way for a growing role of precision medicine in the treatment of a number of human conditions. The goal of precision medicine is to identify and deliver effective therapeutic approaches based on patients’ genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. With the exception of cancer, neurological diseases provide the most promising opportunity to achieve treatment personalisation, mainly because of accelerated progress in gene discovery, deep clinical phenotyping, and biomarker availability. Developing reproducible, predictable and reliable disease models will be key to the rapid delivery of the anticipated benefits of precision medicine. Here we summarize the current state of the art of preclinical models for neuromuscular diseases, with particular focus on their use and limitations to predict safety and efficacy treatment outcomes in clinical trials.
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31
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Ovics P, Regev D, Baskin P, Davidor M, Shemer Y, Neeman S, Ben-Haim Y, Binah O. Drug Development and the Use of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes for Disease Modeling and Drug Toxicity Screening. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E7320. [PMID: 33023024 PMCID: PMC7582587 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21197320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
: Over the years, numerous groups have employed human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) as a superb human-compatible model for investigating the function and dysfunction of cardiomyocytes, drug screening and toxicity, disease modeling and for the development of novel drugs for heart diseases. In this review, we discuss the broad use of iPSC-CMs for drug development and disease modeling, in two related themes. In the first theme-drug development, adverse drug reactions, mechanisms of cardiotoxicity and the need for efficient drug screening protocols-we discuss the critical need to screen old and new drugs, the process of drug development, marketing and Adverse Drug reactions (ADRs), drug-induced cardiotoxicity, safety screening during drug development, drug development and patient-specific effect and different mechanisms of ADRs. In the second theme-using iPSC-CMs for disease modeling and developing novel drugs for heart diseases-we discuss the rationale for using iPSC-CMs and modeling acquired and inherited heart diseases with iPSC-CMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paz Ovics
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology, The Rappaport Institute, Ruth & Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa 31096, Israel; (P.O.); (D.R.); (P.B.); (M.D.); (Y.S.); (S.N.)
| | - Danielle Regev
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology, The Rappaport Institute, Ruth & Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa 31096, Israel; (P.O.); (D.R.); (P.B.); (M.D.); (Y.S.); (S.N.)
| | - Polina Baskin
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology, The Rappaport Institute, Ruth & Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa 31096, Israel; (P.O.); (D.R.); (P.B.); (M.D.); (Y.S.); (S.N.)
| | - Mor Davidor
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology, The Rappaport Institute, Ruth & Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa 31096, Israel; (P.O.); (D.R.); (P.B.); (M.D.); (Y.S.); (S.N.)
| | - Yuval Shemer
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology, The Rappaport Institute, Ruth & Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa 31096, Israel; (P.O.); (D.R.); (P.B.); (M.D.); (Y.S.); (S.N.)
| | - Shunit Neeman
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology, The Rappaport Institute, Ruth & Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa 31096, Israel; (P.O.); (D.R.); (P.B.); (M.D.); (Y.S.); (S.N.)
| | - Yael Ben-Haim
- Institute of Molecular and Clinical Sciences, St. George’s University of London, London SW17 0RE, UK;
- Cardiology Clinical Academic Group, St. George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London SW17 0QT, UK
| | - Ofer Binah
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology, The Rappaport Institute, Ruth & Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa 31096, Israel; (P.O.); (D.R.); (P.B.); (M.D.); (Y.S.); (S.N.)
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32
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Wansink DG, Gourdon G, van Engelen BGM, Schoser B. 248th ENMC International Workshop: Myotonic dystrophies: Molecular approaches for clinical purposes, framing a European molecular research network, Hoofddorp, the Netherlands, 11-13 October 2019. Neuromuscul Disord 2020; 30:521-531. [PMID: 32417002 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2020.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Derick G Wansink
- Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Department of Cell Biology, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Geneviève Gourdon
- Inserm UMR 974, Sorbonne Université, Centre de Recherche en Myologie, Association Institut de Myologie, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Baziel G M van Engelen
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Department of Neurology, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GC Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Benedikt Schoser
- Friedrich-Baur-Institute, Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
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33
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Aung-Htut MT, Ham KA, Tchan M, Johnsen R, Schnell FJ, Fletcher S, Wilton SD. Splice modulating antisense oligonucleotides restore some acid-alpha-glucosidase activity in cells derived from patients with late-onset Pompe disease. Sci Rep 2020; 10:6702. [PMID: 32317649 PMCID: PMC7174337 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-63461-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Pompe disease is caused by mutations in the GAA gene, resulting in deficient lysosomal acid-α-glucosidase activity in patients, and a progressive decline in mobility and respiratory function. Enzyme replacement therapy is one therapeutic option, but since not all patients respond to this treatment, alternative interventions should be considered. One GAA mutation, c.-32-13T > G, impacts upon normal exon 2 splicing and is found in two-thirds of late-onset cases. We and others have explored a therapeutic strategy using splice modulating phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers to enhance GAA exon 2 inclusion in the mature mRNA of patients with one c.-32-13T > G allele. We designed 20 oligomers and treated fibroblasts derived from five patients to identify an oligomer sequence that maximally increased enzyme activity in all fibroblasts. The most effective splice correcting oligomer was chosen to treat forced-myogenic cells, derived from fibroblasts from nine patients carrying the c.-32-13T > G mutation. After transfection, we show increased levels of the full-length GAA transcript, acid-α-glucosidase protein, and enzyme activity in all patients’ myogenic cells, regardless of the nature of the mutation in the other allele. This data encourages the initiation of clinical trials to assess the therapeutic efficacy of this oligomer for those patients carrying the c.-32-13T > G mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- May Thandar Aung-Htut
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, Murdoch, 6150, Australia.,Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science and Centre for Neuromuscular and Neurological Disorders, The University of Western Australia, Perth, 6009, Australia
| | - Kristin A Ham
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, Murdoch, 6150, Australia.,Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science and Centre for Neuromuscular and Neurological Disorders, The University of Western Australia, Perth, 6009, Australia
| | - Michel Tchan
- Genetic Medicine, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, 2145, Australia.,Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, 2006, Australia
| | - Russell Johnsen
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, Murdoch, 6150, Australia
| | | | - Sue Fletcher
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, Murdoch, 6150, Australia. .,Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science and Centre for Neuromuscular and Neurological Disorders, The University of Western Australia, Perth, 6009, Australia.
| | - Steve D Wilton
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics, Murdoch University, Murdoch, 6150, Australia. .,Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science and Centre for Neuromuscular and Neurological Disorders, The University of Western Australia, Perth, 6009, Australia.
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34
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In 't Groen SLM, de Faria DOS, Iuliano A, van den Hout JMP, Douben H, Dijkhuizen T, Cassiman D, Witters P, Barba Romero MÁ, de Klein A, Somers-Bolman GM, Saris JJ, Hoefsloot LH, van der Ploeg AT, Bergsma AJ, Pijnappel WWMP. Novel GAA Variants and Mosaicism in Pompe Disease Identified by Extended Analyses of Patients with an Incomplete DNA Diagnosis. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2020; 17:337-348. [PMID: 32071926 PMCID: PMC7013133 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2019.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Pompe disease is a metabolic disorder caused by a deficiency of the glycogen-hydrolyzing lysosomal enzyme acid α-glucosidase (GAA), which leads to progressive muscle wasting. This autosomal-recessive disorder is the result of disease-associated variants located in the GAA gene. In the present study, we performed extended molecular diagnostic analysis to identify novel disease-associated variants in six suspected Pompe patients from four different families for which conventional diagnostic assays were insufficient. Additional assays, such as a generic-splicing assay, minigene analysis, SNP array analysis, and targeted Sanger sequencing, allowed the identification of an exonic deletion, a promoter deletion, and a novel splicing variant located in the 5′ UTR. Furthermore, we describe the diagnostic process for an infantile patient with an atypical phenotype, consisting of left ventricular hypertrophy but no signs of muscle weakness or motor problems. This led to the identification of a genetic mosaicism for a very severe GAA variant caused by a segmental uniparental isodisomy (UPD). With this study, we aim to emphasize the need for additional analyses to detect new disease-associated GAA variants and non-Mendelian genotypes in Pompe disease where conventional DNA diagnostic assays are insufficient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stijn L M In 't Groen
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Douglas O S de Faria
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Alessandro Iuliano
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Johanna M P van den Hout
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Hannie Douben
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Trijnie Dijkhuizen
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - David Cassiman
- Center for Metabolic Diseases, UZ and KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Peter Witters
- Center for Metabolic Diseases, UZ and KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Annelies de Klein
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Galhana M Somers-Bolman
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jasper J Saris
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Lies H Hoefsloot
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ans T van der Ploeg
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Atze J Bergsma
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - W W M Pim Pijnappel
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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35
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Molecular Approaches for the Treatment of Pompe Disease. Mol Neurobiol 2019; 57:1259-1280. [PMID: 31713816 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-019-01820-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Glycogen storage disease type II (GSDII, Pompe disease) is a rare metabolic disorder caused by a deficiency of acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA), an enzyme localized within lysosomes that is solely responsible for glycogen degradation in this compartment. The manifestations of GSDII are heterogeneous but are classified as early or late onset. The natural course of early-onset Pompe disease (EOPD) is severe and rapidly fatal if left untreated. Currently, one therapeutic approach, namely, enzyme replacement therapy, is available, but advances in molecular medicine approaches hold promise for even more effective therapeutic strategies. These approaches, which we review here, comprise splicing modification by antisense oligonucleotides, chaperone therapy, stop codon readthrough therapy, and the use of viral vectors to introduce wild-type genes. Considering the high rate at which innovations are translated from bench to bedside, it is reasonable to expect substantial improvements in the treatment of this illness in the foreseeable future.
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36
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Abstract
Pompe disease (PD) is caused by the deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme acid α-glucosidase (GAA), resulting in systemic pathological glycogen accumulation. PD can present with cardiac, skeletal muscle, and central nervous system manifestations, as a continuum of phenotypes among two main forms: classical infantile-onset PD (IOPD) and late-onset PD (LOPD). IOPD is caused by severe GAA deficiency and presents at birth with cardiac hypertrophy, muscle hypotonia, and severe respiratory impairment, leading to premature death, if not treated. LOPD is characterized by levels of residual GAA activity up to ∼20% of normal and presents both in children and adults with a varied severity of muscle weakness and motor and respiratory deficit. Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT), based on repeated intravenous (i.v.) infusions of recombinant human GAA (rhGAA), represents the only available treatment for PD. Upon more than 10 years from its launch, it is becoming evident that ERT can extend the life span of IOPD and stabilize disease progression in LOPD; however, it does not represent a cure for PD. The limited uptake of the enzyme in key affected tissues and the high immunogenicity of rhGAA are some of the hurdles that limit ERT efficacy. GAA gene transfer with adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors has been shown to reduce glycogen storage and improve the PD phenotype in preclinical studies following different approaches. Here, we present an overview of the different gene therapy approaches for PD, focusing on in vivo gene transfer with AAV vectors and discussing the potential opportunities and challenges in developing safe and effective gene therapies for the disease. Based on emerging safety and efficacy data from clinical trials for other protein deficiencies, in vivo gene therapy with AAV vectors appears to have the potential to provide a therapeutically relevant, stable source of GAA enzyme, which could be highly beneficial in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pasqualina Colella
- Genethon, Evry, France.,Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Federico Mingozzi
- Genethon, Evry, France.,Spark Therapeutics, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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37
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Wang J, Khodabukus A, Rao L, Vandusen K, Abutaleb N, Bursac N. Engineered skeletal muscles for disease modeling and drug discovery. Biomaterials 2019; 221:119416. [PMID: 31419653 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2019.119416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2019] [Revised: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Skeletal muscle is the largest organ of human body with several important roles in everyday movement and metabolic homeostasis. The limited ability of small animal models of muscle disease to accurately predict drug efficacy and toxicity in humans has prompted the development in vitro models of human skeletal muscle that fatefully recapitulate cell and tissue level functions and drug responses. We first review methods for development of three-dimensional engineered muscle tissues and organ-on-a-chip microphysiological systems and discuss their potential utility in drug discovery research and development of new regenerative therapies. Furthermore, we describe strategies to increase the functional maturation of engineered muscle, and motivate the importance of incorporating multiple tissue types on the same chip to model organ cross-talk and generate more predictive drug development platforms. Finally, we review the ability of available in vitro systems to model diseases such as type II diabetes, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Pompe disease, and dysferlinopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Lingjun Rao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Keith Vandusen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Nadia Abutaleb
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Nenad Bursac
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
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38
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Niño MY, In 't Groen SLM, Bergsma AJ, van der Beek NAME, Kroos M, Hoogeveen-Westerveld M, van der Ploeg AT, Pijnappel WWMP. Extension of the Pompe mutation database by linking disease-associated variants to clinical severity. Hum Mutat 2019; 40:1954-1967. [PMID: 31254424 PMCID: PMC6851659 DOI: 10.1002/humu.23854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Revised: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Pompe disease is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder caused by disease‐associated variants in the acid alpha‐glucosidase (GAA) gene. The current Pompe mutation database provides a severity rating of GAA variants based on in silico predictions and expression studies. Here, we extended the database with clinical information of reported phenotypes. We added additional in silico predictions for effects on splicing and protein function and for cross reactive immunologic material (CRIM) status, minor allele frequencies, and molecular analyses. We analyzed 867 patients and 562 GAA variants. Based on their combination with a GAA null allele (i.e., complete deficiency of GAA enzyme activity), 49% of the 422 disease‐associated variants could be linked to classic infantile, childhood, or adult phenotypes. Predictions and immunoblot analyses identified 131 CRIM negative and 216 CRIM positive variants. While disease‐associated missense variants were found throughout the GAA protein, they were enriched up to seven‐fold in the catalytic site. Fifteen percent of disease‐associated missense variants were predicted to affect splicing. This should be confirmed using splicing assays. Inclusion of clinical severity rating in the Pompe mutation database provides an invaluable tool for diagnosis, prognosis of disease progression, treatment regimens, and the future development of personalized medicine for Pompe disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Y Niño
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Stijn L M In 't Groen
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Atze J Bergsma
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nadine A M E van der Beek
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marian Kroos
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Ans T van der Ploeg
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - W W M Pim Pijnappel
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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39
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Schaaf GJ, Canibano-Fraile R, van Gestel TJM, van der Ploeg AT, Pijnappel WWMP. Restoring the regenerative balance in neuromuscular disorders: satellite cell activation as therapeutic target in Pompe disease. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2019; 7:280. [PMID: 31392192 DOI: 10.21037/atm.2019.04.48] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Skeletal muscle is capable of efficiently regenerating after damage in a process mediated by tissue-resident stem cells called satellite cells. This regenerative potential is often compromised under muscle-degenerative conditions. Consequently, the damage produced during degeneration is not efficiently repaired and the balance between repair and damage is lost. Here we review recent progress on the role of satellite cell-mediated repair in neuromuscular disorders with a focus on Pompe disease, an inherited metabolic myopathy caused by deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme acid alpha glucosidase (GAA). Studies performed in patient biopsies as well as in Pompe disease mouse models demonstrate that muscle regeneration activity is compromised despite progressing muscle damage. We describe disease-specific mechanisms of satellite cell dysfunction to highlight the differences between Pompe disease and muscle dystrophies. The mechanisms involved provide possible targets for therapy, such as modulation of autophagy, muscle exercise, and pharmacological modulation of satellite cell activation. Most of these approaches are still experimental, although promising in animal models, still warrant caution with respect to their safety and efficiency profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerben J Schaaf
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rodrigo Canibano-Fraile
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tom J M van Gestel
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ans T van der Ploeg
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - W W M Pim Pijnappel
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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40
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Jiwlawat N, Lynch EM, Napiwocki BN, Stempien A, Ashton RS, Kamp TJ, Crone WC, Suzuki M. Micropatterned substrates with physiological stiffness promote cell maturation and Pompe disease phenotype in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived skeletal myocytes. Biotechnol Bioeng 2019; 116:2377-2392. [PMID: 31131875 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Revised: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in bioengineering have enabled cell culture systems that more closely mimic the native cellular environment. Here, we demonstrated that human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived myogenic progenitors formed highly-aligned myotubes and contracted when seeded on two-dimensional micropatterned platforms. The differentiated cells showed clear nuclear alignment and formed elongated myotubes dependent on the width of the micropatterned lanes. Topographical cues from micropatterning and physiological substrate stiffness improved the formation of well-aligned and multinucleated myotubes similar to myofibers. These aligned myotubes exhibited spontaneous contractions specifically along the long axis of the pattern. Notably, the micropatterned platforms developed bundle-like myotubes using patient-derived iPSCs with a background of Pompe disease (glycogen storage disease type II) and even enhanced the disease phenotype as shown through the specific pathology of abnormal lysosome accumulations. A highly-aligned formation of matured myotubes holds great potential in further understanding the process of human muscle development, as well as advancing in vitro pharmacological studies for skeletal muscle diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nunnapas Jiwlawat
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Eileen M Lynch
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Brett N Napiwocki
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Alana Stempien
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Randolph S Ashton
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin.,The Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Timothy J Kamp
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin.,The Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin.,Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Wendy C Crone
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin.,The Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin.,Department of Engineering Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Masatoshi Suzuki
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin.,The Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
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41
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Bergsma AJ, In 't Groen SLM, van den Dorpel JJA, van den Hout HJMP, van der Beek NAME, Schoser B, Toscano A, Musumeci O, Bembi B, Dardis A, Morrone A, Tummolo A, Pasquini E, van der Ploeg AT, Pijnappel WWMP. A genetic modifier of symptom onset in Pompe disease. EBioMedicine 2019; 43:553-561. [PMID: 30922962 PMCID: PMC6562017 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2019.03.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Revised: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neonatal screening for Pompe disease is complicated by difficulties in predicting symptom onset in patients with the common c.-32-13T>G (IVS1) variant/null (i.e. fully deleterious) acid α-glucosidase (GAA) genotype. This splicing variant occurs in 90% of Caucasian late onset patients, and is associated with a broad range of symptom onset. METHODS We analyzed a cohort of 143 compound heterozygous and 10 homozygous IVS1 patients, and we assessed ages at symptom onset, the presence of cis-acting single nucleotide variants (SNVs), and performed splicing analysis and enzyme activity assays. FINDINGS In compound heterozygous IVS1 patients, the synonymous variant c.510C>T was uniquely present on the IVS1 allele in 9/33 (27%) patients with childhood onset, but was absent from 110 patients with onset in adulthood. GAA enzyme activity was lower in fibroblasts from patients who contained c.510C>T than it was in patients without c.510C>T. By reducing the extent of leaky wild-type splicing, c.510C>T modulated aberrant splicing caused by the IVS1 variant. The deleterious effect of c.510C>T was also found in muscle cells, the main target cells in Pompe disease. In homozygous IVS1 patients, the c.510C>T variant was absent in 4/4 (100%) asymptomatic individuals and present in 3/6 (50%) symptomatic patients. In cells from homozygous IVS1 patients, c.510C>T caused reduced leaky wild-type splicing. INTERPRETATION c.510C>T is a genetic modifier in compound heterozygous and homozygous IVS1 patients. This finding is important for neonatal screening programs for Pompe disease. FUND: This work was funded by grants from Sophia Children's Hospital Foundation (SSWO, grant S17-32) and Metakids (2016-063).
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Affiliation(s)
- Atze J Bergsma
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands; Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands; Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Stijn L M In 't Groen
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands; Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands; Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jan J A van den Dorpel
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands; Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Hannerieke J M P van den Hout
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands; Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Nadine A M E van der Beek
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands; Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Benedikt Schoser
- Friedrich-Baur-Institute, Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Antonio Toscano
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Olimpia Musumeci
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Bruno Bembi
- Academic Hospital "Santa Maria della Misericordia", Udine, Italy
| | - Andrea Dardis
- Academic Hospital "Santa Maria della Misericordia", Udine, Italy
| | - Amelia Morrone
- Neurofarba, University of Florence, Meyer Children's Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | | | | | - Ans T van der Ploeg
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands; Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - W W M Pim Pijnappel
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands; Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands; Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands.
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42
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Nikonova E, Kao SY, Ravichandran K, Wittner A, Spletter ML. Conserved functions of RNA-binding proteins in muscle. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2019; 110:29-49. [PMID: 30818081 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2019.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2018] [Revised: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Animals require different types of muscle for survival, for example for circulation, motility, reproduction and digestion. Much emphasis in the muscle field has been placed on understanding how transcriptional regulation generates diverse types of muscle during development. Recent work indicates that alternative splicing and RNA regulation are as critical to muscle development, and altered function of RNA-binding proteins causes muscle disease. Although hundreds of genes predicted to bind RNA are expressed in muscles, many fewer have been functionally characterized. We present a cross-species view summarizing what is known about RNA-binding protein function in muscle, from worms and flies to zebrafish, mice and humans. In particular, we focus on alternative splicing regulated by the CELF, MBNL and RBFOX families of proteins. We discuss the systemic nature of diseases associated with loss of RNA-binding proteins in muscle, focusing on mis-regulation of CELF and MBNL in myotonic dystrophy. These examples illustrate the conservation of RNA-binding protein function and the marked utility of genetic model systems in understanding mechanisms of RNA regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Nikonova
- Biomedical Center, Department of Physiological Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University München, Großhaderner Str. 9, 82152, Martinsried-Planegg, Germany
| | - Shao-Yen Kao
- Biomedical Center, Department of Physiological Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University München, Großhaderner Str. 9, 82152, Martinsried-Planegg, Germany
| | - Keshika Ravichandran
- Biomedical Center, Department of Physiological Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University München, Großhaderner Str. 9, 82152, Martinsried-Planegg, Germany
| | - Anja Wittner
- Biomedical Center, Department of Physiological Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University München, Großhaderner Str. 9, 82152, Martinsried-Planegg, Germany
| | - Maria L Spletter
- Biomedical Center, Department of Physiological Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-University München, Großhaderner Str. 9, 82152, Martinsried-Planegg, Germany; Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich (CIPSM) at the Department of Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.
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43
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Kuperus E, van der Meijden JC, in ’t Groen SLM, Kroos MA, Hoogeveen-Westerveld M, Rizopoulos D, Martinez MYN, Kruijshaar ME, van Doorn PA, van der Beek NAME, van der Ploeg AT, Pijnappel WWMP. The ACE I/D polymorphism does not explain heterogeneity of natural course and response to enzyme replacement therapy in Pompe disease. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0208854. [PMID: 30532252 PMCID: PMC6285976 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0208854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The majority of children and adults with Pompe disease in the population of European descent carry the leaky splicing GAA variant c.-32-13T>G (IVS1) in combination with a fully deleterious GAA variant on the second allele. The phenotypic spectrum of this patient group is exceptionally broad, with symptom onset ranging from early infancy to late adulthood. In addition, the response to enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) varies between patients. The insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of the angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) has been suggested to be a modifier of disease onset and/or response to ERT. Here, we have investigated the effect of the ACE I/D polymorphism in a relatively large cohort of 131 children and adults with Pompe disease, of whom 112 were followed during treatment with ERT for 5 years. We assessed the use of wheelchair and mechanical ventilation, muscle strength assessed via manual muscle testing and hand-held dynamometry (HHD), distance walked on the six-minute walk test (6MWT), forced vital capacity (FVC) in sitting and supine position and daily-life activities assessed by R-PAct. Cross sectional analysis at first visit showed no differences between the genotypes with respect to age at first symptoms, diagnosis, wheelchair use, or ventilator use. Also response to ERT over 5 years assessed by linear mixed model analyses showed no significant differences between ACE groups for any of the outcome measures. The patient cohort contained 24 families with 54 siblings. Differences in ACE genotype could neither explain inter nor intra familial differences. We conclude that the ACE I/D polymorphism does not explain the large variation in disease severity and response to ERT observed among Pompe patients with the same c.-32-13T>G GAA variant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Kuperus
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jan C. van der Meijden
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Stijn L. M. in ’t Groen
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marian A. Kroos
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marianne Hoogeveen-Westerveld
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Dimitris Rizopoulos
- Department of Biostatistics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Monica Yasmin Nino Martinez
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Michelle E. Kruijshaar
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Pieter A. van Doorn
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Nadine A. M. E. van der Beek
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Neurology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- * E-mail: (WP); (NvdB)
| | - Ans T. van der Ploeg
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - W. W. M. Pim Pijnappel
- Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- * E-mail: (WP); (NvdB)
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44
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Khodabukus A, Prabhu N, Wang J, Bursac N. In Vitro Tissue-Engineered Skeletal Muscle Models for Studying Muscle Physiology and Disease. Adv Healthc Mater 2018; 7:e1701498. [PMID: 29696831 PMCID: PMC6105407 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201701498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2017] [Revised: 02/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Healthy skeletal muscle possesses the extraordinary ability to regenerate in response to small-scale injuries; however, this self-repair capacity becomes overwhelmed with aging, genetic myopathies, and large muscle loss. The failure of small animal models to accurately replicate human muscle disease, injury and to predict clinically-relevant drug responses has driven the development of high fidelity in vitro skeletal muscle models. Herein, the progress made and challenges ahead in engineering biomimetic human skeletal muscle tissues that can recapitulate muscle development, genetic diseases, regeneration, and drug response is discussed. Bioengineering approaches used to improve engineered muscle structure and function as well as the functionality of satellite cells to allow modeling muscle regeneration in vitro are also highlighted. Next, a historical overview on the generation of skeletal muscle cells and tissues from human pluripotent stem cells, and a discussion on the potential of these approaches to model and treat genetic diseases such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy, is provided. Finally, the need to integrate multiorgan microphysiological systems to generate improved drug discovery technologies with the potential to complement or supersede current preclinical animal models of muscle disease is described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alastair Khodabukus
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Duke University 101 Science Drive, FCIEMAS 1427, Durham, NC 27708-90281, USA
| | - Neel Prabhu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Duke University 101 Science Drive, FCIEMAS 1427, Durham, NC 27708-90281, USA
| | - Jason Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Duke University 101 Science Drive, FCIEMAS 1427, Durham, NC 27708-90281, USA
| | - Nenad Bursac
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Duke University 101 Science Drive, FCIEMAS 1427, Durham, NC 27708-90281, USA
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45
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van der Wal E, Herrero-Hernandez P, Wan R, Broeders M, In 't Groen SLM, van Gestel TJM, van IJcken WFJ, Cheung TH, van der Ploeg AT, Schaaf GJ, Pijnappel WWMP. Large-Scale Expansion of Human iPSC-Derived Skeletal Muscle Cells for Disease Modeling and Cell-Based Therapeutic Strategies. Stem Cell Reports 2018; 10:1975-1990. [PMID: 29731431 PMCID: PMC5993675 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2018.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2017] [Revised: 03/31/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Although skeletal muscle cells can be generated from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), transgene-free protocols include only limited options for their purification and expansion. In this study, we found that fluorescence-activated cell sorting-purified myogenic progenitors generated from healthy controls and Pompe disease iPSCs can be robustly expanded as much as 5 × 1011-fold. At all steps during expansion, cells could be cryopreserved or differentiated into myotubes with a high fusion index. In vitro, cells were amenable to maturation into striated and contractile myofibers. Insertion of acid α-glucosidase cDNA into the AAVS1 locus in iPSCs using CRISPR/Cas9 prevented glycogen accumulation in myotubes generated from a patient with classic infantile Pompe disease. In vivo, the expression of human-specific nuclear and sarcolemmar antigens indicated that myogenic progenitors engraft into murine muscle to form human myofibers. This protocol is useful for modeling of skeletal muscle disorders and for using patient-derived, gene-corrected cells to develop cell-based strategies. Transgene-free protocol for generation and expansion of myogenic progenitors Differentiation into contractile skeletal muscle cells in vitro Correction of glycogen accumulation in Pompe disease using CRISPR/cas9 Contribution to muscle regeneration in vivo
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik van der Wal
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands; Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Pablo Herrero-Hernandez
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands; Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Raymond Wan
- Division of Life Science, Center for Stem Cell Research, Center of Systems Biology and Human Health, State Key Laboratory in Molecular Neuroscience, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Mike Broeders
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands; Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Stijn L M In 't Groen
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands; Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Tom J M van Gestel
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands; Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Wilfred F J van IJcken
- Erasmus Center for Biomics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3000 CA Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Tom H Cheung
- Division of Life Science, Center for Stem Cell Research, Center of Systems Biology and Human Health, State Key Laboratory in Molecular Neuroscience, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Ans T van der Ploeg
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands; Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Gerben J Schaaf
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands; Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - W W M Pim Pijnappel
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands; Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands; Center for Lysosomal and Metabolic Diseases, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE Rotterdam, Netherlands.
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Impact, Characterization, and Rescue of Pre-mRNA Splicing Mutations in Lysosomal Storage Disorders. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:genes9020073. [PMID: 29415500 PMCID: PMC5852569 DOI: 10.3390/genes9020073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2017] [Revised: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) represent a group of more than 50 severe metabolic diseases caused by the deficiency of specific lysosomal hydrolases, activators, carriers, or lysosomal integral membrane proteins, leading to the abnormal accumulation of substrates within the lysosomes. Numerous mutations have been described in each disease-causing gene; among them, about 5-19% affect the pre-mRNA splicing process. In the last decade, several strategies to rescue/increase normal splicing of mutated transcripts have been developed and LSDs represent excellent candidates for this type of approach: (i) most of them are inherited in an autosomic recessive manner and patients affected by late-onset (LO) phenotypes often retain a fair amount of residual enzymatic activity; thus, even a small recovery of normal splicing may be beneficial in clinical settings; (ii) most LSDs still lack effective treatments or are currently treated with extremely expensive approaches; (iii) in few LSDs, a single splicing mutation accounts for up to 40-70% of pathogenic alleles. At present, numerous preclinical studies support the feasibility of reverting the pathological phenotype by partially rescuing splicing defects in LSDs. This review provides an overview of the impact of splicing mutations in LSDs and the related therapeutic approaches currently under investigation in these disorders.
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Alternative Splicing in Genetic Diseases: Improved Diagnosis and Novel Treatment Options. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 335:85-141. [PMID: 29305015 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2017.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Alternative splicing is an important mechanism to regulate gene expression and to expand the repertoire of gene products in order to accommodate an increase in complexity of multicellular organisms. It needs to be precisely regulated, which is achieved via RNA structure, splicing factors, transcriptional regulation, and chromatin. Changes in any of these factors can lead to disease. These may include the core spliceosome, splicing enhancer/repressor sequences and their interacting proteins, the speed of transcription by RNA polymerase II, and histone modifications. While the basic principle of splicing is well understood, it is still very difficult to predict splicing outcome, due to the multiple levels of regulation. Current molecular diagnostics mainly uses Sanger sequencing of exons, or next-generation sequencing of gene panels or the whole exome. Functional analysis of potential splicing variants is scarce, and intronic variants are often not considered. This likely results in underestimation of the percentage of splicing variants. Understanding how sequence variants may affect splicing is not only crucial for confirmation of diagnosis and for genetic counseling, but also for the development of novel treatment options. These include small molecules, transsplicing, antisense oligonucleotides, and gene therapy. Here we review the current state of molecular mechanisms of splicing regulation and how deregulation can lead to human disease, diagnostics to detect splicing variants, and novel treatment options based on splicing correction.
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Antisense Oligonucleotides Promote Exon Inclusion and Correct the Common c.-32-13T>G GAA Splicing Variant in Pompe Disease. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2017. [PMID: 28624228 PMCID: PMC5415969 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2017.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The most common variant causing Pompe disease is c.-32-13T>G (IVS1) in the acid α-glucosidase (GAA) gene, which weakens the splice acceptor of GAA exon 2 and induces partial and complete exon 2 skipping. It also allows a low level of leaky wild-type splicing, leading to a childhood/adult phenotype. We hypothesized that cis-acting splicing motifs may exist that could be blocked using antisense oligonucleotides (AONs) to promote exon inclusion. To test this, a screen was performed in patient-derived primary fibroblasts using a tiling array of U7 small nuclear RNA (snRNA)-based AONs. This resulted in the identification of a splicing regulatory element in GAA intron 1. We designed phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer-based AONs to this element, and these promoted exon 2 inclusion and enhanced GAA enzyme activity to levels above the disease threshold. These results indicate that the common IVS1 GAA splicing variant in Pompe disease is subject to negative regulation, and inhibition of a splicing regulatory element using AONs is able to restore canonical GAA splicing and endogenous GAA enzyme activity.
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