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Simoni C, Barbon E, Muro AF, Cantore A. In vivo liver targeted genome editing as therapeutic approach: progresses and challenges. Front Genome Ed 2024; 6:1458037. [PMID: 39246827 PMCID: PMC11378722 DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2024.1458037] [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: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The liver is an essential organ of the body that performs several vital functions, including the metabolism of biomolecules, foreign substances, and toxins, and the production of plasma proteins, such as coagulation factors. There are hundreds of genetic disorders affecting liver functions and, for many of them, the only curative option is orthotopic liver transplantation, which nevertheless entails many risks and long-term complications. Some peculiar features of the liver, such as its large blood flow supply and the tolerogenic immune environment, make it an attractive target for in vivo gene therapy approaches. In recent years, several genome-editing tools mainly based on the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats associated protein 9 (CRISPR-Cas9) system have been successfully exploited in the context of liver-directed preclinical or clinical therapeutic applications. These include gene knock-out, knock-in, activation, interference, or base and prime editing approaches. Despite many achievements, important challenges still need to be addressed to broaden clinical applications, such as the optimization of the delivery methods, the improvement of the editing efficiency, and the risk of on-target or off-target unwanted effects and chromosomal rearrangements. In this review, we highlight the latest progress in the development of in vivo liver-targeted genome editing approaches for the treatment of genetic disorders. We describe the technological advancements that are currently under investigation, the challenges to overcome for clinical applicability, and the future perspectives of this technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Simoni
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Barbon
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrés F Muro
- International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Trieste, Italy
| | - Alessio Cantore
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
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2
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Tasfaout H, Halbert CL, McMillen TS, Allen JM, Reyes TR, Flint GV, Grimm D, Hauschka SD, Regnier M, Chamberlain JS. Split intein-mediated protein trans-splicing to express large dystrophins. Nature 2024; 632:192-200. [PMID: 39020181 PMCID: PMC11335042 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07710-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
Gene replacement using adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors is a promising therapeutic approach for many diseases1,2. However, this therapeutic modality is challenged by the packaging capacity of AAVs (approximately 4.7 kilobases)3, limiting its application for disorders involving large coding sequences, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy, with a 14 kilobase messenger RNA. Here we developed a new method for expressing large dystrophins by utilizing the protein trans-splicing mechanism mediated by split inteins. We identified several split intein pairs that efficiently join two or three fragments to generate a large midi-dystrophin or the full-length protein. We show that delivery of two or three AAVs into dystrophic mice results in robust expression of large dystrophins and significant physiological improvements compared with micro-dystrophins. Moreover, using the potent myotropic AAVMYO4, we demonstrate that low total doses (2 × 1013 viral genomes per kg) are sufficient to express large dystrophins in striated muscles body-wide with significant physiological corrections in dystrophic mice. Our data show a clear functional superiority of large dystrophins over micro-dystrophins that are being tested in clinical trials. This method could benefit many patients with Duchenne or Becker muscular dystrophy, regardless of genotype, and could be adapted to numerous other disorders caused by mutations in large genes that exceed the AAV capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hichem Tasfaout
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Christine L Halbert
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
- Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Timothy S McMillen
- Department of Bioengineering, College of Engineering and School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - James M Allen
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
- Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Theodore R Reyes
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
- Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Galina V Flint
- Department of Bioengineering, College of Engineering and School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Dirk Grimm
- Department of Infectious Diseases/Virology, Section Viral Vector Technologies, Medical Faculty and Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Center for Integrative Infectious Disease Research (CIID), University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- BioQuant, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) and German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stephen D Hauschka
- Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Michael Regnier
- Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, College of Engineering and School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Center for Translational Muscle Research, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Chamberlain
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Center for Translational Muscle Research, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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Zaydon YA, Tsang SH. The ABCs of Stargardt disease: the latest advances in precision medicine. Cell Biosci 2024; 14:98. [PMID: 39060921 PMCID: PMC11282698 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-024-01272-y] [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: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Stargardt disease (STGD) is the most common form of inherited juvenile macular dystrophy and is caused by sequence variants in the ABCA4 gene. Due to its genetic complexity and phenotypic variability, STGD poses significant therapeutic challenges. In the past decade, a lot of progress has been made regarding our understanding of the molecular and clinical aspects of STGD, along with its mechanisms. This has led to the development of new therapies, and there are human clinical trials currently ongoing. This paper evaluates the emergence of pharmacological approaches targeting the visual cycle to mitigate retinal damage, the role of gene therapy in correcting specific genetic defects, and the use of stem cell therapies aimed at retinal regeneration by showcasing the latest clinical trials and precision medicine approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmine A Zaydon
- Departments of Ophthalmology, Pathology and Cell Biology, Jonas Children's Vision Care, and Bernard and Shirlee Brown Glaucoma Laboratory, Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Institute of Human Nutrition, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Stephen H Tsang
- Departments of Ophthalmology, Pathology and Cell Biology, Jonas Children's Vision Care, and Bernard and Shirlee Brown Glaucoma Laboratory, Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Institute of Human Nutrition, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, The Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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Anastassov S, Filo M, Khammash M. Inteins: A Swiss army knife for synthetic biology. Biotechnol Adv 2024; 73:108349. [PMID: 38552727 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2024.108349] [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: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Inteins are proteins found in nature that execute protein splicing. Among them, split inteins stand out for their versatility and adaptability, presenting creative solutions for addressing intricate challenges in various biological applications. Their exquisite attributes, including compactness, reliability, orthogonality, low toxicity, and irreversibility, make them of interest to various fields including synthetic biology, biotechnology and biomedicine. In this review, we delve into the inherent challenges of using inteins, present approaches for overcoming these challenges, and detail their reliable use for specific cellular tasks. We will discuss the use of conditional inteins in areas like cancer therapy, drug screening, patterning, infection treatment, diagnostics and biocontainment. Additionally, we will underscore the potential of inteins in executing basic logical operations with practical implications. We conclude by showcasing their potential in crafting complex genetic circuits for performing computations and feedback control that achieves robust perfect adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanislav Anastassov
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Basel 4056, Switzerland
| | - Maurice Filo
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Basel 4056, Switzerland
| | - Mustafa Khammash
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Basel 4056, Switzerland.
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Willimann M, Tiyaboonchai A, Adachi K, Li B, Waldburger L, Nakai H, Grompe M, Thöny B. AAV Capsid Screening for Translational Pig Research Using a Mouse Xenograft Liver Model. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.29.596409. [PMID: 38853940 PMCID: PMC11160762 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.29.596409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
In gene therapy, delivery vectors are a key component for successful gene delivery and safety, based on which adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) gained popularity in particular for the liver, but also for other organs. Traditionally, rodents have been used as animal models to develop and optimize treatments, but species and organ specific tropism of AAV desire large animal models more closely related to humans for preclinical in-depth studies. Relevant AAV variants with the potential for clinical translation in liver gene therapy were previously evolved in vivo in a xenogeneic mouse model transplanted with human hepatocytes. Here, we selected and evaluated efficient AAV capsids using chimeric mice with a >90% xenografted pig hepatocytes. The pig is a valuable preclinical model for therapy studies due to its anatomic and immunological similarities to humans. Using a DNA-barcoded recombinant AAV library containing 47 different capsids and subsequent Illumina sequencing of barcodes in the AAV vector genome DNA and transcripts in the porcine hepatocytes, we found the AAVLK03 and AAVrh20 capsid to be the most efficient delivery vectors regarding transgene expression in porcine hepatocytes. In attempting to validate these findings with primary porcine hepatocytes, we observed capsid-specific differences in cell entry and transgene expression efficiency where the AAV2, AAVAnc80, and AAVDJ capsids showed superior efficiency to AAVLK03 and AAVrh20. This work highlights intricacies of in vitro testing with primary hepatocytes and the requirements for suitable pre-clinical animal models but suggests the chimeric mouse to be a valuable model to predict AAV capsids to transduce porcine hepatocytes efficiently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Willimann
- University Children's Hospital Zurich, Division of Metabolism and Children's Research Center, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Amita Tiyaboonchai
- Oregon Health & Science University, Stem Cell Center, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Kei Adachi
- Oregon Health & Science University, Department of Molecular & Medical Genetics, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Bin Li
- Oregon Health & Science University, Stem Cell Center, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Lea Waldburger
- University Children's Hospital Zurich, Division of Metabolism and Children's Research Center, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hiroyuki Nakai
- Oregon Health & Science University, Department of Molecular & Medical Genetics, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Markus Grompe
- Oregon Health & Science University, Stem Cell Center, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Beat Thöny
- University Children's Hospital Zurich, Division of Metabolism and Children's Research Center, Zurich, Switzerland
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6
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Kurzawa-Akanbi M, Tzoumas N, Corral-Serrano JC, Guarascio R, Steel DH, Cheetham ME, Armstrong L, Lako M. Pluripotent stem cell-derived models of retinal disease: Elucidating pathogenesis, evaluating novel treatments, and estimating toxicity. Prog Retin Eye Res 2024; 100:101248. [PMID: 38369182 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2024.101248] [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: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Blindness poses a growing global challenge, with approximately 26% of cases attributed to degenerative retinal diseases. While gene therapy, optogenetic tools, photosensitive switches, and retinal prostheses offer hope for vision restoration, these high-cost therapies will benefit few patients. Understanding retinal diseases is therefore key to advance effective treatments, requiring in vitro models replicating pathology and allowing quantitative assessments for drug discovery. Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) provide a unique solution given their limitless supply and ability to differentiate into light-responsive retinal tissues encompassing all cell types. This review focuses on the history and current state of photoreceptor and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell generation from PSCs. We explore the applications of this technology in disease modelling, experimental therapy testing, biomarker identification, and toxicity studies. We consider challenges in scalability, standardisation, and reproducibility, and stress the importance of incorporating vasculature and immune cells into retinal organoids. We advocate for high-throughput automation in data acquisition and analyses and underscore the value of advanced micro-physiological systems that fully capture the interactions between the neural retina, RPE, and choriocapillaris.
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7
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Tang J, Hao M, Liu J, Chen Y, Wufuer G, Zhu J, Zhang X, Zheng T, Fang M, Zhang S, Li T, Ge S, Zhang J, Xia N. Design of a recombinant asparaginyl ligase for site-specific modification using efficient recognition and nucleophile motifs. Commun Chem 2024; 7:87. [PMID: 38637620 PMCID: PMC11026461 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-024-01173-8] [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: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Asparaginyl ligases have been extensively utilized as valuable tools for site-specific bioconjugation or surface-modification. However, the application is hindered by the laborious and poorly reproducible preparation processes, unstable activity and ambiguous substrate requirements. To address these limitations, this study employed a structure-based rational approach to obtain a high-yield and high-activity protein ligase called OaAEP1-C247A-aa55-351. It was observed that OaAEP1-C247A-aa55-351 exhibits appreciable catalytic activities across a wide pH range, and the addition of the Fe3+ metal ion effectively enhances the catalytic power. Importantly, this study provides insight into the recognition and nucleophile peptide profiles of OaAEP1-C247A-aa55-351. The ligase demonstrates a higher recognition ability for the "Asn-Ala-Leu" motif and an N-terminus "Arg-Leu" as nucleophiles, which significantly increases the reaction yield. Consequently, the catalytic activity of OaAEP1-C247A-aa55-351 with highly efficient recognition and nucleophile motif, "Asn-Ala-Leu" and "Arg-Leu" under the buffer containing Fe3+ is 70-fold and 2-fold higher than previously reported OaAEP1-C247A and the most efficient butelase-1, respectively. Thus, the designed OaAEP1-C247A-aa55-351, with its highly efficient recognition and alternative nucleophile options, holds promising potential for applications in protein engineering, chemo-enzymatic modification, and the development of drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiabao Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Infectious Disease Diagnostic Technology, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, 361102, Xiamen, China
| | - Mengling Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Infectious Disease Diagnostic Technology, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, 361102, Xiamen, China
| | - Junxian Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Infectious Disease Diagnostic Technology, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, 361102, Xiamen, China
| | - Yaling Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Infectious Disease Diagnostic Technology, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, 361102, Xiamen, China
| | - Gulimire Wufuer
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Infectious Disease Diagnostic Technology, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, 361102, Xiamen, China
| | - Jie Zhu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, 213164, Changzhou, China
| | - Xuejie Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Infectious Disease Diagnostic Technology, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, 361102, Xiamen, China
| | - Tingquan Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Infectious Disease Diagnostic Technology, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, 361102, Xiamen, China
| | - Mujin Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Infectious Disease Diagnostic Technology, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, 361102, Xiamen, China
| | - Shiyin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Infectious Disease Diagnostic Technology, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, 361102, Xiamen, China
| | - Tingdong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China.
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China.
- National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China.
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Infectious Disease Diagnostic Technology, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China.
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China.
- Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, 361102, Xiamen, China.
| | - Shengxiang Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China.
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China.
- National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China.
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Infectious Disease Diagnostic Technology, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China.
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China.
- Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, 361102, Xiamen, China.
| | - Jun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Infectious Disease Diagnostic Technology, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, 361102, Xiamen, China
| | - Ningshao Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Infectious Disease Diagnostic Technology, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, 361102, Xiamen, China
- Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, 361102, Xiamen, China
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Datta P, Rhee KD, Staudt RJ, Thompson JM, Hsu Y, Hassan S, Drack AV, Seo S. Delivering large genes using adeno-associated virus and the CRE-lox DNA recombination system. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.10.588864. [PMID: 38645107 PMCID: PMC11030439 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.10.588864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is a safe and efficient gene delivery vehicle for gene therapies. However, its relatively small packaging capacity limits its use as a gene transfer vector. Here, we describe a strategy to deliver large genes that exceed the AAV's packaging capacity using up to four AAV vectors and the CRE-lox DNA recombination system. We devised novel lox sites by combining non-compatible and reaction equilibrium-modifying lox site variants. These lox sites facilitate sequence-specific and near-unidirectional recombination of AAV vector genomes, enabling efficient reconstitution of up to 16 kb of therapeutic genes in a pre-determined configuration. Using this strategy, we have developed AAV gene therapy vectors to deliver IFT140 , PCDH15 , CEP290 , and CDH23 and demonstrate efficient production of full-length proteins in cultured mammalian cells and mouse retinas. Notably, this approach significantly surpasses the trans-splicing and split-intein-based reconstitution methods in efficiency, requiring lower doses, minimizing or eliminating the production of truncated protein products, and offering flexibility in selecting splitting positions. The CRE-lox approach described here provides a simple and effective platform for producing AAV gene therapy vectors beyond AAV's packaging capacity.
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Wang H, Xun M, Tang H, Zhao J, Hu S, Zhang L, Lv J, Wang D, Chen Y, Liu J, Li GL, Wang W, Shu Y, Li H. Hair cell-specific Myo15 promoter-mediated gene therapy rescues hearing in DFNB9 mouse model. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2024; 35:102135. [PMID: 38404504 PMCID: PMC10883836 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors are increasingly used as vehicles for gene delivery to treat hearing loss. However, lack of specificity of the transgene expression may lead to overexpression of the transgene in nontarget tissues. In this study, we evaluated the expression efficiency and specificity of transgene delivered by AAV-PHP.eB under the inner ear sensory cell-specific Myo15 promoter. Compared with the ubiquitous CAG promoter, the Myo15 promoter initiates efficient expression of the GFP fluorescence reporter in hair cells, while minimizing non-specific expression in other cell types of the inner ear and CNS. Furthermore, using the Myo15 promoter, we constructed an AAV-mediated therapeutic system with the coding sequence of OTOF gene. After inner ear injection, we observed apparent hearing recovery in Otof-/- mice, highly efficient expression of exogenous otoferlin, and significant improvement in the exocytosis function of inner hair cells. Overall, our results indicate that gene therapy mediated by the hair cell-specific Myo15 promoter has potential clinical application for the treatment of autosomal recessive deafness and yet for other hereditary hearing loss related to dysfunction of hair cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wang
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - MengZhao Xun
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Honghai Tang
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jingjing Zhao
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Shaowei Hu
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Longlong Zhang
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jun Lv
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Daqi Wang
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Yuxin Chen
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jianping Liu
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Geng-lin Li
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Wuqing Wang
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Yilai Shu
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Huawei Li
- ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institutes of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China
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10
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Spirig SE, Renner M. Toward Retinal Organoids in High-Throughput. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2024; 14:a041275. [PMID: 37217280 PMCID: PMC10910359 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Human retinal organoids recapitulate the cellular diversity, arrangement, gene expression, and functional aspects of the human retina. Protocols to generate human retinal organoids from pluripotent stem cells are typically labor intensive, include many manual handling steps, and the organoids need to be maintained for several months until they mature. To generate large numbers of human retinal organoids for therapy development and screening purposes, scaling up retinal organoid production, maintenance, and analysis is of utmost importance. In this review, we discuss strategies to increase the number of high-quality retinal organoids while reducing manual handling steps. We further review different approaches to analyze thousands of retinal organoids with currently available technologies and point to challenges that still await to be overcome both in culture and analysis of retinal organoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Erich Spirig
- Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Magdalena Renner
- Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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11
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Kolesnik VV, Nurtdinov RF, Oloruntimehin ES, Karabelsky AV, Malogolovkin AS. Optimization strategies and advances in the research and development of AAV-based gene therapy to deliver large transgenes. Clin Transl Med 2024; 14:e1607. [PMID: 38488469 PMCID: PMC10941601 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based therapies are recognized as one of the most potent next-generation treatments for inherited and genetic diseases. However, several biological and technological aspects of AAV vectors remain a critical issue for their widespread clinical application. Among them, the limited capacity of the AAV genome significantly hinders the development of AAV-based gene therapy. In this context, genetically modified transgenes compatible with AAV are opening up new opportunities for unlimited gene therapies for many genetic disorders. Recent advances in de novo protein design and remodelling are paving the way for new, more efficient and targeted gene therapeutics. Using computational and genetic tools, AAV expression cassette and transgenic DNA can be split, miniaturized, shuffled or created from scratch to mediate efficient gene transfer into targeted cells. In this review, we highlight recent advances in AAV-based gene therapy with a focus on its use in translational research. We summarize recent research and development in gene therapy, with an emphasis on large transgenes (>4.8 kb) and optimizing strategies applied by biomedical companies in the research pipeline. We critically discuss the prospects for AAV-based treatment and some emerging challenges. We anticipate that the continued development of novel computational tools will lead to rapid advances in basic gene therapy research and translational studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria V. Kolesnik
- Martsinovsky Institute of Medical ParasitologyTropical and Vector‐Borne Diseases, Sechenov UniversityMoscowRussia
| | - Ruslan F. Nurtdinov
- Martsinovsky Institute of Medical ParasitologyTropical and Vector‐Borne Diseases, Sechenov UniversityMoscowRussia
| | - Ezekiel Sola Oloruntimehin
- Martsinovsky Institute of Medical ParasitologyTropical and Vector‐Borne Diseases, Sechenov UniversityMoscowRussia
| | | | - Alexander S. Malogolovkin
- Martsinovsky Institute of Medical ParasitologyTropical and Vector‐Borne Diseases, Sechenov UniversityMoscowRussia
- Center for Translational MedicineSirius University of Science and TechnologySochiRussia
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12
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McDonald A, Wijnholds J. Retinal Ciliopathies and Potential Gene Therapies: A Focus on Human iPSC-Derived Organoid Models. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2887. [PMID: 38474133 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052887] [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: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The human photoreceptor function is dependent on a highly specialised cilium. Perturbation of cilial function can often lead to death of the photoreceptor and loss of vision. Retinal ciliopathies are a genetically diverse range of inherited retinal disorders affecting aspects of the photoreceptor cilium. Despite advances in the understanding of retinal ciliopathies utilising animal disease models, they can often lack the ability to accurately mimic the observed patient phenotype, possibly due to structural and functional deviations from the human retina. Human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) can be utilised to generate an alternative disease model, the 3D retinal organoid, which contains all major retinal cell types including photoreceptors complete with cilial structures. These retinal organoids facilitate the study of disease mechanisms and potential therapies in a human-derived system. Three-dimensional retinal organoids are still a developing technology, and despite impressive progress, several limitations remain. This review will discuss the state of hiPSC-derived retinal organoid technology for accurately modelling prominent retinal ciliopathies related to genes, including RPGR, CEP290, MYO7A, and USH2A. Additionally, we will discuss the development of novel gene therapy approaches targeting retinal ciliopathies, including the delivery of large genes and gene-editing techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew McDonald
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Wijnholds
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands
- Netherlands Institute of Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), 1105 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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13
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Mariano A, Di Cristofano S, Raimondo D, Scotto d'Abusco A. Split Gp41-1 intein splicing as a model to evaluate the cellular location of the oncosuppressor Maspin in an in vitro model of osteosarcoma. Cell Biochem Funct 2024; 42:e3987. [PMID: 38509770 DOI: 10.1002/cbf.3987] [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] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Inteins are proteins involved in the protein splicing mechanism, an autoprocessing event, where sequences (exteins) separated by inteins become ligated each other after recombination. Two kinds of inteins have been described, contiguous inteins and split inteins. The former ones are transcribed and translated as a single peptide along with their exteins, while the latter are fragmented between two different genes and are transcribed and translated separately. The aim of this study is to establish a method to obtain a fluorescent eukaryotic protein to analyze its cellular localization, using the natural split gp41-1 inteins. We chose natural split inteins due to their distribution in all three domains of life. Two constructs were prepared, one containing the N-terminal split intein along with the N-moiety of the Red Fluorescent Protein (RFP) and a second construct containing the C-terminal of split intein, the C-moiety of RFP and the gene coding for Maspin, a tumor suppressor protein. The trans-splicing was verified by transfecting both N-terminal and C-terminal constructs into mammalian cells. The success of the recombination event was highlighted through the fluorescence produced by reconstituted RFP after recombination, along with the overlap of the red fluorescence produced by recombined RFP and the green fluorescence produced by the hybridization of the recombinant Maspin with a specific antibody. In conclusion, we opted to use this mechanism of recombination to obtain a fluorescent Maspin instead to express a large fusion protein, considering that it could interfere with Maspin's structure and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Mariano
- Department. of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Roma, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Domenico Raimondo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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14
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Brotto D, Greggio M, De Filippis C, Trevisi P. Autosomal Recessive Non-Syndromic Deafness: Is AAV Gene Therapy a Real Chance? Audiol Res 2024; 14:239-253. [PMID: 38525683 PMCID: PMC10961695 DOI: 10.3390/audiolres14020022] [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: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The etiology of sensorineural hearing loss is heavily influenced by genetic mutations, with approximately 80% of cases attributed to genetic causes and only 20% to environmental factors. Over 100 non-syndromic deafness genes have been identified in humans thus far. In non-syndromic sensorineural hearing impairment, around 75-85% of cases follow an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. In recent years, groundbreaking advancements in molecular gene therapy for inner-ear disorders have shown promising results. Experimental studies have demonstrated improvements in hearing following a single local injection of adeno-associated virus-derived vectors carrying an additional normal gene or using ribozymes to modify the genome. These pioneering approaches have opened new possibilities for potential therapeutic interventions. Following the PRISMA criteria, we summarized the AAV gene therapy experiments showing hearing improvement in the preclinical phases of development in different animal models of DFNB deafness and the AAV gene therapy programs currently in clinical phases targeting autosomal recessive non syndromic hearing loss. A total of 17 preclinical studies and 3 clinical studies were found and listed. Despite the hurdles, there have been significant breakthroughs in the path of HL gene therapy, holding great potential for providing patients with novel and effective treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Brotto
- Department of Neuroscience DNS, Otolaryngology Section, Padova University, 35128 Padova, Italy; (D.B.); (C.D.F.); (P.T.)
- Otolaryngology Unit, Azienda Ospedale Università Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Marco Greggio
- Department of Neuroscience DNS, Otolaryngology Section, Padova University, 35128 Padova, Italy; (D.B.); (C.D.F.); (P.T.)
- Otolaryngology Unit, Azienda Ospedale Università Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
| | - Cosimo De Filippis
- Department of Neuroscience DNS, Otolaryngology Section, Padova University, 35128 Padova, Italy; (D.B.); (C.D.F.); (P.T.)
| | - Patrizia Trevisi
- Department of Neuroscience DNS, Otolaryngology Section, Padova University, 35128 Padova, Italy; (D.B.); (C.D.F.); (P.T.)
- Otolaryngology Unit, Azienda Ospedale Università Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy
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15
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Sladen PE, Naeem A, Adefila-Ideozu T, Vermeule T, Busson SL, Michaelides M, Naylor S, Forbes A, Lane A, Georgiadis A. AAV-RPGR Gene Therapy Rescues Opsin Mislocalisation in a Human Retinal Organoid Model of RPGR-Associated X-Linked Retinitis Pigmentosa. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1839. [PMID: 38339118 PMCID: PMC10855600 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031839] [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: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Variants within the Retinitis Pigmentosa GTPase regulator (RPGR) gene are the predominant cause of X-Linked Retinitis Pigmentosa (XLRP), a common and severe form of inherited retinal disease. XLRP is characterised by the progressive degeneration and loss of photoreceptors, leading to visual loss and, ultimately, bilateral blindness. Unfortunately, there are no effective approved treatments for RPGR-associated XLRP. We sought to investigate the efficacy of RPGRORF15 gene supplementation using a clinically relevant construct in human RPGR-deficient retinal organoids (ROs). Isogenic RPGR knockout (KO)-induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSCs) were generated using established CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing methods targeting RPGR. RPGR-KO and isogenic wild-type IPSCs were differentiated into ROs and utilised to test the adeno associated virus (AAV) RPGR (AAV-RPGR) clinical vector construct. The transduction of RPGR-KO ROs using AAV-RPGR successfully restored RPGR mRNA and protein expression and localisation to the photoreceptor connecting cilium in rod and cone photoreceptors. Vector-derived RPGR demonstrated equivalent levels of glutamylation to WT ROs. In addition, treatment with AAV-RPGR restored rhodopsin localisation within RPGR-KO ROs, reducing mislocalisation to the photoreceptor outer nuclear layer. These data provide mechanistic insights into RPGRORF15 gene supplementation functional potency in human photoreceptor cells and support the previously reported Phase I/II trial positive results using this vector construct in patients with RPGR-associated XLRP, which is currently being tested in a Phase III clinical trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul E. Sladen
- MeiraGTx UK II, 34-38 Provost Street, London N1 7NG, UK (A.L.)
| | - Arifa Naeem
- MeiraGTx UK II, 34-38 Provost Street, London N1 7NG, UK (A.L.)
| | | | - Tijmen Vermeule
- MeiraGTx UK II, 34-38 Provost Street, London N1 7NG, UK (A.L.)
| | | | - Michel Michaelides
- MeiraGTx UK II, 34-38 Provost Street, London N1 7NG, UK (A.L.)
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, 162 City Road, London EC1V 2PD, UK
- University College London Institute of Ophthalmology, London EC1V 9LF, UK
| | - Stuart Naylor
- MeiraGTx UK II, 34-38 Provost Street, London N1 7NG, UK (A.L.)
| | | | - Amelia Lane
- MeiraGTx UK II, 34-38 Provost Street, London N1 7NG, UK (A.L.)
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16
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Staedtke V, Anstett K, Bedwell D, Giovannini M, Keeling K, Kesterson R, Kim Y, Korf B, Leier A, McManus ML, Sarnoff H, Vitte J, Walker JA, Plotkin SR, Wallis D. Gene-targeted therapy for neurofibromatosis and schwannomatosis: The path to clinical trials. Clin Trials 2024; 21:51-66. [PMID: 37937606 DOI: 10.1177/17407745231207970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Numerous successful gene-targeted therapies are arising for the treatment of a variety of rare diseases. At the same time, current treatment options for neurofibromatosis 1 and schwannomatosis are limited and do not directly address loss of gene/protein function. In addition, treatments have mostly focused on symptomatic tumors, but have failed to address multisystem involvement in these conditions. Gene-targeted therapies hold promise to address these limitations. However, despite intense interest over decades, multiple preclinical and clinical issues need to be resolved before they become a reality. The optimal approaches to gene-, mRNA-, or protein restoration and to delivery to the appropriate cell types remain elusive. Preclinical models that recapitulate manifestations of neurofibromatosis 1 and schwannomatosis need to be refined. The development of validated assays for measuring neurofibromin and merlin activity in animal and human tissues will be critical for early-stage trials, as will the selection of appropriate patients, based on their individual genotypes and risk/benefit balance. Once the safety of gene-targeted therapy for symptomatic tumors has been established, the possibility of addressing a wide range of symptoms, including non-tumor manifestations, should be explored. As preclinical efforts are underway, it will be essential to educate both clinicians and those affected by neurofibromatosis 1/schwannomatosis about the risks and benefits of gene-targeted therapy for these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verena Staedtke
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kara Anstett
- Department of Neurology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - David Bedwell
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Marco Giovannini
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC), University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kim Keeling
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Robert Kesterson
- Department of Cancer Precision Medicine, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - YooRi Kim
- Gilbert Family Foundation, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Bruce Korf
- Department of Genetics, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - André Leier
- Department of Genetics, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | | | | | - Jeremie Vitte
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC), University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - James A Walker
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Scott R Plotkin
- Department of Neurology and Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Deeann Wallis
- Department of Genetics, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
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17
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Zhang Y, Wu ZY. Gene therapy for monogenic disorders: challenges, strategies, and perspectives. J Genet Genomics 2024; 51:133-143. [PMID: 37586590 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2023.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Monogenic disorders refer to a group of human diseases caused by mutations in single genes. While disease-modifying therapies have offered some relief from symptoms and delayed progression for some monogenic diseases, most of these diseases still lack effective treatments. In recent decades, gene therapy has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy for genetic disorders. Researchers have developed various gene manipulation tools and gene delivery systems to treat monogenic diseases. Despite this progress, concerns about inefficient delivery, persistent expression, immunogenicity, toxicity, capacity limitation, genomic integration, and limited tissue specificity still need to be addressed. This review gives an overview of commonly used gene therapy and delivery tools, along with the challenges they face and potential strategies to counter them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhang
- Department of Medical Genetics and Center for Rare Diseases, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, China; Department of Neurology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, China
| | - Zhi-Ying Wu
- Department of Medical Genetics and Center for Rare Diseases, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, China; Department of Neurology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, China; Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, China.
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18
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Gardin A, Rouillon J, Montalvo-Romeral V, Rossiaud L, Vidal P, Launay R, Vie M, Krimi Benchekroun Y, Cosette J, Bertin B, La Bella T, Dubreuil G, Nozi J, Jauze L, Fragnoud R, Daniele N, Van Wittenberghe L, Esque J, André I, Nissan X, Hoch L, Ronzitti G. A functional mini-GDE transgene corrects impairment in models of glycogen storage disease type III. J Clin Invest 2024; 134:e172018. [PMID: 38015640 PMCID: PMC10786702 DOI: 10.1172/jci172018] [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: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Glycogen storage disease type III (GSDIII) is a rare inborn error of metabolism affecting liver, skeletal muscle, and heart due to mutations of the AGL gene encoding for the glycogen debranching enzyme (GDE). No curative treatment exists for GSDIII. The 4.6 kb GDE cDNA represents the major technical challenge toward the development of a single recombinant adeno-associated virus-derived (rAAV-derived) vector gene therapy strategy. Using information on GDE structure and molecular modeling, we generated multiple truncated GDEs. Among them, an N-terminal-truncated mutant, ΔNter2-GDE, had a similar efficacy in vivo compared with the full-size enzyme. A rAAV vector expressing ΔNter2-GDE allowed significant glycogen reduction in heart and muscle of Agl-/- mice 3 months after i.v. injection, as well as normalization of histology features and restoration of muscle strength. Similarly, glycogen accumulation and histological features were corrected in a recently generated Agl-/- rat model. Finally, transduction with rAAV vectors encoding ΔNter2-GDE corrected glycogen accumulation in an in vitro human skeletal muscle cellular model of GSDIII. In conclusion, our results demonstrated the ability of a single rAAV vector expressing a functional mini-GDE transgene to correct the muscle and heart phenotype in multiple models of GSDIII, supporting its clinical translation to patients with GSDIII.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Gardin
- Genethon, Evry, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Univ Evry, Inserm, Genethon, Integrare research unit UMR_S951, Evry, France
| | - Jérémy Rouillon
- Genethon, Evry, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Univ Evry, Inserm, Genethon, Integrare research unit UMR_S951, Evry, France
| | - Valle Montalvo-Romeral
- Genethon, Evry, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Univ Evry, Inserm, Genethon, Integrare research unit UMR_S951, Evry, France
| | - Lucille Rossiaud
- Genethon, Evry, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Univ Evry, Inserm, Genethon, Integrare research unit UMR_S951, Evry, France
- CECS, I-STEM, Institute for Stem Cell Therapy and Exploration of Monogenic Diseases, Corbeil-Essonnes, France
| | - Patrice Vidal
- Genethon, Evry, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Univ Evry, Inserm, Genethon, Integrare research unit UMR_S951, Evry, France
| | - Romain Launay
- Toulouse Biotechnology Institute, TBI, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INRAE, INSA, Toulouse, France
| | - Mallaury Vie
- Genethon, Evry, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Univ Evry, Inserm, Genethon, Integrare research unit UMR_S951, Evry, France
| | - Youssef Krimi Benchekroun
- Genethon, Evry, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Univ Evry, Inserm, Genethon, Integrare research unit UMR_S951, Evry, France
| | | | - Bérangère Bertin
- Genethon, Evry, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Univ Evry, Inserm, Genethon, Integrare research unit UMR_S951, Evry, France
| | - Tiziana La Bella
- Genethon, Evry, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Univ Evry, Inserm, Genethon, Integrare research unit UMR_S951, Evry, France
| | | | - Justine Nozi
- Genethon, Evry, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Univ Evry, Inserm, Genethon, Integrare research unit UMR_S951, Evry, France
| | - Louisa Jauze
- Genethon, Evry, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Univ Evry, Inserm, Genethon, Integrare research unit UMR_S951, Evry, France
| | | | | | | | - Jérémy Esque
- Toulouse Biotechnology Institute, TBI, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INRAE, INSA, Toulouse, France
| | - Isabelle André
- Toulouse Biotechnology Institute, TBI, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INRAE, INSA, Toulouse, France
| | - Xavier Nissan
- CECS, I-STEM, Institute for Stem Cell Therapy and Exploration of Monogenic Diseases, Corbeil-Essonnes, France
| | - Lucile Hoch
- CECS, I-STEM, Institute for Stem Cell Therapy and Exploration of Monogenic Diseases, Corbeil-Essonnes, France
| | - Giuseppe Ronzitti
- Genethon, Evry, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Univ Evry, Inserm, Genethon, Integrare research unit UMR_S951, Evry, France
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19
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He X, Fu Y, Ma L, Yao Y, Ge S, Yang Z, Fan X. AAV for Gene Therapy in Ocular Diseases: Progress and Prospects. RESEARCH (WASHINGTON, D.C.) 2023; 6:0291. [PMID: 38188726 PMCID: PMC10768554 DOI: 10.34133/research.0291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Owing to the promising therapeutic effect and one-time treatment advantage, gene therapy may completely change the management of eye diseases, especially retinal diseases. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is considered one of the most promising viral gene delivery tools because it can infect various types of tissues and is considered as a relatively safe gene delivery vector. The eye is one of the most popular organs for gene therapy, since its limited volume is suitable for small doses of AAV stably transduction. Recently, an increasing number of clinical trials of AAV-mediated gene therapy are underway. This review summarizes the biological functions of AAV and its application in the treatment of various ocular diseases, as well as the characteristics of different AAV delivery routes in clinical applications. Here, the latest research progresses in AAV-mediated gene editing and silencing strategies to modify that the genetic ocular diseases are systematically outlined, especially by base editing and prime editing. We discuss the progress of AAV in ocular optogenetic therapy. We also summarize the application of AAV-mediated gene therapy in animal models and the difficulties in its clinical transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu He
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People’s Hospital,
Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
| | - Yidian Fu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People’s Hospital,
Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
| | - Liang Ma
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People’s Hospital,
Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
| | - Yizheng Yao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Diseases and Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University; Clinical Research Center of Neurological Disease,
The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Shengfang Ge
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People’s Hospital,
Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhi Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People’s Hospital,
Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
| | - Xianqun Fan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People’s Hospital,
Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, China
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20
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Riaz S, Sethna S, Duncan T, Naeem MA, Redmond TM, Riazuddin S, Riazuddin S, Carvalho LS, Ahmed ZM. Dual AAV-based PCDH15 gene therapy achieves sustained rescue of visual function in a mouse model of Usher syndrome 1F. Mol Ther 2023; 31:3490-3501. [PMID: 37864333 PMCID: PMC10727994 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.10.017] [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] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the PCDH15 gene, encoding protocadherin-15, are among the leading causes of Usher syndrome type 1 (USH1F), and account for up to 12% USH1 cases worldwide. A founder truncating variant of PCDH15 has a ∼2% carrier frequency in Ashkenazi Jews accounting for nearly 60% of their USH1 cases. Although cochlear implants can restore hearing perception in USH1 patients, presently there are no effective treatments for the vision loss due to retinitis pigmentosa. We established a founder allele-specific Pcdh15 knockin mouse model as a platform to ascertain therapeutic strategies. Using a dual-vector approach to circumvent the size limitation of adeno-associated virus, we observed robust expression of exogenous PCDH15 in the retinae of Pcdh15KI mice, sustained recovery of electroretinogram amplitudes and key retinoid oxime, substantially improved light-dependent translocation of phototransduction proteins, and enhanced levels of retinal pigment epithelium-derived enzymes. Thus, our data raise hope and pave the way for future gene therapy trials in USH1F subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sehar Riaz
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; National Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54500, Pakistan
| | - Saumil Sethna
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Todd Duncan
- Laboratory of Retinal Cell and Molecular Biology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Muhammad A Naeem
- National Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54500, Pakistan
| | - T Michael Redmond
- Laboratory of Retinal Cell and Molecular Biology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Sheikh Riazuddin
- Jinnah Burn and Reconstructive Surgery Centre, Allama Iqbal Medical Research, University of Health Sciences, Lahore 54500, Pakistan
| | - Saima Riazuddin
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Livia S Carvalho
- Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia; Retinal Genomics and Therapy Group, Lions Eye Institute Ltd, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Zubair M Ahmed
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
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21
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Gallot-Lavallée L, Jerlström-Hultqvist J, Zegarra-Vidarte P, Salas-Leiva DE, Stairs CW, Čepička I, Roger AJ, Archibald JM. Massive intein content in Anaeramoeba reveals aspects of intein mobility in eukaryotes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2306381120. [PMID: 38019867 PMCID: PMC10710043 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2306381120] [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] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Inteins are self-splicing protein elements found in viruses and all three domains of life. How the DNA encoding these selfish elements spreads within and between genomes is poorly understood, particularly in eukaryotes where inteins are scarce. Here, we show that the nuclear genomes of three strains of Anaeramoeba encode between 45 and 103 inteins, in stark contrast to four found in the most intein-rich eukaryotic genome described previously. The Anaeramoeba inteins reside in a wide range of proteins, only some of which correspond to intein-containing proteins in other eukaryotes, prokaryotes, and viruses. Our data also suggest that viruses have contributed to the spread of inteins in Anaeramoeba and the colonization of new alleles. The persistence of Anaeramoeba inteins might be partly explained by intragenomic movement of intein-encoding regions from gene to gene. Our intein dataset greatly expands the spectrum of intein-containing proteins and provides insights into the evolution of inteins in eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Gallot-Lavallée
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova ScotiaB3H 4R2, Canada
- Institute for Comparative Genomics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova ScotiaB3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Jon Jerlström-Hultqvist
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova ScotiaB3H 4R2, Canada
- Institute for Comparative Genomics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova ScotiaB3H 4R2, Canada
- Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala751 24, Sweden
| | - Paula Zegarra-Vidarte
- Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala751 24, Sweden
| | - Dayana E. Salas-Leiva
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova ScotiaB3H 4R2, Canada
- Institute for Comparative Genomics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova ScotiaB3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Courtney W. Stairs
- Microbiology Group, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund223 62, Sweden
| | - Ivan Čepička
- Department of Zoology, Charles University, Prague128 00, Czech Republic
| | - Andrew J. Roger
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova ScotiaB3H 4R2, Canada
- Institute for Comparative Genomics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova ScotiaB3H 4R2, Canada
| | - John M. Archibald
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova ScotiaB3H 4R2, Canada
- Institute for Comparative Genomics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova ScotiaB3H 4R2, Canada
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22
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Wood DW, Belfort M, Lennon CW. Inteins-mechanism of protein splicing, emerging regulatory roles, and applications in protein engineering. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1305848. [PMID: 38029209 PMCID: PMC10663303 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1305848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein splicing is a posttranslational process in which an intein segment excises itself from two flanking peptides, referred to as exteins. In the native context, protein splicing results in two separate protein products coupled to the activation of the intein-containing host protein. Inteins are generally described as either full-length inteins, mini-inteins or split inteins, which are differentiated by their genetic structure and features. Inteins can also be divided into three classes based on their splicing mechanisms, which differ in the location of conserved residues that mediate the splicing pathway. Although inteins were once thought to be selfish genetic elements, recent evidence suggests that inteins may confer a genetic advantage to their host cells through posttranslational regulation of their host proteins. Finally, the ability of modified inteins to splice and cleave their fused exteins has enabled many new applications in protein science and synthetic biology. In this review, we briefly cover the mechanisms of protein splicing, evidence for some inteins as environmental sensors, and intein-based applications in protein engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W. Wood
- William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Marlene Belfort
- Department of Biological Sciences and RNA Institute, University at Albany, Albany, NY, United States
| | - Christopher W. Lennon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, Murray, KY, United States
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23
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Kruczek K, Swaroop A. Patient stem cell-derived in vitro disease models for developing novel therapies of retinal ciliopathies. Curr Top Dev Biol 2023; 155:127-163. [PMID: 38043950 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2023.09.003] [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: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Primary cilia are specialized organelles on the surface of almost all cells in vertebrate tissues and are primarily involved in the detection of extracellular stimuli. In retinal photoreceptors, cilia are uniquely modified to form outer segments containing components required for the detection of light in stacks of membrane discs. Not surprisingly, vision impairment is a frequent phenotype associated with ciliopathies, a heterogeneous class of conditions caused by mutations in proteins required for formation, maintenance and/or function of primary cilia. Traditionally, immortalized cell lines and model organisms have been used to provide insights into the biology of ciliopathies. The advent of methods for reprogramming human somatic cells into pluripotent stem cells has enabled the generation of in vitro disease models directly from patients suffering from ciliopathies. Such models help us in investigating pathological mechanisms specific to human physiology and in developing novel therapeutic approaches. In this article, we review current protocols to differentiate human pluripotent stem cells into retinal cell types, and discuss how these cellular and/or organoid models can be utilized to interrogate pathobiology of ciliopathies affecting the retina and for testing prospective treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamil Kruczek
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.
| | - Anand Swaroop
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.
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24
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Madigan V, Zhang F, Dahlman JE. Drug delivery systems for CRISPR-based genome editors. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2023; 22:875-894. [PMID: 37723222 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-023-00762-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR-based drugs can theoretically manipulate any genetic target. In practice, however, these drugs must enter the desired cell without eliciting an unwanted immune response, so a delivery system is often required. Here, we review drug delivery systems for CRISPR-based genome editors, focusing on adeno-associated viruses and lipid nanoparticles. After describing how these systems are engineered and their subsequent characterization in preclinical animal models, we highlight data from recent clinical trials. Preclinical targeting mediated by polymers, proteins, including virus-like particles, and other vehicles that may deliver CRISPR systems in the future is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Madigan
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Feng Zhang
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - James E Dahlman
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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25
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Riedmayr LM, Hinrichsmeyer KS, Thalhammer SB, Mittas DM, Karguth N, Otify DY, Böhm S, Weber VJ, Bartoschek MD, Splith V, Brümmer M, Ferreira R, Boon N, Wögenstein GM, Grimm C, Wijnholds J, Mehlfeld V, Michalakis S, Fenske S, Biel M, Becirovic E. mRNA trans-splicing dual AAV vectors for (epi)genome editing and gene therapy. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6578. [PMID: 37852949 PMCID: PMC10584818 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42386-0] [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] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Large genes including several CRISPR-Cas modules like gene activators (CRISPRa) require dual adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors for an efficient in vivo delivery and expression. Current dual AAV vector approaches have important limitations, e.g., low reconstitution efficiency, production of alien proteins, or low flexibility in split site selection. Here, we present a dual AAV vector technology based on reconstitution via mRNA trans-splicing (REVeRT). REVeRT is flexible in split site selection and can efficiently reconstitute different split genes in numerous in vitro models, in human organoids, and in vivo. Furthermore, REVeRT can functionally reconstitute a CRISPRa module targeting genes in various mouse tissues and organs in single or multiplexed approaches upon different routes of administration. Finally, REVeRT enabled the reconstitution of full-length ABCA4 after intravitreal injection in a mouse model of Stargardt disease. Due to its flexibility and efficiency REVeRT harbors great potential for basic research and clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Maria Riedmayr
- Department of Pharmacy - Center for Drug Research, LMU Munich, Munich, 81377, Germany
| | | | | | - David Manuel Mittas
- Department of Pharmacy - Center for Drug Research, LMU Munich, Munich, 81377, Germany
| | - Nina Karguth
- Department of Pharmacy - Center for Drug Research, LMU Munich, Munich, 81377, Germany
| | - Dina Yehia Otify
- Department of Pharmacy - Center for Drug Research, LMU Munich, Munich, 81377, Germany
| | | | - Valentin Johannes Weber
- Laboratory for Retinal Gene Therapy, Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Schlieren, 8952, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Manuela Brümmer
- Department of Pharmacy - Center for Drug Research, LMU Munich, Munich, 81377, Germany
| | - Raphael Ferreira
- Genetics Department, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Nanda Boon
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), 2333 ZA, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Gabriele Maria Wögenstein
- Laboratory for Retinal Cell Biology, Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Schlieren, 8952, Switzerland
| | - Christian Grimm
- Laboratory for Retinal Cell Biology, Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Schlieren, 8952, Switzerland
| | - Jan Wijnholds
- Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), 2333 ZA, Leiden, Netherlands
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), 1105 BA, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Verena Mehlfeld
- Department of Pharmacy - Center for Drug Research, LMU Munich, Munich, 81377, Germany
| | - Stylianos Michalakis
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefanie Fenske
- Department of Pharmacy - Center for Drug Research, LMU Munich, Munich, 81377, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), partner site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, 81377, Germany
| | - Martin Biel
- Department of Pharmacy - Center for Drug Research, LMU Munich, Munich, 81377, Germany
| | - Elvir Becirovic
- Laboratory for Retinal Gene Therapy, Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Schlieren, 8952, Switzerland.
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26
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Toms M, Toualbi L, Almeida PV, Harbottle R, Moosajee M. Successful large gene augmentation of USH2A with non-viral episomal vectors. Mol Ther 2023; 31:2755-2766. [PMID: 37337429 PMCID: PMC10491995 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.06.012] [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] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
USH2A mutations are a common cause of autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and Usher syndrome, for which there are currently no approved treatments. Gene augmentation is a valuable therapeutic strategy for treating many inherited retinal diseases; however, conventional adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy cannot accommodate cDNAs exceeding 4.7 kb, such as the 15.6-kb-long USH2A coding sequence. In the present study, we adopted an alternative strategy to successfully generate scaffold/matrix attachment region (S/MAR) DNA plasmid vectors containing the full-length human USH2A coding sequence, a GFP reporter gene, and a ubiquitous promoter (CMV or CAG), reaching a size of approximately 23 kb. We assessed the vectors in transfected HEK293 cells and USH2A patient-derived dermal fibroblasts in addition to ush2au507 zebrafish microinjected with the vector at the one-cell stage. pS/MAR-USH2A vectors drove persistent transgene expression in patient fibroblasts with restoration of usherin. Twelve months of GFP expression was detected in the photoreceptor cells, with rescue of Usher 2 complex localization in the photoreceptors of ush2au507 zebrafish retinas injected with pS/MAR-USH2A. To our knowledge, this is the first reported vector that can be used to express full-length usherin with functional rescue. S/MAR DNA vectors have shown promise as a novel non-viral retinal gene therapy, warranting further translational development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Toms
- Development, Ageing, and Disease, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London EC1V 9EL, UK; Ocular Genomics and Therapeutics, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Lyes Toualbi
- Development, Ageing, and Disease, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London EC1V 9EL, UK; Ocular Genomics and Therapeutics, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Patrick V Almeida
- DNA Vector Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Richard Harbottle
- DNA Vector Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mariya Moosajee
- Development, Ageing, and Disease, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London EC1V 9EL, UK; Ocular Genomics and Therapeutics, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK; Department of Genetics, Moorfields Eye Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, London EC1V 2PD, UK.
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27
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Cheng YM, Ma C, Jin K, Jin ZB. Retinal organoid and gene editing for basic and translational research. Vision Res 2023; 210:108273. [PMID: 37307693 DOI: 10.1016/j.visres.2023.108273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The rapid evolution of two technologies has greatly transformed the basic, translational, and clinical research in the mammalian retina. One is the retinal organoid (RO) technology. Various induction methods have been created or adapted to generate species-specific, disease-specific, and experimental-targeted retinal organoids (ROs). The process of generating ROs can highly mimic the in vivo retinal development, and consequently, the ROs resemble the retina in many aspects including the molecular and cellular profiles. The other technology is the gene editing, represented by the classical CRISPR-Cas9 editing and its derivatives such as prime editing, homology independent targeted integration (HITI), base editing and others. The combination of ROs and gene editing has opened up countless possibilities in the study of retinal development, pathogenesis, and therapeutics. We review recent advances in the ROs, gene editing methodologies, delivery vectors, and related topics that are particularly relevant to retinal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- You-Min Cheng
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730 China
| | - Chao Ma
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730 China
| | - Kangxin Jin
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730 China.
| | - Zi-Bing Jin
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730 China.
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28
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Kaltak M, Blanco-Garavito R, Molday LL, Dhaenens CM, Souied EE, Platenburg G, Swildens J, Molday RS, Cremers FPM. Stargardt disease-associated in-frame ABCA4 exon 17 skipping results in significant ABCA4 function. J Transl Med 2023; 21:546. [PMID: 37587475 PMCID: PMC10428568 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04406-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND ABCA4, the gene implicated in Stargardt disease (STGD1), contains 50 exons, of which 17 contain multiples of three nucleotides. The impact of in-frame exon skipping is yet to be determined. Antisense oligonucleotides (AONs) have been investigated in Usher syndrome-associated genes to induce skipping of in-frame exons carrying severe variants and mitigate their disease-linked effect. Upon the identification of a STGD1 proband carrying a novel exon 17 canonical splice site variant, the activity of ABCA4 lacking 22 amino acids encoded by exon 17 was examined, followed by design of AONs able to induce exon 17 skipping. METHODS A STGD1 proband was compound heterozygous for the splice variant c.2653+1G>A, that was predicted to result in in-frame skipping of exon 17, and a null variant [c.735T>G, p.(Tyr245*)]. Clinical characteristics of this proband were studied using multi-modal imaging and complete ophthalmological examination. The aberrant splicing of c.2653+1G>A was investigated in vitro in HEK293T cells with wild-type and mutant midigenes. The residual activity of the mutant ABCA4 protein lacking Asp864-Gly885 encoded by exon 17 was analyzed with all-trans-retinal-activated ATPase activity assay, along with its subcellular localization. To induce exon 17 skipping, the effect of 40 AONs was examined in vitro in WT WERI-Rb-1 cells and 3D human retinal organoids. RESULTS Late onset STGD1 in the proband suggests that c.2653+1G>A does not have a fully deleterious effect. The in vitro splice assay confirmed that this variant leads to ABCA4 transcripts without exon 17. ABCA4 Asp864_Gly863del was stable and retained 58% all-trans-retinal-activated ATPase activity compared to WT ABCA4. This sequence is located in an unstructured linker region between transmembrane domain 6 and nucleotide-binding domain-1 of ABCA4. AONs were designed to possibly reduce pathogenicity of severe variants harbored in exon 17. The best AON achieved 59% of exon 17 skipping in retinal organoids. CONCLUSIONS Exon 17 deletion in ABCA4 does not result in the absence of protein activity and does not cause a severe STGD1 phenotype when in trans with a null allele. By applying AONs, the effect of severe variants in exon 17 can potentially be ameliorated by exon skipping, thus generating partial ABCA4 activity in STGD1 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melita Kaltak
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- ProQR Therapeutics, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Rocio Blanco-Garavito
- Department of Ophthalmology, Intercommunal Hospital Center and Henri Mondor Hospital, Paris-Est Créteil University, Creteil, France
| | - Laurie L Molday
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Centre for Macular Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Claire-Marie Dhaenens
- University of Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, U1172-LilNCog-Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, Lille, France
| | - Eric E Souied
- Department of Ophthalmology, Intercommunal Hospital Center and Henri Mondor Hospital, Paris-Est Créteil University, Creteil, France
| | | | | | - Robert S Molday
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Centre for Macular Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Frans P M Cremers
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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Ferreira MV, Fernandes S, Almeida AI, Neto S, Mendes JP, Silva RJS, Peixoto C, Coroadinha AS. Extending AAV Packaging Cargo through Dual Co-Transduction: Efficient Protein Trans-Splicing at Low Vector Doses. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10524. [PMID: 37445701 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310524] [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: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors represent one of the leading platforms for gene delivery. Nevertheless, their small packaging capacity restricts their use for diseases requiring large-gene delivery. To overcome this, dual-AAV vector systems that rely on protein trans-splicing were developed, with the split-intein Npu DnaE among the most-used. However, the reconstitution efficiency of Npu DnaE is still insufficient, requiring higher vector doses. In this work, two split-inteins, Cfa and Gp41-1, with reportedly superior trans-splicing were evaluated in comparison with Npu DnaE by transient transfections and dual-AAV in vitro co-transductions. Both Cfa and Gp41-1 split-inteins enabled reconstitution rates that were over two-fold higher than Npu DnaE and 100% of protein reconstitution. The impact of different vector preparation qualities in split-intein performances was also evaluated in co-transduction assays. Higher-quality preparations increased split-inteins' performances by three-fold when compared to low-quality preparations (60-75% vs. 20-30% full particles, respectively). Low-quality vector preparations were observed to limit split-gene reconstitutions by inhibiting co-transduction. We show that combining superior split-inteins with higher-quality vector preparations allowed vector doses to be decreased while maintaining high trans-splicing rates. These results show the potential of more-efficient protein-trans-splicing strategies in dual-AAV vector co-transduction, allowing the extension of its use to the delivery of larger therapeutic genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana V Ferreira
- iBET-Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Sofia Fernandes
- iBET-Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Ana Isabel Almeida
- iBET-Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Salomé Neto
- iBET-Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - João P Mendes
- iBET-Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Ricardo J S Silva
- iBET-Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Cristina Peixoto
- iBET-Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Ana Sofia Coroadinha
- iBET-Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
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Zhou Z, Wang X, Li X, Liao L. A bibliometric profile of optogenetics: quantitative and qualitative analyses. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1221316. [PMID: 37424998 PMCID: PMC10323434 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1221316] [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: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Optogenetics is a rapidly developing field combining optics and genetics, with promising applications in neuroscience and beyond. However, there is currently a lack of bibliometric analyses examining publications in this area. Method Publications on optogenetics were gathered from the Web of Science Core Collection Database. A quantitative analysis was conducted to gain insights into the annual scientific output, and distribution of authors, journals, subject categories, countries, and institutions. Additionally, qualitative analysis, such as co-occurrence network analysis, thematic analysis, and theme evolution, were performed to identify the main areas and trends of optogenetics articles. Results A total of 6,824 publications were included for analysis. The number of articles has rapidly grown since 2010, with an annual growth rate of 52.82%. Deisseroth K, Boyden ES, and Hegemann P were the most prolific contributors to the field. The United States contributed the most articles (3,051 articles), followed by China (623 articles). A majority of optogenetics-related articles are published in high-quality journals, including NATURE, SCIENCE, and CELL. These articles mainly belong to four subjects: neurosciences, biochemistry and molecular biology, neuroimaging, and materials science. Co-occurrence keyword network analysis identified three clusters: optogenetic components and techniques, optogenetics and neural circuitry, optogenetics and disease. Conclusion The results suggest that optogenetics research is flourishing, focusing on optogenetic techniques and their applications in neural circuitry exploration and disease intervention. Optogenetics is expected to remain a hot topic in various fields in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhonghan Zhou
- Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Department of Urology, China Rehabilitation Research Center, Beijing, China
- University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- China Rehabilitation Science Institute, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Rehabilitation, Beijing, China
| | - Xuesheng Wang
- Department of Urology, China Rehabilitation Research Center, Beijing, China
- University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- China Rehabilitation Science Institute, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Rehabilitation, Beijing, China
- School of Rehabilitation, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xunhua Li
- Department of Urology, China Rehabilitation Research Center, Beijing, China
- University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- China Rehabilitation Science Institute, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Rehabilitation, Beijing, China
- School of Rehabilitation, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Limin Liao
- Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- Department of Urology, China Rehabilitation Research Center, Beijing, China
- University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- China Rehabilitation Science Institute, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Injury and Rehabilitation, Beijing, China
- School of Rehabilitation, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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31
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Jiang L, Wang D, He Y, Shu Y. Advances in gene therapy hold promise for treating hereditary hearing loss. Mol Ther 2023; 31:934-950. [PMID: 36755494 PMCID: PMC10124073 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene therapy focuses on genetic modification to produce therapeutic effects or treat diseases by repairing or reconstructing genetic material, thus being expected to be the most promising therapeutic strategy for genetic disorders. Due to the growing attention to hearing impairment, an increasing amount of research is attempting to utilize gene therapy for hereditary hearing loss (HHL), an important monogenic disease and the most common type of congenital deafness. Several gene therapy clinical trials for HHL have recently been approved, and, additionally, CRISPR-Cas tools have been attempted for HHL treatment. Therefore, in order to further advance the development of inner ear gene therapy and promote its broad application in other forms of genetic disease, it is imperative to review the progress of gene therapy for HHL. Herein, we address three main gene therapy strategies (gene replacement, gene suppression, and gene editing), summarizing the strategy that is most appropriate for particular monogenic diseases based on different pathogenic mechanisms, and then focusing on their successful applications for HHL in preclinical trials. Finally, we elaborate on the challenges and outlooks of gene therapy for HHL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luoying Jiang
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China; Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Daqi Wang
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China; Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yingzi He
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China.
| | - Yilai Shu
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China; Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
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32
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Kaltak M, de Bruijn P, Piccolo D, Lee SE, Dulla K, Hoogenboezem T, Beumer W, Webster AR, Collin RW, Cheetham ME, Platenburg G, Swildens J. Antisense oligonucleotide therapy corrects splicing in the common Stargardt disease type 1-causing variant ABCA4 c.5461-10T>C. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2023; 31:674-688. [PMID: 36910710 PMCID: PMC9999166 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2023.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2023]
Abstract
Stargardt disease type 1 (STGD1) is the most common hereditary form of maculopathy and remains untreatable. STGD1 is caused by biallelic variants in the ABCA4 gene, which encodes the ATP-binding cassette (type 4) protein (ABCA4) that clears toxic byproducts of the visual cycle. The c.5461-10T>C p.[Thr1821Aspfs∗6,Thr1821Valfs∗13] variant is the most common severe disease-associated variant, and leads to exon skipping and out-of-frame ABCA4 transcripts that prevent translation of functional ABCA4 protein. Homozygous individuals typically display early onset STGD1 and are legally blind by early adulthood. Here, we applied antisense oligonucleotides (AONs) to promote exon inclusion and restore wild-type RNA splicing of ABCA4 c.5461-10T>C. The effect of AONs was first investigated in vitro using an ABCA4 midigene model. Subsequently, the best performing AONs were administered to homozygous c.5461-10T>C 3D human retinal organoids. Isoform-specific digital polymerase chain reaction revealed a significant increase in correctly spliced transcripts after treatment with the lead AON, QR-1011, up to 53% correct transcripts at a 3 μM dose. Furthermore, western blot and immunohistochemistry analyses identified restoration of ABCA4 protein after treatment. Collectively, we identified QR-1011 as a potent splice-correcting AON and a possible therapeutic intervention for patients harboring the severe ABCA4 c.5461-10T>C variant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melita Kaltak
- ProQR Therapeutics, Zernikedreef 9, 2333 CK Leiden, the Netherlands
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein-Zuid 10, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Academic Alliance Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein-Zuid 10, 6525 GA Nijmegen, and Maastricht University Medical Center+, P. Debyelaan 25, 6229 HX Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Petra de Bruijn
- ProQR Therapeutics, Zernikedreef 9, 2333 CK Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Davide Piccolo
- UCL, Institute of Ophthalmology, 11-43 Bath Street, EC1V 9EL London, UK
| | - Sang-Eun Lee
- UCL, Institute of Ophthalmology, 11-43 Bath Street, EC1V 9EL London, UK
| | - Kalyan Dulla
- ProQR Therapeutics, Zernikedreef 9, 2333 CK Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | - Wouter Beumer
- ProQR Therapeutics, Zernikedreef 9, 2333 CK Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Andrew R. Webster
- UCL, Institute of Ophthalmology, 11-43 Bath Street, EC1V 9EL London, UK
- Moorfields Eye Hospital, 162 City Road, EC1V 2PD London, UK
| | - Rob W.J. Collin
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein-Zuid 10, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Academic Alliance Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein-Zuid 10, 6525 GA Nijmegen, and Maastricht University Medical Center+, P. Debyelaan 25, 6229 HX Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Jim Swildens
- ProQR Therapeutics, Zernikedreef 9, 2333 CK Leiden, the Netherlands
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Huang XM, Liu Q, Xu ZY, Yang XH, Xiao F, Ouyang PW, Yi WZ, Zhao N, Meng J, Cui YH, Pan HW. Down-regulation of HuR inhibits pathological angiogenesis in oxygen-induced retinopathy. Exp Eye Res 2023; 227:109378. [PMID: 36603796 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2022.109378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
HuR (also known as ELAV1), a ubiquitous RNA-binding protein, is implicated in the pathogenesis of diverse diseases via the mechanism of post-transcriptional regulation. Whether it is involved in pathological angiogenesis in oxygen-induced retinopathy is not clear. In this study, we detected HuR expression was increased in the retina of mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) as well as in vascular endothelial cells exposed to hypoxia. With gain-of-function and loss-of-function studies using adenovirus infection, we found HuR over-expression promoted while HuR knockdown inhibited the migration, proliferation and tube formation of vascular endothelial cells. Moreover, HuR regulated the expression of VEGFA in vascular endothelial cells. We also found the retinal pathological angiogenesis in mouse OIR model was greatly reduced with HuR knockdown using recombinant AAV expressing HuR specific shRNA which was administered by intravitreal injection. The results of this study suggest HuR is involved in pathological angiogenesis via regulating angiogenic behaviors of endothelial cells, providing a potential target for the treatment of retinopathy of prematurity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Mei Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; Institute of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qun Liu
- Institute of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhi-Yi Xu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; Institute of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Hua Yang
- Department of Cardiology, Guangzhou Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Vascular Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fan Xiao
- Institute of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Pei-Wen Ouyang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; Institute of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wan-Zhao Yi
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; Institute of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Na Zhao
- Department of Cardiology, Guangzhou Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Vascular Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jing Meng
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Hong Cui
- Department of Cardiology, Guangzhou Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Vascular Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hong-Wei Pan
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; Institute of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
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34
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Tang H, Wang H, Wang S, Hu SW, Lv J, Xun M, Gao K, Wang F, Chen Y, Wang D, Wang W, Li H, Shu Y. Hearing of Otof-deficient mice restored by trans-splicing of N- and C-terminal otoferlin. Hum Genet 2023; 142:289-304. [PMID: 36383253 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-022-02504-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Mutations to the OTOF gene are among the most common reasons for auditory neuropathy. Although cochlear implants are often effective in restoring sound transduction, there are currently no biological treatments for individuals with variants of OTOF. Previous studies have reported the rescue of hearing in DFNB9 mice using OTOF gene replacement although the efficacy needs improvement. Here, we developed a novel dual-AAV-mediated gene therapy system based on the principles of protein trans-splicing, and we show that this system can reverse bilateral deafness in Otof -/- mice after a single unilateral injection. The system effectively expressed exogenous mouse or human otoferlin after injection on postnatal day 0-2. Human otoferlin restored hearing to near wild-type levels for at least 6 months and restored the release of synaptic vesicles in inner hair cells. Our study not only provides a preferential clinical strategy for the treatment of OTOF-related auditory neuropathies, but also describes a route of development for other large-gene therapies and protein engineering techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honghai Tang
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye and ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China.,Institute of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Hui Wang
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye and ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China.,Institute of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Shengyi Wang
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye and ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China.,Institute of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Shao Wei Hu
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye and ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China.,Institute of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jun Lv
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye and ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China.,Institute of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Mengzhao Xun
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye and ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China.,Institute of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Kaiyu Gao
- Shanghai Refreshgene Therapeutics Co., Ltd., Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone, Room 2001, Building 7-5, Free Trade No.1 Park, 160 Basheng Road, Shanghai, 200131, China
| | - Fang Wang
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye and ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China.,Institute of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yuxin Chen
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye and ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China.,Institute of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Daqi Wang
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye and ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China.,Institute of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Wuqing Wang
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye and ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China. .,Institute of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China. .,NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Huawei Li
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye and ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China. .,Institute of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China. .,NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Yilai Shu
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye and ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, China. .,Institute of Biomedical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China. .,NHC Key Laboratory of Hearing Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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35
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Future Perspectives of Prime Editing for the Treatment of Inherited Retinal Diseases. Cells 2023; 12:cells12030440. [PMID: 36766782 PMCID: PMC9913839 DOI: 10.3390/cells12030440] [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: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Inherited retinal diseases (IRD) are a clinically and genetically heterogenous group of diseases and a leading cause of blindness in the working-age population. Even though gene augmentation therapies have shown promising results, they are only feasible to treat a small number of autosomal recessive IRDs, because the size of the gene is limited by the vector used. DNA editing however could potentially correct errors regardless of the overall size of the gene and might also be used to correct dominant mutations. Prime editing is a novel CRISPR/Cas9 based gene editing tool that enables precise correction of point mutations, insertions, and deletions without causing double strand DNA breaks. Due to its versatility and precision this technology may be a potential treatment option for virtually all genetic causes of IRD. Since its initial description, the prime editing technology has been further improved, resulting in higher efficacy and a larger target scope. Additionally, progress has been achieved concerning the size-related delivery issue of the prime editor components. This review aims to give an overview of these recent advancements and discusses prime editing as a potential treatment for IRDs.
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36
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Shen W, Shao A, Zhou W, Lou L, Grzybowski A, Jin K, Ye J. Retinogenesis in a Dish: Bibliometric Analysis and Visualization of Retinal Organoids From 2011 to 2022. Cell Transplant 2023; 32:9636897231214321. [PMID: 38044501 PMCID: PMC10695087 DOI: 10.1177/09636897231214321] [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: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Retinal organoid (RO) is the three-dimensional (3D) retinal culture derived from pluripotent or embryonic stem cells which recapitulates organ functions, which was a revolutionary milestone in stem cell technology. The purpose of this study is to explore the hotspots and future directions on ROs, as well as to better understand the fields of greatest research opportunities. Eligible publications related to RO from 2011 to 2022 were acquired from the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection database. Bibliometric analysis was performed by using software including VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and ArcGIS. A total of 520 articles were included, and the number of annual publications showed a rapid increase with an average rate of 40.86%. The United States published the most articles (241/520, 46.35%) with highest total citation frequencies (5,344). University College London (UK) contributed the largest publication output (40/520, 7.69%) and received highest total citation frequencies. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science was the most productive journal with 129 articles. Majlinda Lako contributed the most research with 32 articles, while Olivier Goureau has the strongest collaboration work. Research could be subdivided into four keyword clusters: "culture and differentiation," "morphogenesis and modeling," "gene therapy," and "transplantation and visual restoration," and evolution of keywords was identified. Last decade has witnessed the huge progress in the field of RO, which is a young and promising research area with extensive and in-depth studies. More attention should be paid to RO-related models and therapies based on specific retinal diseases, especially inherited retinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyue Shen
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Institute on Eye Diseases, Hangzhou, China
| | - An Shao
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Institute on Eye Diseases, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wuyuan Zhou
- Zhejiang Academy of Science and Technology Information, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lixia Lou
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Institute on Eye Diseases, Hangzhou, China
| | - Andrzej Grzybowski
- Institute for Research in Ophthalmology, Foundation for Ophthalmology Development, Poznan, Poland
| | - Kai Jin
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Institute on Eye Diseases, Hangzhou, China
| | - Juan Ye
- Eye Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Institute on Eye Diseases, Hangzhou, China
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37
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Tsai YT, da Costa BL, Nolan ND, Caruso SM, Jenny LA, Levi SR, Tsang SH, Quinn PMJ. Prime Editing for the Installation and Correction of Mutations Causing Inherited Retinal Disease: A Brief Methodology. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2560:313-331. [PMID: 36481907 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2651-1_29] [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: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) encompass a large heterogeneous group of rare blinding disorders whose etiology originates from mutations in the 280 genes identified to date. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated (Cas) systems represent a promising avenue for the treatment of IRDs, as exemplified by FDA clinical trial approval of EDIT-101 (AGN-151587), which removes a deep intronic variant in the CEP290 gene that causes Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) type 10. Prime editing is a novel double-strand break (DSB) independent CRISPR/Cas system which has the potential to correct all 12 possible transition and transversion mutations in addition to small deletions and insertions. Here, as a proof-of-concept study, we describe a methodology using prime editing for the in vitro installation and correction of the classical Pde6brd10 c.1678C > T (p.Arg560Cys) mutation which causes autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (RP) in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ting Tsai
- Columbia University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, New York, NY, USA
| | - Bruna Lopes da Costa
- Columbia University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, New York, NY, USA
- Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center - New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA
- Jonas Children's Vision Care, and Bernard & Shirlee Brown Glaucoma Laboratory, Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Departments of Ophthalmology, Pathology & Cell Biology, Institute of Human Nutrition, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nicholas D Nolan
- Columbia University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, New York, NY, USA
- Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center - New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA
- Jonas Children's Vision Care, and Bernard & Shirlee Brown Glaucoma Laboratory, Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Departments of Ophthalmology, Pathology & Cell Biology, Institute of Human Nutrition, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Salvatore Marco Caruso
- Columbia University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, New York, NY, USA
- Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center - New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA
- Jonas Children's Vision Care, and Bernard & Shirlee Brown Glaucoma Laboratory, Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Departments of Ophthalmology, Pathology & Cell Biology, Institute of Human Nutrition, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Laura A Jenny
- Columbia University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, New York, NY, USA
- Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center - New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA
- Jonas Children's Vision Care, and Bernard & Shirlee Brown Glaucoma Laboratory, Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Departments of Ophthalmology, Pathology & Cell Biology, Institute of Human Nutrition, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sarah R Levi
- Columbia University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, New York, NY, USA
- Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center - New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA
- Jonas Children's Vision Care, and Bernard & Shirlee Brown Glaucoma Laboratory, Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Departments of Ophthalmology, Pathology & Cell Biology, Institute of Human Nutrition, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stephen H Tsang
- Departments of Ophthalmology, Pathology & Cell Biology, Graduate Programs in Nutritional & Metabolic Biology and Neurobiology & Behavior, Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, New York, NY, USA
| | - Peter M J Quinn
- Department of Opthalmology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
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38
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Generation of Human iPSC-Derived Retinal Organoids for Assessment of AAV-Mediated Gene Delivery. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2560:287-302. [PMID: 36481905 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2651-1_27] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Human retinal organoids derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) serve as a promising preclinical model for testing the safety and efficacy of viral gene therapy. Retinal organoids recapitulate the stratified multilayered epithelium structure of the developing and maturating human retina. As such, retinal organoids are unique tools to model retinal disease and to test therapeutic interventions toward their amelioration. Here, we describe a method for the generation of human iPSC-derived retinal organoids and how they can be utilized for the assessment of recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV)-mediated gene delivery.
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39
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Pupo A, Fernández A, Low SH, François A, Suárez-Amarán L, Samulski RJ. AAV vectors: The Rubik's cube of human gene therapy. Mol Ther 2022; 30:3515-3541. [PMID: 36203359 PMCID: PMC9734031 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Defective genes account for ∼80% of the total of more than 7,000 diseases known to date. Gene therapy brings the promise of a one-time treatment option that will fix the errors in patient genetic coding. Recombinant viruses are highly efficient vehicles for in vivo gene delivery. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors offer unique advantages, such as tissue tropism, specificity in transduction, eliciting of a relatively low immune responses, no incorporation into the host chromosome, and long-lasting delivered gene expression, making them the most popular viral gene delivery system in clinical trials, with three AAV-based gene therapy drugs already approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or European Medicines Agency (EMA). Despite the success of AAV vectors, their usage in particular scenarios is still limited due to remaining challenges, such as poor transduction efficiency in certain tissues, low organ specificity, pre-existing humoral immunity to AAV capsids, and vector dose-dependent toxicity in patients. In the present review, we address the different approaches to improve AAV vectors for gene therapy with a focus on AAV capsid selection and engineering, strategies to overcome anti-AAV immune response, and vector genome design, ending with a glimpse at vector production methods and the current state of recombinant AAV (rAAV) at the clinical level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amaury Pupo
- R&D Department, Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio), 20 T.W. Alexander, Suite 110 RTP, Durham, NC 27709, USA
| | - Audry Fernández
- R&D Department, Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio), 20 T.W. Alexander, Suite 110 RTP, Durham, NC 27709, USA
| | - Siew Hui Low
- R&D Department, Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio), 20 T.W. Alexander, Suite 110 RTP, Durham, NC 27709, USA
| | - Achille François
- Viralgen. Parque Tecnológico de Guipuzkoa, Edificio Kuatro, Paseo Mikeletegui, 83, 20009 San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Lester Suárez-Amarán
- R&D Department, Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio), 20 T.W. Alexander, Suite 110 RTP, Durham, NC 27709, USA
| | - Richard Jude Samulski
- R&D Department, Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio), 20 T.W. Alexander, Suite 110 RTP, Durham, NC 27709, USA,Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA,Corresponding author: Richard Jude Samulski, R&D Department, Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio), 20 T.W. Alexander, Suite 110 RTP, NC 27709, USA.
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40
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Wang D, Fan X, Li M, Liu T, Lu P, Wang G, Li Y, Han J, Zhao J. Prime Editing in Mammals: The Next Generation of Precision Genome Editing. CRISPR J 2022; 5:746-768. [PMID: 36512351 DOI: 10.1089/crispr.2022.0084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The recently established prime editor (PE) system is regarded as next-generation gene-editing technology. This methodology can install any base-to-base change as well as insertions and deletions without the requirement for double-stranded break formation or donor DNA templates; thus, it offers more targeting flexibility and greater editing precision than conventional CRISPR-Cas systems or base editors. In this study, we introduce the basic principles of PE and then review its most recent progress in terms of editing versatility, specificity, and efficiency in mammals. Next, we summarize key considerations regarding the selection of PE variants, prime editing guide RNA (pegRNA) design rules, and the efficiency and accuracy evaluation of PE. Finally, we highlight and discuss how PE can assist in a wide range of biological studies and how it can be applied to make precise genomic corrections in animal models, which paves the way for curing human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawei Wang
- Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China; Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
- Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China; Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
- Shandong Engineering Research Center of Stem Cell and Gene Therapy for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, China; Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan, China; and Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiude Fan
- Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China; Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
- Shandong Engineering Research Center of Stem Cell and Gene Therapy for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, China; Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan, China; and Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Mengzhu Li
- Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China; Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
- Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China; Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
- Shandong Engineering Research Center of Stem Cell and Gene Therapy for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, China; Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan, China; and Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Tianbo Liu
- Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China; Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
- Shandong Engineering Research Center of Stem Cell and Gene Therapy for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, China; Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan, China; and Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Peng Lu
- Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China; Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
- Shandong Engineering Research Center of Stem Cell and Gene Therapy for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, China; Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan, China; and Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Guangxin Wang
- Shandong Innovation Center of Intelligent Diagnosis, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Yuan Li
- Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China; Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
- Shandong Engineering Research Center of Stem Cell and Gene Therapy for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, China; Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan, China; and Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - JunMing Han
- Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China; Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
- Shandong Engineering Research Center of Stem Cell and Gene Therapy for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, China; Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan, China; and Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - JiaJun Zhao
- Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China; Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
- Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China; Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
- Shandong Engineering Research Center of Stem Cell and Gene Therapy for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Jinan, China; Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Jinan, China; and Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
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41
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Falabella M, Minczuk M, Hanna MG, Viscomi C, Pitceathly RDS. Gene therapy for primary mitochondrial diseases: experimental advances and clinical challenges. Nat Rev Neurol 2022; 18:689-698. [PMID: 36257993 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-022-00715-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The variable clinical and biochemical manifestations of primary mitochondrial diseases (PMDs), and the complexity of mitochondrial genetics, have proven to be a substantial barrier to the development of effective disease-modifying therapies. Encouraging data from gene therapy trials in patients with Leber hereditary optic neuropathy and advances in DNA editing techniques have raised expectations that successful clinical transition of genetic therapies for PMDs is feasible. However, obstacles to the clinical application of genetic therapies in PMDs remain; the development of innovative, safe and effective genome editing technologies and vectors will be crucial to their future success and clinical approval. In this Perspective, we review progress towards the genetic treatment of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA-related PMDs. We discuss advances in mitochondrial DNA editing technologies alongside the unique challenges to targeting mitochondrial genomes. Last, we consider ongoing trials and regulatory requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micol Falabella
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Michal Minczuk
- MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Michael G Hanna
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
- NHS Highly Specialised Service for Rare Mitochondrial Disorders, Queen Square Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK
| | - Carlo Viscomi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- CESNE - Center for the Study of Neurodegeneration, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Robert D S Pitceathly
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK.
- NHS Highly Specialised Service for Rare Mitochondrial Disorders, Queen Square Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases, The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK.
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42
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Sekar G, Stevens AJ, Mostafavi AZ, Sashi P, Muir TW, Cowburn D. A Conserved Histidine Residue Drives Extein Dependence in an Enhanced Atypically Split Intein. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:19196-19203. [PMID: 36194550 PMCID: PMC10241006 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c08985] [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: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Split intein-mediated protein trans-splicing (PTS) is widely applied in chemical biology and biotechnology to carry out traceless and specific protein ligation. However, the external residues immediately flanking the intein (exteins) can reduce the splicing rate, thereby limiting certain applications of PTS. Splicing by a recently developed intein with atypical split architecture ("Cat") exhibits a stark dependence on the sequence of its N-terminal extein residues. Here, we further developed Cat using error-prone polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and a cell-based selection assay to produce Cat*, which exhibits greatly enhanced PTS activity in the presence of unfavorable N-extein residues. We then applied solution nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations to explore how the dynamics of a conserved B-block histidine residue (His78) contribute to this extein dependence. The enhanced extein tolerance of Cat* reported here should expand the applicability of atypically split inteins, and the mechanism highlights common principles that contribute to extein dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giridhar Sekar
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA
| | - Adam J. Stevens
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Frick Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
| | - Anahita Z. Mostafavi
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Frick Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
| | - Pulikallu Sashi
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA
| | - Tom W. Muir
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Frick Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
| | - David Cowburn
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA
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43
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Carrella S, Di Guida M, Brillante S, Piccolo D, Ciampi L, Guadagnino I, Garcia Piqueras J, Pizzo M, Marrocco E, Molinari M, Petrogiannakis G, Barbato S, Ezhova Y, Auricchio A, Franco B, De Leonibus E, Surace EM, Indrieri A, Banfi S. miR-181a/b downregulation: a mutation-independent therapeutic approach for inherited retinal diseases. EMBO Mol Med 2022; 14:e15941. [PMID: 36194668 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202215941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) are a group of diseases whose common landmark is progressive photoreceptor loss. The development of gene-specific therapies for IRDs is hampered by their wide genetic heterogeneity. Mitochondrial dysfunction is proving to constitute one of the key pathogenic events in IRDs; hence, approaches that enhance mitochondrial activities have a promising therapeutic potential for these conditions. We previously reported that miR-181a/b downregulation boosts mitochondrial turnover in models of primary retinal mitochondrial diseases. Here, we show that miR-181a/b silencing has a beneficial effect also in IRDs. In particular, the injection in the subretinal space of an adeno-associated viral vector (AAV) that harbors a miR-181a/b inhibitor (sponge) sequence (AAV2/8-GFP-Sponge-miR-181a/b) improves retinal morphology and visual function both in models of autosomal dominant (RHO-P347S) and of autosomal recessive (rd10) retinitis pigmentosa. Moreover, we demonstrate that miR-181a/b downregulation modulates the level of the mitochondrial fission-related protein Drp1 and rescues the mitochondrial fragmentation in RHO-P347S photoreceptors. Overall, these data support the potential use of miR-181a/b downregulation as an innovative mutation-independent therapeutic strategy for IRDs, which can be effective both to delay disease progression and to aid gene-specific therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Carrella
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy.,Ecosustainable Marine Biotechnology Department, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Martina Di Guida
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy.,Medical Genetics, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Simona Brillante
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Davide Piccolo
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Ludovica Ciampi
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Irene Guadagnino
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy.,Medical Genetics, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Jorge Garcia Piqueras
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy.,Medical Genetics, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Mariateresa Pizzo
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Elena Marrocco
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Marta Molinari
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Georgios Petrogiannakis
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy.,Molecular Life Science, Department of Science and Environmental, Biological and Farmaceutical Technologies, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Sara Barbato
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Yulia Ezhova
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy.,Molecular Life Science, Department of Science and Environmental, Biological and Farmaceutical Technologies, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Alberto Auricchio
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy.,Medical Genetics, Department of Advanced Biomedicine, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Brunella Franco
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy.,Medical Genetics, Department of Translational Medical Science, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy.,Scuola Superiore Meridionale, School of Advanced Studies, Naples, Italy
| | - Elvira De Leonibus
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy.,Institute of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology (IBBC), National Research Council (CNR), Monterotondo, Rome, Italy
| | - Enrico Maria Surace
- Medical Genetics, Department of Translational Medical Science, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Alessia Indrieri
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy.,Institute for Genetic and Biomedical Research (IRGB), National Research Council (CNR), Milan, Italy
| | - Sandro Banfi
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Pozzuoli, Italy.,Medical Genetics, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
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44
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Ramamurthy RM, Atala A, Porada CD, Almeida-Porada G. Organoids and microphysiological systems: Promising models for accelerating AAV gene therapy studies. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1011143. [PMID: 36225917 PMCID: PMC9549755 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1011143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The FDA has predicted that at least 10-20 gene therapy products will be approved by 2025. The surge in the development of such therapies can be attributed to the advent of safe and effective gene delivery vectors such as adeno-associated virus (AAV). The enormous potential of AAV has been demonstrated by its use in over 100 clinical trials and the FDA’s approval of two AAV-based gene therapy products. Despite its demonstrated success in some clinical settings, AAV-based gene therapy is still plagued by issues related to host immunity, and recent studies have suggested that AAV vectors may actually integrate into the host cell genome, raising concerns over the potential for genotoxicity. To better understand these issues and develop means to overcome them, preclinical model systems that accurately recapitulate human physiology are needed. The objective of this review is to provide a brief overview of AAV gene therapy and its current hurdles, to discuss how 3D organoids, microphysiological systems, and body-on-a-chip platforms could serve as powerful models that could be adopted in the preclinical stage, and to provide some examples of the successful application of these models to answer critical questions regarding AAV biology and toxicity that could not have been answered using current animal models. Finally, technical considerations while adopting these models to study AAV gene therapy are also discussed.
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45
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Sun D, Sun W, Gao SQ, Lehrer J, Naderi A, Wei C, Lee S, Schilb AL, Scheidt J, Hall RC, Traboulsi EI, Palczewski K, Lu ZR. Effective gene therapy of Stargardt disease with PEG-ECO/ pGRK1-ABCA4-S/MAR nanoparticles. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2022; 29:823-835. [PMID: 36159595 PMCID: PMC9463552 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2022.08.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Stargardt disease (STGD) is the most common form of inherited retinal genetic disorders and is often caused by mutations in ABCA4. Gene therapy has the promise to effectively treat monogenic retinal disorders. However, clinically approved adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors do not have a loading capacity for large genes, such as ABCA4. Self-assembly nanoparticles composed of (1-aminoethyl)iminobis[N-(oleoylcysteinyl-1-amino-ethyl)propionamide (ECO; a multifunctional pH-sensitive/ionizable amino lipid) and plasmid DNA produce gene transfection comparable with or better than the AAV2 capsid. Stable PEG-ECO/pGRK1-ABCA4-S/MAR nanoparticles produce specific and prolonged expression of ABCA4 in the photoreceptors of Abca4 -/- mice and significantly inhibit accumulation of toxic A2E in the eye. Multiple subretinal injections enhance gene expression and therapeutic efficacy with an approximately 69% reduction in A2E accumulation in Abca4 -/- mice after 3 doses. Very mild inflammation was observed after multiple injections of the nanoparticles. PEG-ECO/pGRK1-ABCA4-S/MAR nanoparticles are a promising non-viral mediated gene therapy modality for STGD type 1 (STGD1).
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Affiliation(s)
- Da Sun
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Wenyu Sun
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Song-Qi Gao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Jonathan Lehrer
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Amirreza Naderi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Cheng Wei
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Sangjoon Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Andrew L. Schilb
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Josef Scheidt
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Ryan C. Hall
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Elias I. Traboulsi
- Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Center for Genetic Eye Diseases, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Krzysztof Palczewski
- Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Departments of Physiology and Biophysics, Chemistry, and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Zheng-Rong Lu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
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De Angeli P, Reuter P, Hauser S, Schöls L, Stingl K, Wissinger B, Kohl S. Effective splicing restoration of a deep-intronic ABCA4 variant in cone photoreceptor precursor cells by CRISPR/SpCas9 approaches. MOLECULAR THERAPY - NUCLEIC ACIDS 2022; 29:511-524. [PMID: 35991315 PMCID: PMC9375153 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2022.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pietro De Angeli
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Centre for Ophthalmology, University Hospital Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Corresponding author Pietro De Angeli, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Centre for Ophthalmology, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Strasse 5–7, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Peggy Reuter
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Centre for Ophthalmology, University Hospital Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Stefan Hauser
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research and Center of Neurology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ludger Schöls
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research and Center of Neurology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Katarina Stingl
- Centre for Ophthalmology, University Hospital Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Center for Rare Eye Diseases, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Bernd Wissinger
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Centre for Ophthalmology, University Hospital Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Susanne Kohl
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Centre for Ophthalmology, University Hospital Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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Padula A, Petruzzelli R, Philbert SA, Church SJ, Esposito F, Campione S, Monti M, Capolongo F, Perna C, Nusco E, Schmidt HH, Auricchio A, Cooper GJ, Polishchuk R, Piccolo P. Full-length ATP7B reconstituted through protein trans-splicing corrects Wilson disease in mice. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2022; 26:495-504. [PMID: 36092366 PMCID: PMC9436707 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2022.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Wilson disease (WD) is a genetic disorder of copper homeostasis, caused by deficiency of the copper transporter ATP7B. Gene therapy with recombinant adeno-associated vectors (AAV) holds promises for WD treatment. However, the full-length human ATP7B gene exceeds the limited AAV cargo capacity, hampering the applicability of AAV in this disease context. To overcome this limitation, we designed a dual AAV vector approach using split intein technology. Split inteins catalyze seamless ligation of two separate polypeptides in a highly specific manner. We selected a DnaE intein from Nostoc punctiforme (Npu) that recognizes a specific tripeptide in the human ATP7B coding sequence. We generated two AAVs expressing either the 5′-half of a codon-optimized human ATP7B cDNA followed by the N-terminal Npu DnaE intein or the C-terminal Npu DnaE intein followed by the 3′-half of ATP7B cDNA, under the control of a liver-specific promoter. Intravenous co-injection of the two vectors in wild-type and Atp7b−/− mice resulted in efficient reconstitution of full-length ATP7B protein in the liver. Moreover, Atp7b−/− mice treated with intein-ATP7B vectors were protected from liver damage and showed improvements in copper homeostasis. Taken together, these data demonstrate the efficacy of split intein technology to drive the reconstitution of full-length human ATP7B and to rescue copper-mediated liver damage in Atp7b−/− mice, paving the way to the development of a new gene therapy approach for WD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnese Padula
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Raffaella Petruzzelli
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Pozzuoli, Italy
- Scuola Superiore Meridionale, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Sasha A. Philbert
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Centre for Advanced Discovery and Experimental Therapeutics (CADET), Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Stephanie J. Church
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Centre for Advanced Discovery and Experimental Therapeutics (CADET), Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Manchester, UK
| | | | | | - Marcello Monti
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | | | - Claudia Perna
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Edoardo Nusco
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Hartmut H. Schmidt
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Alberto Auricchio
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Pozzuoli, Italy
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Garth J.S. Cooper
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Centre for Advanced Discovery and Experimental Therapeutics (CADET), Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Manchester, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | | | - Pasquale Piccolo
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Pozzuoli, Italy
- Corresponding author Pasquale Piccolo, PhD, Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli (Napoli), Italy.
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Marrone L, Marchi PM, Azzouz M. Circumventing the packaging limit of AAV-mediated gene replacement therapy for neurological disorders. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2022; 22:1163-1176. [PMID: 34904932 DOI: 10.1080/14712598.2022.2012148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Gene therapy provides the exciting opportunity of a curative single treatment for devastating diseases, eradicating the need for chronic medication. Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) are among the most attractive vector carriers for gene replacement in vivo. Yet, despite the success of recent AAV-based clinical trials, the clinical use of these vectors has been limited. For instance, the AAV packaging capacity is restricted to ~4.7 kb, making it a substantial challenge to deliver large gene products. AREAS COVERED In this review, we explore established and emerging strategies that circumvent the packaging limit of AAVs to make them effective vehicles for gene replacement therapy of monogenic disorders, with a particular focus on diseases affecting the nervous system. We report historical references, design remarks, as well as strengths and weaknesses of these approaches. We additionally discuss examples of neurological disorders for which such strategies have been attempted. EXPERT OPINION The field of AAV-gene therapy has experienced enormous advancements in the last decade. However, there is still ample space for improvement aimed at overcoming existing challenges that are slowing down the progressive trajectory of this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Marrone
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Paolo M Marchi
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Mimoun Azzouz
- Department of Neuroscience, Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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Sun J, Chen X, Chai Z, Niu H, Dobbins AL, Nichols TC, Li C. Adeno-associated virus-mediated expression of activated factor V (FVa) for hemophilia phenotypic correction. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:880763. [PMID: 35991645 PMCID: PMC9388760 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.880763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy has been successfully applied in hemophilia patients excluding patients with inhibitors. During the coagulation pathway, activated factor V (FVa) functions downstream as a cofactor of activated factor X (FXa) to amplify thrombin generation. We hypothesize that the expression of FVa via gene therapy can improve hemostasis of both factor IX and FVIII deficiencies, regardless of clotting factor inhibitor. A human FVa (hFVa) expression cassette was constructed, and AAV8 vectors encoding hFVa (AAV8/TTR-hFVa) were intravenously administrated into mice with hemophilia A and B with or without FVIII inhibitors. Hemostasis, including hFVa level, activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), tail clip, and the saphenous vein bleeding assay (SVBA), was evaluated. In hemophilia B mice, a dose of 4 × 1013 vg/kg AAV8/TTR-hFVa vectors achieved a complete phenotypic correction over 28 weeks. In hemophilia A mice, hemostasis improvement was also achieved, regardless of FVIII inhibitor development. In vivo hemostasis efficacy was confirmed by tail clip and SVBA. Interestingly, while minimal shortening of aPTT was observed at a lower dose of AAV8 vectors, hemostasis improvement was still achieved via in vivo bleeding assays. Collectively, FVa-based AAV gene therapy shows promise for hemostasis correction in hemophilia, regardless of inhibitor development and no potential risk for thrombosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjiang Sun
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Gene Therapy Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Xiaojing Chen
- Gene Therapy Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Zheng Chai
- Gene Therapy Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Hongqian Niu
- Gene Therapy Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Amanda L. Dobbins
- Gene Therapy Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Timothy C. Nichols
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Chengwen Li
- Gene Therapy Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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Genetics and gene therapy in Dravet syndrome. Epilepsy Behav 2022; 131:108043. [PMID: 34053869 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2021.108043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Dravet syndrome is a well-established electro-clinical condition first described in 1978. A main genetic cause was identified with the discovery of a loss-of-function SCN1A variant in 2001. Mechanisms underlying the phenotypic variations have subsequently been a main topic of research. Various genetic modifiers of clinical severities have been elucidated through many rigorous studies on genotype-phenotype correlations and the recent advances in next generation sequencing technology. Furthermore, a deeper understanding of the regulation of gene expression and remarkable progress on genome-editing technology using the CRISPR-Cas9 system provide significant opportunities to overcome hurdles of gene therapy, such as enhancing NaV1.1 expression. This article reviews the current understanding of genetic pathology and the status of research toward the development of gene therapy for Dravet syndrome. This article is part of the Special Issue "Severe Infantile Epilepsies".
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