1
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Sato A, Tsukiyama T, Komeno M, Iwatani C, Tsuchiya H, Kawamoto I, Murase M, Nakagawa T, Itagaki I, Seita Y, Matsumoto S, Nakaya M, Shimizu A, Yamada A, Ema M, Ogita H. Generation of a familial hypercholesterolemia model in non-human primate. Sci Rep 2023; 13:15649. [PMID: 37730951 PMCID: PMC10511719 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42763-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an inherited autosomal dominant disorder that is associated with a high plasma level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, leading to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. To develop basic and translational research on FH, we here generated an FH model in a non-human primate (cynomolgus monkeys) by deleting the LDL receptor (LDLR) gene using the genome editing technique. Six LDLR knockout (KO) monkeys were produced, all of which were confirmed to have mutations in the LDLR gene by sequence analysis. The levels of plasma cholesterol and triglyceride were quite high in the monkeys, and were similar to those in FH patients with homozygous mutations in the LDLR gene. In addition, periocular xanthoma was observed only 1 year after birth. Lipoprotein profile analysis showed that the plasma very low-density lipoprotein and LDL were elevated, while the plasma high density lipoprotein was decreased in LDLR KO monkeys. The LDLR KO monkeys were also strongly resistant to medications for hypercholesterolemia. Taken together, we successfully generated a non-human primate model of hypercholesterolemia in which the phenotype is similar to that of homozygous FH patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akira Sato
- Division of Molecular Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta Tsukinowa-Cho, Otsu, Shiga, 520-2192, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Tsukiyama
- Research Center for Animal Life Science, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI-ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Masahiro Komeno
- Division of Molecular Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta Tsukinowa-Cho, Otsu, Shiga, 520-2192, Japan
| | - Chizuru Iwatani
- Research Center for Animal Life Science, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Hideaki Tsuchiya
- Research Center for Animal Life Science, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Ikuo Kawamoto
- Research Center for Animal Life Science, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Murase
- Research Center for Animal Life Science, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Takahiro Nakagawa
- Research Center for Animal Life Science, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Iori Itagaki
- Research Center for Animal Life Science, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Yasunari Seita
- Department of Stem Cells and Human Disease Models, Research Center for Animal Life Science, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Shoma Matsumoto
- Department of Stem Cells and Human Disease Models, Research Center for Animal Life Science, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Masataka Nakaya
- Research Center for Animal Life Science, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI-ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Akio Shimizu
- Division of Molecular Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta Tsukinowa-Cho, Otsu, Shiga, 520-2192, Japan
| | - Atsushi Yamada
- Medical Innovation Research Center, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Masatsugu Ema
- Research Center for Animal Life Science, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI-ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Department of Stem Cells and Human Disease Models, Research Center for Animal Life Science, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan
| | - Hisakazu Ogita
- Division of Molecular Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta Tsukinowa-Cho, Otsu, Shiga, 520-2192, Japan.
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2
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Takenaka A, Suzuki J, Tanaka H, Hibino K, Kamanaka Y, Nakamura S, Mitsunaga F, Kawamoto Y, Morimoto M, Aisu S, Natsume T. Hypercholesterolemia induced by spontaneous oligogenic mutations in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). J Med Primatol 2023. [PMID: 37186395 DOI: 10.1111/jmp.12642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A rhesus macaque with the fourth highest plasma cholesterol (CH) levels of 501 breeding macaques was identified 22 years ago. Seven offspring with gene mutations causing hypercholesterolemia were obtained. METHODS Activity of low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), plasma CH levels and mRNA expression levels of LDLR were measured after administration of 0.1% (0.27 mg/kcal) or 0.3% CH. RESULTS Activity of p. (Cys82Tyr) of LDLR was 71% and 42% in the heterozygotes and a homozygote, respectively. The mRNA expression level of LDLR in the p. (Val241Ile) of membrane-bound transcription factor protease, site 2 (MBTPS2, S2P protein) was 0.83 times lower than normal levels. LDLR mRNA levels were increased for up to 4 weeks by administration of 0.3% CH before suddenly decreasing to 80% of the baseline levels after 6 weeks. CONCLUSION Oligogenic mutations of p. (Cys82Tyr) in LDLR and p. (Val241Ile) in MBTPS2 (S2P) caused hypercholesterolemia exceeding cardiovascular risk levels under a 0.1% CH diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akiko Takenaka
- Department of Health and Nutrition, Faculty of Health and Human Life, Nagoya Bunri University, Inazawa, Japan
| | - Juri Suzuki
- Center for Human Evolution Modeling Research, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Tanaka
- Center for Human Evolution Modeling Research, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Kumiko Hibino
- Department Food and Nutrition, College of Nagoya Bunri University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Yoshiro Kamanaka
- Center for Human Evolution Modeling Research, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Shin Nakamura
- NPO Primate Agora, Biomedical Institute, Gifu, Japan
| | | | - Yoshi Kawamoto
- Center for Human Evolution Modeling Research, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Mayumi Morimoto
- Center for Human Evolution Modeling Research, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Seitaro Aisu
- Center for Human Evolution Modeling Research, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Takayoshi Natsume
- Center for Human Evolution Modeling Research, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
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3
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Abstract
Retinal degenerative diseases caused by photoreceptor cell death are major causes of irreversible vision loss. As only primates have a macula, the nonhuman primate (NHP) models have a crucial role not only in revealing biological mechanisms underlying high-acuity vision but also in the development of therapies. Successful translation of basic research findings into clinical trials and, moreover, approval of the first therapies for blinding inherited and age-related retinal dystrophies has been reported in recent years. This article explores the value of the NHP models in understanding human vision and reviews their contribution to the development of innovative therapeutic strategies to save and restore vision.
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4
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Moshiri A, Chen R, Kim S, Harris RA, Li Y, Raveendran M, Davis S, Liang Q, Pomerantz O, Wang J, Garzel L, Cameron A, Yiu G, Stout JT, Huang Y, Murphy CJ, Roberts J, Gopalakrishna KN, Boyd K, Artemyev NO, Rogers J, Thomasy SM. A nonhuman primate model of inherited retinal disease. J Clin Invest 2019; 129:863-874. [PMID: 30667376 PMCID: PMC6355306 DOI: 10.1172/jci123980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Inherited retinal degenerations are a common cause of untreatable blindness worldwide, with retinitis pigmentosa and cone dystrophy affecting approximately 1 in 3500 and 1 in 10,000 individuals, respectively. A major limitation to the development of effective therapies is the lack of availability of animal models that fully replicate the human condition. Particularly for cone disorders, rodent, canine, and feline models with no true macula have substantive limitations. By contrast, the cone-rich macula of a nonhuman primate (NHP) closely mirrors that of the human retina. Consequently, well-defined NHP models of heritable retinal diseases, particularly cone disorders that are predictive of human conditions, are necessary to more efficiently advance new therapies for patients. We have identified 4 related NHPs at the California National Primate Research Center with visual impairment and findings from clinical ophthalmic examination, advanced retinal imaging, and electrophysiology consistent with achromatopsia. Genetic sequencing confirmed a homozygous R565Q missense mutation in the catalytic domain of PDE6C, a cone-specific phototransduction enzyme associated with achromatopsia in humans. Biochemical studies demonstrate that the mutant mRNA is translated into a stable protein that displays normal cellular localization but is unable to hydrolyze cyclic GMP (cGMP). This NHP model of a cone disorder will not only serve as a therapeutic testing ground for achromatopsia gene replacement, but also for optimization of gene editing in the macula and of cone cell replacement in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ala Moshiri
- Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science, School of Medicine, UC Davis, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Rui Chen
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, and.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Soohyun Kim
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - R Alan Harris
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, and
| | - Yumei Li
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, and
| | | | - Sarah Davis
- California National Primate Research Center, Davis, California, USA
| | - Qingnan Liang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Ori Pomerantz
- California National Primate Research Center, Davis, California, USA
| | - Jun Wang
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, and
| | - Laura Garzel
- California National Primate Research Center, Davis, California, USA
| | - Ashley Cameron
- California National Primate Research Center, Davis, California, USA
| | - Glenn Yiu
- Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science, School of Medicine, UC Davis, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - J Timothy Stout
- Department of Ophthalmology, Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | - Christopher J Murphy
- Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science, School of Medicine, UC Davis, Sacramento, California, USA.,Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA.,EyeKor Inc., Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Jeffrey Roberts
- Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA.,California National Primate Research Center, Davis, California, USA
| | | | - Kimberly Boyd
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, and
| | - Nikolai O Artemyev
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, and.,Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Jeffrey Rogers
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, and
| | - Sara M Thomasy
- Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science, School of Medicine, UC Davis, Sacramento, California, USA.,Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA
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5
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Tranchart H, Gaillard M, Diop PS, Goulinet S, Lainas P, Dagher I. Transplantation of genetically modified hepatocytes after liver preconditioning in Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic rabbit. J Surg Res 2017; 224:23-32. [PMID: 29506845 DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2017.11.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2017] [Revised: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocyte transplantation is a potentially less invasive alternative to liver transplantation for treating inherited metabolic liver diseases. We developed an autotransplantation protocol of ex vivo genetically modified hepatocytes combining lentiviral transduction and transplantation after liver preconditioning by partial portal vein embolization. We investigated the metabolic efficiency of this approach in Watanabe rabbits, animal model of familial hypercholesterolemia. METHODS Our autotransplantation experimental protocol was used in two groups of rabbits (n = 10), experimental and sham, receiving transduced and control hepatocytes, respectively. Isolated hepatocytes from left liver lobes were transduced using recombinant lentiviruses. Median lobe portal branches were embolized under fluoroscopic control. Functional measurement of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor expression was assessed by LDL internalization assays. Cholesterol level evolution was monitored. Rabbits were killed 20 wk after the procedure. RESULTS Three rabbits of each group died several hours after hepatocyte transplantation; autopsy revealed portal vein thrombosis in two rabbits from each group. The protocol was therefore modified with hepatocytes being transplanted through splenic injection. Lentiviral hepatocyte transduction efficacy was 64.5%. Fluorescence microscopy revealed Dil-LDL internalization of transduced hepatocytes. Seven rabbits in each group were considered for lipid analysis. Four weeks after autotransplantation, median total cholesterol level decreased in the experimental group, without reaching statistical significance (8.9 [8.0-9.8] g/L versus 6.3 [0.5-8.3]; P = 0.171). In the experimental group, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay detected significant antibody expression against human low-density lipoprotein receptor. CONCLUSIONS Autotransplantation protocol allowed a nonstatistically significant improvement of the lipid profile in Watanabe rabbits. Further experiments involving a larger number of animals are necessary to confirm or refute our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadrien Tranchart
- INSERM U1193, Paul Brousse Hospital, Villejuif, France; Department of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Antoine Béclère Hospital, AP-HP, Paris-Sud University, Clamart, France.
| | - Martin Gaillard
- INSERM U1193, Paul Brousse Hospital, Villejuif, France; Department of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Antoine Béclère Hospital, AP-HP, Paris-Sud University, Clamart, France
| | - Papa Saloum Diop
- INSERM U1193, Paul Brousse Hospital, Villejuif, France; Department of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Antoine Béclère Hospital, AP-HP, Paris-Sud University, Clamart, France
| | | | - Panagiotis Lainas
- INSERM U1193, Paul Brousse Hospital, Villejuif, France; Department of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Antoine Béclère Hospital, AP-HP, Paris-Sud University, Clamart, France
| | - Ibrahim Dagher
- INSERM U1193, Paul Brousse Hospital, Villejuif, France; Department of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Antoine Béclère Hospital, AP-HP, Paris-Sud University, Clamart, France
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6
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Kamar A, Fahed AC, Shibbani K, El-Hachem N, Bou-Slaiman S, Arabi M, Kurban M, Seidman JG, Seidman CE, Haidar R, Baydoun E, Nemer G, Bitar F. A Novel Role for CSRP1 in a Lebanese Family with Congenital Cardiac Defects. Front Genet 2017; 8:217. [PMID: 29326753 PMCID: PMC5741687 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2017.00217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite an obvious role for consanguinity in congenital heart disease (CHD), most studies fail to document a monogenic model of inheritance except for few cases. We hereby describe a first-degree cousins consanguineous Lebanese family with 7 conceived children: 2 died in utero of unknown causes, 3 have CHD, and 4 have polydactyly. The aim of the study is to unveil the genetic variant(s) causing these phenotypes using next generation sequencing (NGS) technology. Targeted exome sequencing identified a heterozygous duplication in CSRP1 which leads to a potential frameshift mutation at position 154 of the protein. This mutation is inherited from the father, and segregates only with the CHD phenotype. The in vitro characterization demonstrates that the mutation dramatically abrogates its transcriptional activity over cardiac promoters like NPPA. In addition, it differentially inhibits the physical association of CSRP1 with SRF, GATA4, and with the newly described partner herein TBX5. Whole exome sequencing failed to show any potential variant linked to polydactyly, but revealed a novel missense mutation in TRPS1. This mutation is inherited from the healthy mother, and segregating only with the cardiac phenotype. Both TRPS1 and CSRP1 physically interact, and the mutations in each abrogate their partnership. Our findings add fundamental knowledge into the molecular basis of CHD, and propose the di-genic model of inheritance as responsible for such malformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amina Kamar
- Department of Biology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Akl C Fahed
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Division of Cardiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kamel Shibbani
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Nehme El-Hachem
- Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Salim Bou-Slaiman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Mariam Arabi
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Mazen Kurban
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.,Department of Dermatology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.,Department of Dermatology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Jonathan G Seidman
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Christine E Seidman
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Division of Cardiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Rachid Haidar
- Department of Surgery, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Elias Baydoun
- Department of Biology, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Georges Nemer
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Fadi Bitar
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
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7
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Greig JA, Limberis MP, Bell P, Chen SJ, Calcedo R, Rader DJ, Wilson JM. Non-Clinical Study Examining AAV8.TBG.hLDLR Vector-Associated Toxicity in Chow-Fed Wild-Type and LDLR +/- Rhesus Macaques. HUM GENE THER CL DEV 2017; 28:39-50. [PMID: 28319449 DOI: 10.1089/humc.2017.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Vectors based on adeno-associated virus serotype 8 (AAV8) have been evaluated in several clinical trials of gene therapy for hemophilia B with encouraging results. In preparation for a Phase 1 clinical trial of AAV8 gene therapy for the treatment of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH), the safety of the clinical candidate vector, AAV8.TBG.hLDLR, was evaluated in wild-type rhesus macaques and macaques heterozygous for a nonsense mutation in the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) gene (LDLR+/-). Intravenous infusion of 1.25 × 1013 GC/kg of AAV8.TBG.hLDLR expressing the human version of LDLR was well tolerated and associated with only mild histopathology that was restricted to the liver and sporadic, low-level, and transient elevations in transaminases. Some animals developed T cells to both capsid and the hLDLR transgene, although these adaptive immune responses were most evident at the early time points from peripheral blood and in mononuclear cells derived from the liver. This toxicology study supports the safety of AAV8.TBG.hLDLR for evaluation in HoFH patients, and provides some context for evaluating previously conducted clinical trials of AAV8 in patients with hemophilia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny A Greig
- 1 Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Maria P Limberis
- 2 Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Peter Bell
- 1 Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Shu-Jen Chen
- 1 Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Roberto Calcedo
- 1 Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Daniel J Rader
- 3 Division of Translational Medicine and Human Genetics, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,4 Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - James M Wilson
- 1 Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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8
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Oka K, Mullins CE, Kushwaha RS, Leen AM, Chan L. Gene therapy for rhesus monkeys heterozygous for LDL receptor deficiency by balloon catheter hepatic delivery of helper-dependent adenoviral vector. Gene Ther 2015; 22:87-95. [PMID: 25231173 PMCID: PMC4289097 DOI: 10.1038/gt.2014.85] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2014] [Revised: 07/03/2014] [Accepted: 08/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Autosomal dominant familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a monogenic life-threatening disease. We tested the efficacy of low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) gene therapy using helper-dependent adenoviral vector (HDAd) in a nonhuman primate model of FH, comparing intravenous injection versus intrahepatic arterial injection in the presence of balloon catheter-based hepatic venous occlusion. Rhesus monkeys heterozygous for mutant LDLR gene (LDLR+/-) developed hypercholesterolemia while on a high-cholesterol diet. We treated them with HDAd-LDLR either by intravenous delivery or by catheter-based intrahepatic artery injection. Intravenous injection of ⩽1.1 × 10(12) viral particles (vp) kg(-1) failed to have any effect on plasma cholesterol. Increasing the dose to 5 × 10(12) vp kg(-1) led to a 59% lowering of the plasma cholesterol that lasted for 30 days before it returned to pre-treatment levels by day 40. A further increase in dose to 8.4 × 10(12) vp kg(-1) resulted in severe lethal toxicity. In contrast, direct hepatic artery injection following catheter-based hepatic venous occlusion enabled the use of a reduced HDAd-LDLR dose of 1 × 10(12) vp kg(-1) that lowered plasma cholesterol within a week, and reached a nadir of 59% pre-treatment level on days 20-48 after injection. Serum alanine aminotransferase remained normal until day 48 when it went up slightly and stayed mildly elevated on day 72 before it returned to normal on day 90. In this monkey, the HDAd-LDLR-induced trough of hypocholesterolemia started trending upward on day 72 and returned to pre-treatment levels on day 120. We measured the LDL apolipoprotein B turnover rate at 10 days before, and again 79 days after, HDAd-LDLR treatment in two monkeys that exhibited a cholesterol-lowering response. HDAd-LDLR therapy increased the LDL fractional catabolic rate by 78 and 50% in the two monkeys, coincident with an increase in hepatic LDLR mRNA expression. In conclusion, HDAd-mediated LDLR gene delivery to the liver using a balloon catheter occlusion procedure is effective in reversing hypercholesterolemia in a nonhuman primate FH model; however, the unsustainability of the hypocholesterolemic response during 3-4 months of follow up and heterogeneous response to the treatment remains a challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuhiro Oka
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine,
Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030,
USA
| | - Charles E. Mullins
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030,
USA
| | | | - Ann M Leen
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030,
USA
| | - Lawrence Chan
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine,
Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030,
USA
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9
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Ason B, van der Hoorn JWA, Chan J, Lee E, Pieterman EJ, Nguyen KK, Di M, Shetterly S, Tang J, Yeh WC, Schwarz M, Jukema JW, Scott R, Wasserman SM, Princen HMG, Jackson S. PCSK9 inhibition fails to alter hepatic LDLR, circulating cholesterol, and atherosclerosis in the absence of ApoE. J Lipid Res 2014; 55:2370-9. [PMID: 25258384 DOI: 10.1194/jlr.m053207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) contributes to coronary heart disease. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) increases LDL-C by inhibiting LDL-C clearance. The therapeutic potential for PCSK9 inhibitors is highlighted by the fact that PCSK9 loss-of-function carriers exhibit 15-30% lower circulating LDL-C and a disproportionately lower risk (47-88%) of experiencing a cardiovascular event. Here, we utilized pcsk9(-/-) mice and an anti-PCSK9 antibody to study the role of the LDL receptor (LDLR) and ApoE in PCSK9-mediated regulation of plasma cholesterol and atherosclerotic lesion development. We found that circulating cholesterol and atherosclerotic lesions were minimally modified in pcsk9(-/-) mice on either an LDLR- or ApoE-deficient background. Acute administration of an anti-PCSK9 antibody did not reduce circulating cholesterol in an ApoE-deficient background, but did reduce circulating cholesterol (-45%) and TGs (-36%) in APOE*3Leiden.cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) mice, which contain mouse ApoE, human mutant APOE3*Leiden, and a functional LDLR. Chronic anti-PCSK9 antibody treatment in APOE*3Leiden.CETP mice resulted in a significant reduction in atherosclerotic lesion area (-91%) and reduced lesion complexity. Taken together, these results indicate that both LDLR and ApoE are required for PCSK9 inhibitor-mediated reductions in atherosclerosis, as both are needed to increase hepatic LDLR expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Ason
- Metabolic Disorders Amgen, Inc., South San Francisco, CA
| | | | - Joyce Chan
- Metabolic Disorders Amgen, Inc., South San Francisco, CA
| | - Edward Lee
- Metabolic Disorders Amgen, Inc., South San Francisco, CA
| | - Elsbet J Pieterman
- TNO-Metabolic Health Research, Gaubius Laboratory, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Mei Di
- Metabolic Disorders Amgen, Inc., South San Francisco, CA
| | | | - Jie Tang
- Protein Technologies, Amgen, Inc., South San Francisco, CA
| | - Wen-Chen Yeh
- Metabolic Disorders Amgen, Inc., South San Francisco, CA
| | | | - J Wouter Jukema
- Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Rob Scott
- Cardiovascular, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA
| | | | - Hans M G Princen
- TNO-Metabolic Health Research, Gaubius Laboratory, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Simon Jackson
- Metabolic Disorders Amgen, Inc., South San Francisco, CA
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10
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Vinson A, Prongay K, Ferguson B. The value of extended pedigrees for next-generation analysis of complex disease in the rhesus macaque. ILAR J 2014; 54:91-105. [PMID: 24174435 DOI: 10.1093/ilar/ilt041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Complex diseases (e.g., cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, among many others) pose the biggest threat to human health worldwide and are among the most challenging to investigate. Susceptibility to complex disease may be caused by multiple genetic variants (GVs) and their interaction, by environmental factors, and by interaction between GVs and environment, and large study cohorts with substantial analytical power are typically required to elucidate these individual contributions. Here, we discuss the advantages of both power and feasibility afforded by the use of extended pedigrees of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) for genetic studies of complex human disease based on next-generation sequence data. We present these advantages in the context of previous research conducted in rhesus macaques for several representative complex diseases. We also describe a single, multigeneration pedigree of Indian-origin rhesus macaques and a sample biobank we have developed for genetic analysis of complex disease, including power of this pedigree to detect causal GVs using either genetic linkage or association methods in a variance decomposition approach. Finally, we summarize findings of significant heritability for a number of quantitative traits that demonstrate that genetic contributions to risk factors for complex disease can be detected and measured in this pedigree. We conclude that the development and application of an extended pedigree to analysis of complex disease traits in the rhesus macaque have shown promising early success and that genome-wide genetic and higher order -omics studies in this pedigree are likely to yield useful insights into the architecture of complex human disease.
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Vinson A, Mitchell AD, Toffey D, Silver J, Raboin MJ. Sex-specific heritability of spontaneous lipid levels in an extended pedigree of Indian-origin rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). PLoS One 2013; 8:e72241. [PMID: 23951301 PMCID: PMC3738547 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0072241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2013] [Accepted: 07/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The rhesus macaque is an important model for human atherosclerosis but genetic determinants of relevant phenotypes have not yet been investigated in this species. Because lipid levels are well-established and heritable risk factors for human atherosclerosis, our goal was to assess the heritability of lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride levels in a single, extended pedigree of 1,289 Indian-origin rhesus macaques. Additionally, because increasing evidence supports sex differences in the genetic architecture of lipid levels and lipid metabolism in humans and macaques, we also explored sex-specific heritability for all lipid measures investigated in this study. Using standard methods, we measured lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride levels from fasted plasma in a sample of 193 pedigreed rhesus macaques selected for membership in large, paternal half-sib cohorts, and maintained on a low-fat, low cholesterol chow diet. Employing a variance components approach, we found moderate heritability for total cholesterol (h2=0.257, P=0.032), LDL cholesterol (h2=0.252, P=0.030), and triglyceride levels (h2=0.197, P=0.034) in the full sample. However, stratification by sex (N=68 males, N=125 females) revealed substantial sex-specific heritability for total cholesterol (0.644, P=0.004, females only), HDL cholesterol (0.843, P=0.0008, females only), VLDL cholesterol (0.482, P=0.018, males only), and triglyceride levels (0.705, P=0.001, males only) that was obscured or absent when sexes were combined in the full sample. We conclude that genes contribute to spontaneous variation in circulating lipid levels in the Indian-origin rhesus macaque in a sex-specific manner, and that the rhesus macaque is likely to be a valuable model for sex-specific genetic effects on lipid risk factors for human atherosclerosis. These findings are a first-ever report of heritability for cholesterol levels in this species, and support the need for expanded analysis of these traits in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Vinson
- Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, Oregon, United States of America.
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Kassim SH, Vandenberghe LH, Hovhannisyan R, Wilson JM, Rader DJ. Identification and functional characterization in vivo of a novel splice variant of LDLR in rhesus macaques. Physiol Genomics 2011; 43:911-6. [PMID: 21628398 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00006.2011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In the course of developing a low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) gene therapy treatment for homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH), we planned to examine the efficacy in a nonhuman primate model, the rhesus macaque heterozygous for an LDL receptor mutation fed a high-fat diet. Unexpectedly, our initial cDNA sequencing studies led to the identification of a heretofore unidentified splicing isoform of the rhesus LDLR gene. Compared with the publicly available GenBank reference sequence of rhesus LDLR, the novel isoform contains a 21 bp in frame insertion. This sequence coincides with part of exon 5 and creates a site for the restriction enzyme MscI. Using this site as a marker for the 21 bp in-frame insertion, we conducted a restriction enzyme screen to examine for the prevalence of the novel isoform in rhesus liver tissue cDNA and its homolog in human liver tissue cDNA. We found that the novel isoform is the predominant LDLR cDNA found in rhesus liver and the sole LDLR cDNA found in human liver. Finally, we compared the in vivo functionality of the novel and previously identified rhesus LDLR splicing isoforms in a mouse model of HoFH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadik H Kassim
- Gene Therapy Program, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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Abstract
Current approaches to the treatment of lipid disorders are inadequate for a substantial number of patients with severe hyperlipoproteinemia, isolated low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels, or other molecular disorders of lipoprotein metabolism. Therefore, dyslipidemias remain important targets for the development of novel therapies. Gene therapy is a logical therapeutic approach to monogenic lipoprotein disorders, such as homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, familial lipoprotein lipase deficiency, familial lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase deficiency, and abetalipoproteinemia, for which current therapies are inadequate. Gene therapy could also be used to increase expression of certain proteins, such as apolipoprotein A-I as a strategy to raise HDL cholesterol levels or apoE as a strategy for severe combined hyperlipidemia. With further progress in the development of vectors, gene therapy for severe dyslipidemia is likely to become a clinical reality.
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Affiliation(s)
- D J Rader
- Department of Medicine and Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6100, USA
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Fisher WR, Zech LA, Stacpoole PW. ApoB metabolism in familial hypercholesterolemia. Inconsistencies with the LDL receptor paradigm. ARTERIOSCLEROSIS AND THROMBOSIS : A JOURNAL OF VASCULAR BIOLOGY 1994; 14:501-10. [PMID: 8148348 DOI: 10.1161/01.atv.14.4.501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The biology of the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor has been examined in detail, and a paradigm for LDL metabolism has evolved from comparative studies of cholesterol metabolism in a variety of cells cultured from normal individuals and subjects with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). Cultured cells from patients with homozygous FH lack a functional LDL receptor and show diminished LDL clearance, induction of the enzyme hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, increased cholesterol synthesis, decreased cholesterol ester production, and depleted cholesterol ester stores. The observed decrease in the fractional catabolic rate (FCR) of LDL is attributed to the mutated LDL receptor gene. However, in the experimental animal model of this disease, the Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic (WHHL) rabbit, cholesterol ester stores are increased, while hepatic cholesterol synthesis is decreased. Furthermore, in humans HMG-CoA reductase is suppressed, and the LDL apolipoprotein (apo) B production rate is increased in patients with FH. These findings raise questions about the adequacy of the paradigm in understanding hepatic cholesterol metabolism in vivo. In humans, apoB metabolism is believed to be principally determined by the liver, where apoB is both synthesized and catabolized. Assuming the neutral lipid content of the liver is the major determinant of apoB metabolism, we postulated that the changes in apoB metabolism in FH are predictable when based on the assumption of an increase in hepatic cholesterol and cholesterol ester content, as observed both in the WHHL rabbit and in humans. We examined this hypothesis in vivo in patients with heterozygous FH by using tracer kinetic methodology and have used similar data from normal and hypertriglyceridemic (HTG) subjects as controls. Whereas normal and HTG subjects secrete apoB primarily as large, triglyceride-enriched very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), heterozygous FH patients have an absolute decrease in apoB production and secrete almost 40% of apoB as smaller intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL)/LDL. In normal humans, about half of secreted apoB is catabolized rather than being converted to LDL. In HTG subjects two thirds of apoB follows this same route, by which VLDL remnants remaining after triglyceride hydrolysis are largely returned to the liver. In contrast, in FH subjects secreted apoB is fully converted to LDL. Thus, although total apoB secretion is reduced in FH subjects, total LDL production is greater than in either normal or HTG subjects. Under basal conditions the elevated LDL in heterozygous FH is due to both decreased LDL receptor-mediated catabolism and increased LDL production. However, the number of LDL receptors actually expressed is suppressed below the number of potentially functional receptors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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Affiliation(s)
- W R Fisher
- Department of Medicine (Endocrinology and Metabolism), University of Florida, College of Medicine, Gainesville 32610
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Cavanaugh JA, Easteal S, Simons LA, Thomas DW, Serjeantson SW. FH-Sydney 1 and 2: two novel frameshift mutations in exon 10 of the low-density lipoprotein receptor gene detected by heteroduplex formation. Hum Mutat 1994; 4:276-80. [PMID: 7866407 DOI: 10.1002/humu.1380040408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
We report two novel frameshift mutations in exon 10 of the low-density lipoprotein receptor gene that lead to familial hypercholesterolemia in separate lineages. The lesions, FH-Sydney 1 and FH-Sydney 2, were detected by a modified heteroduplex analysis of exon-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplified DNA, and characterized at the molecular level by sequencing. Restriction enzyme digestion of PCR amplified DNA confirmed the presence of the mutant alleles in affected family members and their absence in nonaffected family members in both lineages. FH-Sydney 1 is a 4-bp duplication at position 1373, while FH-Sydney 2 is a 2-bp deletion at position 1478. The predicted result of both mutations is the premature truncation of the receptor at stop codons generated downstream of the mutations. Neither mutation was detected in a survey of 54 unrelated familial hypercholesterolemia patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- J A Cavanaugh
- Human Genetics Group, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra
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Scanu AM, Miles LA, Fless GM, Pfaffinger D, Eisenbart J, Jackson E, Hoover-Plow JL, Brunck T, Plow EF. Rhesus monkey lipoprotein(a) binds to lysine Sepharose and U937 monocytoid cells less efficiently than human lipoprotein(a). Evidence for the dominant role of kringle 4(37). J Clin Invest 1993; 91:283-91. [PMID: 8423225 PMCID: PMC330025 DOI: 10.1172/jci116182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Rhesus lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) binds less efficiently than human Lp(a) to lysine-Sepharose and to cultured U937 cells. Studies using elastase-derived plasminogen fragments indicated that neither kringle 5 nor the protease domain of Lp(a) are required in these interactions pointing at an involvement of the K4 region. Comparative structural analyses of both the human and simian apo(a) K4 domain, together with molecular modeling studies, supported the conclusion that K4(37) plays a dominant role in the lysine binding function of apo(a) and that the presence of arginine 72 rather than tryptophan in this kringle can account for the functional deficiency observed with rhesus Lp(a). These in vitro results suggest that rhesus Lp(a) may be less thrombogenic than human Lp(a).
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Affiliation(s)
- A M Scanu
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Illinois 60637
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Zannis VI, Kardassis D, Zanni EE. Genetic mutations affecting human lipoproteins, their receptors, and their enzymes. ADVANCES IN HUMAN GENETICS 1993; 21:145-319. [PMID: 8391199 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4615-3010-7_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- V I Zannis
- Department of Medicine, Housman Medical Research Center, Boston University Medical Center, Massachusetts 02118
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Koivisto UM, Turtola H, Aalto-Setälä K, Top B, Frants RR, Kovanen PT, Syvänen AC, Kontula K. The familial hypercholesterolemia (FH)-North Karelia mutation of the low density lipoprotein receptor gene deletes seven nucleotides of exon 6 and is a common cause of FH in Finland. J Clin Invest 1992; 90:219-28. [PMID: 1634609 PMCID: PMC443084 DOI: 10.1172/jci115839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
A mutation of the LDL receptor gene very common among Finnish patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) was identified. This mutation, designated as FH-North Karelia, deletes seven nucleotides from exon 6 of the LDL receptor gene, causes a translational frameshift, and is predicted to result in a truncated receptor protein. Only minute quantities of mRNA corresponding to the deleted gene were detected. Functional studies using cultured fibroblasts from the patients revealed that the FH-North Karelia gene is associated with a receptor-negative (or binding-defective) phenotype of FH. Carriers of the FH-North Karelia gene showed a typical xanthomatous form of FH, with mean serum total and LDL cholesterol levels of 12 and 10 mmol/liter, respectively. This mutation was found in 69 (34%) out of 201 nonrelated Finnish FH patients and was especially abundant (prevalence 79%) in patients from the eastern Finland. These results, combined with our earlier data on another LDL receptor gene deletion (FH-Helsinki), demonstrate that two "Finnish-type" mutant LDL receptor genes make up about two thirds of FH mutations in this country, reflecting a founder gene effect. This background provides good possibilities to examine whether genetic heterogeneity affects the clinical presentation or responsiveness to therapeutic interventions in FH.
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Affiliation(s)
- U M Koivisto
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Finland
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Abstract
Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is a low density lipoprotein which has apo(a) disulfide-linked to apoB100. Apo(a) has recently been shown to have a striking homology with plasminogen, a knowledge that has stimulated a lot of interest in the mechanism of atherogenicity and thrombogenicity of this lipoprotein particle. Several studies have documented the presence of Lp(a) in nonhuman primates with particular reference to the rhesus monkeys and baboons. The Lp(a) of rhesus monkey is structurally very similar to that of humans, except for the absence of kringle V and the amino acid composition of the catalytic region. The Lp(a) of nonhuman primates, like their human counterparts, exhibit a wide range of interindividual plasma levels and also a wide size polymorphism of apo(a). Nonhuman primates appear to represent a good model for the study of the structure and biology of Lp(a).
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Affiliation(s)
- K Makino
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Illinois 60637
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