1
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Liu Y, Tan D, Ma K, Luo H, Mao J, Luo J, Shen Q, Xu L, Yang S, Ge L, Guo Y, Zhang H, Xiong H. Lama1 upregulation prolongs the lifespan of the dy H/dy H mouse model of LAMA2-related congenital muscular dystrophy. J Genet Genomics 2024:S1673-8527(24)00118-8. [PMID: 38777118 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2024.05.005] [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: 05/12/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
LAMA2-related congenital muscular dystrophy (LAMA2-CMD), characterized by laminin-α2 deficiency, is debilitating and ultimately fatal. To date, no effective therapy has been clinically available. Laminin-α1, which shares significant similarities with laminin-α2, has been proven as a viable compensatory modifier. To evaluate its clinical applicability, we establish a Lama2 exon-3 deletion mouse model (dyH/dyH). The dyH/dyH mice exhibit early lethality and typical LAMA2-CMD phenotypes, allowing the evaluation of various endpoints. In dyH/dyH mice treated with synergistic activation mediator-based CRISPRa-mediated Lama1 upregulation, a nearly doubled median survival is observed, as well as improvements in weight and grip. Significant therapeutical effects are revealed by MRI, serum biochemical indices, and muscle pathology studies. Treating LAMA2-CMD with LAMA1 upregulation is feasible and that early intervention can alleviate symptoms and extend lifespan. Additionally, we reveal limitations of LAMA1 upregulation, including high-dose mortality and non-sustained expression, which require further optimization in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yidan Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 102600, China; State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, The Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Dandan Tan
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 102600, China; Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, China
| | - Kaiyue Ma
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China; Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Huaxia Luo
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 102600, China
| | - Jingping Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, The Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Jihang Luo
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 102600, China; State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, The Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Qiang Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, The Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Luzheng Xu
- Medical and Health Analysis Center, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Shiqi Yang
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 102600, China; State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, The Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Lin Ge
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Neurology, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing 100045, China
| | - Yuxuan Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, The Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China.
| | - Hong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, The Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, China.
| | - Hui Xiong
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 102600, China; Department of Neurology, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing 100045, China.
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2
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Clark T, Waller MA, Loo L, Moreno CL, Denes CE, Neely GG. CRISPR activation screens: navigating technologies and applications. Trends Biotechnol 2024:S0167-7799(24)00036-2. [PMID: 38493051 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) activation (CRISPRa) has become an integral part of the molecular biology toolkit. CRISPRa genetic screens are an exciting high-throughput means of identifying genes the upregulation of which is sufficient to elicit a given phenotype. Activation machinery is continually under development to achieve greater, more robust, and more consistent activation. In this review, we offer a succinct technological overview of available CRISPRa architectures and a comprehensive summary of pooled CRISPRa screens. Furthermore, we discuss contemporary applications of CRISPRa across broad fields of research, with the aim of presenting a view of exciting emerging applications for CRISPRa screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teleri Clark
- Charles Perkins Centre, Dr. John and Anne Chong Lab for Functional Genomics, and School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Matthew A Waller
- Charles Perkins Centre, Dr. John and Anne Chong Lab for Functional Genomics, and School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Lipin Loo
- Charles Perkins Centre, Dr. John and Anne Chong Lab for Functional Genomics, and School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Cesar L Moreno
- Charles Perkins Centre, Dr. John and Anne Chong Lab for Functional Genomics, and School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Christopher E Denes
- Charles Perkins Centre, Dr. John and Anne Chong Lab for Functional Genomics, and School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - G Gregory Neely
- Charles Perkins Centre, Dr. John and Anne Chong Lab for Functional Genomics, and School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.
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3
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Cunningham SC, van Dijk EB, Zhu E, Sugden M, Mandwie M, Siew S, Devanapalli B, Tolun AA, Klein A, Wilson L, Aryamanesh N, Gissen P, Baruteau J, Bhattacharya K, Alexander IE. Recapitulation of Skewed X-Inactivation in Female Ornithine Transcarbamylase-Deficient Primary Human Hepatocytes in the FRG Mouse: A Novel System for Developing Epigenetic Therapies. Hum Gene Ther 2023; 34:917-926. [PMID: 37350098 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2023.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Realization of the immense therapeutic potential of epigenetic editing requires development of clinically predictive model systems that faithfully recapitulate relevant aspects of the target disease pathophysiology. In female patients with ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency, an X-linked condition, skewed inactivation of the X chromosome carrying the wild-type OTC allele is associated with increased disease severity. The majority of affected female patients can be managed medically, but a proportion require liver transplantation. With rapid development of epigenetic editing technology, reactivation of silenced wild-type OTC alleles is becoming an increasingly plausible therapeutic approach. Toward this end, privileged access to explanted diseased livers from two affected female infants provided the opportunity to explore whether engraftment and expansion of dissociated patient-derived hepatocytes in the FRG mouse might produce a relevant model for evaluation of epigenetic interventions. Hepatocytes from both infants were successfully used to generate chimeric mouse-human livers, in which clusters of primary human hepatocytes were either OTC positive or negative by immunohistochemistry (IHC), consistent with clonal expansion from individual hepatocytes in which the mutant or wild-type OTC allele was inactivated, respectively. Enumeration of the proportion of OTC-positive or -negative human hepatocyte clusters was consistent with dramatic skewing in one infant and minimal to modest skewing in the other. Importantly, IHC and fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis of intact and dissociated liver samples from both infants showed qualitatively similar patterns, confirming that the chimeric mouse-human liver model recapitulated the native state in each infant. Also of importance was the induction of a treatable metabolic phenotype, orotic aciduria, in mice, which correlated with the presence of clonally expanded OTC-negative primary human hepatocytes. We are currently using this unique model to explore CRISPR-dCas9-based epigenetic targeting strategies in combination with efficient adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene delivery to reactivate the silenced functional OTC gene on the inactive X chromosome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon C Cunningham
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney and Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Westmead, Australia
| | - Eva B van Dijk
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney and Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Westmead, Australia
| | - Erhua Zhu
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney and Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Westmead, Australia
| | - Maya Sugden
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney and Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Westmead, Australia
| | - Mawj Mandwie
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney and Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Westmead, Australia
| | - Susan Siew
- Department of Gastroenterology, James Fairfax Institute of Paediatric Nutrition, Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Westmead, Australia
- Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, Australia
| | - Beena Devanapalli
- NSW Biochemical Genetics Service, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, Australia
| | - Adviye Ayper Tolun
- Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, Australia
- NSW Biochemical Genetics Service, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, Australia
| | - Anne Klein
- Australian e-Health Research Centre, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Sydney, Australia
| | - Laurence Wilson
- Australian e-Health Research Centre, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Sydney, Australia
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, Australia
| | - Nader Aryamanesh
- Embryology Research Unit, Bioinformatics Group, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, Australia
| | - Paul Gissen
- National Institute for Health Research Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Julien Baruteau
- National Institute for Health Research Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kaustuv Bhattacharya
- Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, Australia
- Genetic Metabolic Disorders Service, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, Australia
| | - Ian E Alexander
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney and Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Westmead, Australia
- Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, Australia
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4
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Chehelgerdi M, Chehelgerdi M. The use of RNA-based treatments in the field of cancer immunotherapy. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:106. [PMID: 37420174 PMCID: PMC10401791 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01807-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past several decades, mRNA vaccines have evolved from a theoretical concept to a clinical reality. These vaccines offer several advantages over traditional vaccine techniques, including their high potency, rapid development, low-cost manufacturing, and safe administration. However, until recently, concerns over the instability and inefficient distribution of mRNA in vivo have limited their utility. Fortunately, recent technological advancements have mostly resolved these concerns, resulting in the development of numerous mRNA vaccination platforms for infectious diseases and various types of cancer. These platforms have shown promising outcomes in both animal models and humans. This study highlights the potential of mRNA vaccines as a promising alternative approach to conventional vaccine techniques and cancer treatment. This review article aims to provide a thorough and detailed examination of mRNA vaccines, including their mechanisms of action and potential applications in cancer immunotherapy. Additionally, the article will analyze the current state of mRNA vaccine technology and highlight future directions for the development and implementation of this promising vaccine platform as a mainstream therapeutic option. The review will also discuss potential challenges and limitations of mRNA vaccines, such as their stability and in vivo distribution, and suggest ways to overcome these issues. By providing a comprehensive overview and critical analysis of mRNA vaccines, this review aims to contribute to the advancement of this innovative approach to cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Chehelgerdi
- Novin Genome (NG) Lab, Research and Development Center for Biotechnology, Shahrekord, Iran.
- Young Researchers and Elite Club, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran.
| | - Matin Chehelgerdi
- Novin Genome (NG) Lab, Research and Development Center for Biotechnology, Shahrekord, Iran
- Young Researchers and Elite Club, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran
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5
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Dong MB, Tang K, Zhou X, Shen J, Chen K, Kim HR, Zhou J, Cao H, Vandenbulcke E, Zhang Y, Chow RD, Du A, Suzuki K, Fang SY, Majety M, Dai X, Chen S. Cas12a/Cpf1 knock-in mice enable efficient multiplexed immune cell engineering. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.14.532657. [PMID: 36993642 PMCID: PMC10055166 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.14.532657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Cas9 transgenic animals have drastically accelerated the discovery of novel immune modulators. But due to its inability to process its own CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs), simultaneous multiplexed gene perturbations using Cas9 remains limited, especially by pseudoviral vectors. Cas12a/Cpf1, however, can process concatenated crRNA arrays for this purpose. Here, we created conditional and constitutive LbCas12a knock-in transgenic mice. With these mice, we demonstrated efficient multiplexed gene editing and surface protein knockdown within individual primary immune cells. We showed genome editing across multiple types of primary immune cells including CD4 and CD8 T cells, B cells, and bone-marrow derived dendritic cells. These transgenic animals, along with the accompanying viral vectors, together provide a versatile toolkit for a broad range of ex vivo and in vivo gene editing applications, including fundamental immunological discovery and immune gene engineering.
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6
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Therapeutic strategies for autism: targeting three levels of the central dogma of molecular biology. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:58. [PMID: 36792602 PMCID: PMC9931756 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02356-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The past decade has yielded much success in the identification of risk genes for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), with many studies implicating loss-of-function (LoF) mutations within these genes. Despite this, no significant clinical advances have been made so far in the development of therapeutics for ASD. Given the role of LoF mutations in ASD etiology, many of the therapeutics in development are designed to rescue the haploinsufficient effect of genes at the transcriptional, translational, and protein levels. This review will discuss the various therapeutic techniques being developed from each level of the central dogma with examples including: CRISPR activation (CRISPRa) and gene replacement at the DNA level, antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) at the mRNA level, and small-molecule drugs at the protein level, followed by a review of current delivery methods for these therapeutics. Since central nervous system (CNS) penetrance is of utmost importance for ASD therapeutics, it is especially necessary to evaluate delivery methods that have higher efficiency in crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB).
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7
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Pakalniškytė D, Schönberger T, Strobel B, Stierstorfer B, Lamla T, Schuler M, Lenter M. Rosa26-LSL-dCas9-VPR: a versatile mouse model for tissue specific and simultaneous activation of multiple genes for drug discovery. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19268. [PMID: 36357523 PMCID: PMC9649745 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23127-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Transgenic animals with increased or abrogated target gene expression are powerful tools for drug discovery research. Here, we developed a CRISPR-based Rosa26-LSL-dCas9-VPR mouse model for targeted induction of endogenous gene expression using different Adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid variants for tissue-specific gRNAs delivery. To show applicability of the model, we targeted low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), either individually or together. We induced up to ninefold higher expression of hepatocellular proteins. In consequence of LDLR upregulation, plasma LDL levels almost abolished, whereas upregulation of PCSK9 led to increased plasma LDL and cholesterol levels. Strikingly, simultaneous upregulation of both LDLR and PCSK9 resulted in almost unaltered LDL levels. Additionally, we used our model to achieve expression of all α1-Antitrypsin (AAT) gene paralogues simultaneously. These results show the potential of our model as a versatile tool for optimized targeted gene expression, alone or in combination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalia Pakalniškytė
- grid.420061.10000 0001 2171 7500Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Drug Discovery Sciences, 88400 Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Tanja Schönberger
- grid.420061.10000 0001 2171 7500Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Drug Discovery Sciences, 88400 Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Benjamin Strobel
- grid.420061.10000 0001 2171 7500Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Drug Discovery Sciences, 88400 Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Birgit Stierstorfer
- grid.420061.10000 0001 2171 7500Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Nonclinical Drug Safety Germany, 88400 Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Thorsten Lamla
- grid.420061.10000 0001 2171 7500Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Discovery Research Coordination, 88400 Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Michael Schuler
- grid.420061.10000 0001 2171 7500Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Drug Discovery Sciences, 88400 Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Martin Lenter
- grid.420061.10000 0001 2171 7500Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Drug Discovery Sciences, 88400 Biberach an der Riß, Germany
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8
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Ding X, Yu L, Chen L, Li Y, Zhang J, Sheng H, Ren Z, Li Y, Yu X, Jin S, Cao J. Recent Progress and Future Prospect of CRISPR/Cas-Derived Transcription Activation (CRISPRa) System in Plants. Cells 2022; 11:3045. [PMID: 36231007 PMCID: PMC9564188 DOI: 10.3390/cells11193045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Revised: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome editing technology has become one of the hottest research areas in recent years. Among diverse genome editing tools, the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats/CRISPR-associated proteins system (CRISPR/Cas system) has exhibited the obvious advantages of specificity, simplicity, and flexibility over any previous genome editing system. In addition, the emergence of Cas9 mutants, such as dCas9 (dead Cas9), which lost its endonuclease activity but maintains DNA recognition activity with the guide RNA, provides powerful genetic manipulation tools. In particular, combining the dCas9 protein and transcriptional activator to achieve specific regulation of gene expression has made important contributions to biotechnology in medical research as well as agriculture. CRISPR/dCas9 activation (CRISPRa) can increase the transcription of endogenous genes. Overexpression of foreign genes by traditional transgenic technology in plant cells is the routine method to verify gene function by elevating genes transcription. One of the main limitations of the overexpression is the vector capacity constraint that makes it difficult to express multiple genes using the typical Ti plasmid vectors from Agrobacterium. The CRISPRa system can overcome these limitations of the traditional gene overexpression method and achieve multiple gene activation by simply designating several guide RNAs in one vector. This review summarizes the latest progress based on the development of CRISPRa systems, including SunTag, dCas9-VPR, dCas9-TV, scRNA, SAM, and CRISPR-Act and their applications in plants. Furthermore, limitations, challenges of current CRISPRa systems and future prospective applications are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Ding
- Institute of Cotton, Shanxi Agricultural University, Yuncheng 044000, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Lu Yu
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Luo Chen
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yujie Li
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jinlun Zhang
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Hanyan Sheng
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Zhengwei Ren
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Yunlong Li
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Xiaohan Yu
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Shuangxia Jin
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jinglin Cao
- Tobacco Research Institute of Hubei Province, Wuhan 430030, China
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9
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Deng Y, Diepstraten ST, Potts MA, Giner G, Trezise S, Ng AP, Healey G, Kane SR, Cooray A, Behrens K, Heidersbach A, Kueh AJ, Pal M, Wilcox S, Tai L, Alexander WS, Visvader JE, Nutt SL, Strasser A, Haley B, Zhao Q, Kelly GL, Herold MJ. Generation of a CRISPR activation mouse that enables modelling of aggressive lymphoma and interrogation of venetoclax resistance. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4739. [PMID: 35961968 PMCID: PMC9374748 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32485-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR technologies have advanced cancer modelling in mice, but CRISPR activation (CRISPRa) methods have not been exploited in this context. We establish a CRISPRa mouse (dCas9a-SAMKI) for inducing gene expression in vivo and in vitro. Using dCas9a-SAMKI primary lymphocytes, we induce B cell restricted genes in T cells and vice versa, demonstrating the power of this system. There are limited models of aggressive double hit lymphoma. Therefore, we transactivate pro-survival BCL-2 in Eµ-MycT/+;dCas9a-SAMKI/+ haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Mice transplanted with these cells rapidly develop lymphomas expressing high BCL-2 and MYC. Unlike standard Eµ-Myc lymphomas, BCL-2 expressing lymphomas are highly sensitive to the BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax. We perform genome-wide activation screens in these lymphoma cells and find a dominant role for the BCL-2 protein A1 in venetoclax resistance. Here we show the potential of our CRISPRa model for mimicking disease and providing insights into resistance mechanisms towards targeted therapies. Modelling of aggressive lymphomas, such as double hit lymphoma, has been challenging. Here the authors engineer a CRISPR activation mouse to enable the generation of these aggressive lymphomas and identify the pro-survival BCL-2 protein A1 as a venetoclax resistance factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yexuan Deng
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.,The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Sarah T Diepstraten
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Margaret A Potts
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Göknur Giner
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Stephanie Trezise
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Ashley P Ng
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Gerry Healey
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Serena R Kane
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Amali Cooray
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Kira Behrens
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Amy Heidersbach
- School of Dentistry and Medical Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia
| | - Andrew J Kueh
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Martin Pal
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,School of Dentistry and Medical Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia
| | - Stephen Wilcox
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Lin Tai
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Warren S Alexander
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jane E Visvader
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Stephen L Nutt
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Andreas Strasser
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Benjamin Haley
- Department of Molecular Biology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Quan Zhao
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Gemma L Kelly
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Marco J Herold
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. .,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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Thege FI, Rupani DN, Barathi BB, Manning SL, Maitra A, Rhim AD, Wörmann SM. A Programmable In Vivo CRISPR Activation Model Elucidates the Oncogenic and Immunosuppressive Functions of MYC in Lung Adenocarcinoma. Cancer Res 2022; 82:2761-2776. [PMID: 35666804 PMCID: PMC9357118 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-21-4009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Conventional genetically engineered mouse models (GEMM) are time-consuming, laborious, and offer limited spatiotemporal control. Here, we describe the development of a streamlined platform for in vivo gene activation using CRISPR activation (CRISPRa) technology. Unlike conventional GEMMs, this model system allows for flexible, sustained, and timed activation of one or more target genes using single or pooled lentiviral guides. Myc and Yap1 were used as model oncogenes to demonstrate gene activation in primary pancreatic organoid cultures in vitro and enhanced tumorigenic potential in Myc-activated organoids when transplanted orthotopically in vivo. Implementation of this model as an autochthonous lung cancer model showed that transduction-mediated activation of Myc led to accelerated tumor progression and significantly reduced overall survival relative to nontargeted tumor controls. Furthermore, Myc activation led to the acquisition of an immune suppressive, "cold" tumor microenvironment. Cross-species validation of these results using publicly available RNA/DNA-seq datasets linked MYC to a previously described immunosuppressive molecular subtype in patient tumors, thus identifying a patient cohort that may benefit from combined MYC- and immune-targeted therapies. Overall, this work demonstrates how CRISPRa can be used for rapid functional validation of putative oncogenes and may allow for the identification and evaluation of potential metastatic and oncogenic drivers through competitive screening. SIGNIFICANCE A streamlined platform for programmable CRISPR gene activation enables rapid evaluation and functional validation of putative oncogenes in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fredrik I. Thege
- Ahmed Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- CORRESPONDANCE: Fredrik I. Thege, , Sonja M. Wörmann, , MD Anderson Cancer Center, Zayed Building, Z3.2065, 6565 MD Anderson Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Dhwani N. Rupani
- Department of Clinical Cancer Prevention, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Bhargavi B. Barathi
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sara L. Manning
- Ahmed Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Anirban Maitra
- Ahmed Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Andrew D. Rhim
- Ahmed Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sonja M. Wörmann
- Ahmed Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- CORRESPONDANCE: Fredrik I. Thege, , Sonja M. Wörmann, , MD Anderson Cancer Center, Zayed Building, Z3.2065, 6565 MD Anderson Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA
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11
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Kühn R. Genome engineering in rodents - status quo and perspectives. Lab Anim 2021; 56:83-87. [PMID: 34674587 DOI: 10.1177/00236772211051842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The introduction of the CRISPR-Cas9 system in 2013 has revolutionized experimental genetics in mice and rats. This commentary gives an overview on the use of CRISPR either for gene editing in the germline or for editing and beyond editing in somatic cells. Future perspectives are opened by emerging CRISPR technologies that could enable genome engineering at larger scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralf Kühn
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Germany
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