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Hart CC, Lee YI, Xie J, Gao G, Lin BL, Hammers DW, Sweeney HL. Potential limitations of microdystrophin gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. JCI Insight 2024; 9:e165869. [PMID: 38713520 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.165869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Clinical trials delivering high doses of adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) expressing truncated dystrophin molecules (microdystrophins) are underway for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). We examined the efficiency and efficacy of this strategy with 4 microdystrophin constructs (3 in clinical trials and a variant of the largest clinical construct), in a severe mouse model of DMD, using AAV doses comparable with those in clinical trials. We achieved high levels of microdystrophin expression in striated muscles with cardiac expression approximately 10-fold higher than that observed in skeletal muscle. Significant, albeit incomplete, correction of skeletal muscle disease was observed. Surprisingly, a lethal acceleration of cardiac disease occurred with 2 of the microdystrophins. The detrimental cardiac effect appears to be caused by variable competition (dependent on microdystrophin design and expression level) between microdystrophin and utrophin at the cardiomyocyte membrane. There may also be a contribution from an overloading of protein degradation. The significance of these observations for patients currently being treated with AAV-microdystrophin therapies is unclear since the levels of expression being achieved in the DMD hearts are unknown. However, these findings suggest that microdystrophin treatments need to avoid excessively high levels of expression in the heart and that cardiac function should be carefully monitored in these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cora C Hart
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics and
- Myology Institute, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Young Il Lee
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics and
- Myology Institute, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Jun Xie
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worchester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Guangping Gao
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worchester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Brian L Lin
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy & Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - David W Hammers
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics and
- Myology Institute, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - H Lee Sweeney
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics and
- Myology Institute, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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Navarro-Martínez A, Vicente-García C, Carvajal JJ. NMJ-related diseases beyond the congenital myasthenic syndromes. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1216726. [PMID: 37601107 PMCID: PMC10436495 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1216726] [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: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) are a special type of chemical synapse that transmits electrical stimuli from motor neurons (MNs) to their innervating skeletal muscle to induce a motor response. They are an ideal model for the study of synapses, given their manageable size and easy accessibility. Alterations in their morphology or function lead to neuromuscular disorders, such as the congenital myasthenic syndromes, which are caused by mutations in proteins located in the NMJ. In this review, we highlight novel potential candidate genes that may cause or modify NMJs-related pathologies in humans by exploring the phenotypes of hundreds of mouse models available in the literature. We also underscore the fact that NMJs may differ between species, muscles or even sexes. Hence the importance of choosing a good model organism for the study of NMJ-related diseases: only taking into account the specific features of the mammalian NMJ, experimental results would be efficiently translated to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cristina Vicente-García
- Centro Andaluz de Biología del Desarrollo, CSIC-UPO-JA, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla, Spain
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Dong T, Zhao Y, Jin HF, Shen L, Lin Y, Si LL, Chen L, Liu JC. SNTA1-deficient human cardiomyocytes demonstrate hypertrophic phenotype and calcium handling disorder. Stem Cell Res Ther 2022; 13:288. [PMID: 35773684 PMCID: PMC9248201 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-022-02955-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background α-1-syntrophin (SNTA1), a protein encoded by SNTA1, is highly expressed in human cardiomyocytes. Mutations in SNTA1 are associated with arrhythmia and cardiomyopathy. Previous research on SNTA1 has been based on non-human cardiomyocytes. This study was designed to identify the phenotype of SNTA1-deficiency using human cardiomyocytes. Methods SNTA1 was knocked out in the H9 embryonic stem cell line using the CRISPR-Cas9 system. H9SNTA1KO cells were then induced to differentiate into cardiomyocytes using small molecule inhibitors. The phenotypic discrepancies associated with SNTA1-deficient cardiomyocytes were investigated. Results SNTA1 was truncated at the 149th amino acid position of PH1 domain by a stop codon (TGA) using the CRISPR-Cas9 system. SNTA1-deficiency did not affect the pluripotency of H9SNTA1KO, and they retain their in vitro ability to differentiate into cardiomyocytes. However, H9SNTA1KO derived cardiomyocytes exhibited hypertrophic phenotype, lower cardiac contractility, weak calcium transient intensity, and lower level of calcium in the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Early treatment of SNTA1-deficient cardiomyocytes with ranolazine improved the calcium transient intensity and cardiac contractility. Conclusion SNTA1-deficient cardiomyocytes can be used to research the etiology, pathogenesis, and potential therapies for myocardial diseases. The SNTA1-deficient cardiomyocyte model suggests that the maintenance of cardiac calcium homeostasis is a key target in the treatment of myocardial-related diseases. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13287-022-02955-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Dong
- Basic Medicine School, Qiqihar Medical University, 333 Bukui Street, Qiqihar, 161006, Heilongjiang, China.
| | - Yan Zhao
- College of Life Science and Agroforestry, Qiqihar University, Qiqihar, 161006, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Hai-Feng Jin
- Basic Medicine School, Qiqihar Medical University, 333 Bukui Street, Qiqihar, 161006, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Lei Shen
- Basic Medicine School, Qiqihar Medical University, 333 Bukui Street, Qiqihar, 161006, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Yan Lin
- Basic Medicine School, Qiqihar Medical University, 333 Bukui Street, Qiqihar, 161006, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Long-Long Si
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Li Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Ji-Cheng Liu
- Qiqihar Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Qiqihar Medical University, 333 Bukui Street, Qiqihar, 161006, Heilongjiang, China.
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Alfaro GF, Novak TE, Rodning SP, Moisá SJ. Preconditioning beef cattle for long-duration transportation stress with rumen-protected methionine supplementation: A nutrigenetics study. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0235481. [PMID: 32614880 PMCID: PMC7332072 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
In general, beef cattle long-distance transportation from cow-calf operations to feedlots or from feedlots to abattoirs is a common situation in the beef industry. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of rumen-protected methionine (RPM) supplementation on a proposed gene network for muscle fatigue, creatine synthesis (CKM), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism after a transportation simulation in a test track. Angus × Simmental heifers (n = 18) were stratified by body weight (408 ± 64 kg; BW) and randomly assigned to dietary treatments: 1) control diet (CTRL) or 2) control diet + 8 gr/hd/day of top-dressed rumen-protected methionine (RPM). After an adaptation period to Calan gates, animals received the mentioned dietary treatment consisting of Bermuda hay ad libitum and a soy hulls and corn gluten feed based supplement. After 45 days of supplementation, animals were loaded onto a trailer and transported for 22 hours (long-term transportation). Longissimus muscle biopsies, BW and blood samples were obtained on day 0 (Baseline), 43 (Pre-transport; PRET), and 46 (Post-transport; POST). Heifers' average daily gain did not differ between baseline and PRET. Control heifer's shrink was 10% of BW while RPM heifers shrink was 8%. Serum cortisol decreased, and glucose and creatine kinase levels increased after transportation, but no differences were observed between treatments. Messenger RNA was extracted from skeletal muscle tissue and gene expression analysis was performed by RT-qPCR. Results showed that AHCY and DNMT3A (DNA methylation), SSPN (Sarcoglycan complex), and SOD2 (Oxidative Stress-ROS) were upregulated in CTRL between baseline and PRET and, decreased between pre and POST while they remained constant for RPM. Furthermore, CKM was not affected by treatments. In conclusion, RPM supplementation may affect ROS production and enhance DNA hypermethylation, after a long-term transportation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gastón F. Alfaro
- Department of Animal Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States of America
| | - Taylor E. Novak
- Department of Animal Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States of America
| | - Soren P. Rodning
- Department of Animal Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States of America
| | - Sonia J. Moisá
- Department of Animal Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States of America
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Katoozi S, Rao SB, Skauli N, Froehner SC, Ottersen OP, Adams ME, Amiry-Moghaddam M. Functional specialization of retinal Müller cell endfeet depends on an interplay between two syntrophin isoforms. Mol Brain 2020; 13:40. [PMID: 32178707 PMCID: PMC7074989 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-020-00581-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinal Müller cells are highly polarized macroglial cells with accumulation of the aquaporin-4 (AQP4) water channel and the inwardly rectifying potassium channel Kir4.1 at specialized endfoot membrane domains abutting microvessels and corpus vitreum. Proper water and potassium homeostasis in retina depends on these membrane specializations. Here we show that targeted deletion of β1-syntrophin leads to a partial loss of AQP4 from perivascular Müller cell endfeet and that a concomitant deletion of both α1- and β1-syntrophin causes a near complete loss of AQP4 from both perivascular and subvitreal endfoot membranes. α1-syntrophin is normally very weakly expressed in Müller cell endfeet but β1-syntrophin knockout mice display an increased amount of α1-syntrophin at these sites. We suggest that upregulation of perivascular α1-syntrophin restricts the effect of β1-syntrophin deletion. The present findings indicate that β1-syntrophin plays an important role in maintaining the functional polarity of Müller cells and that α1-syntrophin can partially substitute for β1-syntrophin in AQP4 anchoring. Functional polarization of Müller cells thus depends on an interplay between two syntrophin isoforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirin Katoozi
- Division of Anatomy, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Post box 1105, Blindern, 0317, Oslo, Norway
| | - Shreyas B Rao
- Division of Anatomy, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Post box 1105, Blindern, 0317, Oslo, Norway
| | - Nadia Skauli
- Division of Anatomy, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Post box 1105, Blindern, 0317, Oslo, Norway
| | - Stanley C Froehner
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195-7290, USA
| | - Ole Petter Ottersen
- Division of Anatomy, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Post box 1105, Blindern, 0317, Oslo, Norway.,Present Address: President's office, Karolinska Institutet, Nobels väg 6, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marvin E Adams
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195-7290, USA
| | - Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam
- Division of Anatomy, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Post box 1105, Blindern, 0317, Oslo, Norway.
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Rao SB, Katoozi S, Skauli N, Froehner SC, Ottersen OP, Adams ME, Amiry-Moghaddam M. Targeted deletion of β1-syntrophin causes a loss of K ir 4.1 from Müller cell endfeet in mouse retina. Glia 2019; 67:1138-1149. [PMID: 30803043 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Revised: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Proper function of the retina depends heavily on a specialized form of retinal glia called Müller cells. These cells carry out important homeostatic functions that are contingent on their polarized nature. Specifically, the Müller cell endfeet that contact retinal microvessels and the corpus vitreum show a tenfold higher concentration of the inwardly rectifying potassium channel Kir 4.1 than other Müller cell plasma membrane domains. This highly selective enrichment of Kir 4.1 allows K+ to be siphoned through endfoot membranes in a special form of spatial buffering. Here, we show that Kir 4.1 is enriched in endfoot membranes through an interaction with β1-syntrophin. Targeted disruption of this syntrophin caused a loss of Kir 4.1 from Müller cell endfeet without affecting the total level of Kir 4.1 expression in the retina. Targeted disruption of α1-syntrophin had no effect on Kir 4.1 localization. Our findings show that the Kir 4.1 aggregation that forms the basis for K+ siphoning depends on a specific syntrophin isoform that colocalizes with Kir 4.1 in Müller endfoot membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreyas B Rao
- Division of Anatomy, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Shirin Katoozi
- Division of Anatomy, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Nadia Skauli
- Division of Anatomy, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Stanley C Froehner
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, Western Australia
| | - Ole Petter Ottersen
- Division of Anatomy, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Marvin E Adams
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, Western Australia
| | - Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam
- Division of Anatomy, Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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