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Ahmed O, Ekumi KM, Nardi FV, Maisumu G, Moussawi K, Lazartigues ED, Liang B, Yakoub AM. Stable, neuron-specific gene expression in the mouse brain. J Biol Eng 2024; 18:8. [PMID: 38229168 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-023-00400-5] [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: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Gene delivery to, and expression in, the mouse brain is important for understanding gene functions in brain development and disease, or testing gene therapies. Here, we describe an approach to express a transgene in the mouse brain in a cell-type-specific manner. We use stereotaxic injection of a transgene-expressing adeno-associated virus into the mouse brain via the intracerebroventricular route. We demonstrate stable and sustained expression of the transgene in neurons of adult mouse brain, using a reporter gene driven by a neuron-specific promoter. This approach represents a rapid, simple, and cost-effective method for global gene expression in the mouse brain, in a cell-type-specific manner, without major surgical interventions. The described method represents a helpful resource for genetically engineering mice to express a therapeutic gene, for gene therapy studies, or to deliver genetic material for genome editing and developing knockout animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osama Ahmed
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Biomedical Engineering Program, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA
| | - Kingsley M Ekumi
- Biomedical Engineering Program, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA
| | - Francesco V Nardi
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Biomedical Engineering Program, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA
| | - Gulimiheranmu Maisumu
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Biomedical Engineering Program, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA
| | - Khaled Moussawi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Eric D Lazartigues
- Cardiovascular Center of Excellence, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, USA
- Southeast Louisiana Veterans Healthcare System, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Bo Liang
- Biomedical Engineering Program, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA
| | - Abraam M Yakoub
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
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2
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Nakamura S, Inada E, Saitoh I, Sato M. Recent Genome-Editing Approaches toward Post-Implanted Fetuses in Mice. BIOTECH 2023; 12:biotech12020037. [PMID: 37218754 DOI: 10.3390/biotech12020037] [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: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome editing, as exemplified by the CRISPR/Cas9 system, has recently been employed to effectively generate genetically modified animals and cells for the purpose of gene function analysis and disease model creation. There are at least four ways to induce genome editing in individuals: the first is to perform genome editing at the early preimplantation stage, such as fertilized eggs (zygotes), for the creation of whole genetically modified animals; the second is at post-implanted stages, as exemplified by the mid-gestational stages (E9 to E15), for targeting specific cell populations through in utero injection of viral vectors carrying genome-editing components or that of nonviral vectors carrying genome-editing components and subsequent in utero electroporation; the third is at the mid-gestational stages, as exemplified by tail-vein injection of genome-editing components into the pregnant females through which the genome-editing components can be transmitted to fetal cells via a placenta-blood barrier; and the last is at the newborn or adult stage, as exemplified by facial or tail-vein injection of genome-editing components. Here, we focus on the second and third approaches and will review the latest techniques for various methods concerning gene editing in developing fetuses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shingo Nakamura
- Division of Biomedical Engineering, National Defense Medical College Research Institute, Saitama 359-8513, Japan
| | - Emi Inada
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-8544, Japan
| | - Issei Saitoh
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Asahi University School of Dentistry, Mizuho-shi 501-0296, Japan
| | - Masahiro Sato
- Department of Genome Medicine, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo 157-8535, Japan
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3
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Padmakumar S, D'Souza A, Parayath NN, Bleier BS, Amiji MM. Nucleic acid therapies for CNS diseases: Pathophysiology, targets, barriers, and delivery strategies. J Control Release 2022; 352:121-145. [PMID: 36252748 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Nucleic acid therapeutics have emerged as one of the very advanced and efficacious treatment approaches for debilitating health conditions, including those diseases affecting the central nervous system (CNS). Precise targeting with an optimal control over gene regulation confers long-lasting benefits through the administration of nucleic acid payloads via viral, non-viral, and engineered vectors. The current review majorly focuses on the development and clinical translational potential of non-viral vectors for treating CNS diseases with a focus on their specific design and targeting approaches. These carriers must be able to surmount the various intracellular and extracellular barriers, to ensure successful neuronal transfection and ultimately attain higher therapeutic efficacies. Additionally, the specific challenges associated with CNS administration also include the presence of blood-brain barrier (BBB), the complex pathophysiological and biochemical changes associated with different disease conditions and the existence of non-dividing cells. The advantages offered by lipid-based or polymeric systems, engineered proteins, particle-based systems coupled with various approaches of neuronal targeting have been discussed in the context of a variety of CNS diseases. The possibilities of rapid yet highly efficient gene modifications rendered by the breakthrough methodologies for gene editing and gene manipulation have also opened vast avenues of research in neuroscience and CNS disease therapy. The current review also underscores the extensive scientific efforts to optimize specialized, efficacious yet non-invasive and safer administration approaches to overcome the therapeutic delivery challenges specifically posed by the CNS transport barriers and the overall obstacles to clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smrithi Padmakumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Anisha D'Souza
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 20115, USA
| | - Neha N Parayath
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Benjamin S Bleier
- Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 20115, USA
| | - Mansoor M Amiji
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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4
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Shi G, Scott M, Mangiamele CG, Heller R. Modification of the Tumor Microenvironment Enhances Anti-PD-1 Immunotherapy in Metastatic Melanoma. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:2429. [PMID: 36365247 PMCID: PMC9695203 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14112429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Resistance to checkpoint-blockade treatments is a challenge in the clinic. Both primary and acquired resistance have become major obstacles, greatly limiting the long-lasting effects and wide application of blockade therapy. Many patients with metastatic melanoma eventually require further therapy. The absence of T-cell infiltration to the tumor site is a well-accepted contributor limiting immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy. In this study, we combined intratumoral injection of plasmid IL-12 with electrotransfer and anti-PD-1 in metastatic B16F10 melanoma tumor model to increase tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and improve therapeutic efficacy. We showed that effective anti-tumor responses required a subset of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ and CD4+ T cells. Additionally, the combination therapy induced higher MHC-I surface expression on tumor cells to hamper tumor cells escaping from immune recognition. Furthermore, we found that activating T cells by exposure to IL-12 resulted in tumors sensitized to anti-PD-1 treatment, suggesting a therapeutic strategy to improve responses to checkpoint blockade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilan Shi
- Department of Medical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Megan Scott
- Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23508, USA
| | - Cathryn G. Mangiamele
- Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23508, USA
| | - Richard Heller
- Department of Medical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
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Feng Y, Li Y, Shen PP, Wang B. Gene-Modified Stem Cells for Spinal Cord Injury: a Promising Better Alternative Therapy. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2022; 18:2662-2682. [PMID: 35587330 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-022-10387-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Stem cell therapy holds great promise for the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI), which can reverse neurodegeneration and promote tissue regeneration via its pluripotency and ability to secrete neurotrophic factors. Although various stem cell-based approaches have shown certain therapeutic effects when applied to the treatment of SCI, their clinical efficacies have been disappointing. Thus, it is an urgent need to further enhance the neurological benefits of stem cells through bioengineering strategies including genetic engineering. In this review, we summarize the progress of stem cell therapy for SCI and the prospect of genetically modified stem cells, focusing on the genome editing tools and functional molecules involved in SCI repair, trying to provide a deeper understanding of genetically modified stem cell therapy and more applicable clinical strategies for SCI repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yirui Feng
- Clinical Stem Cell Center, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yu Li
- Clinical Stem Cell Center, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Ping-Ping Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and the Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, School of Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
| | - Bin Wang
- Clinical Stem Cell Center, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
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Transit Amplifying Progenitors in the Cerebellum: Similarities to and Differences from Transit Amplifying Cells in Other Brain Regions and between Species. Cells 2022; 11:cells11040726. [PMID: 35203375 PMCID: PMC8870322 DOI: 10.3390/cells11040726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Transit amplification of neural progenitors/precursors is widely used in the development of the central nervous system and for tissue homeostasis. In most cases, stem cells, which are relatively less proliferative, first differentiate into transit amplifying cells, which are more proliferative, losing their stemness. Subsequently, transit amplifying cells undergo a limited number of mitoses and differentiation to expand the progeny of differentiated cells. This step-by-step proliferation is considered an efficient system for increasing the number of differentiated cells while maintaining the stem cells. Recently, we reported that cerebellar granule cell progenitors also undergo transit amplification in mice. In this review, we summarize our and others’ recent findings and the prospective contribution of transit amplification to neural development and evolution, as well as the molecular mechanisms regulating transit amplification.
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Luhmann HJ. Neurophysiology of the Developing Cerebral Cortex: What We Have Learned and What We Need to Know. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 15:814012. [PMID: 35046777 PMCID: PMC8761895 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.814012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
This review article aims to give a brief summary on the novel technologies, the challenges, our current understanding, and the open questions in the field of the neurophysiology of the developing cerebral cortex in rodents. In the past, in vitro electrophysiological and calcium imaging studies on single neurons provided important insights into the function of cellular and subcellular mechanism during early postnatal development. In the past decade, neuronal activity in large cortical networks was recorded in pre- and neonatal rodents in vivo by the use of novel high-density multi-electrode arrays and genetically encoded calcium indicators. These studies demonstrated a surprisingly rich repertoire of spontaneous cortical and subcortical activity patterns, which are currently not completely understood in their functional roles in early development and their impact on cortical maturation. Technological progress in targeted genetic manipulations, optogenetics, and chemogenetics now allow the experimental manipulation of specific neuronal cell types to elucidate the function of early (transient) cortical circuits and their role in the generation of spontaneous and sensory evoked cortical activity patterns. Large-scale interactions between different cortical areas and subcortical regions, characterization of developmental shifts from synchronized to desynchronized activity patterns, identification of transient circuits and hub neurons, role of electrical activity in the control of glial cell differentiation and function are future key tasks to gain further insights into the neurophysiology of the developing cerebral cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiko J. Luhmann
- Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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8
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New Perspectives for Eye-Sparing Treatment Strategies in Primary Uveal Melanoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 14:cancers14010134. [PMID: 35008296 PMCID: PMC8750035 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14010134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Uveal melanoma is the most common intraocular cancer. The current eye-sparing treatment options include mostly plaque brachytherapy. However, the effectiveness of these methods is still unsatisfactory. In this article, we review several possible new treatment options. These methods may be based on the physical destruction of the cancerous cells by applying ultrasounds. Another approach may be based on improving the penetration of the anti-cancer agents. It seems that the most promising technologies from this group are based on enhancing drug delivery by applying electric current. Finally, new advanced nanoparticles are developed to combine diagnostic imaging and therapy (i.e., theranostics). However, these methods are mostly at an early stage of development. More advanced studies on experimental animals and clinical trials would be needed to introduce some of these techniques to routine clinical practice. Abstract Uveal melanoma is the most common intraocular malignancy and arises from melanocytes in the choroid, ciliary body, or iris. The current eye-sparing treatment options include surgical treatment, plaque brachytherapy, proton beam radiotherapy, stereotactic photon radiotherapy, or photodynamic therapy. However, the efficacy of these methods is still unsatisfactory. This article reviews several possible new treatment options and their potential advantages in treating localized uveal melanoma. These methods may be based on the physical destruction of the cancerous cells by applying ultrasounds. Two examples of such an approach are High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU)—a promising technology of thermal destruction of solid tumors located deep under the skin and sonodynamic therapy (SDT) that induces reactive oxygen species. Another approach may be based on improving the penetration of anti-cancer agents into UM cells. The most promising technologies from this group are based on enhancing drug delivery by applying electric current. One such approach is called transcorneal iontophoresis and has already been shown to increase the local concentration of several different therapeutics. Another technique, electrically enhanced chemotherapy, may promote drug delivery from the intercellular space to cells. Finally, new advanced nanoparticles are developed to combine diagnostic imaging and therapy (i.e., theranostics). However, these methods are mostly at an early stage of development. More advanced and targeted preclinical studies and clinical trials would be needed to introduce some of these techniques to routine clinical practice.
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9
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A Confocal Microscopic Study of Gene Transfer into the Mesencephalic Tegmentum of Juvenile Chum Salmon, Oncorhynchus keta, Using Mouse Adeno-Associated Viral Vectors. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22115661. [PMID: 34073457 PMCID: PMC8199053 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
To date, data on the presence of adenoviral receptors in fish are very limited. In the present work, we used mouse recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors (rAAV) with a calcium indicator of the latest generation GCaMP6m that are usually applied for the dorsal hippocampus of mice but were not previously used for gene delivery into fish brain. The aim of our work was to study the feasibility of transduction of rAAV in the mouse hippocampus into brain cells of juvenile chum salmon and subsequent determination of the phenotype of rAAV-labeled cells by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Delivery of the gene in vivo was carried out by intracranial injection of a GCaMP6m-GFP-containing vector directly into the mesencephalic tegmentum region of juvenile (one-year-old) chum salmon, Oncorhynchus keta. AAV incorporation into brain cells of the juvenile chum salmon was assessed at 1 week after a single injection of the vector. AAV expression in various areas of the thalamus, pretectum, posterior-tuberal region, postcommissural region, medial and lateral regions of the tegmentum, and mesencephalic reticular formation of juvenile O. keta was evaluated using CLSM followed by immunohistochemical analysis of the localization of the neuron-specific calcium binding protein HuCD in combination with nuclear staining with DAPI. The results of the analysis showed partial colocalization of cells expressing GCaMP6m-GFP with red fluorescent HuCD protein. Thus, cells of the thalamus, posterior tuberal region, mesencephalic tegmentum, cells of the accessory visual system, mesencephalic reticular formation, hypothalamus, and postcommissural region of the mesencephalon of juvenile chum salmon expressing GCaMP6m-GFP were attributed to the neuron-specific line of chum salmon brain cells, which indicates the ability of hippocampal mammal rAAV to integrate into neurons of the central nervous system of fish with subsequent expression of viral proteins, which obviously indicates the neuronal expression of a mammalian adenoviral receptor homolog by juvenile chum salmon neurons.
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Huang WC, Chi HS, Lee YC, Lo YC, Liu TC, Chiang MY, Chen HY, Li SJ, Chen YY, Chen SY. Gene-Embedded Nanostructural Biotic-Abiotic Optoelectrode Arrays Applied for Synchronous Brain Optogenetics and Neural Signal Recording. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:11270-11282. [PMID: 30844235 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b03264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Optogenetics is a recently established neuromodulation technique in which photostimulation is used to manipulate neurons with high temporal and spatial precision. However, sequential genetic and optical insertion with double brain implantation tends to cause excessive tissue damage. In addition, the incorporation of light-sensitive genes requires the utilization of viral vectors, which remains a safety concern. Here, by combining device fabrication design, nanotechnology, and cell targeting technology, we developed a new gene-embedded optoelectrode array for neural implantation to enable spatiotemporal electroporation (EP) for gene delivery/transfection, photomodulation, and synchronous electrical monitoring of neural signals in the brain via one-time implantation. A biotic-abiotic neural interface (called PG) composed of reduced graphene oxide and conductive polyelectrolyte 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene-modified amphiphilic chitosan was developed to form a nanostructural hydrogel with assembled nanodomains for encapsulating nonviral gene vectors (called PEI-NT-pDNA) formulated by neurotensin (NT) and polyethylenimine (PEI)-coupled plasmid DNA (pDNA). The PG can maintain high charge storage ability to respond to a minimal current of 125 μA for controllable gene delivery. The in vitro analysis of PG-PEI-NT-pDNA on the microelectrode array chip showed that the microelectrodes provided electrically inductive electropermeabilization, which permitted gene transfection into localized rat adrenal pheochromocytoma cells with a strong green fluorescent protein expression that was up to 8-fold higher than that in nontreated cells. Furthermore, the in vivo implantation enabled on-demand spatiotemporal gene transfection to neurons with 10-fold enhancement of targeting ability compared with astrocytes. Finally, using the real optogenetic opsin channelrhodopsin-2, the flexible neural probe incorporated with an optical waveguide fiber displayed photoevoked extracellular spikes in the thalamic ventrobasal region after focal EP for only 7 days, which provided a proof of concept for the use of photomodulation to facilitate neural therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hui-Shang Chi
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering , National Chiao Tung University , No. 1001, Ta-Hsueh Road , Hsinchu 30010 , Taiwan , R.O.C
| | | | | | - Ta-Chung Liu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering , National Chiao Tung University , No. 1001, Ta-Hsueh Road , Hsinchu 30010 , Taiwan , R.O.C
| | - Min-Yu Chiang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering , National Chiao Tung University , No. 1001, Ta-Hsueh Road , Hsinchu 30010 , Taiwan , R.O.C
| | - Hsu-Yan Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering , National Yang Ming University , No. 155, Section 2, Linong Street , Taipei 11221 , Taiwan , R.O.C
| | - Ssu-Ju Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering , National Yang Ming University , No. 155, Section 2, Linong Street , Taipei 11221 , Taiwan , R.O.C
| | - You-Yin Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering , National Yang Ming University , No. 155, Section 2, Linong Street , Taipei 11221 , Taiwan , R.O.C
| | - San-Yuan Chen
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering , National Chiao Tung University , No. 1001, Ta-Hsueh Road , Hsinchu 30010 , Taiwan , R.O.C
- Frontier Research Center on Fundamental and Applied Sciences of Matters , National Tsing Hua University , No. 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road , Hsinchu 30013 , Taiwan , R.O.C
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Cwetsch AW, Pinto B, Savardi A, Cancedda L. In vivo methods for acute modulation of gene expression in the central nervous system. Prog Neurobiol 2018; 168:69-85. [PMID: 29694844 PMCID: PMC6080705 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2018.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2017] [Revised: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Accurate and timely expression of specific genes guarantees the healthy development and function of the brain. Indeed, variations in the correct amount or timing of gene expression lead to improper development and/or pathological conditions. Almost forty years after the first successful gene transfection in in vitro cell cultures, it is currently possible to regulate gene expression in an area-specific manner at any step of central nervous system development and in adulthood in experimental animals in vivo, even overcoming the very poor accessibility of the brain. Here, we will review the diverse approaches for acute gene transfer in vivo, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages with respect to the efficiency and specificity of transfection as well as to brain accessibility. In particular, we will present well-established chemical, physical and virus-based approaches suitable for different animal models, pointing out their current and future possible applications in basic and translational research as well as in gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrzej W Cwetsch
- Local Micro-environment and Brain Development Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego, 30, 16163 Genova, Italy; Università degli Studi di Genova, Via Balbi, 5, 16126 Genova, Italy
| | - Bruno Pinto
- Local Micro-environment and Brain Development Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego, 30, 16163 Genova, Italy; Bio@SNS, Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Annalisa Savardi
- Local Micro-environment and Brain Development Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego, 30, 16163 Genova, Italy; Università degli Studi di Genova, Via Balbi, 5, 16126 Genova, Italy
| | - Laura Cancedda
- Local Micro-environment and Brain Development Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego, 30, 16163 Genova, Italy; DulbeccoTelethon Institute, Italy.
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12
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Dermol-Černe J, Miklavčič D, Reberšek M, Mekuč P, Bardet SM, Burke R, Arnaud-Cormos D, Leveque P, O'Connor R. Plasma membrane depolarization and permeabilization due to electric pulses in cell lines of different excitability. Bioelectrochemistry 2018; 122:103-114. [PMID: 29621662 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2018.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2017] [Revised: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
In electroporation-based medical treatments, excitable tissues are treated, either intentionally (irreversible electroporation of brain cancer, gene electrotransfer or ablation of the heart muscle, gene electrotransfer of skeletal muscles), or unintentionally (excitable tissues near the target area). We investigated how excitable and non-excitable cells respond to electric pulses, and if electroporation could be an effective treatment of the tumours of the central nervous system. For three non-excitable and one excitable cell line, we determined a strength-duration curve for a single pulse of 10ns-10ms. The threshold for depolarization decreased with longer pulses and was higher for excitable cells. We modelled the response with the Lapicque curve and the Hodgkin-Huxley model. At 1μs a plateau of excitability was reached which could explain why high-frequency irreversible electroporation (H-FIRE) electroporates but does not excite cells. We exposed cells to standard electrochemotherapy parameters (8×100μs pulses, 1Hz, different voltages). Cells behaved similarly which indicates that electroporation most probably occurs at the level of lipid bilayer, independently of the voltage-gated channels. These results could be used for optimization of electric pulses to achieve maximal permeabilization and minimal excitation/pain sensation. In the future, it should be established whether the in vitro depolarization correlates to nerve/muscle stimulation and pain sensation in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janja Dermol-Černe
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Tržaška cesta 25, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Damijan Miklavčič
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Tržaška cesta 25, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Matej Reberšek
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Tržaška cesta 25, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Primož Mekuč
- University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Tržaška cesta 25, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Sylvia M Bardet
- University of Limoges, CNRS, XLIM, UMR 7252, F-87000 Limoges, France.
| | - Ryan Burke
- University of Limoges, CNRS, XLIM, UMR 7252, F-87000 Limoges, France
| | | | - Philippe Leveque
- University of Limoges, CNRS, XLIM, UMR 7252, F-87000 Limoges, France.
| | - Rodney O'Connor
- École des Mines de Saint-Étienne, Department of Bioelectronics, Georges Charpak Campus, Centre Microélectronique de Provence, 880 Route de Mimet, 13120 Gardanne, France.
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13
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Weiss L, Offner T, Hassenklöver T, Manzini I. Dye Electroporation and Imaging of Calcium Signaling in Xenopus Nervous System. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1865:217-231. [PMID: 30151769 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8784-9_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Electroporation is an efficient method of transferring charged macromolecules into living cells in order to study their morphology, function, and connectivity within neuronal networks. Labeling cells with fluorophore-coupled macromolecules can be used to trace projections of whole neuronal ensembles, as well as the fine morphology of single cells. Here, we present a protocol to visualize pre- and postsynaptic components of a sensory relay synapse in the brain, using the olfactory system of Xenopus laevis tadpoles as a model. We apply bulk electroporation to trace projections of receptor neurons from the nose to the brain, and single cell electroporation to visualize the morphology of their synaptic target cells, the mitral-tufted cells. Labeling the receptor neurons with a calcium-sensitive dye allows us to record stimulus-induced presynaptic input to the dendrites of the postsynaptic cells via functional calcium imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Weiss
- Department of Animal Physiology and Molecular Biomedicine, Institute of Animal Physiology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Thomas Offner
- Department of Animal Physiology and Molecular Biomedicine, Institute of Animal Physiology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.,Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Hassenklöver
- Department of Animal Physiology and Molecular Biomedicine, Institute of Animal Physiology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Ivan Manzini
- Department of Animal Physiology and Molecular Biomedicine, Institute of Animal Physiology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany. .,Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
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14
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Bugeon S, de Chevigny A, Boutin C, Coré N, Wild S, Bosio A, Cremer H, Beclin C. Direct and efficient transfection of mouse neural stem cells and mature neurons by in vivo mRNA electroporation. Development 2017; 144:3968-3977. [PMID: 28982684 DOI: 10.1242/dev.151381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2017] [Accepted: 09/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
In vivo brain electroporation of DNA expression vectors is a widely used method for lineage and gene function studies in the developing and postnatal brain. However, transfection efficiency of DNA is limited and adult brain tissue is refractory to electroporation. Here, we present a systematic study of mRNA as a vector for acute genetic manipulation in the developing and adult brain. We demonstrate that mRNA electroporation is far more efficient than DNA electroporation, and leads to faster and more homogeneous protein expression in vivo Importantly, mRNA electroporation allows the manipulation of neural stem cells and postmitotic neurons in the adult brain using minimally invasive procedures. Finally, we show that this approach can be efficiently used for functional studies, as exemplified by transient overexpression of the neurogenic factor Myt1l and by stably inactivating Dicer nuclease in vivo in adult born olfactory bulb interneurons and in fully integrated cortical projection neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphane Bugeon
- Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, IBDM UMR 7288, Marseille 13009, France
| | | | - Camille Boutin
- Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, IBDM UMR 7288, Marseille 13009, France
| | - Nathalie Coré
- Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, IBDM UMR 7288, Marseille 13009, France
| | - Stefan Wild
- Miltenyi Biotec, Bergisch-Gladbach 51429, Germany
| | | | - Harold Cremer
- Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, IBDM UMR 7288, Marseille 13009, France
| | - Christophe Beclin
- Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, IBDM UMR 7288, Marseille 13009, France
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15
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Lin JY, Xie CL, Zhang SF, Yuan W, Liu ZG. Current Experimental Studies of Gene Therapy in Parkinson's Disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2017; 9:126. [PMID: 28515689 PMCID: PMC5413509 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2017.00126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2016] [Accepted: 04/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) was characterized by late-onset, progressive dopamine neuron loss and movement disorders. The progresses of PD affected the neural function and integrity. To date, most researches had largely addressed the dopamine replacement therapies, but the appearance of L-dopa-induced dyskinesia hampered the use of the drug. And the mechanism of PD is so complicated that it's hard to solve the problem by just add drugs. Researchers began to focus on the genetic underpinnings of Parkinson's disease, searching for new method that may affect the neurodegeneration processes in it. In this paper, we reviewed current delivery methods used in gene therapies for PD, we also summarized the primary target of the gene therapy in the treatment of PD, such like neurotrophic factor (for regeneration), the synthesis of neurotransmitter (for prolong the duration of L-dopa), and the potential proteins that might be a target to modulate via gene therapy. Finally, we discussed RNA interference therapies used in Parkinson's disease, it might act as a new class of drug. We mainly focus on the efficiency and tooling features of different gene therapies in the treatment of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing-Ya Lin
- Department of Neurology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to the Medical School of Shanghai JiaoTong UniversityShanghai, China
| | - Cheng-Long Xie
- Department of Neurology, The first Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou Medical UniversityWenzhou, China
| | - Su-Fang Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to the Medical School of Shanghai JiaoTong UniversityShanghai, China
| | - Weien Yuan
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai JiaoTong UniversityShanghai, China
| | - Zhen-Guo Liu
- Department of Neurology, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to the Medical School of Shanghai JiaoTong UniversityShanghai, China
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16
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Ding XF, Fan M. Nonviral Gene Therapy of the Nervous System: Electroporation. Methods Mol Biol 2016; 1382:297-305. [PMID: 26611596 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3271-9_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Electroporation has been widely used to efficiently transfer foreign genes into the mammalian central nervous system (CNS), and thus plays an important role in gene therapeutic studies on some brain disorders. A lot of work concerning electroporation is focused on gene transfer into rodent brains. This technique involves an injection of nucleic acids into the brain ventricle or specific area and then applying appropriate electrical field to the injected area. Here, we briefly introduced the advantages and the basic procedures of gene transfer into the rodent brain using electroporation. Better understanding of electroporation in rodent brain may further facilitate gene therapeutic studies on brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Feng Ding
- Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Ming Fan
- Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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17
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Nomura T, Nishimura Y, Gotoh H, Ono K. Rapid and efficient gene delivery into the adult mouse brain via focal electroporation. Sci Rep 2016; 6:29817. [PMID: 27430903 PMCID: PMC4949460 DOI: 10.1038/srep29817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2014] [Accepted: 06/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In vivo gene delivery is required for studying the cellular and molecular mechanisms of various biological events. Virus-mediated gene transfer or generation of transgenic animals is widely used; however, these methods are time-consuming and expensive. Here we show an improved electroporation technique for acute gene delivery into the adult mouse brain. Using a syringe-based microelectrode, local DNA injection and the application of electric current can be performed simultaneously; this allows rapid and efficient gene transduction of adult non-neuronal cells. Combining this technique with various expression vectors that carry specific promoters resulted in targeted gene expression in astrocytic cells. Our results constitute a powerful strategy for the genetic manipulation of adult brains in a spatio-temporally controlled manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tadashi Nomura
- Developmental Neurobiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, INAMORI Memorial Building, 1-5 Shimogamo-hangicho, Sakyoku, Kyoto, 606-0823, Japan.,Japan Science and Technology Agency, PRESTO, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama, 332-0012, Japan
| | - Yusuke Nishimura
- Developmental Neurobiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, INAMORI Memorial Building, 1-5 Shimogamo-hangicho, Sakyoku, Kyoto, 606-0823, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Gotoh
- Developmental Neurobiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, INAMORI Memorial Building, 1-5 Shimogamo-hangicho, Sakyoku, Kyoto, 606-0823, Japan
| | - Katsuhiko Ono
- Developmental Neurobiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, INAMORI Memorial Building, 1-5 Shimogamo-hangicho, Sakyoku, Kyoto, 606-0823, Japan
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18
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Porrero C, Rodríguez-Moreno J, Quetglas JI, Smerdou C, Furuta T, Clascá F. A Simple and Efficient In Vivo Non-viral RNA Transfection Method for Labeling the Whole Axonal Tree of Individual Adult Long-Range Projection Neurons. Front Neuroanat 2016; 10:27. [PMID: 27047347 PMCID: PMC4796015 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2016.00027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2015] [Accepted: 03/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We report a highly efficient, simple, and non-infective method for labeling individual long-range projection neurons (LRPNs) in a specific location with enough sparseness and intensity to allow complete and unambiguous reconstructions of their entire axonal tree. The method is based on the "in vivo" transfection of a large RNA construct that drives the massive expression of green fluorescent protein. The method combines two components: injection of a small volume of a hyperosmolar NaCl solution containing the Pal-eGFP-Sindbis RNA construct (Furuta et al., 2001), followed by the application of high-frequency electric current pulses through the micropipette tip. We show that, although each component alone increases transfection efficacy, compared to simple volume injections of standard RNA solution, the highest efficacy (85.7%) is achieved by the combination of both components. In contrast with the infective viral Sindbis vector, RNA transfection occurs exclusively at the position of the injection micropipette tip. This method simplifies consistently labeling one or a few isolated neurons per brain, a strategy that allows unambiguously resolving and quantifying the brain-wide and often multi-branched monosynaptic circuits created by LRPNs.
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Affiliation(s)
- César Porrero
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Autónoma University Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Rodríguez-Moreno
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Autónoma University Madrid, Spain
| | - José I Quetglas
- Laboratorio de Vectores, Centro de Investigación Médica AplicadaPamplona, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra, Navarra Institute for Health ResearchPamplona, Spain
| | - Cristian Smerdou
- Laboratorio de Vectores, Centro de Investigación Médica AplicadaPamplona, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra, Navarra Institute for Health ResearchPamplona, Spain
| | - Takahiro Furuta
- Department of Morphological Brain Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University Kyoto, Japan
| | - Francisco Clascá
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Autónoma University Madrid, Spain
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19
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Analysis of Alternative Pre-RNA Splicing in the Mouse Retina Using a Fluorescent Reporter. Methods Mol Biol 2016. [PMID: 26965271 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3591-8_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]
Abstract
In vivo alternative splicing is controlled in a tissue and cell type specific manner. Often individual cellular components of complex tissues will express different splicing programs. Thus, when studying splicing in multicellular organisms it is critical to determine the exon inclusion levels in individual cells positioned in the context of their native tissue or organ. Here we describe how a fluorescent splicing reporter in combination with in vivo electroporation can be used to visualize alternative splicing in individual cells within mature tissues. In a test case we show how the splicing of a photoreceptor specific exon can be visualized within the mouse retina. The retina was chosen as an example of a complex tissue that is fragile and whose cells cannot be studied in culture. With minor modifications to the injection and electroporation procedure, the protocol we outline can be applied to other tissues and organs.
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20
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De Vry J, Vanmierlo T, Martínez-Martínez P, Losen M, Temel Y, Boere J, Kenis G, Steckler T, Steinbusch HW, Baets MD, Prickaerts J. TrkB in the hippocampus and nucleus accumbens differentially modulates depression-like behavior in mice. Behav Brain Res 2016; 296:15-25. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.08.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2015] [Revised: 08/19/2015] [Accepted: 08/20/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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21
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Abstract
This chapter describes three fast and straightforward methods to introduce nucleic acids, dyes, and other molecules into small numbers of cells of zebrafish embryos, larvae, and adults using electroporation. These reagents are delivered through a glass micropipette and electrical pulses are given through electrodes to permeabilize cell membranes and promote uptake of the reagent. This technique allows the experimenter to target cells of their choice at a particular time of development and at a particular location in the zebrafish with high precision and facilitates long-term noninvasive measurement of biological activities in vivo. Applications include cell fate mapping, neural circuit mapping, neuronal activity measurement, manipulation of activity, ectopic gene expression, and genetic knockdown experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Zou
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, CH-4058, Basel, Switzerland.
- University of Basel, CH-4003, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Rainer W Friedrich
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Maulbeerstrasse 66, CH-4058, Basel, Switzerland.
- University of Basel, CH-4003, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Isaac H Bianco
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology & Pharmacology, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
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22
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Bullmann T, Arendt T, Frey U, Hanashima C. A transportable, inexpensive electroporator for in utero electroporation. Dev Growth Differ 2015; 57:369-377. [PMID: 25988525 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2015] [Revised: 03/31/2015] [Accepted: 04/08/2015] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Electroporation is a useful technique to study gene function during development but its broad application is hampered due to the expensive equipment needed. We describe the construction of a transportable, simple and inexpensive electroporator delivering square pulses with varying length and amplitude. The device was successfully used for in utero electroporation in mouse with a performance comparable to that of commercial products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Torsten Bullmann
- Frey Initiative Research Unit, RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center, 2-2-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0047, Japan.,Laboratory for Neocortical Development, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, 2-2-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0047, Japan.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Neurodegeneration, Paul Flechsig Institute of Brain Research, University of Leipzig, Liebigstraβe 19, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thomas Arendt
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Neurodegeneration, Paul Flechsig Institute of Brain Research, University of Leipzig, Liebigstraβe 19, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Urs Frey
- Frey Initiative Research Unit, RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center, 2-2-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0047, Japan
| | - Carina Hanashima
- Laboratory for Neocortical Development, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, 2-2-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0047, Japan
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23
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Delivery of episomal vectors into primary cells by means of commercial transfection reagents. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2015; 461:348-53. [PMID: 25887802 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2015.04.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2015] [Accepted: 04/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Although episomal vectors are commonly transported into cells by electroporation, a number of electroporation-derived problems have led to the search for alternative transfection protocols, such as the use of transfection reagents, which are inexpensive and easy to handle. Polyplex-mediated transport of episomal vectors into the cytoplasm has been conducted successfully in immortalized cell lines, but no report exists of successful transfection of primary cells using this method. Accordingly, we sought to optimize the conditions for polyplex-mediated transfection for effective delivery of episomal vectors into the cytoplasm of primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Episomal vectors were complexed with the commercially available transfection reagents Lipofectamine 2000, FuGEND HD and jetPEI. The ratio of transfection reagent to episomal vectors was varied, and the subsequent transfection efficiency and cytotoxicity of the complexes were analyzed using flow cytometry and trypan blue exclusion assay, respectively. No cytotoxicity and the highest transfection yield were observed when the ratio of transfection reagent to episomal vector was 4 (v/wt) in the cases of Lipofectamine 2000 and FuGENE HD, and 2 in the case of jetPEI. Of the three transfection reagents tested, jetPEI showed the highest transfection efficiency without any cytotoxicity. Thus, we confirmed that the transfection reagent jetPEI could be used to effectively deliver episomal vectors into primary cells without electroporation.
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24
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Svoboda DS, Clark A, Park DS, Slack RS. Induction of protein deletion through in utero electroporation to define deficits in neuronal migration in transgenic models. J Vis Exp 2015:51983. [PMID: 25650557 DOI: 10.3791/51983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic deletion using the Cre-Lox system in transgenic mouse lines is a powerful tool used to study protein function. However, except in very specific Cre models, deletion of a protein throughout a tissue or cell population often leads to complex phenotypes resulting from multiple interacting mechanisms. Determining whether a phenotype results from disruption of a cell autonomous mechanism, which is intrinsic to the cell in question, or from a non-cell autonomous mechanism, which would result from impairment of that cell's environment, can be difficult to discern. To gain insight into protein function in an in vivo context, in utero electroporation (IUE) enables gene deletion in a small subset of cells within the developing cortex or some other selected brain region. IUE can be used to target specific brain areas, including the dorsal telencephalon, medial telencephalon, hippocampus, or ganglionic eminence. This facilitates observation of the consequences of cell autonomous gene deletion in the context of a healthy environment. The goal of this protocol is to show how IUE can be used to analyze a defect in radial migration in a floxed transgenic mouse line, with an emphasis on distinguishing between the cell autonomous and non-cell autonomous effects of protein deletion. By comparing the phenotype resulting from gene deletion within the entire cortex versus IUE-mediated gene deletion in a limited cell population, greater insight into protein function in brain development can be obtained than by using either technique in isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devon S Svoboda
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa;
| | - Alysen Clark
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa
| | - David S Park
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa
| | - Ruth S Slack
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa;
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25
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De la Rossa A, Jabaudon D. In vivo rapid gene delivery into postmitotic neocortical neurons using iontoporation. Nat Protoc 2014; 10:25-32. [DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2015.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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26
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Hassenklöver T, Manzini I. The olfactory system as a model to study axonal growth patterns and morphology in vivo. J Vis Exp 2014:e52143. [PMID: 25406975 PMCID: PMC4353389 DOI: 10.3791/52143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The olfactory system has the unusual capacity to generate new neurons throughout the lifetime of an organism. Olfactory stem cells in the basal portion of the olfactory epithelium continuously give rise to new sensory neurons that extend their axons into the olfactory bulb, where they face the challenge to integrate into existing circuitry. Because of this particular feature, the olfactory system represents a unique opportunity to monitor axonal wiring and guidance, and to investigate synapse formation. Here we describe a procedure for in vivo labeling of sensory neurons and subsequent visualization of axons in the olfactory system of larvae of the amphibian Xenopus laevis. To stain sensory neurons in the olfactory organ we adopt the electroporation technique. In vivo electroporation is an established technique for delivering fluorophore-coupled dextrans or other macromolecules into living cells. Stained sensory neurons and their axonal processes can then be monitored in the living animal either using confocal laser-scanning or multiphoton microscopy. By reducing the number of labeled cells to few or single cells per animal, single axons can be tracked into the olfactory bulb and their morphological changes can be monitored over weeks by conducting series of in vivo time lapse imaging experiments. While the described protocol exemplifies the labeling and monitoring of olfactory sensory neurons, it can also be adopted to other cell types within the olfactory and other systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Hassenklöver
- Institute of Neurophysiology and Cellular Biophysics and Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain (CNMPB), University of Göttingen
| | - Ivan Manzini
- Institute of Neurophysiology and Cellular Biophysics and Center for Nanoscale Microscopy and Molecular Physiology of the Brain (CNMPB), University of Göttingen;
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27
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Kim JY, Grunke SD, Levites Y, Golde TE, Jankowsky JL. Intracerebroventricular viral injection of the neonatal mouse brain for persistent and widespread neuronal transduction. J Vis Exp 2014:51863. [PMID: 25286085 DOI: 10.3791/51863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
With the pace of scientific advancement accelerating rapidly, new methods are needed for experimental neuroscience to quickly and easily manipulate gene expression in the mouse brain. Here we describe a technique first introduced by Passini and Wolfe for direct intracranial delivery of virally-encoded transgenes into the neonatal mouse brain. In its most basic form, the procedure requires only an ice bucket and a microliter syringe. However, the protocol can also be adapted for use with stereotaxic frames to improve consistency for researchers new to the technique. The method relies on the ability of adeno-associated virus (AAV) to move freely from the cerebral ventricles into the brain parenchyma while the ependymal lining is still immature during the first 12-24 hr after birth. Intraventricular injection of AAV at this age results in widespread transduction of neurons throughout the brain. Expression begins within days of injection and persists for the lifetime of the animal. Viral titer can be adjusted to control the density of transduced neurons, while co-expression of a fluorescent protein provides a vital label of transduced cells. With the rising availability of viral core facilities to provide both off-the-shelf, pre-packaged reagents and custom viral preparation, this approach offers a timely method for manipulating gene expression in the mouse brain that is fast, easy, and far less expensive than traditional germline engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Yoen Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine
| | | | - Yona Levites
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida
| | - Todd E Golde
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida
| | - Joanna L Jankowsky
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine; Department of Neurology and Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine;
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28
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Kim NH, Kim S, Hong JS, Jeon SH, Huh SO. Application of in utero electroporation of G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) genes, for subcellular localization of hardly identifiable GPCR in mouse cerebral cortex. Mol Cells 2014; 37:554-61. [PMID: 25078448 PMCID: PMC4132308 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2014.0159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2014] [Revised: 06/30/2014] [Accepted: 06/30/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a lipid growth factor that exerts diverse biological effects through its cognate receptors (LPA1-LPA6). LPA1, which is predominantly expressed in the brain, plays a pivotal role in brain development. However, the role of LPA1 in neuronal migration has not yet been fully elucidated. Here, we delivered LPA1 to mouse cerebral cortex using in utero electroporation. We demonstrated that neuronal migration in the cerebral cortex was not affected by the overexpression of LPA1. Moreover, these results can be applied to the identification of the localization of LPA1. The subcellular localization of LPA1 was endogenously present in the perinuclear area, and overexpressed LPA1 was located in the plasma membrane. Furthermore, LPA1 in developing mouse cerebral cortex was mainly expressed in the ventricular zone and the cortical plate. In summary, the overexpression of LPA1 did not affect neuronal migration, and the protein expression of LPA1 was mainly located in the ventricular zone and cortical plate within the developing mouse cerebral cortex. These studies have provided information on the role of LPA1 in brain development and on the technical advantages of in utero electroporation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nam-Ho Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Institute of Natural Medicine, Chuncheon 200-702, Korea
- Present address: Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA
| | - Seunghyuk Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Institute of Natural Medicine, Chuncheon 200-702, Korea
| | - Jae Seung Hong
- Department of Physical Education, Hallym University, Chuncheon 200-702, Korea
| | - Sung Ho Jeon
- Department of Life Science and Center for Aging and Health Care, Hallym University, Chuncheon 200-702, Korea
| | - Sung-Oh Huh
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Institute of Natural Medicine, Chuncheon 200-702, Korea
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29
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Abstract
Over the past several years the pial surface has been identified as a germinal niche of importance during embryonic, perinatal and adult neuro- and gliogenesis, including after injury. However, methods for genetically interrogating these progenitor populations and tracking their lineages had been limited owing to a lack of specificity or time consuming production of viruses. Thus, progress in this region has been relatively slow with only a handful of investigations of this location. Electroporation has been used for over a decade to study neural stem cell properties in the embryo, and more recently in the postnatal brain. Here we describe an efficient, rapid, and simple technique for the genetic manipulation of pial surface progenitors based on an adapted electroporation approach. Pial surface electroporation allows for facile genetic labeling and manipulation of these progenitors, thus representing a time-saving and economical approach for studying these cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachelle Levy
- Department of Neurosurgery, Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
| | - Jessica Molina
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
| | - Moise Danielpour
- Department of Neurosurgery, Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
| | - Joshua J Breunig
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center;
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Zou M, De Koninck P, Neve RL, Friedrich RW. Fast gene transfer into the adult zebrafish brain by herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and electroporation: methods and optogenetic applications. Front Neural Circuits 2014; 8:41. [PMID: 24834028 PMCID: PMC4018551 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2014.00041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2014] [Accepted: 04/04/2014] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The zebrafish has various advantages as a model organism to analyze the structure and function of neural circuits but efficient viruses or other tools for fast gene transfer are lacking. We show that transgenes can be introduced directly into the adult zebrafish brain by herpes simplex type I viruses (HSV-1) or electroporation. We developed a new procedure to target electroporation to defined brain areas and identified promoters that produced strong long-term expression. The fast workflow of electroporation was exploited to express multiple channelrhodopsin-2 variants and genetically encoded calcium indicators in telencephalic neurons for measurements of neuronal activity and synaptic connectivity. The results demonstrate that HSV-1 and targeted electroporation are efficient tools for gene delivery into the zebrafish brain, similar to adeno-associated viruses and lentiviruses in other species. These methods fill an important gap in the spectrum of molecular tools for zebrafish and are likely to have a wide range of applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Zou
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research Basel, Switzerland ; University of Basel Basel, Switzerland
| | - Paul De Koninck
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research Basel, Switzerland ; Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Québec Québec, QC, Canada ; Département de Biochimie, Microbiologie et Bio-informatique, Université Laval Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Rachael L Neve
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Rainer W Friedrich
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research Basel, Switzerland ; University of Basel Basel, Switzerland
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31
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Robins A, Pleiter H, Latter M, Phillips C. The efficacy of pulsed ultrahigh current for the stunning of cattle prior to slaughter. Meat Sci 2014; 96:1201-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2013.10.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2013] [Revised: 10/05/2013] [Accepted: 10/21/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Ohmura N, Kawasaki K, Satoh T, Hata Y. In vivo electroporation to physiologically identified deep brain regions in postnatal mammals. Brain Struct Funct 2014; 220:1307-16. [PMID: 24526275 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-014-0724-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2013] [Accepted: 01/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Genetic manipulation is widely used to research the central nervous system (CNS). The manipulation of molecular expression in a small number of neurons permits the detailed investigation of the role of specific molecules on the function and morphology of the neurons. Electroporation is a broadly used technique for gene transfer in the CNS. However, the targeting of gene transfer using electroporation in postnatal animals was restricted to the cortex, hippocampus, or the region facing the ventricle in previous reports. Electroporation targeting of deep brain structures, such as the thalamus, has been difficult. We introduce a novel electroporation technique that enables gene transfer to a physiologically identified deep brain region using a glass pipette. We recorded neural activity in young-adult mice to identify the location of the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of the thalamus, using a glass pipette electrode containing the plasmid DNA encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). The location of the LGN was confirmed by monitoring visual responses, and the plasmid solution was pressure-injected into the recording site. Voltage pulses were delivered through the glass pipette electrode. Several EGFP-labeled somata and dendrites were observed in the LGN after a few weeks, and labeled axons were found in the visual cortex. The EGFP-expressing structures were observed in detail sufficient to reconstruct their morphology in three dimensions. We further confirmed the applicability of this technique in cats. This method should be useful for the transfer of various genes into cells in physiologically identified brain regions in rodents and gyrencephalic mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nami Ohmura
- Division of Integrative Bioscience, Institute of Regenerative Medicine and Biofunction, Tottori University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 86 Nishicho, Yonago, 683-8503, Japan
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De Vry J, Vanmierlo T, Martínez-Martínez P, Losen M, Temel Y, Steinbusch H, De Baets M, Prickaerts J. Delivery of DNA into the central nervous system via electroporation. Methods Mol Biol 2014; 1121:157-63. [PMID: 24510821 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-9632-8_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Electroporation of non-viral plasmid DNA is a valuable tool to alter gene expression in the adult central nervous system. It offers a number of advantages over viral gene delivery as non-viral plasmids can integrate larger inserts and reduce the risk of inducing unintended immunological responses. Generally, electroporation of the adult brain is accomplished in rodents by applying high-amplitude voltage-controlled pulses through the entire brain with plate electrodes surrounding the animal's head. Here, we describe an alternative electroporation protocol making use of current-controlled low-amplitude pulses that are delivered locally by means of needlelike electrodes in the brain of adult mice. This allows altering gene expression in very-well-defined areas of the brain while inducing minimal tissue damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jochen De Vry
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
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34
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Ding XF, Hu ZY, Zhao YQ, Gu X, Yan R, Wu LY, Huang X, Liu SH, Wu Y, Zhao T, Zhu LL, Suo WZ, Fan M. Specific expression of foreign gene in postnatal mouse glial cells using electroporation. CNS Neurosci Ther 2013; 20:98-100. [PMID: 24305011 DOI: 10.1111/cns.12212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2013] [Revised: 10/31/2013] [Accepted: 11/02/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Feng Ding
- Department of Cognitive sciences, Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, China; Lab for Alzheimer's Disease & Aging Res, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Kansas City, MO, USA
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35
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Artegiani B, Calegari F. Lentiviruses allow widespread and conditional manipulation of gene expression in the developing mouse brain. Development 2013; 140:2818-22. [PMID: 23757413 DOI: 10.1242/dev.093823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Generation of transgenic mice, in utero electroporation and viral injection are common approaches to manipulate gene expression during embryonic development of the mammalian brain. While very powerful in many contexts, these approaches are each characterized by their own limitations: namely, that generation of transgenic mice is time-consuming and electroporation only allows the targeting of a small area of the brain. Similarly, viral injection has been predominantly characterized by using retroviruses or adenoviruses that are limited by a relatively low infectivity or lack of integration, respectively. Here we report the use of integrating lentiviral vectors as a system to achieve widespread and efficient infection of the whole brain after in utero injection in the telencephalic ventricle of mouse embryos. In addition, we explored the use of Cre-mediated recombination of loxP-containing lentiviral vectors to achieve spatial and temporal control of gene expression of virtually any transgene without the need for generation of additional mouse lines. Our work provides a system to overcome the limitations of retroviruses and adenoviruses by achieving widespread and high efficiency of transduction. The combination of lentiviral injection and site-specific recombination offers a fast and efficient alternative to complement and diversify the current methodologies to acutely manipulate gene expression in developing mammalian embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedetta Artegiani
- DFG-Research Center and Cluster of Excellence for Regenerative Therapies, Medical Faculty, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 105, Dresden 01307, Germany
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36
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Kim W, Kim JH, Kong SY, Park MH, Sohn UD, Kim HJ. Comparison of ectopic gene expression methods in rat neural stem cells. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY & PHARMACOLOGY : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSIOLOGICAL SOCIETY AND THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF PHARMACOLOGY 2013; 17:23-30. [PMID: 23439859 PMCID: PMC3579101 DOI: 10.4196/kjpp.2013.17.1.23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2012] [Revised: 11/19/2012] [Accepted: 11/29/2012] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Neural stem cells (NSCs) have the ability to proliferate and differentiate into various types of cells that compose the nervous system. To study functions of genes in stem cell biology, genes or siRNAs need to be transfected. However, it is difficult to transfect ectopic genes into NSCs. Thus to identify the suitable method to achieve high transfection efficiency, we compared lipid transfection, electroporation, nucleofection and retroviral transduction. Among the methods that we tested, we found that nucleofection and retroviral transduction showed significantly increased transfection efficiency. In addition, with retroviral transduction of Ngn2 that is known to induce neurogenesis in various types of cells, we observed facilitated final cell division in rat NSCs. These data suggest that nucleofection and retroviral transduction provide high efficiency of gene delivery system to study functions of genes in rat NSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Woosuk Kim
- Laboratory of Stem Cell and Molecular Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 156-756, Korea
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37
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Kim JY, Ash RT, Ceballos-Diaz C, Levites Y, Golde TE, Smirnakis SM, Jankowsky JL. Viral transduction of the neonatal brain delivers controllable genetic mosaicism for visualising and manipulating neuronal circuits in vivo. Eur J Neurosci 2013; 37:1203-20. [PMID: 23347239 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2012] [Revised: 12/09/2012] [Accepted: 12/12/2012] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The neonatal intraventricular injection of adeno-associated virus has been shown to transduce neurons widely throughout the brain, but its full potential for experimental neuroscience has not been adequately explored. We report a detailed analysis of the method's versatility with an emphasis on experimental applications where tools for genetic manipulation are currently lacking. Viral injection into the neonatal mouse brain is fast, easy, and accesses regions of the brain including the cerebellum and brainstem that have been difficult to target with other techniques such as electroporation. We show that viral transduction produces an inherently mosaic expression pattern that can be exploited by varying the titer to transduce isolated neurons or densely-packed populations. We demonstrate that the expression of virally-encoded proteins is active much sooner than previously believed, allowing genetic perturbation during critical periods of neuronal plasticity, but is also long-lasting and stable, allowing chronic studies of aging. We harness these features to visualise and manipulate neurons in the hindbrain that have been recalcitrant to approaches commonly applied in the cortex. We show that viral labeling aids the analysis of postnatal dendritic maturation in cerebellar Purkinje neurons by allowing individual cells to be readily distinguished, and then demonstrate that the same sparse labeling allows live in vivo imaging of mature Purkinje neurons at a resolution sufficient for complete analytical reconstruction. Given the rising availability of viral constructs, packaging services, and genetically modified animals, these techniques should facilitate a wide range of experiments into brain development, function, and degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Yoen Kim
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, BCM295, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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38
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Abstract
Intratumoral gene electroporation uses electric charges to facilitate entry of plasmid DNA into cells in a reproducible and highly efficient manner, especially to accessible sites such as cutaneous and subcutaneous melanomas. Effective for locally treated disease, electroporation of plasmid DNA encoding interleukin-12 can also induce responses in untreated distant disease, suggesting that adaptive immune responses are being elicited that can target melanoma-associated antigens. In vivo electroporation with immunomodulatory cytokine DNA is a promising approach that can trigger systemic anti-tumor immune responses without the systemic toxicity associated with intravenous cytokine delivery and potentially offer complete long-term tumor regression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward Cha
- Department of Medicine; University of California-San Francisco, CA, USA.
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39
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Kazanis I, ffrench-Constant C. Extracellular matrix and the neural stem cell niche. Dev Neurobiol 2012; 71:1006-17. [PMID: 21898854 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.20970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Basal lamina is present in many stem cell niches, but we still have a poor understanding of the role of this and other extracellular matrix (ECM) components. Here, we review current knowledge regarding ECM expression and function in the neural stem cell niche, focusing on the subependymal zone of the adult CNS. An increasing complexity of ECM molecules has been described, and a number of receptors expressed on the stem cells identified. Experiments perturbing the niche using genetics or cytotoxic ablation of the rapidly dividing precursors, or using explant culture models to examine specific growth factors, have been influential in showing how changes in these ECM receptors might regulate neural stem cell behavior. However the role of changes in the matrix itself remains to be determined. The answers will be important, as they will point to the molecules required to engineer niches ex-vivo so as to provide tools for regenerative neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilias Kazanis
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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40
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Bertram B, Wiese S, von Holst A. High-efficiency transfection and survival rates of embryonic and adult mouse neural stem cells achieved by electroporation. J Neurosci Methods 2012; 209:420-7. [PMID: 22750652 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2012.06.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2012] [Revised: 06/15/2012] [Accepted: 06/21/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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dal Maschio M, Ghezzi D, Bony G, Alabastri A, Deidda G, Brondi M, Sato SS, Zaccaria RP, Di Fabrizio E, Ratto GM, Cancedda L. High-performance and site-directed in utero electroporation by a triple-electrode probe. Nat Commun 2012; 3:960. [PMID: 22805567 PMCID: PMC5972006 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms1961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2012] [Accepted: 06/18/2012] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In utero electroporation is a powerful tool to transfect
and manipulate neural-precursor cells of the rodent parietal cortex and their
progeny in vivo. Although this technique can potentially target
numerous brain areas, reliability of transfection in some brain regions is low
or physical access is limited. Here, we present a new in
utero-electroporation configuration based on the use of three
electrodes, the relative position and polarities of which can be adjusted. The
technique allows easy access and exceedingly reliable monolateral or bilateral
transfection at brain locations that could only be sporadically targeted before.
By improvement in the efficiency of the electrical field distribution,
demonstrated here by a mathematical simulation, the multi-electrode
configuration also extends the developmental timeframe for reliable in
utero electroporation, allowing for the first time specific
transfection of Purkinje cells in the rat cerebellum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco dal Maschio
- Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
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42
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Nishiyama J, Hayashi Y, Nomura T, Miura E, Kakegawa W, Yuzaki M. Selective and regulated gene expression in murine Purkinje cells by in utero electroporation. Eur J Neurosci 2012; 36:2867-76. [PMID: 22775058 DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2012.08203.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Cerebellar Purkinje cells, which convey the only output from the cerebellar cortex, play an essential role in cerebellar functions, such as motor coordination and motor learning. To understand how Purkinje cells develop and function in the mature cerebellum, an efficient method for molecularly perturbing them is needed. Here we demonstrate that Purkinje cell progenitors at embryonic day (E)11.5 could be efficiently and preferentially transfected by spatially directed in utero electroporation (IUE) with an optimized arrangement of electrodes. Electrophysiological analyses indicated that the electroporated Purkinje cells maintained normal membrane properties, synaptic responses and synaptic plasticity at postnatal days 25-28. By combining the L7 promoter and inducible Cre/loxP system with IUE, transgenes were expressed even more specifically in Purkinje cells and in a temporally controlled manner. We also show that three different fluorescent proteins could be simultaneously expressed, and that Bassoon, a large synaptic protein, could be expressed in the electroporated Purkinje cells. Moreover, phenotypes of staggerer mutant mice, which have a deletion in the gene encoding retinoid-related orphan receptor α (RORα1), were recapitulated by electroporating a dominant-negative form of RORα1 into Purkinje cells at E11.5. Together, these results indicate that this new IUE protocol, which allows the selective, effective and temporally regulated expression of multiple foreign genes transfected into Purkinje cell progenitors in vivo, without changing the cells' physiological characteristics, is a powerful tool for elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying early Purkinje cell developmental events, such as dendritogenesis and migration, and synaptic plasticity in mature Purkinje cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Nishiyama
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
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Breunig JJ, Gate D, Levy R, Rodriguez J, Kim GB, Danielpour M, Svendsen CN, Town T. Rapid genetic targeting of pial surface neural progenitors and immature neurons by neonatal electroporation. Neural Dev 2012; 7:26. [PMID: 22776033 PMCID: PMC3479020 DOI: 10.1186/1749-8104-7-26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2012] [Accepted: 06/25/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Recent findings have indicated the presence of a progenitor domain at the marginal zone/layer 1 of the cerebral cortex, and it has been suggested that these progenitors have neurogenic and gliogenic potential. However, their contribution to the histogenesis of the cortex remains poorly understood due to difficulties associated with genetically manipulating these unique cells in a population-specific manner. Results We have adapted the electroporation technique to target pial surface cells for rapid genetic manipulation at postnatal day 2. In vivo data show that most of these cells proliferate and progressively differentiate into both neuronal and glial subtypes. Furthermore, these cells localize to the superficial layers of the optic tectum and cerebral cortex prior to migration away from the surface. Conclusions We provide a foundation upon which future studies can begin to elucidate the molecular controls governing neural progenitor fate, migration, differentiation, and contribution to cortical and tectal histogenesis. Furthermore, specific genetic targeting of such neural progenitor populations will likely be of future clinical interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua J Breunig
- Regenerative Medicine Institute, SSB 345, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA.
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44
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Glebova KV, Marakhonov AV, Baranova AV, Skoblov MY. Therapeutic siRNAs and nonviral systems for their delivery. Mol Biol 2012. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026893312020069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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45
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Efficient Gene Transfer into Neonatal Mouse Brain Using Electroporation. Neurochem Res 2012; 37:1392-8. [DOI: 10.1007/s11064-012-0742-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2011] [Revised: 01/18/2012] [Accepted: 01/23/2012] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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Abstract
Electroporation has been used successfully to introduce macromolecules such as DNA into the chick embryo for at least 15 years. Purified plasmid DNA is microinjected into embryo and then a series of low voltage electrical pulses are applied to the embryo which allows naked DNA to enter cells. Following entrance into the cytoplasm, the DNA is transported to the nucleus where it is transiently expressed. This powerful technique is useful for studies involving overexpression, misexpression, and knockdown of genes of interest at a variety of developmental timepoints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teri L Belecky-Adams
- Department of Biology & Center for Regenerative Biology and Medicine, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
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48
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Edry E, Lamprecht R, Wagner S, Rosenblum K. Virally mediated gene manipulation in the adult CNS. Front Mol Neurosci 2011; 4:57. [PMID: 22207836 PMCID: PMC3245970 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2011.00057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2011] [Accepted: 12/15/2011] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding how the CNS functions poses one of the greatest challenges in modern life science and medicine. Studying the brain is especially challenging because of its complexity, the heterogeneity of its cellular composition, and the substantial changes it undergoes throughout its life-span. The complexity of adult brain neural networks results also from the diversity of properties and functions of neuronal cells, governed, inter alia, by temporally and spatially differential expression of proteins in mammalian brain cell populations. Hence, research into the biology of CNS activity and its implications to human and animal behavior must use novel scientific tools. One source of such tools is the field of molecular genetics—recently utilized more and more frequently in neuroscience research. Transgenic approaches in general, and gene targeting in rodents have become fundamental tools for elucidating gene function in the CNS. Although spectacular progress has been achieved over recent decades by using these approaches, it is important to note that they face a number of restrictions. One of the main challenges is presented by the temporal and spatial regulation of introduced genetic manipulations. Viral vectors provide an alternative approach to temporally regulated, localized delivery of genetic modifications into neurons. In this review we describe available technologies for gene transfer into the adult mammalian CNS that use both viral and non-viral tools. We discuss viral vectors frequently used in neuroscience, with emphasis on lentiviral vector (LV) systems. We consider adverse effects of LVs, and the use of LVs for temporally and spatially controllable manipulations. Especially, we highlight the significance of viral vector-mediated genetic manipulations in studying learning and memory processes, and how they may be effectively used to separate out the various phases of learning: acquisition, consolidation, retrieval, and maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Efrat Edry
- Department of Neurobiology and Ethology, Center for Gene Manipulation in the Brain (CGMB), University of Haifa Haifa, Israel
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49
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Raffa V, Gherardini L, Vittorio O, Bardi G, Ziaei A, Pizzorusso T, Riggio C, Nitodas S, Karachalios T, Al-Jamal KT, Kostarelos K, Costa M, Cuschieri A. Carbon nanotube-mediated wireless cell permeabilization: drug and gene uptake. Nanomedicine (Lond) 2011; 6:1709-18. [DOI: 10.2217/nnm.11.62] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: This work aims to exploit the ‘antenna’ properties of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). They can be used to induce cell permeabilization in order to transfer drugs (normally impermeable to cell membranes) both in in vitro and in vivo models. Material & Methods: The performance of the MWCNTs as receiver antenna was modeled by finite element modeling. Once the appropriate field has been identified, the antenna properties of MWCNTs were investigated in sequential experiments involving immortalized fibroblast cell line (drug model: doxorubicin chemothererapeutic agent) and living mice (drug model: bcl-2 antiapoptotic gene) following stereotactic injection in the cerebral motor cortex. Results: Finite element modeling analysis predicts that our MWCNTs irradiated in the radiofrequency field resemble thin-wire dipole antennas. In vitro experiments confirmed that combination of MWCNTs and electromagnetic field treatment dramatically favors intracellular drug uptake and, most importantly, drug nuclear localization. Finally, the brain of each irradiated animal exhibits a significantly higher number of transfected cells compared with the appropriate controls. Conclusion: This wireless application has the potential for MWCNT-based intracellular drug delivery and electro-stimulation therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vittoria Raffa
- Medical Science Lab, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, 56127, Italy
| | | | - Orazio Vittorio
- Medical Science Lab, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, 56127, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Bardi
- Center for Nanotechnology Innovation @ NEST, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Pisa, Italy
| | - Afshin Ziaei
- Thales Research & Technology France, Palaiseau cedex, F-91767, France
| | | | - Cristina Riggio
- Medical Science Lab, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, 56127, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Alfred Cuschieri
- Medical Science Lab, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, 56127, Italy
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50
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Bowers WJ, Breakefield XO, Sena-Esteves M. Genetic therapy for the nervous system. Hum Mol Genet 2011; 20:R28-41. [PMID: 21429918 PMCID: PMC3095060 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddr110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2011] [Accepted: 03/11/2011] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic therapy is undergoing a renaissance with expansion of viral and synthetic vectors, use of oligonucleotides (RNA and DNA) and sequence-targeted regulatory molecules, as well as genetically modified cells, including induced pluripotent stem cells from the patients themselves. Several clinical trials for neurologic syndromes appear quite promising. This review covers genetic strategies to ameliorate neurologic syndromes of different etiologies, including lysosomal storage diseases, Alzheimer's disease and other amyloidopathies, Parkinson's disease, spinal muscular atrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and brain tumors. This field has been propelled by genetic technologies, including identifying disease genes and disruptive mutations, design of genomic interacting elements to regulate transcription and splicing of specific precursor mRNAs and use of novel non-coding regulatory RNAs. These versatile new tools for manipulation of genetic elements provide the ability to tailor the mode of genetic intervention to specific aspects of a disease state.
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Affiliation(s)
- William J. Bowers
- Department of Neurology, Center for Neural Development and Disease, University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Xandra O. Breakefield
- Neuroscience Center and Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Department of Neurology and
- Center for Molecular Imaging Research, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA and
| | - Miguel Sena-Esteves
- Department of Neurology, Gene Therapy Center, Interdisciplinary Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
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