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Giacomoni J, Åkerblom M, Habekost M, Fiorenzano A, Kajtez J, Davidsson M, Parmar M, Björklund T. Identification and validation of novel engineered AAV capsid variants targeting human glia. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1435212. [PMID: 39193523 PMCID: PMC11348808 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1435212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Direct neural conversion of endogenous non-neuronal cells, such as resident glia, into therapeutic neurons has emerged as a promising strategy for brain repair, aiming to restore lost or damaged neurons. Proof-of-concept has been obtained from animal studies, yet these models do not efficiently recapitulate the complexity of the human brain, and further refinement is necessary before clinical translation becomes viable. One important aspect is the need to achieve efficient and precise targeting of human glial cells using non-integrating viral vectors that exhibit a high degree of cell type specificity. While various naturally occurring or engineered adeno-associated virus (AAV) serotypes have been utilized to transduce glia, efficient targeting of human glial cell types remains an unsolved challenge. In this study, we employ AAV capsid library engineering to find AAV capsids that selectively target human glia in vitro and in vivo. We have identified two families of AAV capsids that induce efficient targeting of human glia both in glial spheroids and after glial progenitor cell transplantation into the rat forebrain. Furthermore, we show the robustness of this targeting by transferring the capsid peptide from the parent AAV2 serotype onto the AAV9 serotype, which facilitates future scalability for the larger human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Giacomoni
- Developmental and Regenerative Neurobiology, Lund Stem Cell Center, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Malin Åkerblom
- Molecular Neuromodulation, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Mette Habekost
- Developmental and Regenerative Neurobiology, Lund Stem Cell Center, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Alessandro Fiorenzano
- Developmental and Regenerative Neurobiology, Lund Stem Cell Center, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Janko Kajtez
- Developmental and Regenerative Neurobiology, Lund Stem Cell Center, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Marcus Davidsson
- Molecular Neuromodulation, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Malin Parmar
- Developmental and Regenerative Neurobiology, Lund Stem Cell Center, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Tomas Björklund
- Molecular Neuromodulation, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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2
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Słyk Ż, Stachowiak N, Małecki M. Recombinant Adeno-Associated Virus Vectors for Gene Therapy of the Central Nervous System: Delivery Routes and Clinical Aspects. Biomedicines 2024; 12:1523. [PMID: 39062095 PMCID: PMC11274884 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12071523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 06/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The Central Nervous System (CNS) is vulnerable to a range of diseases, including neurodegenerative and oncological conditions, which present significant treatment challenges. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) restricts molecule penetration, complicating the achievement of therapeutic concentrations in the CNS following systemic administration. Gene therapy using recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors emerges as a promising strategy for treating CNS diseases, demonstrated by the registration of six gene therapy products in the past six years and 87 ongoing clinical trials. This review explores the implementation of rAAV vectors in CNS disease treatment, emphasizing AAV biology and vector engineering. Various administration methods-such as intravenous, intrathecal, and intraparenchymal routes-and experimental approaches like intranasal and intramuscular administration are evaluated, discussing their advantages and limitations in different CNS contexts. Additionally, the review underscores the importance of optimizing therapeutic efficacy through the pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of rAAV vectors. A comprehensive analysis of clinical trials reveals successes and challenges, including barriers to commercialization. This review provides insights into therapeutic strategies using rAAV vectors in neurological diseases and identifies areas requiring further research, particularly in optimizing rAAV PK/PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Żaneta Słyk
- Department of Applied Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Natalia Stachowiak
- Department of Applied Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Maciej Małecki
- Department of Applied Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland
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3
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Wang JH, Gessler DJ, Zhan W, Gallagher TL, Gao G. Adeno-associated virus as a delivery vector for gene therapy of human diseases. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:78. [PMID: 38565561 PMCID: PMC10987683 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01780-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Adeno-associated virus (AAV) has emerged as a pivotal delivery tool in clinical gene therapy owing to its minimal pathogenicity and ability to establish long-term gene expression in different tissues. Recombinant AAV (rAAV) has been engineered for enhanced specificity and developed as a tool for treating various diseases. However, as rAAV is being more widely used as a therapy, the increased demand has created challenges for the existing manufacturing methods. Seven rAAV-based gene therapy products have received regulatory approval, but there continue to be concerns about safely using high-dose viral therapies in humans, including immune responses and adverse effects such as genotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, thrombotic microangiopathy, and neurotoxicity. In this review, we explore AAV biology with an emphasis on current vector engineering strategies and manufacturing technologies. We discuss how rAAVs are being employed in ongoing clinical trials for ocular, neurological, metabolic, hematological, neuromuscular, and cardiovascular diseases as well as cancers. We outline immune responses triggered by rAAV, address associated side effects, and discuss strategies to mitigate these reactions. We hope that discussing recent advancements and current challenges in the field will be a helpful guide for researchers and clinicians navigating the ever-evolving landscape of rAAV-based gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiang-Hui Wang
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, VIC, 3002, Australia
- Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, East Melbourne, VIC, 3002, Australia
| | - Dominic J Gessler
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Wei Zhan
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
- Li Weibo Institute for Rare Diseases Research, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
| | - Thomas L Gallagher
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
| | - Guangping Gao
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA.
- Li Weibo Institute for Rare Diseases Research, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA.
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4
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Luo LL, Xu J, Wang BQ, Chen C, Chen X, Hu QM, Wang YQ, Zhang WY, Jiang WX, Li XT, Zhou H, Xiao X, Zhao K, Lin S. A novel capsid-XL32-derived adeno-associated virus serotype prompts retinal tropism and ameliorates choroidal neovascularization. Biomaterials 2024; 304:122403. [PMID: 38016335 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2023.122403] [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: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
Gene therapy has been adapted, from the laboratory to the clinic, to treat retinopathies. In contrast to subretinal route, intravitreal delivery of AAV vectors displays the advantage of bypassing surgical injuries, but the viral particles are more prone to be nullified by the host neutralizing factors. To minimize such suppression of therapeutic effect, especially in terms of AAV2 and its derivatives, we introduced three serine-to-glycine mutations, based on the phosphorylation sites identified by mass spectrum analysis, to the XL32 capsid to generate a novel serotype named AAVYC5. Via intravitreal administration, AAVYC5 was transduced more effectively into multiple retinal layers compared with AAV2 and XL32. AAVYC5 also enabled successful delivery of anti-angiogenic molecules to rescue laser-induced choroidal neovascularization and astrogliosis in mice and non-human primates. Furthermore, we detected fewer neutralizing antibodies and binding IgG in human sera against AAVYC5 than those specific for AAV2 and XL32. Our results thus implicate this capsid-optimized AAVYC5 as a promising vector suitable for a wide population, particularly those with undesirable AAV2 seroreactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin-Lin Luo
- Department of Ophthalmology, Army Medical Center of PLA, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400042, China
| | - Jie Xu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Army Medical Center of PLA, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400042, China
| | - Bing-Qiao Wang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400042, China
| | - Chen Chen
- School of Bioengineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China; Belief BioMed Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Chongqing Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Guangyang Bay Laboratory, Chongqing, 400064, China
| | - Qiu-Mei Hu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Army Medical Center of PLA, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400042, China
| | - Yu-Qiu Wang
- School of Bioengineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China; Analytical Research Center for Organic and Biological Molecules, CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Wan-Yun Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400042, China
| | - Wan-Xiang Jiang
- Sichuan Greentech Bioscience Co,. Ltd, Bencao Avenue, New Economic Development Zone, Meishan, Sichuan, 620010, China
| | - Xin-Ting Li
- School of Bioengineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Hu Zhou
- Analytical Research Center for Organic and Biological Molecules, CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Xiao Xiao
- School of Bioengineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China; Belief BioMed Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China.
| | - Kai Zhao
- School of Bioengineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China; Belief BioMed Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China.
| | - Sen Lin
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400042, China; Chongqing Institute for Brain and Intelligence, Guangyang Bay Laboratory, Chongqing, 400064, China.
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5
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Chen Y, Hong Z, Wang J, Liu K, Liu J, Lin J, Feng S, Zhang T, Shan L, Liu T, Guo P, Lin Y, Li T, Chen Q, Jiang X, Li A, Li X, Li Y, Wilde JJ, Bao J, Dai J, Lu Z. Circuit-specific gene therapy reverses core symptoms in a primate Parkinson's disease model. Cell 2023; 186:5394-5410.e18. [PMID: 37922901 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder. Its symptoms are typically treated with levodopa or dopamine receptor agonists, but its action lacks specificity due to the wide distribution of dopamine receptors in the central nervous system and periphery. Here, we report the development of a gene therapy strategy to selectively manipulate PD-affected circuitry. Targeting striatal D1 medium spiny neurons (MSNs), whose activity is chronically suppressed in PD, we engineered a therapeutic strategy comprised of a highly efficient retrograde adeno-associated virus (AAV), promoter elements with strong D1-MSN activity, and a chemogenetic effector to enable precise D1-MSN activation after systemic ligand administration. Application of this therapeutic approach rescues locomotion, tremor, and motor skill defects in both mouse and primate models of PD, supporting the feasibility of targeted circuit modulation tools for the treatment of PD in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yefei Chen
- Shenzhen Technological Research Center for Primate Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Neural Development, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zexuan Hong
- Shenzhen Technological Research Center for Primate Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Neural Development, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Shenzhen Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen 518027, China
| | - Jingyi Wang
- Shenzhen Technological Research Center for Primate Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Neural Development, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Kunlin Liu
- Shenzhen Technological Research Center for Primate Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Neural Development, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Shenzhen Technological Research Center for Primate Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Neural Development, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Shenzhen Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen 518027, China
| | - Jianbang Lin
- Shenzhen Technological Research Center for Primate Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Neural Development, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shijing Feng
- Shenzhen Technological Research Center for Primate Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Neural Development, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Tianhui Zhang
- Shenzhen Technological Research Center for Primate Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Neural Development, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Brain Disease and Bioinformation, Research Center for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
| | - Liang Shan
- Shenzhen Technological Research Center for Primate Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Neural Development, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Taian Liu
- Shenzhen Technological Research Center for Primate Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Neural Development, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Pinyue Guo
- Shenzhen Technological Research Center for Primate Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Neural Development, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yunping Lin
- Shenzhen Technological Research Center for Primate Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Neural Development, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Tian Li
- Shenzhen Technological Research Center for Primate Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Neural Development, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Qian Chen
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan 528400, China
| | - Xiaodan Jiang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China
| | - Anan Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Brain Disease and Bioinformation, Research Center for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou 221004, China
| | - Xiang Li
- Shenzhen Technological Research Center for Primate Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Neural Development, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yuantao Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Shenzhen Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen 518027, China; Biomedical Research Institute, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, China
| | | | - Jin Bao
- Shenzhen Technological Research Center for Primate Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Neural Development, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; Biomedical Imaging Science and System Key Laboratory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Ji Dai
- Shenzhen Technological Research Center for Primate Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Neural Development, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Zhonghua Lu
- Shenzhen Technological Research Center for Primate Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Neural Development, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; Biomedical Imaging Science and System Key Laboratory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
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6
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Poller W, Sahoo S, Hajjar R, Landmesser U, Krichevsky AM. Exploration of the Noncoding Genome for Human-Specific Therapeutic Targets-Recent Insights at Molecular and Cellular Level. Cells 2023; 12:2660. [PMID: 37998395 PMCID: PMC10670380 DOI: 10.3390/cells12222660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
While it is well known that 98-99% of the human genome does not encode proteins, but are nevertheless transcriptionally active and give rise to a broad spectrum of noncoding RNAs [ncRNAs] with complex regulatory and structural functions, specific functions have so far been assigned to only a tiny fraction of all known transcripts. On the other hand, the striking observation of an overwhelmingly growing fraction of ncRNAs, in contrast to an only modest increase in the number of protein-coding genes, during evolution from simple organisms to humans, strongly suggests critical but so far essentially unexplored roles of the noncoding genome for human health and disease pathogenesis. Research into the vast realm of the noncoding genome during the past decades thus lead to a profoundly enhanced appreciation of the multi-level complexity of the human genome. Here, we address a few of the many huge remaining knowledge gaps and consider some newly emerging questions and concepts of research. We attempt to provide an up-to-date assessment of recent insights obtained by molecular and cell biological methods, and by the application of systems biology approaches. Specifically, we discuss current data regarding two topics of high current interest: (1) By which mechanisms could evolutionary recent ncRNAs with critical regulatory functions in a broad spectrum of cell types (neural, immune, cardiovascular) constitute novel therapeutic targets in human diseases? (2) Since noncoding genome evolution is causally linked to brain evolution, and given the profound interactions between brain and immune system, could human-specific brain-expressed ncRNAs play a direct or indirect (immune-mediated) role in human diseases? Synergistic with remarkable recent progress regarding delivery, efficacy, and safety of nucleic acid-based therapies, the ongoing large-scale exploration of the noncoding genome for human-specific therapeutic targets is encouraging to proceed with the development and clinical evaluation of novel therapeutic pathways suggested by these research fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Poller
- Department for Cardiology, Angiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Deutsches Herzzentrum Charité (DHZC), Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 12200 Berlin, Germany;
- Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 13353 Berlin, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Site Berlin, 10785 Berlin, Germany
| | - Susmita Sahoo
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1030, New York, NY 10029, USA;
| | - Roger Hajjar
- Gene & Cell Therapy Institute, Mass General Brigham, 65 Landsdowne St, Suite 143, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA;
| | - Ulf Landmesser
- Department for Cardiology, Angiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Deutsches Herzzentrum Charité (DHZC), Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 12200 Berlin, Germany;
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Site Berlin, 10785 Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Anna M. Krichevsky
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
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Ling Q, Herstine JA, Bradbury A, Gray SJ. AAV-based in vivo gene therapy for neurological disorders. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2023; 22:789-806. [PMID: 37658167 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-023-00766-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
Recent advancements in gene supplementation therapy are expanding the options for the treatment of neurological disorders. Among the available delivery vehicles, adeno-associated virus (AAV) is often the favoured vector. However, the results have been variable, with some trials dramatically altering the course of disease whereas others have shown negligible efficacy or even unforeseen toxicity. Unlike traditional drug development with small molecules, therapeutic profiles of AAV gene therapies are dependent on both the AAV capsid and the therapeutic transgene. In this rapidly evolving field, numerous clinical trials of gene supplementation for neurological disorders are ongoing. Knowledge is growing about factors that impact the translation of preclinical studies to humans, including the administration route, timing of treatment, immune responses and limitations of available model systems. The field is also developing potential solutions to mitigate adverse effects, including AAV capsid engineering and designs to regulate transgene expression. At the same time, preclinical research is addressing new frontiers of gene supplementation for neurological disorders, with a focus on mitochondrial and neurodevelopmental disorders. In this Review, we describe the current state of AAV-mediated neurological gene supplementation therapy, including critical factors for optimizing the safety and efficacy of treatments, as well as unmet needs in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinglan Ling
- Department of Paediatrics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Jessica A Herstine
- Center for Gene Therapy, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
- Department of Paediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Allison Bradbury
- Center for Gene Therapy, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA
- Department of Paediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Steven J Gray
- Department of Paediatrics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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8
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Chu Y, Kordower JH. Post-Mortem Studies of Neurturin Gene Therapy for Parkinson's Disease: Two Subjects with 10 Years CERE120 Delivery. Mov Disord 2023; 38:1728-1736. [PMID: 37544016 DOI: 10.1002/mds.29518] [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: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurturin is a member of the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor family of neurotrophic factors and has the potential to protectdegenerating dopaminergic neurons. OBJECTIVE Here, we performed post-mortem studies on two patients with advanced Parkinson's disease that survived 10 years following AAV-neurturin gene (Cere120) delivery to verify long-term effects of trophic factor neurturin. METHODS Cere120 was delivered to the putamen bilaterally in one case and to the putamen plus substantia nigra bilaterally in the second. Immunohistochemistry was used to examine neurturin, Rearranged during transfection(RET), phosphor-S6, and tyrosine hydroxylase expressions, inflammatory reactions, and α-synuclein accumulation. RESULTS In both patients there was persistent, albeit limited, neurturin expression in the putamen covering 1.31% to 5.92% of the putamen. Dense staining of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive fibers was observed in areas that contained detectable neurturin expression. In substantia nigra, neurturin expression was detected in 11% of remaining melanin-containing neurons in the patient with combined putamenal and nigral gene delivery, but not in the patient with putamenal gene delivery alone. Tyrosine hydroxylase positive neurons were 66% to 84% of remaining neuromelanin neurons in substantia nigra with Cere120 delivery and 23% to 24% in substantia nigra without gene delivery. More RET and phosphor-S6 positive neurons were observed in substantia nigra following nigral Cere120. Inflammatory and Lewy pathologies were similar in substantia nigra with or without Cere120 delivery. CONCLUSIONS This study provides evidence of long-term persistent transgene expression and bioactivity following gene delivery to the nigrostriatal system. Therefore, future efforts using gene therapy for neurodegenerative diseases should consider means to enhance remaining dopamine neuron function and stop pathological propagation. © 2023 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaping Chu
- ASU-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Jeffrey H Kordower
- ASU-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center, Tempe, Arizona, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
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9
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Sahel DK, Vora LK, Saraswat A, Sharma S, Monpara J, D'Souza AA, Mishra D, Tryphena KP, Kawakita S, Khan S, Azhar M, Khatri DK, Patel K, Singh Thakur RR. CRISPR/Cas9 Genome Editing for Tissue-Specific In Vivo Targeting: Nanomaterials and Translational Perspective. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2207512. [PMID: 37166046 PMCID: PMC10323670 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202207512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Clustered randomly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) and its associated endonuclease protein, i.e., Cas9, have been discovered as an immune system in bacteria and archaea; nevertheless, they are now being adopted as mainstream biotechnological/molecular scissors that can modulate ample genetic and nongenetic diseases via insertion/deletion, epigenome editing, messenger RNA editing, CRISPR interference, etc. Many Food and Drug Administration-approved and ongoing clinical trials on CRISPR adopt ex vivo strategies, wherein the gene editing is performed ex vivo, followed by reimplantation to the patients. However, the in vivo delivery of the CRISPR components is still under preclinical surveillance. This review has summarized the nonviral nanodelivery strategies for gene editing using CRISPR/Cas9 and its recent advancements, strategic points of view, challenges, and future aspects for tissue-specific in vivo delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 components using nanomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepak Kumar Sahel
- Department of PharmacyBirla Institute of Technology and Science‐PilaniBITS‐Pilani, Vidya ViharPilaniRajasthan333031India
| | - Lalitkumar K. Vora
- School of PharmacyQueen's University Belfast97 Lisburn RoadBelfastBT9 7BLUK
| | - Aishwarya Saraswat
- College of Pharmacy & Health SciencesSt. John's UniversityQueensNY11439USA
| | - Saurabh Sharma
- Terasaki Institute for Biomedical InnovationLos AngelesCA90064USA
| | - Jasmin Monpara
- Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesUniversity of SciencesPhiladelphiaPA19104USA
| | - Anisha A. D'Souza
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and School of PharmacyDuquesne UniversityPittsburghPA15282USA
| | - Deepakkumar Mishra
- School of PharmacyQueen's University Belfast97 Lisburn RoadBelfastBT9 7BLUK
| | - Kamatham Pushpa Tryphena
- Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience LabDepartment of Pharmacology and ToxicologyNational Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)‐HyderabadTelangana500037India
| | - Satoru Kawakita
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCA95616USA
| | - Shahid Khan
- Terasaki Institute for Biomedical InnovationLos AngelesCA90064USA
| | - Mohd Azhar
- Research and Development Tata Medical and Diagnostics LimitedMumbaiMaharashtra400001India
| | - Dharmendra Kumar Khatri
- Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience LabDepartment of Pharmacology and ToxicologyNational Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)‐HyderabadTelangana500037India
| | - Ketan Patel
- College of Pharmacy & Health SciencesSt. John's UniversityQueensNY11439USA
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10
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Caulfield ME, Vander Werp MJ, Stancati JA, Collier TJ, Sortwell CE, Sandoval IM, Manfredsson FP, Steece-Collier K. Downregulation of striatal CaV1.3 inhibits the escalation of levodopa-induced dyskinesia in male and female parkinsonian rats of advanced age. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 181:106111. [PMID: 37001610 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
In the past 25 years, the prevalence of Parkinson's disease (PD) has nearly doubled. Age remains the primary risk factor for PD and as the global aging population increases this trend is predicted to continue. Even when treated with levodopa, the gold standard dopamine (DA) replacement therapy, individuals with PD frequently develop therapeutic side effects. Levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID), a common side effect of long-term levodopa use, represents a significant unmet clinical need in the treatment of PD. Previously, in young adult (3-month-old) male parkinsonian rats, we demonstrated that the silencing of CaV1.3 (Cacan1d) L-type voltage-gated calcium channels via striatal delivery of rAAV-CaV1.3-shRNA provides uniform protection against the induction of LID, and significant reduction of established severe LID. With the goal of more closely replicating a clinical demographic, the current study examined the effects of CaV1.3-targeted gene therapy on LID escalation in male and female parkinsonian rats of advanced age (18-month-old at study completion). We tested the hypothesis that silencing aberrant CaV1.3 channel activity in the parkinsonian striatum would prevent moderate to severe dyskinesia with levodopa dose escalation. To test this hypothesis, 15-month-old male and female F344 rats were rendered unilaterally parkinsonian and primed with low-dose (3-4 mg/kg) levodopa. Following the establishment of stable, mild dyskinesias, rats received an intrastriatal injection of either the Cacna1d-specific rAAV-CaV1.3-shRNA vector (CAV-shRNA), or the scramble control rAAV-SCR-shRNA vector (SCR-shRNA). Daily (M-Fr) low-dose levodopa was maintained for 4 weeks during the vector transduction and gene silencing window followed by escalation to 6 mg/kg, then to 12 mg/kg levodopa. SCR-shRNA-shRNA rats showed stable LID expression with low-dose levodopa and the predicted escalation of LID severity with increased levodopa doses. Conversely, complex behavioral responses were observed in aged rats receiving CAV-shRNA, with approximately half of the male and female subjects-therapeutic 'Responders'-demonstrating protection against LID escalation, while the remaining half-therapeutic 'Non-Responders'-showed LID escalation similar to SCR-shRNA rats. Post-mortem histological analyses revealed individual variability in the detection of Cacna1d regulation in the DA-depleted striatum of aged rats. However, taken together, male and female therapeutic 'Responder' rats receiving CAV-shRNA had significantly less striatal Cacna1d in their vector-injected striatum relative to contralateral striatum than those with SCR-shRNA. The current data suggest that mRNA-level silencing of striatal CaV1.3 channels maintains potency in a clinically relevant in vivo scenario by preventing dose-dependent dyskinesia escalation in rats of advanced age. As compared to the uniform response previously reported in young male rats, there was notable variability between individual aged rats, particularly females, in the current study. Future investigations are needed to derive the sex-specific and age-related mechanisms which underlie variable responses to gene therapy and to elucidate factors which determine the therapeutic efficacy of treatment for PD.
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11
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AAV vectors applied to the treatment of CNS disorders: Clinical status and challenges. J Control Release 2023; 355:458-473. [PMID: 36736907 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2023.01.067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, adeno-associated virus (AAV) has become the most important vector for central nervous system (CNS) gene therapy. AAV has already shown promising results in the clinic, for several CNS diseases that cannot be treated with drugs, including neurodegenerative diseases, neuromuscular diseases, and lysosomal storage disorders. Currently, three of the four commercially available AAV-based drugs focus on neurological disorders, including Upstaza for aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase deficiency, Luxturna for hereditary retinal dystrophy, and Zolgensma for spinal muscular atrophy. All these studies have provided paradigms for AAV-based therapeutic intervention platforms. AAV gene therapy, with its dual promise of targeting disease etiology and enabling 'long-term correction' of disease processes, has the advantages of immune privilege, high delivery efficiency, tissue specificity, and cell tropism in the CNS. Although AAV-based gene therapy has been shown to be effective in most CNS clinical trials, limitations have been observed in its clinical applications, which are often associated with side effects. In this review, we summarized the therapeutic progress, challenges, limitations, and solutions for AAV-based gene therapy in 14 types of CNS diseases. We focused on viral vector technologies, delivery routes, immunosuppression, and other relevant clinical factors. We also attempted to integrate several hurdles faced in clinical and preclinical studies with their solutions, to seek the best path forward for the application of AAV-based gene therapy in the context of CNS diseases. We hope that these thoughtful recommendations will contribute to the efficient translation of preclinical studies and wide application of clinical trials.
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12
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Merjane J, Chung R, Patani R, Lisowski L. Molecular mechanisms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis as broad therapeutic targets for gene therapy applications utilizing adeno-associated viral vectors. Med Res Rev 2023. [PMID: 36786126 DOI: 10.1002/med.21937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
Despite the devastating clinical outcome of the neurodegenerative disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), its etiology remains mysterious. Approximately 90% of ALS is characterized as sporadic, signifying that the patient has no family history of the disease. The development of an impactful disease modifying therapy across the ALS spectrum has remained out of grasp, largely due to the poorly understood mechanisms of disease onset and progression. Currently, ALS is invariably fatal and rapidly progressive. It is hypothesized that multiple factors can lead to the development of ALS, however, treatments are often focused on targeting specific familial forms of the disease (10% of total cases). There is a strong need to develop disease modifying treatments for ALS that can be effective across the full ALS spectrum of familial and sporadic cases. Although the onset of disease varies significantly between patients, there are general disease mechanisms and progressions that can be seen broadly across ALS patients. Therefore, this review explores the targeting of these widespread disease mechanisms as possible areas for therapeutic intervention to treat ALS broadly. In particular, this review will focus on targeting mechanisms of defective protein homeostasis and RNA processing, which are both increasingly recognized as design principles of ALS pathogenesis. Additionally, this review will explore the benefits of gene therapy as an approach to treating ALS, specifically focusing on the use of adeno-associated virus (AAV) as a vector for gene delivery to the CNS and recent advances in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Merjane
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Roger Chung
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Rickie Patani
- Department of Neuromuscular Disease, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK.,The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Leszek Lisowski
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.,Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Innovative Therapies, Military Institute of Medicine, Warsaw, Poland
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13
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Ghauri MS, Ou L. AAV Engineering for Improving Tropism to the Central Nervous System. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12020186. [PMID: 36829465 PMCID: PMC9953251 DOI: 10.3390/biology12020186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is a non-pathogenic virus that mainly infects primates with the help of adenoviruses. AAV is being widely used as a delivery vector for in vivo gene therapy, as evidenced by five currently approved drugs and more than 255 clinical trials across the world. Due to its relatively low immunogenicity and toxicity, sustained efficacy, and broad tropism, AAV holds great promise for treating many indications, including central nervous system (CNS), ocular, muscular, and liver diseases. However, low delivery efficiency, especially for the CNS due to the blood-brain barrier (BBB), remains a significant challenge for more clinical application of AAV gene therapy. Thus, there is an urgent need for utilizing AAV engineering to discover next-generation capsids with improved properties, e.g., enhanced BBB penetrance, lower immunogenicity, and higher packaging efficiency. AAV engineering methods, including directed evolution, rational design, and in silico design, have been developed, resulting in the discovery of novel capsids (e.g., PhP.B, B10, PAL1A/B/C). In this review, we discuss key studies that identified engineered CNS capsids and/or established methodological improvements. Further, we also discussed important issues that need to be addressed, including cross-species translatability, cell specificity, and modular engineering to improve multiple properties simultaneously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad S. Ghauri
- School of Medicine, California University of Science and Medicine, Colton, CA 92324, USA
| | - Li Ou
- Genemagic Biosciences, Media, PA 19086, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA
- Correspondence:
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14
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Wang Y, Yang C, Hu H, Chen C, Yan M, Ling F, Wang KC, Wang X, Deng Z, Zhou X, Zhang F, Lin S, Du Z, Zhao K, Xiao X. Directed evolution of adeno-associated virus 5 capsid enables specific liver tropism. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2022; 28:293-306. [PMID: 35474733 PMCID: PMC9010518 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2022.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Impressive achievements in clinical trials to treat hemophilia establish a milestone in the development of gene therapy. It highlights the significance of AAV-mediated gene delivery to liver. AAV5 is a unique serotype featured by low neutralizing antibody prevalence. Nevertheless, its liver infectivity is relatively weak. Consequently, it is vital to exploit novel AAV5 capsid mutants with robust liver tropism. To this aim, we performed AAV5-NNK library and barcode screening in mice, from which we identified one capsid variant, called AAVzk2. AAVzk2 displayed a similar yield but divergent post-translational modification sites compared with wild-type serotypes. Mice intravenously injected with AAVzk2 demonstrated a stronger liver transduction than AAV5, roughly comparable with AAV8 and AAV9, with undetectable transduction of other tissues or organs such as heart, lung, spleen, kidney, brain, and skeletal muscle, indicating a liver-specific tropism. Further studies showed a superior human hepatocellular transduction of AAVzk2 to AAV5, AAV8 and AAV9, whereas the seroreactivity of AAVzk2 was as low as AAV5. Overall, we provide a novel AAV serotype that facilitates a robust and specific liver gene delivery to a large population, especially those unable to be treated by AAV8 and AAV9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqiu Wang
- School of Bioengineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Chen Yang
- School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Hanyang Hu
- School of Bioengineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Chen Chen
- School of Bioengineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
- School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Mengdi Yan
- School of Bioengineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Feixiang Ling
- School of Bioengineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Kathy Cheng Wang
- Department of Biology, New York University, 24 Waverly Pl, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Xintao Wang
- School of Bioengineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Zhe Deng
- School of Bioengineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Xinyue Zhou
- School of Bioengineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Feixu Zhang
- School of Bioengineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Sen Lin
- Department of Ophthalmology, Daping Hospital, Army Medical Center of PLA, Army Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China
| | - Zengmin Du
- School of Bioengineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Kai Zhao
- School of Bioengineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
- School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
- Corresponding author Kai Zhao, School of Bioengineering and School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
| | - Xiao Xiao
- School of Bioengineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
- School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
- Corresponding author Xiao Xiao, School of Bioengineering and School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
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15
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Lateralized deficits after unilateral AAV-vector based overexpression of alpha-synuclein in the midbrain of rats on drug-free behavioural tests. Behav Brain Res 2022; 429:113887. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.113887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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16
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Shao W, Sun J, Chen X, Dobbins A, Merricks EP, Samulski RJ, Nichols TC, Li C. Chimeric Mice Engrafted With Canine Hepatocytes Exhibits Similar AAV Transduction Efficiency to Hemophilia B Dog. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:815317. [PMID: 35173619 PMCID: PMC8841897 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.815317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Adeno-associated virus (AAV) mediated gene therapy has been successfully applied in clinical trials, including hemophilia. Novel AAV vectors have been developed with enhanced transduction and specific tissue tropism. Considering the difference in efficacy of AAV transduction between animal models and patients, the chimeric xenograft mouse model with human hepatocytes has unique advantages of studying AAV transduction efficiency in human hepatocytes. However, it is unclear whether the results in humanized mice can predict AAV transduction efficiency in human hepatocytes. To address this issue, we studied the AAV transduction efficacy in canine hepatocytes in both canine hepatocyte xenografted mice and real dogs. After administration of AAV vectors from different serotypes into canine hepatocyte xenograft mice, AAV8 induced the best canine hepatocyte transduction followed by AAV9, then AAV3, 7, 5 and 2. After administration of AAV/cFIX (cFIX-opt-R338L) vectors in hemophilia B dogs, consistent with the result in chimeric mice, AAV8 induced the highest cFIX protein expression and function, followed by AAV9 and then AAV2. These results suggest that mice xenografted with hepatocytes from different species could be used to predict the AAV liver transduction in real species and highlight this potential platform to explore novel AAV variants for future clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenwei Shao
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Gene Therapy Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Junjiang Sun
- Gene Therapy Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.,Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Xiaojing Chen
- Gene Therapy Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Amanda Dobbins
- Gene Therapy Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Elizabeth P Merricks
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and The Blood Research Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - R Jude Samulski
- Gene Therapy Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.,Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Timothy C Nichols
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and The Blood Research Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Chengwen Li
- Gene Therapy Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.,Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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17
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Björklund T, Davidsson M. Next-Generation Gene Therapy for Parkinson's Disease Using Engineered Viral Vectors. JOURNAL OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE 2022; 11:S209-S217. [PMID: 34366370 PMCID: PMC8543274 DOI: 10.3233/jpd-212674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Recent technological and conceptual advances have resulted in a plethora of exciting novel engineered adeno associated viral (AAV) vector variants. They all have unique characteristics and abilities. This review summarizes the development and their potential in treating Parkinson's disease (PD). Clinical trials in PD have shown over the last decade that AAV is a safe and suitable vector for gene therapy but that it also is a vehicle that can benefit significantly from improvement in specificity and potency. This review provides a concise collection of the state-of-the-art for synthetic capsids and their utility in PD. We also summarize what therapeutical strategies may become feasible with novel engineered vectors, including genome editing and neuronal rejuvenation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Björklund
- Molecular Neuromodulation, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Marcus Davidsson
- Molecular Neuromodulation, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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18
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Siddique Y. Neurodegenerative Disorders and the Current State, Pathophysiology, and Management of Parkinson's Disease. CNS & NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS DRUG TARGETS 2022; 21:574-595. [PMID: 34477534 DOI: 10.2174/1871527320666210903101841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In the last few decades, major knowledge has been gained about pathophysiological aspects and molecular pathways behind Parkinson's Disease (PD). Based on neurotoxicological studies and postmortem investigations, there is a general concept of how environmental toxicants (neurotoxins, pesticides, insecticides) and genetic factors (genetic mutations in PD-associated proteins) cause depletion of dopamine from substantia nigra pars compacta region of the midbrain and modulate cellular processes leading to the pathogenesis of PD. α-Synuclein, a neuronal protein accumulation in oligomeric form, called protofibrils, is associated with cellular dysfunction and neuronal death, thus possibly contributing to PD propagation. With advances made in identifying loci that contribute to PD, molecular pathways involved in disease pathogenesis are now clear, and introducing therapeutic strategy at the right time may delay the progression. Biomarkers for PD have helped monitor PD progression; therefore, personalized therapeutic strategies can be facilitated. In order to further improve PD diagnostic and prognostic accuracy, independent validation of biomarkers is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasir Siddique
- Drosophila Transgenic Laboratory, Section of Genetics, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, 202002, Uttar Pradesh, India
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19
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Negrini M, Tomasello G, Davidsson M, Fenyi A, Adant C, Hauser S, Espa E, Gubinelli F, Manfredsson FP, Melki R, Heuer A. Sequential or Simultaneous Injection of Preformed Fibrils and AAV Overexpression of Alpha-Synuclein Are Equipotent in Producing Relevant Pathology and Behavioral Deficits. JOURNAL OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE 2022; 12:1133-1153. [PMID: 35213388 PMCID: PMC9198765 DOI: 10.3233/jpd-212555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preclinical rodent models for Parkinson's disease (PD) based on viral human alpha-synuclein (h-αSyn) overexpression recapitulate some of the pathological hallmarks as it presents in humans, such as progressive cell loss and additional synucleinopathy in cortical and subcortical structures. Recent studies have combined viral vector-based overexpression of human wild-type αSyn with the sequential or simultaneous inoculation of preformed fibrils (PFFs) derived from human αSyn. OBJECTIVE The goal of the study was to investigate whether sequential or combined delivery of the AAV vector and the PFFs are equipotent in inducing stable neurodegeneration and behavioral deficits. METHODS Here we compare between four experimental paradigms (PFFs only, AAV-h-αSyn only, AAV-h-αSyn with simultaneous PFFs, and AAV-h-αSyn with sequential PFFs) and their respective GFP control groups. RESULTS We observed reduction of TH expression and loss of neurons in the midbrain in all AAV (h-αSyn or GFP) injected groups, with or without additional PFFs inoculation. The overexpression of either h-αSyn or GFP alone induced motor deficits and dysfunctional dopamine release/reuptake in electrochemical recordings in the ipsilateral striatum. However, we observed a substantial formation of insoluble h-αSyn aggregates and inflammatory response only when h-αSyn and PFFs were combined. Moreover, the presence of h-αSyn induced higher axonal pathology compared to control groups. CONCLUSION Simultaneous AAV and PFFs injections are equipotent in the presented experimental setup in inducing histopathological and behavioral changes. This model provides new and interesting possibilities for characterizing PD pathology in preclinical models and means to assess future therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matilde Negrini
- Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Giuseppe Tomasello
- Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Marcus Davidsson
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- Molecular Neuromodulation, Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Alexis Fenyi
- Institut Francois Jacob (MIRCen), CEA and Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, CNRS, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Cécile Adant
- Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Swantje Hauser
- Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Elena Espa
- Basal Ganglia Pathophysiology Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Francesco Gubinelli
- Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Fredric P. Manfredsson
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Ronald Melki
- Institut Francois Jacob (MIRCen), CEA and Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, CNRS, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Andreas Heuer
- Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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20
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Mitochondrial targeted meganuclease as a platform to eliminate mutant mtDNA in vivo. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3210. [PMID: 34050192 PMCID: PMC8163834 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23561-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Diseases caused by heteroplasmic mitochondrial DNA mutations have no effective treatment or cure. In recent years, DNA editing enzymes were tested as tools to eliminate mutant mtDNA in heteroplasmic cells and tissues. Mitochondrial-targeted restriction endonucleases, ZFNs, and TALENs have been successful in shifting mtDNA heteroplasmy, but they all have drawbacks as gene therapy reagents, including: large size, heterodimeric nature, inability to distinguish single base changes, or low flexibility and effectiveness. Here we report the adaptation of a gene editing platform based on the I-CreI meganuclease known as ARCUS®. These mitochondrial-targeted meganucleases (mitoARCUS) have a relatively small size, are monomeric, and can recognize sequences differing by as little as one base pair. We show the development of a mitoARCUS specific for the mouse m.5024C>T mutation in the mt-tRNAAla gene and its delivery to mice intravenously using AAV9 as a vector. Liver and skeletal muscle show robust elimination of mutant mtDNA with concomitant restoration of mt-tRNAAla levels. We conclude that mitoARCUS is a potential powerful tool for the elimination of mutant mtDNA. Heteroplasmic mitochondrial DNA mutations lack effective treatments. Here the authors adapt I-CreI meganuclease to target the mitochondria and specifically-eliminate mtDNA with a m.5024C>T mutation in the mttRNA Ala gene.
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21
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Poth KM, Texakalidis P, Boulis NM. Chemogenetics: Beyond Lesions and Electrodes. Neurosurgery 2021; 89:185-195. [PMID: 33913505 PMCID: PMC8279839 DOI: 10.1093/neuros/nyab147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The field of chemogenetics has rapidly expanded over the last decade, and engineered receptors are currently utilized in the lab to better understand molecular interactions in the nervous system. We propose that chemogenetic receptors can be used for far more than investigational purposes. The potential benefit of adding chemogenetic neuromodulation to the current neurosurgical toolkit is substantial. There are several conditions currently treated surgically, electrically, and pharmacologically in clinic, and this review highlights how chemogenetic neuromodulation could improve patient outcomes over current neurosurgical techniques. We aim to emphasize the need to take these techniques from bench to bedside.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly M Poth
- Department of Neurosurgery, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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22
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Effects of Altering HSPG Binding and Capsid Hydrophilicity on Retinal Transduction by AAV. J Virol 2021; 95:JVI.02440-20. [PMID: 33658343 PMCID: PMC8139652 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02440-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) have recently emerged as the leading vector for retinal gene therapy. However, AAV vectors which are capable of achieving clinically relevant levels of transgene expression and widespread retinal transduction are still an unmet need. Using rationally designed AAV2-based capsid variants, we investigate the role of capsid hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity as it relates to retinal transduction. We show that hydrophilic, single amino acid (aa) mutations (V387R, W502H, E530K, L583R) in AAV2 negatively impact retinal transduction when heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) binding remains intact. Conversely, addition of hydrophobic point mutations to an HSPG binding deficient capsid (AAV2ΔHS) lead to increased retinal transduction in both mouse and macaque. Our top performing vector, AAV2(4pMut)ΔHS, achieved robust rod and cone photoreceptor (PR) transduction in macaque, especially in the fovea, and demonstrates the ability to spread laterally beyond the borders of the subretinal injection (SRI) bleb. This study both evaluates biophysical properties of AAV capsids that influence retinal transduction, and assesses the transduction and tropism of a novel capsid variant in a clinically relevant animal model.ImportanceRationally guided engineering of AAV capsids aims to create new generations of vectors with enhanced potential for human gene therapy. By applying rational design principles to AAV2-based capsids, we evaluated the influence of hydrophilic and hydrophobic amino acid (aa) mutations on retinal transduction as it relates to vector administration route. Through this approach we identified a largely deleterious relationship between hydrophilic aa mutations and canonical HSPG binding by AAV2-based capsids. Conversely, the inclusion of hydrophobic aa substitutions on a HSPG binding deficient capsid (AAV2ΔHS), generated a vector capable of robust rod and cone photoreceptor (PR) transduction. This vector AAV2(4pMut)ΔHS also demonstrates a remarkable ability to spread laterally beyond the initial subretinal injection (SRI) bleb, making it an ideal candidate for the treatment of retinal diseases which require a large area of transduction.
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23
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A comparison of AAV-vector production methods for gene therapy and preclinical assessment. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21532. [PMID: 33299011 PMCID: PMC7726153 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78521-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Adeno Associated Virus (AAV)-mediated gene expression in the brain is widely applied in the preclinical setting to investigate the therapeutic potential of specific molecular targets, characterize various cellular functions, and model central nervous system (CNS) diseases. In therapeutic applications in the clinical setting, gene therapy offers several advantages over traditional pharmacological based therapies, including the ability to directly manipulate disease mechanisms, selectively target disease-afflicted regions, and achieve long-term therapeutic protein expression in the absence of repeated administration of pharmacological agents. Next to the gold-standard iodixanol-based AAV vector production, we recently published a protocol for AAV production based on chloroform-precipitation, which allows for fast in-house production of small quantities of AAV vector without the need for specialized equipment. To validate our recent protocol, we present here a direct side-by-side comparison between vectors produced with either method in a series of in vitro and in vivo assays with a focus on transgene expression, cell loss, and neuroinflammatory responses in the brain. We do not find differences in transduction efficiency nor in any other parameter in our in vivo and in vitro panel of assessment. These results suggest that our novel protocol enables most standardly equipped laboratories to produce small batches of high quality and high titer AAV vectors for their experimental needs.
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24
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Manfredsson FP, Polinski NK, Subramanian T, Boulis N, Wakeman DR, Mandel RJ. The Future of GDNF in Parkinson's Disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2020; 12:593572. [PMID: 33364933 PMCID: PMC7750181 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.593572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Fredric P Manfredsson
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Nicole K Polinski
- The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, New York, NY, United States
| | - Thyagarajan Subramanian
- Department of Neurology and Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States
| | - Nicholas Boulis
- Department of Neurosurgery, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Dustin R Wakeman
- Virscio, Inc., New Haven, CT, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Ronald J Mandel
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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25
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Wang SK, Lapan SW, Hong CM, Krause TB, Cepko CL. In Situ Detection of Adeno-associated Viral Vector Genomes with SABER-FISH. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2020; 19:376-386. [PMID: 33209963 PMCID: PMC7658570 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2020.10.003] [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: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Gene therapy with recombinant adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors is a promising modality for the treatment of a variety of human diseases. Nonetheless, there remain significant gaps in our understanding of AAV vector biology, due in part to the lack of robust methods to track AAV capsids and genomes. In this study, we describe a novel application of signal amplification by exchange reaction fluorescence in situ hybridization (SABER-FISH) that enabled the visualization and quantification of individual AAV genomes after vector administration in mice. These genomes could be seen in retinal cells within 3 h of subretinal AAV delivery, were roughly full length, and correlated with vector expression in both photoreceptors and the retinal pigment epithelium. SABER-FISH readily detected AAV genomes in the liver and muscle following retro-orbital and intramuscular AAV injections, respectively, demonstrating its utility in different tissues. Using SABER-FISH, we also found that retinal microglia, a cell type deemed refractory to AAV transduction, are in fact efficiently infected by multiple AAV serotypes, but appear to degrade AAV genomes prior to nuclear localization. Our findings show that SABER-FISH can be used to visualize AAV genomes in situ, allowing for studies of AAV vector biology and the tracking of transduced cells following vector administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean K Wang
- Departments of Genetics and Ophthalmology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Sylvain W Lapan
- Departments of Genetics and Ophthalmology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Christin M Hong
- Departments of Genetics and Ophthalmology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Tyler B Krause
- Departments of Genetics and Ophthalmology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Constance L Cepko
- Departments of Genetics and Ophthalmology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
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26
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Tay LS, Palmer N, Panwala R, Chew WL, Mali P. Translating CRISPR-Cas Therapeutics: Approaches and Challenges. CRISPR J 2020; 3:253-275. [PMID: 32833535 PMCID: PMC7469700 DOI: 10.1089/crispr.2020.0025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas clinical trials have begun, offering a first glimpse at how DNA and RNA targeting could enable therapies for many genetic and epigenetic human diseases. The speedy progress of CRISPR-Cas from discovery and adoption to clinical use is built on decades of traditional gene therapy research and belies the multiple challenges that could derail the successful translation of these new modalities. Here, we review how CRISPR-Cas therapeutics are translated from technological systems to therapeutic modalities, paying particular attention to the therapeutic cascade from cargo to delivery vector, manufacturing, administration, pipelines, safety, and therapeutic target profiles. We also explore potential solutions to some of the obstacles facing successful CRISPR-Cas translation. We hope to illuminate how CRISPR-Cas is brought from the academic bench toward use in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lavina Sierra Tay
- Laboratory of Synthetic Biology and Genome Editing Therapeutics, Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Nathan Palmer
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Rebecca Panwala
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Wei Leong Chew
- Laboratory of Synthetic Biology and Genome Editing Therapeutics, Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Prashant Mali
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
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27
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Chu Y, Bartus RT, Manfredsson FP, Olanow CW, Kordower JH. Long-term post-mortem studies following neurturin gene therapy in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease. Brain 2020; 143:960-975. [PMID: 32203581 PMCID: PMC7089653 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awaa020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Revised: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
We performed post-mortem studies on two patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease 8 and10 years following AAV2-neurturin (CERE120) gene therapy, the longest post-mortem trophic factor gene therapy cases reported to date. CERE120 was delivered to the putamen bilaterally in one case (10 years post-surgery), and to the putamen plus the substantia nigra bilaterally in the second (8 years post-surgery). In both patients there was persistent, albeit limited, neurturin expression in the putamen covering ∼3–12% of the putamen. In the putamen, dense staining of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive fibres was observed in areas that contained detectable neurturin expression. In the substantia nigra, neurturin expression was detected in 9.8–18.95% and 22.02–39% of remaining melanin-containing neurons in the patient with putamenal and combined putamenal and nigral gene delivery, respectively. Melanized neurons displayed intense tyrosine hydroxylase and RET proto-oncogene expression in nigral neurons in the patient where CERE120 was directly delivered to the nigra. There was no difference in the degree of Lewy pathology in comparison to untreated control patients with Parkinson’s disease, and α-synuclein aggregates were detected in neurons that also stained for neurturin, RET, and tyrosine hydroxylase. These changes were not associated with antiparkinsonian benefits likely due to the limited neurturin expression. This study provides the longest term evidence of persistent transgene expression following gene delivery to the CNS and the first human results when targeting both the terminal fields in the putamen as well as the originating nigral neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaping Chu
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA
| | | | - Fredric P Manfredsson
- Parkinson’s Disease Research Unit, Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona 85013, USA
| | - C Warren Olanow
- Departments of Neurology and Neuroscience, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Clintrex Inc. Sarasota, Florida, USA
| | - Jeffrey H Kordower
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA
- Correspondence to: Jeffrey H. Kordower, PhD Department of Neurological Sciences Rush University Medical Center 1735 West Harrison Street Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA E-mail:
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28
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Boye SL, Choudhury S, Crosson S, Di Pasquale G, Afione S, Mellen R, Makal V, Calabro KR, Fajardo D, Peterson J, Zhang H, Leahy MT, Jennings CK, Chiorini JA, Boyd RF, Boye SE. Novel AAV44.9-Based Vectors Display Exceptional Characteristics for Retinal Gene Therapy. Mol Ther 2020; 28:1464-1478. [PMID: 32304666 PMCID: PMC7264435 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2020.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The majority of inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) are caused by mutations in genes expressed in photoreceptors (PRs). The ideal vector to address these conditions is one that transduces PRs in large areas of retina with the smallest volume/lowest titer possible, and efficiently transduces foveal cones, the cells responsible for acute, daylight vision that are often the only remaining area of functional retina in IRDs. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the retinal tropism and potency of a novel capsid, AAV44.9, and rationally designed derivatives thereof. We found that AAV44.9 and AAV44.9(E531D) transduced retinas of subretinally injected (SRI) mice with higher efficiency than did benchmark AAV5- and AAV8-based vectors. In macaques, highly efficient cone and rod transduction was observed following submacular and peripheral SRI. AAV44.9- and AAV44.9(E531D)-mediated GFP fluorescence extended laterally well beyond SRI bleb margins. Notably, extrafoveal injection (i.e., fovea not detached during surgery) led to transduction of up to 98% of foveal cones. AAV44.9(E531D) efficiently transduced parafoveal and perifoveal cones, whereas AAV44.9 did not. AAV44.9(E531D) was also capable of restoring retinal function to a mouse model of IRD. These novel capsids will be useful for addressing IRDs that would benefit from an expansive treatment area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanford L. Boye
- Department of Pediatrics and the Powell Gene Therapy Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Shreyasi Choudhury
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Sean Crosson
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Giovanni Di Pasquale
- Adeno-Associated Virus Biology Section, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sandra Afione
- Adeno-Associated Virus Biology Section, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Russell Mellen
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Victoria Makal
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Kaitlyn R. Calabro
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Diego Fajardo
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - James Peterson
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Hangning Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Matthew T. Leahy
- Ophthalmology Services, Charles River Laboratories, Mattawan, MI, USA
| | - Colin K. Jennings
- Ophthalmology Services, Charles River Laboratories, Mattawan, MI, USA
| | - John A. Chiorini
- Adeno-Associated Virus Biology Section, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ryan F. Boyd
- Ophthalmology Services, Charles River Laboratories, Mattawan, MI, USA
| | - Shannon E. Boye
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA,Corresponding author: Shannon E. Boye, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida, P.O. Box 100284, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
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29
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Merola A, Van Laar A, Lonser R, Bankiewicz K. Gene therapy for Parkinson’s disease: contemporary practice and emerging concepts. Expert Rev Neurother 2020; 20:577-590. [DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2020.1763794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Aristide Merola
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, the Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Amber Van Laar
- Brain Neurotherapy Bio, Inc., Columbus, OH, USA
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Russell Lonser
- Department of Neurological Surgery, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Krzysztof Bankiewicz
- Department of Neurological Surgery, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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30
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Cabanes-Creus M, Westhaus A, Navarro RG, Baltazar G, Zhu E, Amaya AK, Liao SHY, Scott S, Sallard E, Dilworth KL, Rybicki A, Drouyer M, Hallwirth CV, Bennett A, Santilli G, Thrasher AJ, Agbandje-McKenna M, Alexander IE, Lisowski L. Attenuation of Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycan Binding Enhances In Vivo Transduction of Human Primary Hepatocytes with AAV2. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2020; 17:1139-1154. [PMID: 32490035 PMCID: PMC7260615 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2020.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Use of the prototypical adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV2) capsid delivered unexpectedly modest efficacy in an early liver-targeted gene therapy trial for hemophilia B. This result is consistent with subsequent data generated in chimeric mouse-human livers showing that the AAV2 capsid transduces primary human hepatocytes in vivo with low efficiency. In contrast, novel variants generated by directed evolution in the same model, such as AAV-NP59, transduce primary human hepatocytes with high efficiency. While these empirical data have immense translational implications, the mechanisms underpinning this enhanced AAV capsid transduction performance in primary human hepatocytes are yet to be fully elucidated. Remarkably, AAV-NP59 differs from the prototypical AAV2 capsid by only 11 aa and can serve as a tool to study the correlation between capsid sequence/structure and vector function. Using two orthogonal vectorological approaches, we have determined that just 2 of the 11 changes present in AAV-NP59 (T503A and N596D) account for the enhanced transduction performance of this capsid variant in primary human hepatocytes in vivo, an effect that we have associated with attenuation of heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) binding affinity. In support of this hypothesis, we have identified, using directed evolution, two additional single amino acid substitution AAV2 variants, N496D and N582S, which are highly functional in vivo. Both substitution mutations reduce AAV2's affinity for HSPG. Finally, we have modulated the ability of AAV8, a highly murine-hepatotropic serotype, to interact with HSPG. The results support our hypothesis that enhanced HSPG binding can negatively affect the in vivo function of otherwise strongly hepatotropic variants and that modulation of the interaction with HSPG is critical to ensure maximum efficiency in vivo. The insights gained through this study can have powerful implications for studies into AAV biology and capsid development for preclinical and clinical applications targeting liver and other organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marti Cabanes-Creus
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Adrian Westhaus
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.,Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Renina Gale Navarro
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Grober Baltazar
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Erhua Zhu
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.,Gene Therapy Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute & The Children's Hospital at Westmead, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Anais K Amaya
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute & The Children's Hospital at Westmead, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Sophia H Y Liao
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Suzanne Scott
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute & The Children's Hospital at Westmead, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.,Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), North Ryde, NSW 2113, Australia
| | - Erwan Sallard
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Kimberley L Dilworth
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Arkadiusz Rybicki
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Matthieu Drouyer
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Claus V Hallwirth
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute & The Children's Hospital at Westmead, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Antonette Bennett
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Structural Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Giorgia Santilli
- Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Adrian J Thrasher
- Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Mavis Agbandje-McKenna
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Structural Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Ian E Alexander
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute & The Children's Hospital at Westmead, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.,Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Leszek Lisowski
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.,Vector and Genome Engineering Facility, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.,Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Biological Threats Identification and Countermeasure Center, 24-100 Puławy, Poland
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31
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Hamada A, Kita Y, Murakami K, Matsumoto K, Sakatani T, Sano T, Ogawa O, Kobayashi T. Enhancement of transduction efficiency using Adeno-associated viral vectors by chemical pretreatment to mice bladder urothelium. J Virol Methods 2020; 279:113854. [PMID: 32198026 DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2020.113854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors have been recognized as promising tools for gene delivery. The bladder is a seemingly ideal organ for virus transfer, with easy access through the urethra enabling organ-specific delivery. However, achieving adequate transduction efficiency in the urothelium has been a major challenge because of the barrier function of the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) layer. We investigated optimal pretreatments of the bladder urothelium to maximize transduction efficiency by AAV vectors in vivo. Murine bladders were pretreated with five different chemical agents followed by transurethral instillation with an AAV2 vector encoding a tdTOMATO reporter. After 7 days, transduction efficiency of the urothelium was evaluated. Bladder urothelia pretreated with HCl showed clear evidence of AAV infection and gene delivery. Mice treated with 0.1 N HCl for 4 min showed significantly higher survival rates (nearly 80 %) compared with mice receiving other pretreatment regimens. AAV vector transduction in the urothelium was observed in seven of 20 mice (35 %), and the mean transduction efficiency in these mice was 14.5 %. Thus, HCl pretreatment enhanced transduction efficiency of the mice bladder urothelium by an AAV vector in vivo. Pretreatment with 0.1 N HCl for 4 min was the optimal condition to maximize survival and transduction efficiency of the urothelium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akihiro Hamada
- Department of Urology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoinkawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507 Japan
| | - Yuki Kita
- Department of Urology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoinkawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507 Japan
| | - Kaoru Murakami
- Department of Urology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoinkawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507 Japan
| | - Keiyu Matsumoto
- Department of Urology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoinkawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507 Japan
| | - Toru Sakatani
- Department of Urology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoinkawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507 Japan
| | - Takeshi Sano
- Department of Urology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoinkawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507 Japan
| | - Osamu Ogawa
- Department of Urology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoinkawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507 Japan.
| | - Takashi Kobayashi
- Department of Urology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoinkawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507 Japan
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32
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Goodwin MS, Croft CL, Futch HS, Ryu D, Ceballos-Diaz C, Liu X, Paterno G, Mejia C, Deng D, Menezes K, Londono L, Arjona K, Parianos M, Truong V, Rostonics E, Hernandez A, Boye SL, Boye SE, Levites Y, Cruz PE, Golde TE. Utilizing minimally purified secreted rAAV for rapid and cost-effective manipulation of gene expression in the CNS. Mol Neurodegener 2020; 15:15. [PMID: 32122372 PMCID: PMC7053119 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-020-00361-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [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: 10/05/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) is widely used in the neuroscience field to manipulate gene expression in the nervous system. However, a limitation to the use of rAAV vectors is the time and expense needed to produce them. To overcome this limitation, we evaluated whether unpurified rAAV vectors secreted into the media following scalable PEI transfection of HEK293T cells can be used in lieu of purified rAAV. METHODS We packaged rAAV2-EGFP vectors in 30 different wild-type and mutant capsids and subsequently collected the media containing secreted rAAV. Genomic titers of each rAAV vector were assessed and the ability of each unpurified virus to transduce primary mixed neuroglial cultures (PNGCs), organotypic brain slice cultures (BSCs) and the mouse brain was evaluated. RESULTS There was ~ 40-fold wide variance in the average genomic titers of the rAAV2-EGFP vector packaged in the 30 different capsids, ranging from a low ~ 4.7 × 1010 vector genomes (vg)/mL for rAAV2/5-EGFP to a high of ~ 2.0 × 1012 vg/mL for a capsid mutant of rAAV2/8-EGFP. In PNGC studies, we observed a wide range of transduction efficiency among the 30 capsids evaluated, with the rAAV2/6-EGFP vector demonstrating the highest overall transduction efficiency. In BSC studies, we observed robust transduction by wild-type capsid vectors rAAV2/6, 2/8 and 2/9, and by capsid mutants of rAAV2/1, 2/6, and 2/8. In the in vivo somatic brain transgenesis (SBT) studies, we found that intra-cerebroventricular injection of media containing unpurified rAAV2-EGFP vectors packaged with select mutant capsids resulted in abundant EGFP positive neurons and astrocytes in the hippocampus and forebrain of non-transgenic mice. We demonstrate that unpurified rAAV can express transgenes at equivalent levels to lysate-purified rAAV both in vitro and in vivo. We also show that unpurified rAAV is sufficient to drive tau pathology in BSC and neuroinflammation in vivo, recapitulating previous studies using purified rAAV. CONCLUSIONS Unpurified rAAV vectors secreted into the media can efficiently transduce brain cells in vitro and in vivo, providing a cost-effective way to manipulate gene expression. The use of unpurified virus will greatly reduce costs of exploratory studies and further increase the utility of rAAV vectors for standard laboratory use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marshall S. Goodwin
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
| | - Cara L. Croft
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
| | - Hunter S. Futch
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
| | - Daniel Ryu
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
| | - Carolina Ceballos-Diaz
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
| | - Xuefei Liu
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
| | - Giavanna Paterno
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
| | - Catalina Mejia
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
| | - Doris Deng
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
| | - Kimberly Menezes
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
| | - Laura Londono
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
| | - Kefren Arjona
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
| | - Mary Parianos
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
| | - Van Truong
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
| | - Eva Rostonics
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
| | - Amanda Hernandez
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
| | - Sanford L. Boye
- Department of Pediatrics and the Powell Gene Therapy Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
| | - Shannon E. Boye
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
| | - Yona Levites
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
- McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
| | - Pedro E. Cruz
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
| | - Todd E. Golde
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
- McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida USA
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Davidsson M, Wang G, Aldrin-Kirk P, Cardoso T, Nolbrant S, Hartnor M, Mudannayake J, Parmar M, Björklund T. A systematic capsid evolution approach performed in vivo for the design of AAV vectors with tailored properties and tropism. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:27053-27062. [PMID: 31818949 PMCID: PMC6936499 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1910061116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid modification enables the generation of recombinant vectors with tailored properties and tropism. Most approaches to date depend on random screening, enrichment, and serendipity. The approach explored here, called BRAVE (barcoded rational AAV vector evolution), enables efficient selection of engineered capsid structures on a large scale using only a single screening round in vivo. The approach stands in contrast to previous methods that require multiple generations of enrichment. With the BRAVE approach, each virus particle displays a peptide, derived from a protein, of known function on the AAV capsid surface, and a unique molecular barcode in the packaged genome. The sequencing of RNA-expressed barcodes from a single-generation in vivo screen allows the mapping of putative binding sequences from hundreds of proteins simultaneously. Using the BRAVE approach and hidden Markov model-based clustering, we present 25 synthetic capsid variants with refined properties, such as retrograde axonal transport in specific subtypes of neurons, as shown for both rodent and human dopaminergic neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Davidsson
- Molecular Neuromodulation, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Gang Wang
- Molecular Neuromodulation, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Patrick Aldrin-Kirk
- Molecular Neuromodulation, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Tiago Cardoso
- Developmental and Regenerative Neurobiology, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Sara Nolbrant
- Developmental and Regenerative Neurobiology, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Morgan Hartnor
- Molecular Neuromodulation, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Janitha Mudannayake
- Molecular Neuromodulation, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Malin Parmar
- Developmental and Regenerative Neurobiology, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Tomas Björklund
- Molecular Neuromodulation, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
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Ellsworth JL, Gingras J, Smith LJ, Rubin H, Seabrook TA, Patel K, Zapata N, Olivieri K, O’Callaghan M, Chlipala E, Morales P, Seymour A. Clade F AAVHSCs cross the blood brain barrier and transduce the central nervous system in addition to peripheral tissues following intravenous administration in nonhuman primates. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0225582. [PMID: 31770409 PMCID: PMC6879147 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0225582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The biodistribution of AAVHSC7, AAVHSC15, and AAVHSC17 following systemic delivery was assessed in cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis). Animals received a single intravenous (IV) injection of a self-complementary AAVHSC-enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) vector and tissues were harvested at two weeks post-dose for anti-eGFP immunohistochemistry and vector genome analyses. IV delivery of AAVHSC vectors produced widespread distribution of eGFP staining in glial cells throughout the central nervous system, with the highest levels seen in the pons and lateral geniculate nuclei (LGN). eGFP-positive neurons were also observed throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems for all three AAVHSC vectors including brain, spinal cord, and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) with staining evident in neuronal cell bodies, axons and dendritic arborizations. Co-labeling of sections from brain, spinal cord, and DRG with anti-eGFP antibodies and cell-specific markers confirmed eGFP-staining in neurons and glia, including protoplasmic and fibrous astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. For all capsids tested, 50 to 70% of glial cells (S100-β+) and on average 8% of neurons (NeuroTrace+) in the LGN were positive for eGFP expression. In the DRG, 45 to 62% of neurons and 8 to 12% of satellite cells were eGFP-positive for the capsids tested. eGFP staining was also observed in peripheral tissues with abundant staining in hepatocytes, skeletal- and cardio-myocytes and in acinar cells of the pancreas. Biodistribution of AAVHSC vector genomes in the central and peripheral organs generally correlated with eGFP staining and were highest in the liver for all AAVHSC vectors tested. These data demonstrate that AAVHSCs have broad tissue tropism and cross the blood-nerve and blood-brain-barriers following systemic delivery in nonhuman primates, making them suitable gene editing or gene transfer vectors for therapeutic application in human genetic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeff L. Ellsworth
- Homology Medicines, Inc., Bedford, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Jacinthe Gingras
- Homology Medicines, Inc., Bedford, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Laura J. Smith
- Homology Medicines, Inc., Bedford, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Hillard Rubin
- Homology Medicines, Inc., Bedford, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Tania A. Seabrook
- Homology Medicines, Inc., Bedford, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Kruti Patel
- Homology Medicines, Inc., Bedford, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Nicole Zapata
- Homology Medicines, Inc., Bedford, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Kevin Olivieri
- Homology Medicines, Inc., Bedford, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | | | | | - Pablo Morales
- Mannheimer Foundation, Inc., Homestead, Florida, United States of America
| | - Albert Seymour
- Homology Medicines, Inc., Bedford, Massachusetts, United States of America
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Gorbatyuk OS, Warrington KH, Gorbatyuk MS, Zolotukhin I, Lewin AS, Muzyczka N. Biodistribution of adeno-associated virus type 2 with mutations in the capsid that contribute to heparan sulfate proteoglycan binding. Virus Res 2019; 274:197771. [PMID: 31577935 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2019.197771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Revised: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
We compared the phenotypes of three mutant AAV2 viruses containing mutations in arginine amino acids (R585, R588 and R484) previously shown to be involved in AAV2 heparan sulfate binding. The transduction efficiencies of wild type and mutant viruses were determined in the eye, the brain and peripheral organs following subretinal, striatal and intravenous injection, respectively, in mice and rats. We found that each of the three mutants (the single mutant R585A; the double mutant R585, 588A; and the triple mutant R585, 588, 484A) had a unique phenotype compared to wt and each other. R585A was completely defective for transducing peripheral organs via intravenous injection, suggesting that R585A may be useful for targeting peripheral organs by substitution of peptide ligands in the capsid surface. In the brain, all three mutants displayed widespread transduction, with the double mutant R585, 588A displaying the greatest spread and the greatest number of transduced neurons. The double mutant was also extremely efficient for retrograde transport, while the triple mutant was almost completely defective for retrograde transport. This suggested that R484 may be directly involved in interaction with the transport machinery. Finally, the double mutant also displayed improved transduction of the eye compared to wild type and the other mutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleg S Gorbatyuk
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, United States; Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, United States; UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, United States.
| | - Kenneth H Warrington
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, United States; UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, United States; Powell Gene Therapy Center, College of Medicine, University of Florida, United States.
| | - Marina S Gorbatyuk
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, United States; Powell Gene Therapy Center, College of Medicine, University of Florida, United States.
| | - Irene Zolotukhin
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, United States; UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, United States; Powell Gene Therapy Center, College of Medicine, University of Florida, United States.
| | - Alfred S Lewin
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, United States; Powell Gene Therapy Center, College of Medicine, University of Florida, United States.
| | - Nicholas Muzyczka
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, United States; Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, United States; UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, United States.
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36
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Saleeba C, Dempsey B, Le S, Goodchild A, McMullan S. A Student's Guide to Neural Circuit Tracing. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:897. [PMID: 31507369 PMCID: PMC6718611 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian nervous system is comprised of a seemingly infinitely complex network of specialized synaptic connections that coordinate the flow of information through it. The field of connectomics seeks to map the structure that underlies brain function at resolutions that range from the ultrastructural, which examines the organization of individual synapses that impinge upon a neuron, to the macroscopic, which examines gross connectivity between large brain regions. At the mesoscopic level, distant and local connections between neuronal populations are identified, providing insights into circuit-level architecture. Although neural tract tracing techniques have been available to experimental neuroscientists for many decades, considerable methodological advances have been made in the last 20 years due to synergies between the fields of molecular biology, virology, microscopy, computer science and genetics. As a consequence, investigators now enjoy an unprecedented toolbox of reagents that can be directed against selected subpopulations of neurons to identify their efferent and afferent connectomes. Unfortunately, the intersectional nature of this progress presents newcomers to the field with a daunting array of technologies that have emerged from disciplines they may not be familiar with. This review outlines the current state of mesoscale connectomic approaches, from data collection to analysis, written for the novice to this field. A brief history of neuroanatomy is followed by an assessment of the techniques used by contemporary neuroscientists to resolve mesoscale organization, such as conventional and viral tracers, and methods of selecting for sub-populations of neurons. We consider some weaknesses and bottlenecks of the most widely used approaches for the analysis and dissemination of tracing data and explore the trajectories that rapidly developing neuroanatomy technologies are likely to take.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Saleeba
- Neurobiology of Vital Systems Node, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- The School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Bowen Dempsey
- CNRS, Hindbrain Integrative Neurobiology Laboratory, Neuroscience Paris-Saclay Institute (Neuro-PSI), Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Sheng Le
- Neurobiology of Vital Systems Node, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ann Goodchild
- Neurobiology of Vital Systems Node, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Simon McMullan
- Neurobiology of Vital Systems Node, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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37
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Maes ME, Colombo G, Schulz R, Siegert S. Targeting microglia with lentivirus and AAV: Recent advances and remaining challenges. Neurosci Lett 2019; 707:134310. [PMID: 31158432 PMCID: PMC6734419 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.134310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Microglia have emerged as a critical component of neurodegenerative diseases. Genetic manipulation of microglia can elucidate their functional impact in disease. In neuroscience, recombinant viruses such as lentiviruses and adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) have been successfully used to target various cell types in the brain, although effective transduction of microglia is rare. In this review, we provide a short background of lentiviruses and AAVs, and strategies for designing recombinant viral vectors. Then, we will summarize recent literature on successful microglial transductions in vitro and in vivo, and discuss the current challenges. Finally, we provide guidelines for reporting the efficiency and specificity of viral targeting in microglia, which will enable the microglial research community to assess and improve methodologies for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret E Maes
- Institute of Science and Technology (IST) Austria, Am Campus 1, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Gloria Colombo
- Institute of Science and Technology (IST) Austria, Am Campus 1, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Rouven Schulz
- Institute of Science and Technology (IST) Austria, Am Campus 1, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Sandra Siegert
- Institute of Science and Technology (IST) Austria, Am Campus 1, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria.
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38
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Tordo J, O'Leary C, Antunes ASLM, Palomar N, Aldrin-Kirk P, Basche M, Bennett A, D'Souza Z, Gleitz H, Godwin A, Holley RJ, Parker H, Liao AY, Rouse P, Youshani AS, Dridi L, Martins C, Levade T, Stacey KB, Davis DM, Dyer A, Clément N, Björklund T, Ali RR, Agbandje-McKenna M, Rahim AA, Pshezhetsky A, Waddington SN, Linden RM, Bigger BW, Henckaerts E. A novel adeno-associated virus capsid with enhanced neurotropism corrects a lysosomal transmembrane enzyme deficiency. Brain 2019; 141:2014-2031. [PMID: 29788236 PMCID: PMC6037107 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awy126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Recombinant adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) are popular in vivo gene transfer vehicles. However, vector doses needed to achieve therapeutic effect are high and some target tissues in the central nervous system remain difficult to transduce. Gene therapy trials using AAV for the treatment of neurological disorders have seldom led to demonstrated clinical efficacy. Important contributing factors are low transduction rates and inefficient distribution of the vector. To overcome these hurdles, a variety of capsid engineering methods have been utilized to generate capsids with improved transduction properties. Here we describe an alternative approach to capsid engineering, which draws on the natural evolution of the virus and aims to yield capsids that are better suited to infect human tissues. We generated an AAV capsid to include amino acids that are conserved among natural AAV2 isolates and tested its biodistribution properties in mice and rats. Intriguingly, this novel variant, AAV-TT, demonstrates strong neurotropism in rodents and displays significantly improved distribution throughout the central nervous system as compared to AAV2. Additionally, sub-retinal injections in mice revealed markedly enhanced transduction of photoreceptor cells when compared to AAV2. Importantly, AAV-TT exceeds the distribution abilities of benchmark neurotropic serotypes AAV9 and AAVrh10 in the central nervous system of mice, and is the only virus, when administered at low dose, that is able to correct the neurological phenotype in a mouse model of mucopolysaccharidosis IIIC, a transmembrane enzyme lysosomal storage disease, which requires delivery to every cell for biochemical correction. These data represent unprecedented correction of a lysosomal transmembrane enzyme deficiency in mice and suggest that AAV-TT-based gene therapies may be suitable for treatment of human neurological diseases such as mucopolysaccharidosis IIIC, which is characterized by global neuropathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Tordo
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Claire O'Leary
- Stem Cell and Neurotherapies, Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - André S L M Antunes
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Nuria Palomar
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Patrick Aldrin-Kirk
- Molecular Neuromodulation, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Mark Basche
- Department of Genetics, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK
| | - Antonette Bennett
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Structural Biology, McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Zelpha D'Souza
- Stem Cell and Neurotherapies, Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Hélène Gleitz
- Stem Cell and Neurotherapies, Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Annie Godwin
- Stem Cell and Neurotherapies, Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Rebecca J Holley
- Stem Cell and Neurotherapies, Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Helen Parker
- Stem Cell and Neurotherapies, Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Ai Yin Liao
- Stem Cell and Neurotherapies, Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Paul Rouse
- Stem Cell and Neurotherapies, Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Amir Saam Youshani
- Stem Cell and Neurotherapies, Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Larbi Dridi
- CHU Ste-Justine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Carla Martins
- CHU Ste-Justine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Thierry Levade
- Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire de Toulouse, Institut Fédératif de Biologie, Laboratoire de Biochimie Métabolique, and Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 1037 Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Kevin B Stacey
- Manchester Collaborative Centre for Inflammation Research, Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Daniel M Davis
- Manchester Collaborative Centre for Inflammation Research, Division of Infection, Immunity and Respiratory Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Adam Dyer
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Nathalie Clément
- Department of Pediatrics, Powell Gene Therapy Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Tomas Björklund
- Molecular Neuromodulation, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Robin R Ali
- Department of Genetics, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK
| | - Mavis Agbandje-McKenna
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Structural Biology, McKnight Brain Institute, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Ahad A Rahim
- Department of Pharmacology, UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Simon N Waddington
- Gene Transfer Technology Group, Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK.,Wits/SAMRC Antiviral Gene Therapy Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - R Michael Linden
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Brian W Bigger
- Stem Cell and Neurotherapies, Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Els Henckaerts
- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
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39
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Steece‐Collier K, Stancati JA, Collier NJ, Sandoval IM, Mercado NM, Sortwell CE, Collier TJ, Manfredsson FP. Genetic silencing of striatal CaV1.3 prevents and ameliorates levodopa dyskinesia. Mov Disord 2019; 34:697-707. [PMID: 31002755 PMCID: PMC6563183 DOI: 10.1002/mds.27695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Levodopa-induced dyskinesias are an often debilitating side effect of levodopa therapy in Parkinson's disease. Although up to 90% of individuals with PD develop this side effect, uniformly effective and well-tolerated antidyskinetic treatment remains a significant unmet need. The pathognomonic loss of striatal dopamine in PD results in dysregulation and disinhibition of striatal CaV1.3 calcium channels, leading to synaptopathology that appears to be involved in levodopa-induced dyskinesias. Although there are clinically available drugs that can inhibit CaV1.3 channels, they are not adequately potent and have only partial and transient impact on levodopa-induced dyskinesias. METHODS To provide unequivocal target validation, free of pharmacological limitations, we developed a CaV1.3 shRNA to provide high-potency, target-selective, mRNA-level silencing of striatal CaV1.3 channels and examined its ability to impact levodopa-induced dyskinesias in severely parkinsonian rats. RESULTS We demonstrate that vector-mediated silencing of striatal CaV1.3 expression in severely parkinsonian rats prior to the introduction of levodopa can uniformly and completely prevent induction of levodopa-induced dyskinesias, and this antidyskinetic benefit persists long term and with high-dose levodopa. In addition, this approach is capable of ameliorating preexisting severe levodopa-induced dyskinesias. Importantly, motoric responses to low-dose levodopa remained intact in the presence of striatal CaV1.3 silencing, indicating preservation of levodopa benefit without dyskinesia liability. DISCUSSION The current data provide some of the most profound antidyskinetic benefit reported to date and suggest that genetic silencing of striatal CaV1.3 channels has the potential to transform treatment of individuals with PD by allowing maintenance of motor benefit of levodopa in the absence of the debilitating levodopa-induced dyskinesia side effect. © 2019 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathy Steece‐Collier
- Department of Translational Science & Molecular MedicineCollege of Human Medicine, Michigan State UniversityGrand RapidsMIUSA
- Hauenstein Neuroscience CenterMercy Health Saint Mary's, Grand RapidsMichiganUSA
| | - Jennifer A. Stancati
- Department of Translational Science & Molecular MedicineCollege of Human Medicine, Michigan State UniversityGrand RapidsMIUSA
| | - Nicholas J. Collier
- Department of Translational Science & Molecular MedicineCollege of Human Medicine, Michigan State UniversityGrand RapidsMIUSA
| | - Ivette M. Sandoval
- Department of Translational Science & Molecular MedicineCollege of Human Medicine, Michigan State UniversityGrand RapidsMIUSA
- Hauenstein Neuroscience CenterMercy Health Saint Mary's, Grand RapidsMichiganUSA
| | - Natosha M. Mercado
- Department of Translational Science & Molecular MedicineCollege of Human Medicine, Michigan State UniversityGrand RapidsMIUSA
| | - Caryl E. Sortwell
- Department of Translational Science & Molecular MedicineCollege of Human Medicine, Michigan State UniversityGrand RapidsMIUSA
- Hauenstein Neuroscience CenterMercy Health Saint Mary's, Grand RapidsMichiganUSA
| | - Timothy J. Collier
- Department of Translational Science & Molecular MedicineCollege of Human Medicine, Michigan State UniversityGrand RapidsMIUSA
- Hauenstein Neuroscience CenterMercy Health Saint Mary's, Grand RapidsMichiganUSA
| | - Fredric P. Manfredsson
- Department of Translational Science & Molecular MedicineCollege of Human Medicine, Michigan State UniversityGrand RapidsMIUSA
- Hauenstein Neuroscience CenterMercy Health Saint Mary's, Grand RapidsMichiganUSA
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40
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Hudry E, Vandenberghe LH. Therapeutic AAV Gene Transfer to the Nervous System: A Clinical Reality. Neuron 2019; 101:839-862. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 155] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Ingusci S, Cattaneo S, Verlengia G, Zucchini S, Simonato M. A Matter of Genes: The Hurdles of Gene Therapy for Epilepsy. Epilepsy Curr 2019; 19:38-43. [PMID: 30838918 PMCID: PMC6610370 DOI: 10.1177/1535759718822846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene therapy has recently advanced to the level of standard of care for several
diseases. However, its application to neurological disorders is still in the
experimental phase. In this review, we discuss recent advancements in the field
that provide optimism on the possibility to have first-in-human studies for gene
therapy of some forms of epilepsy in the not so distant future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selene Ingusci
- 1 Department of Medical Sciences and National Institute of Neuroscience, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Stefano Cattaneo
- 2 School of Medicine, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Gianluca Verlengia
- 1 Department of Medical Sciences and National Institute of Neuroscience, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,2 School of Medicine, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Zucchini
- 1 Department of Medical Sciences and National Institute of Neuroscience, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,3 Technopole of Ferrara, LTTA Laboratory for the Technologies for Advanced Therapies, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Michele Simonato
- 1 Department of Medical Sciences and National Institute of Neuroscience, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,2 School of Medicine, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
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Benskey MJ, Sandoval IM, Miller K, Sellnow RL, Gezer A, Kuhn NC, Vashon R, Manfredsson FP. Basic Concepts in Viral Vector-Mediated Gene Therapy. Methods Mol Biol 2019; 1937:3-26. [PMID: 30706387 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9065-8_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Today any researcher with the desire can easily purchase a viral vector. However, despite the availability of viral vectors themselves, the requisite knowledge that is absolutely essential to conducting a gene therapy experiment remains somewhat obscure and esoteric. To utilize viral vectors to their full potential, a large number of decisions must be made, in some instances prior to even obtaining the vector itself. For example, critical decisions include selection of the proper virus, selection of the proper expression cassette, whether to produce or purchase a viral vector, proper viral handling and storage, the most appropriate delivery method, selecting the proper controls, how to ensure your virus is expressing properly, and many other complex decisions that are essential to performing a successful gene therapy experiment. The need to make so many important decisions can be overwhelming and potentially prohibitive, especially to the novice gene therapist. In order to aid in this challenging process, here we provide an overview of basic gene therapy modalities and a decision tree that can be used to make oneself aware of the options available to the beginning gene therapist. This information can be used as a road map to help navigate the complex and perhaps confusing process of designing a successful gene therapy experiment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Benskey
- Department of Translational Science and Molecular Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Ivette M Sandoval
- Department of Translational Science and Molecular Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
- Mercy Health Saint Mary's, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Kathryn Miller
- Department of Translational Science and Molecular Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Rhyomi L Sellnow
- Department of Translational Science and Molecular Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Aysegul Gezer
- Department of Translational Science and Molecular Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Nathan C Kuhn
- Department of Translational Science and Molecular Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Roslyn Vashon
- Department of Translational Science and Molecular Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Fredric P Manfredsson
- Department of Translational Science and Molecular Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.
- Mercy Health Saint Mary's, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.
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43
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Hartman EC, Lobba MJ, Favor AH, Robinson SA, Francis MB, Tullman-Ercek D. Experimental Evaluation of Coevolution in a Self-Assembling Particle. Biochemistry 2018; 58:1527-1538. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b00948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emily C. Hartman
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-1460, United States
| | - Marco J. Lobba
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-1460, United States
| | - Andrew H. Favor
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-1460, United States
| | - Stephanie A. Robinson
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-1460, United States
| | - Matthew B. Francis
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-1460, United States
- Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories, Berkeley, California 94720-1460, United States
| | - Danielle Tullman-Ercek
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Technological Institute E136, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3120, United States
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Lee EJ, Guenther CM, Suh J. Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) Vectors: Rational Design Strategies for Capsid Engineering. CURRENT OPINION IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING 2018; 7:58-63. [PMID: 31106283 DOI: 10.1016/j.cobme.2018.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Adeno-associated virus (AAV) consists of a simple genome, infects mammalian cells, displays nonpathogenicity in humans, and spans an array of serotypes and variants bearing distinct tissue tropisms. These attributes lend AAV tremendous promise as a gene delivery vector, further substantiated by its extensive testing in human clinical trials. Rational design approaches to capsid engineering leverage current scientific knowledge of AAV to further modulate, enhance and optimize the performance of the vectors. Capsid modification strategies include amino acid point mutations, peptide domain insertions, and chemical biology approaches. Through such efforts, insights regarding AAV capsid sequence-structure-function relationships can be learned. Developments over the last 5 years in rational design-based capsid engineering approaches will be presented and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther J Lee
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, 6500 Main St., MS-142, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Caitlin M Guenther
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, 6500 Main St., MS-142, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Junghae Suh
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, 6500 Main St., MS-142, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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45
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Joshi CR, Raghavan V, Vijayaraghavalu S, Gao Y, Saraswathy M, Labhasetwar V, Ghorpade A. Reaching for the Stars in the Brain: Polymer-Mediated Gene Delivery to Human Astrocytes. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2018; 12:645-657. [PMID: 30081235 PMCID: PMC6082920 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2018.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes, the "star-shaped" glial cells, are appealing gene-delivery targets to treat neurological diseases due to their diverse roles in brain homeostasis and disease. Cationic polymers have successfully delivered genes to mammalian cells and hence present a viable, non-immunogenic alternative to widely used viral vectors. In this study, we investigated the gene delivery potential of a series of arginine- and polyethylene glycol-modified, siloxane-based polyethylenimine analogs in primary cultured human neural cells (neurons and astrocytes) and in mice. Plasmid DNAs encoding luciferase reporter were used to measure gene expression. We hypothesized that polyplexes with arginine would help in cellular transport of the DNA, including across the blood-brain barrier; polyethylene glycol will stabilize polyethylenimine and reduce its toxicity while maintaining its DNA-condensing ability. Polyplexes were non-toxic to human neural cells and red blood cells. Cellular uptake of polyplexes and sustained gene expression were seen in human astrocytes as well as in mouse brains post-intravenous-injections. The polyplexes also delivered and expressed genes driven by astrocyte-restricted glial fibrillary acidic protein promoters, which are weaker than viral promoters. To our knowledge, the presented work validates a biocompatible and effective polymer-facilitated gene-delivery system for both human brain cells and mice for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaitanya R Joshi
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA
| | - Vijay Raghavan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Sivakumar Vijayaraghavalu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Yue Gao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Manju Saraswathy
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Vinod Labhasetwar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Anuja Ghorpade
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA.
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46
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Deverman BE, Ravina BM, Bankiewicz KS, Paul SM, Sah DWY. Gene therapy for neurological disorders: progress and prospects. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2018; 17:641-659. [DOI: 10.1038/nrd.2018.110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 175] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Naidoo J, Stanek LM, Ohno K, Trewman S, Samaranch L, Hadaczek P, O'Riordan C, Sullivan J, San Sebastian W, Bringas JR, Snieckus C, Mahmoodi A, Mahmoodi A, Forsayeth J, Bankiewicz KS, Shihabuddin LS. Extensive Transduction and Enhanced Spread of a Modified AAV2 Capsid in the Non-human Primate CNS. Mol Ther 2018; 26:2418-2430. [PMID: 30057240 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2018.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2018] [Revised: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study was designed to characterize transduction of non-human primate brain and spinal cord with a modified adeno-associated virus serotype 2, incapable of binding to the heparan sulfate proteoglycan receptor, referred to as AAV2-HBKO. AAV2-HBKO was infused into the thalamus, intracerebroventricularly or via a combination of both intracerebroventricular and thalamic delivery. Thalamic injection of this modified vector encoding GFP resulted in widespread CNS transduction that included neurons in deep cortical layers, deep cerebellar nuclei, several subcortical regions, and motor neuron transduction in the spinal cord indicative of robust bidirectional axonal transport. Intracerebroventricular delivery similarly resulted in widespread cortical transduction, with one striking distinction that oligodendrocytes within superficial layers of the cortex were the primary cell type transduced. Robust motor neuron transduction was also observed in all levels of the spinal cord. The combination of thalamic and intracerebroventricular delivery resulted in transduction of oligodendrocytes in superficial cortical layers and neurons in deeper cortical layers. Several subcortical regions were also transduced. Our data demonstrate that AAV2-HBKO is a powerful vector for the potential treatment of a wide number of neurological disorders, and highlight that delivery route can significantly impact cellular tropism and pattern of CNS transduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerusha Naidoo
- Interventional Neuro Center, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Lisa M Stanek
- CNS Genetic Diseases, Neuroscience Research TA, Sanofi, Framingham, MA, USA
| | - Kousaku Ohno
- Interventional Neuro Center, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Savanah Trewman
- Interventional Neuro Center, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Lluis Samaranch
- Interventional Neuro Center, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Piotr Hadaczek
- Interventional Neuro Center, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Jennifer Sullivan
- CNS Genetic Diseases, Neuroscience Research TA, Sanofi, Framingham, MA, USA
| | - Waldy San Sebastian
- Interventional Neuro Center, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - John R Bringas
- Interventional Neuro Center, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Christopher Snieckus
- Interventional Neuro Center, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Amin Mahmoodi
- Interventional Neuro Center, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Amir Mahmoodi
- Interventional Neuro Center, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - John Forsayeth
- Interventional Neuro Center, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Krystof S Bankiewicz
- Interventional Neuro Center, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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48
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Sun S, Schaffer DV. Engineered viral vectors for functional interrogation, deconvolution, and manipulation of neural circuits. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2018; 50:163-170. [PMID: 29614429 PMCID: PMC5984719 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2017.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2017] [Revised: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 12/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Optimization of traditional replication-competent viral tracers has granted access to immediate synaptic partners of target neuronal populations, enabling the dissection of complex brain circuits into functional neural pathways. The excessive virulence of most conventional tracers, however, impedes their utility in revealing and genetically perturbing cellular function on long time scales. As a promising alternative, the natural capacity of adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors to safely mediate persistent and robust gene expression has stimulated strong interest in adapting them for sparse neuronal labeling and physiological studies. Furthermore, increasingly refined engineering strategies have yielded novel AAV variants with enhanced target specificity, transduction, and retrograde trafficking in the CNS. These potent vectors offer new opportunities for characterizing the identity and connectivity of single neurons within immense networks and modulating their activity via robust delivery of functional genetic tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Sun
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - David V Schaffer
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA; The Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA; Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
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49
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Sullivan JA, Stanek LM, Lukason MJ, Bu J, Osmond SR, Barry EA, O'Riordan CR, Shihabuddin LS, Cheng SH, Scaria A. Rationally designed AAV2 and AAVrh8R capsids provide improved transduction in the retina and brain. Gene Ther 2018; 25:205-219. [PMID: 29785047 DOI: 10.1038/s41434-018-0017-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2017] [Revised: 03/25/2018] [Accepted: 03/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The successful application of adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene delivery vectors as a therapeutic paradigm will require efficient gene delivery to the appropriate cells in affected organs. In this study, we utilized a rational design approach to introduce modifications to the AAV2 and AAVrh8R capsids and the resulting variants were evaluated for transduction activity in the retina and brain. The modifications disrupted either capsid/receptor binding or altered capsid surface charge. Specifically, we mutated AAV2 amino acids R585A and R588A, which are required for binding to its receptor, heparan sulfate proteoglycans, to generate a variant referred to as AAV2-HBKO. In contrast to parental AAV2, the AAV2-HBKO vector displayed low-transduction activity following intravitreal delivery to the mouse eye; however, following its subretinal delivery, AAV2-HBKO resulted in significantly greater photoreceptor transduction. Intrastriatal delivery of AAV2-HBKO to mice facilitated widespread striatal and cortical expression, in contrast to the restricted transduction pattern of the parental AAV2 vector. Furthermore, we found that altering the surface charge on the AAVrh8R capsid by modifying the number of arginine residues on the capsid surface had a profound impact on subretinal transduction. The data further validate the potential of capsid engineering to improve AAV gene therapy vectors for clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lisa M Stanek
- Sanofi, 49 New York Avenue, Framingham, MA, 01701-9322, USA
| | | | - Jie Bu
- Sanofi, 49 New York Avenue, Framingham, MA, 01701-9322, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Seng H Cheng
- Sanofi, 49 New York Avenue, Framingham, MA, 01701-9322, USA
| | - Abraham Scaria
- Sanofi, 49 New York Avenue, Framingham, MA, 01701-9322, USA
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50
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Raikwar SP, Thangavel R, Dubova I, Ahmed ME, Selvakumar PG, Kempuraj D, Zaheer S, Iyer S, Zaheer A. Neuro-Immuno-Gene- and Genome-Editing-Therapy for Alzheimer's Disease: Are We There Yet? J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 65:321-344. [PMID: 30040732 PMCID: PMC6130335 DOI: 10.3233/jad-180422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a highly complex neurodegenerative disorder and the current treatment strategies are largely ineffective thereby leading to irreversible and progressive cognitive decline in AD patients. AD continues to defy successful treatment despite significant advancements in the field of molecular medicine. Repeatedly, early promising preclinical and clinical results have catapulted into devastating setbacks leading to multi-billion dollar losses not only to the top pharmaceutical companies but also to the AD patients and their families. Thus, it is very timely to review the progress in the emerging fields of gene therapy and stem cell-based precision medicine. Here, we have made sincere efforts to feature the ongoing progress especially in the field of AD gene therapy and stem cell-based regenerative medicine. Further, we also provide highlights in elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying AD pathogenesis and describe novel AD therapeutic targets and strategies for the new drug discovery. We hope that the quantum leap in the scientific advancements and improved funding will bolster novel concepts that will propel the momentum toward a trajectory leading to a robust AD patient-specific next generation precision medicine with improved cognitive function and excellent life quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudhanshu P. Raikwar
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Harry S. Truman Memorial Veteran’s Hospital, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Ramasamy Thangavel
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Harry S. Truman Memorial Veteran’s Hospital, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Iuliia Dubova
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Mohammad Ejaz Ahmed
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Harry S. Truman Memorial Veteran’s Hospital, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Pushpavathi Govindhasamy Selvakumar
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Harry S. Truman Memorial Veteran’s Hospital, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Duraisamy Kempuraj
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Harry S. Truman Memorial Veteran’s Hospital, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Smita Zaheer
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Shankar Iyer
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Harry S. Truman Memorial Veteran’s Hospital, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Asgar Zaheer
- Department of Neurology, Center for Translational Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Harry S. Truman Memorial Veteran’s Hospital, Columbia, MO, USA
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