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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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Bañuls L, Pellicer D, Castillo S, Navarro-García MM, Magallón M, González C, Dasí F. Gene Therapy in Rare Respiratory Diseases: What Have We Learned So Far? J Clin Med 2020; 9:E2577. [PMID: 32784514 PMCID: PMC7463867 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9082577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 07/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene therapy is an alternative therapy in many respiratory diseases with genetic origin and currently without curative treatment. After five decades of progress, many different vectors and gene editing tools for genetic engineering are now available. However, we are still a long way from achieving a safe and efficient approach to gene therapy application in clinical practice. Here, we review three of the most common rare respiratory conditions-cystic fibrosis (CF), alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), and primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD)-alongside attempts to develop genetic treatment for these diseases. Since the 1990s, gene augmentation therapy has been applied in multiple clinical trials targeting CF and AATD, especially using adeno-associated viral vectors, resulting in a good safety profile but with low efficacy in protein expression. Other strategies, such as non-viral vectors and more recently gene editing tools, have also been used to address these diseases in pre-clinical studies. The first gene therapy approach in PCD was in 2009 when a lentiviral transduction was performed to restore gene expression in vitro; since then, transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALEN) technology has also been applied in primary cell culture. Gene therapy is an encouraging alternative treatment for these respiratory diseases; however, more research is needed to ensure treatment safety and efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucía Bañuls
- Research group on Rare Respiratory Diseases (ERR), Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 15, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (L.B.); (D.P.); (M.M.)
- Research group on Rare Respiratory Diseases (ERR), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria INCLIVA, Fundación Investigación Hospital Clínico Valencia, Avda. Menéndez y Pelayo, 4, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (S.C.); (M.M.N.-G.); (C.G.)
| | - Daniel Pellicer
- Research group on Rare Respiratory Diseases (ERR), Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 15, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (L.B.); (D.P.); (M.M.)
- Research group on Rare Respiratory Diseases (ERR), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria INCLIVA, Fundación Investigación Hospital Clínico Valencia, Avda. Menéndez y Pelayo, 4, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (S.C.); (M.M.N.-G.); (C.G.)
| | - Silvia Castillo
- Research group on Rare Respiratory Diseases (ERR), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria INCLIVA, Fundación Investigación Hospital Clínico Valencia, Avda. Menéndez y Pelayo, 4, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (S.C.); (M.M.N.-G.); (C.G.)
- Paediatrics Unit, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 17, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - María Mercedes Navarro-García
- Research group on Rare Respiratory Diseases (ERR), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria INCLIVA, Fundación Investigación Hospital Clínico Valencia, Avda. Menéndez y Pelayo, 4, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (S.C.); (M.M.N.-G.); (C.G.)
| | - María Magallón
- Research group on Rare Respiratory Diseases (ERR), Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 15, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (L.B.); (D.P.); (M.M.)
- Research group on Rare Respiratory Diseases (ERR), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria INCLIVA, Fundación Investigación Hospital Clínico Valencia, Avda. Menéndez y Pelayo, 4, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (S.C.); (M.M.N.-G.); (C.G.)
| | - Cruz González
- Research group on Rare Respiratory Diseases (ERR), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria INCLIVA, Fundación Investigación Hospital Clínico Valencia, Avda. Menéndez y Pelayo, 4, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (S.C.); (M.M.N.-G.); (C.G.)
- Pneumology Unit, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 17, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Francisco Dasí
- Research group on Rare Respiratory Diseases (ERR), Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 15, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (L.B.); (D.P.); (M.M.)
- Research group on Rare Respiratory Diseases (ERR), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria INCLIVA, Fundación Investigación Hospital Clínico Valencia, Avda. Menéndez y Pelayo, 4, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (S.C.); (M.M.N.-G.); (C.G.)
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