1
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Motorina DM, Galimova YA, Battulina NV, Omelina ES. Systems for Targeted Silencing of Gene Expression and Their Application in Plants and Animals. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5231. [PMID: 38791270 PMCID: PMC11121118 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105231] [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: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
At present, there are a variety of different approaches to the targeted regulation of gene expression. However, most approaches are devoted to the activation of gene transcription, and the methods for gene silencing are much fewer in number. In this review, we describe the main systems used for the targeted suppression of gene expression (including RNA interference (RNAi), chimeric transcription factors, chimeric zinc finger proteins, transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs)-based repressors, optogenetic tools, and CRISPR/Cas-based repressors) and their application in eukaryotes-plants and animals. We consider the advantages and disadvantages of each approach, compare their effectiveness, and discuss the peculiarities of their usage in plant and animal organisms. This review will be useful for researchers in the field of gene transcription suppression and will allow them to choose the optimal method for suppressing the expression of the gene of interest depending on the research object.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Evgeniya S. Omelina
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
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2
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Warsinger-Pepe N, Chang C, Desroberts CR, Akbari OS. Polycomb response elements reduce leaky expression of Cas9 under temperature-inducible Hsp70Bb promoter in Drosophila melanogaster. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2023; 13:jkad024. [PMID: 36705519 PMCID: PMC10085756 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Heat-shock-inducible expression of genes through the use of heat-inducible promoters is commonly used in research despite leaky expression of downstream genes of interest without targeted induction (i.e. heat shock). The development of non-leaky inducible expression systems is of broad interest for both basic and applied studies, to precisely control gene expression. Here we characterize the use of Polycomb response elements and the inducible Heat-shock protein 70Bb promoter, previously described as a non-leaky inducible system, to regulate Cas9 endonuclease levels and function in Drosophila melanogaster after varying both heat-shock durations and rearing temperatures. We show that Polycomb response elements can significantly reduce expression of Cas9 under Heat-shock protein 70Bb promoter control using a range of conditions, corroborating previously published results. We further demonstrate that this low transcript level of heat-induced Cas9 is sufficient to induce mutant mosaic phenotypes. Incomplete suppression of an inducible Cas9 system by Polycomb response elements with no heat-shock suggests that further regulatory elements are required to precisely control Cas9 expression and abundance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Warsinger-Pepe
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Carly Chang
- School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Connor R Desroberts
- School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Omar S Akbari
- School of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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3
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Abstract
There are more than 7,000 paediatric genetic diseases (PGDs) but less than 5% have treatment options. Treatment strategies targeting different levels of the biological process of the disease have led to optimal health outcomes in a subset of patients with PGDs, where treatment is available. In the past 3 decades, there has been rapid advancement in the development of novel therapies, including gene therapy, for many PGDs. The therapeutic success of treatment relies heavily on knowledge of the genetic basis and the disease mechanism. Specifically, gene therapy has been shown to be effective in various clinical trials, and indeed, these trials have led to regulatory approvals, paving the way for gene therapies for other types of PGDs. In this review, we provide an overview of the treatment strategies and focus on some of the recent advancements in therapeutics for PGDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ai Ling Koh
- Genetics Service, Department of Paediatrics, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore,SingHealth Duke-NUS Genomic Medicine Centre, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore,Duke-NUS Medical School, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore,Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore,Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Saumya Shekhar Jamuar
- Genetics Service, Department of Paediatrics, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore,SingHealth Duke-NUS Genomic Medicine Centre, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore,Duke-NUS Medical School, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore,Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore,SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute of Precision Medicine, Singapore,Correspondence: Dr. Saumya Shekhar Jamuar, Senior Consultant, Genetics Service, Department of Paediatrics, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, 100 Bukit Timah Road, 229899, Singapore. E-mail:
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4
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Mulia GE, Picanço-Castro V, Stavrou EF, Athanassiadou A, Figueiredo ML. Advances in the Development and the Applications of Non-viral, Episomal Vectors for Gene Therapy. Hum Gene Ther 2021; 32:1076-1095. [PMID: 34348480 PMCID: PMC8819515 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2020.310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Nonviral and nonintegrating episomal vectors are reemerging as a valid, alternative technology to integrating viral vectors for gene therapy, due to their more favorable safety profile, significantly lower risk for insertional mutagenesis, and a lesser potential for innate immune reactions, in addition to their low production cost. Over the past few years, attempts have been made to generate highly functional nonviral vectors that display long-term maintenance within cells and promote more sustained gene expression relative to conventional plasmids. Extensive research into the parameters that stabilize the episomal DNA within dividing and nondividing cells has shed light into the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that govern replication and transcription of episomal DNA within a mammalian nucleus in long-term cell culture. Episomal vectors based on scaffold/matrix attachment regions (S/MARs) do not integrate into the genomic DNA and address the serious problem of plasmid loss during mitosis by providing mitotic stability to established plasmids, which results in long-term transfection and transgene expression. The inclusion, in such vectors, of an origin of replication—initiation region—from the human genome has greatly enhanced their performance in primary cell culture. A number of vectors that function as episomes have arisen, which are either devoid or depleted of harmful CpG sequences and bacterial genes, and their effectiveness, as well as that of nonintegrating viral episomes, is enhanced when combined with S/MAR elements. As a result of these advances, an “S/MAR technology” has emerged for the production of efficient episomal vectors. Significant research continues in this field and innovations, in combination with promising systems based on nanoparticles and potentially combined with physical delivery methods, will enable the generation of optimized systems with scale-up and clinical application suitability utilizing episomal vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace E Mulia
- Purdue University, Basic Medical Sciences, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States;
| | - Virginia Picanço-Castro
- University of Sao Paulo Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, 54539, Center for Cell-based Therapy, Ribeirao Preto, São Paulo, Brazil;
| | - Eleana F Stavrou
- University of Patras, Department of General Biology, Patras, Greece;
| | - Aglaia- Athanassiadou
- University of Patras Medical School, General Biology, Asklepiou str, University Campus, Rion Patras, Greece, 26504;
| | - Marxa L Figueiredo
- Purdue University, Basic Medical Sciences, 625 Harrison St., LYNN 2177, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States, 47907;
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5
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Jain S, Xun G, Abesteh S, Ho S, Lingamaneni M, Martin TA, Tasan I, Yang C, Zhao H. Precise Regulation of Cas9-Mediated Genome Engineering by Anti-CRISPR-Based Inducible CRISPR Controllers. ACS Synth Biol 2021; 10:1320-1327. [PMID: 34006094 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.0c00548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas9 is a powerful genome editing tool, but its off-target cleavage activity can result in unintended adverse outcomes for therapeutic applications. Here we report the design of a simple tunable CRISPR controller in which a chemically inducible anti-CRISPR protein AcrIIA4 is engineered to disable Cas9 DNA binding upon the addition of trimethoprim. Dose-dependent control over Cas9 editing and dCas9 induction was achieved, which drastically improved the specificity and biosafety of the CRISPR/Cas9 system. We utilized the anti-CRISPR protein AcrIIA4 as a means to interfere with Cas9 DNA binding activity. By fusing AcrIIA4 to a ligand-inducible destabilization domain DHFR(DD), we show significantly reduced off-target activity in mammalian cells. Furthermore, we describe a new inducible promoter system Acr-OFF based on CRISPR controllers, which is regulated by an FDA-approved ligand trimethoprim.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surbhi Jain
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Guanhua Xun
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Shireen Abesteh
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Sherri Ho
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Manasi Lingamaneni
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Teresa A Martin
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Ipek Tasan
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Che Yang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Huimin Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
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6
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Owens LV, Benedetto A, Dawson N, Gaffney CJ, Parkin ET. Gene therapy-mediated enhancement of protective protein expression for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Brain Res 2021; 1753:147264. [PMID: 33422539 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2020.147264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading form of dementia but lacks curative treatments. Current understanding of AD aetiology attributes the development of the disease to the misfolding of two proteins; amyloid-β (Aβ) and hyperphosphorylated tau, with their pathological accumulation leading to concomitant oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and neuronal death. These processes are regulated at multiple levels to maintain homeostasis and avert disease. However, many of the relevant regulatory proteins appear to be downregulated in the AD-afflicted brain. Enhancement/restoration of these 'protective' proteins, therefore, represents an attractive therapeutic avenue. Gene therapy is a desirable means of achieving this because it is not associated with the side-effects linked to systemic protein administration, and sustained protein expression virtually eliminates compliance issues. The current article represents a focused and succinct review of the better established 'protective' protein targets for gene therapy enhancement/restoration rather than being designed as an exhaustive review incorporating less validated protein subjects. In addition, we will discuss how the risks associated with uncontrolled or irreversible gene expression might be mitigated through combining neuronal-specific promoters, inducible expression systems and localised injections. Whilst many of the gene therapy targets reviewed herein are yet to enter clinical trials, preclinical testing has thus far demonstrated encouraging potential for the gene therapy-based treatment of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren V Owens
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YG, UK
| | - Alexandre Benedetto
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YG, UK
| | - Neil Dawson
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YG, UK
| | - Christopher J Gaffney
- Lancaster Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YG, UK
| | - Edward T Parkin
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YG, UK.
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7
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Kantor A, McClements ME, Peddle CF, Fry LE, Salman A, Cehajic-Kapetanovic J, Xue K, MacLaren RE. CRISPR genome engineering for retinal diseases. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2021; 182:29-79. [PMID: 34175046 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2021.01.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Novel gene therapy treatments for inherited retinal diseases have been at the forefront of translational medicine over the past couple of decades. Since the discovery of CRISPR mechanisms and their potential application for the treatment of inherited human conditions, it seemed inevitable that advances would soon be made using retinal models of disease. The development of CRISPR technology for gene therapy and its increasing potential to selectively target disease-causing nucleotide changes has been rapid. In this chapter, we discuss the currently available CRISPR toolkit and how it has been and can be applied in the future for the treatment of inherited retinal diseases. These blinding conditions have until now had limited opportunity for successful therapeutic intervention, but the discovery of CRISPR has created new hope of achieving such, as we discuss within this chapter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel Kantor
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences & NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
| | - Michelle E McClements
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences & NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Caroline F Peddle
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences & NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Lewis E Fry
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences & NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Oxford Eye Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Ahmed Salman
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences & NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jasmina Cehajic-Kapetanovic
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences & NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Oxford Eye Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Kanmin Xue
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences & NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Oxford Eye Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Robert E MacLaren
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences & NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Oxford Eye Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, United Kingdom
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8
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Eisenhut P, Mebrahtu A, Moradi Barzadd M, Thalén N, Klanert G, Weinguny M, Sandegren A, Su C, Hatton D, Borth N, Rockberg J. Systematic use of synthetic 5'-UTR RNA structures to tune protein translation improves yield and quality of complex proteins in mammalian cell factories. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:e119. [PMID: 33051690 PMCID: PMC7672427 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Predictably regulating protein expression levels to improve recombinant protein production has become an important tool, but is still rarely applied to engineer mammalian cells. We therefore sought to set-up an easy-to-implement toolbox to facilitate fast and reliable regulation of protein expression in mammalian cells by introducing defined RNA hairpins, termed 'regulation elements (RgE)', in the 5'-untranslated region (UTR) to impact translation efficiency. RgEs varying in thermodynamic stability, GC-content and position were added to the 5'-UTR of a fluorescent reporter gene. Predictable translation dosage over two orders of magnitude in mammalian cell lines of hamster and human origin was confirmed by flow cytometry. Tuning heavy chain expression of an IgG with the RgEs to various levels eventually resulted in up to 3.5-fold increased titers and fewer IgG aggregates and fragments in CHO cells. Co-expression of a therapeutic Arylsulfatase-A with RgE-tuned levels of the required helper factor SUMF1 demonstrated that the maximum specific sulfatase activity was already attained at lower SUMF1 expression levels, while specific production rates steadily decreased with increasing helper expression. In summary, we show that defined 5'-UTR RNA-structures represent a valid tool to systematically tune protein expression levels in mammalian cells and eventually help to optimize recombinant protein expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Eisenhut
- ACIB Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Krenngasse 37, 8010 Graz, Austria
- BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Vienna 1190, Austria
| | - Aman Mebrahtu
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Department of Protein Science, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mona Moradi Barzadd
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Department of Protein Science, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Niklas Thalén
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Department of Protein Science, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gerald Klanert
- ACIB Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Krenngasse 37, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Marcus Weinguny
- ACIB Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Krenngasse 37, 8010 Graz, Austria
- BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Vienna 1190, Austria
| | - Anna Sandegren
- Affibody Medical AB, Scheeles väg 2, SE-171 65 Solna, Sweden
| | - Chao Su
- SOBI AB, Tomtebodavägen 23A, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Diane Hatton
- AstraZeneca, Biopharmaceutical Development, Milstein Building, Granta Park, Cambridge CB21 6GH, UK
| | - Nicole Borth
- ACIB Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, Krenngasse 37, 8010 Graz, Austria
- BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Biotechnology, Vienna 1190, Austria
| | - Johan Rockberg
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Department of Protein Science, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
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He Y, Wu Z, Qiu C, Wang X, Xiang Y, Lu T, He Y, Shang T, Zhu Q, Wang X, Zeng Q, Zhang H, Li D. Long non-coding RNA GAPLINC promotes angiogenesis by regulating miR-211 under hypoxia in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. J Cell Mol Med 2019; 23:8090-8100. [PMID: 31589383 PMCID: PMC6850972 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.14678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Revised: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we investigated the role of a long non-coding RNA GAPLINC in angiogenesis using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). We found that hypoxia and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) increased the expression of GAPLINC in HUVEC cells. Moreover, GAPLINC overexpression down-regulated miR-211 and up-regulated Bcl2 protein expression. Further rescue experiments confirmed that hypoxia directly increased GAPLINC expression. GAPLINC overexpression also increased cell migration and vessel formation which promoted angiogenesis, and these changes were attributed to the increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFR) and delta-like canonical notch ligand 4 (DLL4) receptors. Finally, we demonstrated that GAPLINC promotes vessel formation and migration by regulating MAPK and NF-kB signalling pathways. Taken together, these findings comprehensively demonstrate that overexpression of GAPLINC increases HUVEC cells angiogenesis under hypoxia condition suggesting that GAPLINC can be a potential target for critical limb ischaemia (CLI) treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangyan He
- Department of Vascular SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityHang ZhouChina
| | - Ziheng Wu
- Department of Vascular SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityHang ZhouChina
| | - Chenyang Qiu
- Department of Vascular SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityHang ZhouChina
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- Department of Vascular SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityHang ZhouChina
| | - Yilang Xiang
- Department of Vascular SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityHang ZhouChina
| | - Tian Lu
- Department of Vascular SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityHang ZhouChina
| | - Yunjun He
- Department of Vascular SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityHang ZhouChina
| | - Tao Shang
- Department of Vascular SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityHang ZhouChina
| | - Qianqian Zhu
- Department of Vascular SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityHang ZhouChina
| | - Xun Wang
- Department of Vascular SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityHang ZhouChina
| | - Qinglong Zeng
- Department of Vascular SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityHang ZhouChina
| | - Hongkun Zhang
- Department of Vascular SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityHang ZhouChina
| | - Donglin Li
- Department of Vascular SurgeryThe First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityHang ZhouChina
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10
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Ingusci S, Verlengia G, Soukupova M, Zucchini S, Simonato M. Gene Therapy Tools for Brain Diseases. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:724. [PMID: 31312139 PMCID: PMC6613496 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.00724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurological disorders affecting the central nervous system (CNS) are still incompletely understood. Many of these disorders lack a cure and are seeking more specific and effective treatments. In fact, in spite of advancements in knowledge of the CNS function, the treatment of neurological disorders with modern medical and surgical approaches remains difficult for many reasons, such as the complexity of the CNS, the limited regenerative capacity of the tissue, and the difficulty in conveying conventional drugs to the organ due to the blood-brain barrier. Gene therapy, allowing the delivery of genetic materials that encodes potential therapeutic molecules, represents an attractive option. Gene therapy can result in a stable or inducible expression of transgene(s), and can allow a nearly specific expression in target cells. In this review, we will discuss the most commonly used tools for the delivery of genetic material in the CNS, including viral and non-viral vectors; their main applications; their advantages and disadvantages. We will discuss mechanisms of genetic regulation through cell-specific and inducible promoters, which allow to express gene products only in specific cells and to control their transcriptional activation. In addition, we will describe the applications to CNS diseases of post-transcriptional regulation systems (RNA interference); of systems allowing spatial or temporal control of expression [optogenetics and Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs)]; and of gene editing technologies (CRISPR/Cas9, Zinc finger proteins). Particular attention will be reserved to viral vectors derived from herpes simplex type 1, a potential tool for the delivery and expression of multiple transgene cassettes simultaneously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selene Ingusci
- Department of Medical Sciences and National Institute of Neuroscience, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Gianluca Verlengia
- Department of Medical Sciences and National Institute of Neuroscience, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,Division of Neuroscience, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Marie Soukupova
- Department of Medical Sciences and National Institute of Neuroscience, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Silvia Zucchini
- Department of Medical Sciences and National Institute of Neuroscience, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,Technopole of Ferrara, LTTA Laboratory for Advanced Therapies, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Michele Simonato
- Department of Medical Sciences and National Institute of Neuroscience, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,Division of Neuroscience, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
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11
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Santiago CP, Keuthan CJ, Boye SL, Boye SE, Imam AA, Ash JD. A Drug-Tunable Gene Therapy for Broad-Spectrum Protection against Retinal Degeneration. Mol Ther 2018; 26:2407-2417. [PMID: 30078764 PMCID: PMC6171322 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2018.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2018] [Revised: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinal degenerations are a large cluster of diseases characterized by the irreversible loss of light-sensitive photoreceptors that impairs the vision of 9.1 million people in the US. An attractive treatment option is to use gene therapy to deliver broad-spectrum neuroprotective factors. However, this approach has had limited clinical translation because of the inability to control transgene expression. To address this problem, we generated an adeno-associated virus vector named RPF2 that was engineered to express domains of leukemia inhibitory factor fused to the destabilization domain of bacterial dihydrofolate reductase. Fusion proteins containing the destabilization domain are degraded in mammalian cells but can be stabilized with the binding of the drug trimethoprim. Our data show that expression levels of RPF2 are tightly regulated by the dose of trimethoprim and can be reversed by trimethoprim withdrawal. We further show that stabilized RPF2 can protect photoreceptors and prevent blindness in treated mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clayton P Santiago
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Casey J Keuthan
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Sanford L Boye
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Shannon E Boye
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Aisha A Imam
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - John D Ash
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
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12
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Annamalai B, Parsons N, Belhaj M, Brandon C, Potts J, Rohrer B. Encapsulated Cell Technology-Based Delivery of a Complement Inhibitor Reduces Choroidal Neovascularization in a Mouse Model. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2018; 7:3. [PMID: 29576927 PMCID: PMC5846441 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.7.2.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a slowly progressing disease, and risk appears to be tied to an overactive complement system. We have previously demonstrated that mouse choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and smoke-induced ocular pathology can be reduced with an alternative pathway (AP) inhibitor fusion protein consisting of a complement receptor-2 fragment linked to the inhibitory domain of factor H (CR2-fH) when delivered systemically. Here we developed an experimental approach with genetically engineered encapsulated ARPE-19 cells to produce CR2-fH intravitreally. Methods ARPE-19 cells were generated to stably express CR2 or CR2-fH, microencapsulated using sodium alginate, and injected intravitreally into 2-month-old C57BL/6J mice. CNV was induced using argon laser photocoagulation 4 weeks postinjection. Presence of capsules and progression of CNV was analyzed using optical coherence tomography. Bioavailability of CR2-fH was evaluated in retina sections by immunohistochemistry, and efficacy as an AP inhibitor by C3a ELISA. Results Secretion of CR2-fH or CR2 from encapsulated ARPE-19 cells was confirmed. An efficacious concentration of CR2-fH capsules to reduce CNV was identified. Bioavailability studies showed that CR2-fH was present in capsules and retinas of injected mice, and reduced CNV-associated ocular C3a production. Conclusions These findings indicate that the AP inhibitor CR2-fH, when generated intravitreally, can reduce CNV in mouse. Translational Relevance Encapsulated ARPE-19 cells secreting CR2-fH or perhaps other antiangiogenic or prosurvival factors might be useful as a potential therapeutic tool to treat age-related macular degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nathaniel Parsons
- Departments of Ophthalmology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Marwa Belhaj
- Department of Cell Biology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Carlene Brandon
- Departments of Ophthalmology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Jay Potts
- Department of Cell Biology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Bärbel Rohrer
- Departments of Ophthalmology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.,Neurosciences, Division of Research, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.,Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Division of Research, Charleston, SC, USA
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13
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Single vector non-leaky gene expression system for Drosophila melanogaster. Sci Rep 2017; 7:6899. [PMID: 28761084 PMCID: PMC5537222 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-07282-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2017] [Accepted: 06/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
An ideal transgenic gene expression system is inducible, non-leaky, and well tolerated by the target organism. While the former has been satisfactorily realized, leakiness and heavy physiological burden imposed by the existing systems are still prominent hurdles in their successful implementation. Here we describe a new system for non-leaky expression of transgenes in Drosophila. PRExpress is based on a single transgenic construct built from endogenous components, the inducible hsp70 promoter and a multimerized copy of a Polycomb response element (PRE) controlled by epigenetic chromatin regulators of the Polycomb group. We show that this system is non-leaky, rapidly and strongly inducible, and reversible. To make the application of PRExpress user-friendly, we deliver the construct via site-specific integration.
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14
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Wykes RC, Lignani G. Gene therapy and editing: Novel potential treatments for neuronal channelopathies. Neuropharmacology 2017; 132:108-117. [PMID: 28564577 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.05.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2017] [Revised: 05/25/2017] [Accepted: 05/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Pharmaceutical treatment can be inadequate, non-effective, or intolerable for many people suffering from a neuronal channelopathy. Development of novel treatment options, particularly those with the potential to be curative is warranted. Gene therapy approaches can permit cell-specific modification of neuronal and circuit excitability and have been investigated experimentally as a therapy for numerous neurological disorders, with clinical trials for several neurodegenerative diseases ongoing. Channelopathies can arise from a wide array of gene mutations; however they usually result in periods of aberrant network excitability. Therefore gene therapy strategies based on up or downregulation of genes that modulate neuronal excitability may be effective therapy for a wide range of neuronal channelopathies. As many channelopathies are paroxysmal in nature, optogenetic or chemogenetic approaches may be well suited to treat the symptoms of these diseases. Recent advances in gene-editing technologies such as the CRISPR-Cas9 system could in the future result in entirely novel treatment for a channelopathy by repairing disease-causing channel mutations at the germline level. As the brain may develop and wire abnormally as a consequence of an inherited or de novo channelopathy, the choice of optimal gene therapy or gene editing strategy will depend on the time of intervention (germline, neonatal or adult). This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'Channelopathies.'
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Affiliation(s)
- R C Wykes
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK.
| | - G Lignani
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK.
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15
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Gowing G, Svendsen S, Svendsen CN. Ex vivo gene therapy for the treatment of neurological disorders. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2017; 230:99-132. [PMID: 28552237 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2016.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Ex vivo gene therapy involves the genetic modification of cells outside of the body to produce therapeutic factors and their subsequent transplantation back into patients. Various cell types can be genetically engineered. However, with the explosion in stem cell technologies, neural stem/progenitor cells and mesenchymal stem cells are most often used. The synergy between the effect of the new cell and the additional engineered properties can often provide significant benefits to neurodegenerative changes in the brain. In this review, we cover both preclinical animal studies and clinical human trials that have used ex vivo gene therapy to treat neurological disorders with a focus on Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease, ALS, and stroke. We highlight some of the major advances in this field including new autologous sources of pluripotent stem cells, safer ways to introduce therapeutic transgenes, and various methods of gene regulation. We also address some of the remaining hurdles including tunable gene regulation, in vivo cell tracking, and rigorous experimental design. Overall, given the current outcomes from researchers and clinical trials, along with exciting new developments in ex vivo gene and cell therapy, we anticipate that successful treatments for neurological diseases will arise in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genevieve Gowing
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Soshana Svendsen
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Clive N Svendsen
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
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16
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Bermúdez-Morales VH, Fierros-Zarate G, García-Meléndrez C, Alcocer-Gonzalez JM, Morales-Ortega A, Peralta-Zaragoza O, Torres-Poveda K, Burguete-García AI, Hernández-Márquez E, Madrid-Marina V. In vivo Antitumor Effect of an HPV-specific Promoter driving IL-12 Expression in an HPV 16-positive Murine Model of Cervical Cancer. J Cancer 2016; 7:1950-1959. [PMID: 27877210 PMCID: PMC5118658 DOI: 10.7150/jca.15536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2016] [Accepted: 06/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a DNA virus that infects epithelial cells and has been implicated in the development of cervical cancer. Few therapeutic strategies have been designed for the treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, a precursor of cervical cancer. In these early stages, the HPV E2 protein is the most important viral factor involved in viral gene expression and plays crucial roles during the vegetative viral cycle in epithelial cells. Papillomavirus E2 binds specifically to palindromic ACCN6GGT sequences, referred to as the E2 binding sites (E2BS), which are concentrated within the viral long control region, and which are responsible for regulation of the HPV protein's expression. Here, we consider E2BS as a candidate sequence to induce the expression of antiviral therapeutic genes selectively in HPV-infected cells expressing the E2 protein. This study focuses on the use of an HPV-specific promoter comprised of four E2BS to drive the expression of IL-12, leading to an antitumor effect in an HPV-positive murine tumor model. The therapeutic strategy was implemented via viral gene therapy using adenoviral vectors with recombinant E2 and IL-12 genes and E2BS-IL-12. We demonstrate that the HPV-specific promoter E2BS is functional in vitro and in vivo through transactivation of HPV E2 transcription factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Hugo Bermúdez-Morales
- Division of Chronic Infection and Cancer, National Institute of Public Health. Av. Universidad 655, Cuernavaca, Morelos. México. 62100
| | - Geny Fierros-Zarate
- Division of Chronic Infection and Cancer, National Institute of Public Health. Av. Universidad 655, Cuernavaca, Morelos. México. 62100
| | - Celina García-Meléndrez
- Biotecnhgology Institute. National Autonomous University of Mexico, Cuernavaca Morelos, México
| | | | - Ausencio Morales-Ortega
- Division of Chronic Infection and Cancer, National Institute of Public Health. Av. Universidad 655, Cuernavaca, Morelos. México. 62100
| | - Oscar Peralta-Zaragoza
- Division of Chronic Infection and Cancer, National Institute of Public Health. Av. Universidad 655, Cuernavaca, Morelos. México. 62100
| | - Kirvis Torres-Poveda
- Division of Chronic Infection and Cancer, National Institute of Public Health. Av. Universidad 655, Cuernavaca, Morelos. México. 62100
| | - Ana Isabel Burguete-García
- Division of Chronic Infection and Cancer, National Institute of Public Health. Av. Universidad 655, Cuernavaca, Morelos. México. 62100
| | - Eva Hernández-Márquez
- Division of Chronic Infection and Cancer, National Institute of Public Health. Av. Universidad 655, Cuernavaca, Morelos. México. 62100
| | - Vicente Madrid-Marina
- Division of Chronic Infection and Cancer, National Institute of Public Health. Av. Universidad 655, Cuernavaca, Morelos. México. 62100
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17
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Chaveroux C, Bruhat A, Carraro V, Jousse C, Averous J, Maurin AC, Parry L, Mesclon F, Muranishi Y, Cordelier P, Meulle A, Baril P, Do Thi A, Ravassard P, Mallet J, Fafournoux P. Regulating the expression of therapeutic transgenes by controlled intake of dietary essential amino acids. Nat Biotechnol 2016; 34:746-51. [DOI: 10.1038/nbt.3582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2015] [Accepted: 04/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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18
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de Leeuw CN, Korecki AJ, Berry GE, Hickmott JW, Lam SL, Lengyell TC, Bonaguro RJ, Borretta LJ, Chopra V, Chou AY, D'Souza CA, Kaspieva O, Laprise S, McInerny SC, Portales-Casamar E, Swanson-Newman MI, Wong K, Yang GS, Zhou M, Jones SJM, Holt RA, Asokan A, Goldowitz D, Wasserman WW, Simpson EM. rAAV-compatible MiniPromoters for restricted expression in the brain and eye. Mol Brain 2016; 9:52. [PMID: 27164903 PMCID: PMC4862195 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-016-0232-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2016] [Accepted: 04/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Small promoters that recapitulate endogenous gene expression patterns are important for basic, preclinical, and now clinical research. Recently, there has been a promising revival of gene therapy for diseases with unmet therapeutic needs. To date, most gene therapies have used viral-based ubiquitous promoters-however, promoters that restrict expression to target cells will minimize off-target side effects, broaden the palette of deliverable therapeutics, and thereby improve safety and efficacy. Here, we take steps towards filling the need for such promoters by developing a high-throughput pipeline that goes from genome-based bioinformatic design to rapid testing in vivo. METHODS For much of this work, therapeutically interesting Pleiades MiniPromoters (MiniPs; ~4 kb human DNA regulatory elements), previously tested in knock-in mice, were "cut down" to ~2.5 kb and tested in recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV), the virus of choice for gene therapy of the central nervous system. To evaluate our methods, we generated 29 experimental rAAV2/9 viruses carrying 19 different MiniPs, which were injected intravenously into neonatal mice to allow broad unbiased distribution, and characterized in neural tissues by X-gal immunohistochemistry for icre, or immunofluorescent detection of GFP. RESULTS The data showed that 16 of the 19 (84 %) MiniPs recapitulated the expression pattern of their design source. This included expression of: Ple67 in brain raphe nuclei; Ple155 in Purkinje cells of the cerebellum, and retinal bipolar ON cells; Ple261 in endothelial cells of brain blood vessels; and Ple264 in retinal Müller glia. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the methodology and MiniPs presented here represent important advances for basic and preclinical research, and may enable a paradigm shift in gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles N de Leeuw
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child & Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada.,Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3N1, Canada
| | - Andrea J Korecki
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child & Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Garrett E Berry
- Gene Therapy Centre, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, U.S.A
| | - Jack W Hickmott
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child & Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Siu Ling Lam
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child & Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Tess C Lengyell
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child & Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Russell J Bonaguro
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child & Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Lisa J Borretta
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child & Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Vikramjit Chopra
- Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4S6, Canada
| | - Alice Y Chou
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child & Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Cletus A D'Souza
- Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4S6, Canada
| | - Olga Kaspieva
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child & Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Stéphanie Laprise
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child & Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Simone C McInerny
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child & Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Elodie Portales-Casamar
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child & Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Magdalena I Swanson-Newman
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child & Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Kaelan Wong
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child & Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - George S Yang
- Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4S6, Canada
| | - Michelle Zhou
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child & Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Steven J M Jones
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3N1, Canada.,Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4S6, Canada.,Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Robert A Holt
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3N1, Canada.,Canada's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4S6, Canada.,Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2A1, Canada
| | - Aravind Asokan
- Gene Therapy Centre, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, U.S.A
| | - Daniel Goldowitz
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child & Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada.,Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3N1, Canada
| | - Wyeth W Wasserman
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child & Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada.,Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3N1, Canada
| | - Elizabeth M Simpson
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child & Family Research Institute, University of British Columbia, 950 W 28 Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada. .,Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3N1, Canada. .,Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2A1, Canada.
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19
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Hjelm BE, Grunseich C, Gowing G, Avalos P, Tian J, Shelley BC, Mooney M, Narwani K, Shi Y, Svendsen CN, Wolfe JH, Fischbeck KH, Pierson TM. Mifepristone-inducible transgene expression in neural progenitor cells in vitro and in vivo. Gene Ther 2016; 23:424-37. [PMID: 26863047 DOI: 10.1038/gt.2016.13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2015] [Revised: 01/18/2016] [Accepted: 01/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Numerous gene and cell therapy strategies are being developed for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. Many of these strategies use constitutive expression of therapeutic transgenic proteins, and although functional in animal models of disease, this method is less likely to provide adequate flexibility for delivering therapy to humans. Ligand-inducible gene expression systems may be more appropriate for these conditions, especially within the central nervous system (CNS). Mifepristone's ability to cross the blood-brain barrier makes it an especially attractive ligand for this purpose. We describe the production of a mifepristone-inducible vector system for regulated expression of transgenes within the CNS. Our inducible system used a lentivirus-based vector platform for the ex vivo production of mifepristone-inducible murine neural progenitor cells that express our transgenes of interest. These cells were processed through a series of selection steps to ensure that the cells exhibited appropriate transgene expression in a dose-dependent and temporally controlled manner with minimal background activity. Inducible cells were then transplanted into the brains of rodents, where they exhibited appropriate mifepristone-inducible expression. These studies detail a strategy for regulated expression in the CNS for use in the development of safe and efficient gene therapy for neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- B E Hjelm
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - C Grunseich
- Neurogenetics Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - G Gowing
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - P Avalos
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - J Tian
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - B C Shelley
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - M Mooney
- Neurogenetics Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - K Narwani
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Y Shi
- Neurogenetics Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - C N Svendsen
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - J H Wolfe
- Departments of Pediatrics and Pathobiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Stokes Research Institute, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - K H Fischbeck
- Neurogenetics Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - T M Pierson
- Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Pediatrics and Neurology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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20
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Abstract
Gene therapy represents a promising approach for the treatment of monogenic and multifactorial neurological disorders. It can be used to replace a missing gene and mutated gene or downregulate a causal gene. Despite the versatility of gene therapy, one of the main limitations lies in the irreversibility of the process: once delivered to target cells, the gene of interest is constitutively expressed and cannot be removed. Therefore, efficient, safe and long-term gene modification requires a system allowing fine control of transgene expression.Different systems have been developed over the past decades to regulate transgene expression after in vivo delivery, either at transcriptional or post-translational levels. The purpose of this chapter is to give an overview on current regulatory system used in the context of gene therapy for neurological disorders. Systems using external regulation of transgenes using antibiotics are commonly used to control either gene expression using tetracycline-controlled transcription or protein levels using destabilizing domain technology. Alternatively, specific promoters of genes that are regulated by disease mechanisms, increasing expression as the disease progresses or decreasing expression as disease regresses, are also examined. Overall, this chapter discusses advantages and drawbacks of current molecular methods for regulated gene therapy in the central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludivine Breger
- Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, CNS Gene Therapy Unit, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, BMC A11, 221 84, Lund, Sweden
| | - Erika Elgstrand Wettergren
- Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, CNS Gene Therapy Unit, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, BMC A11, 221 84, Lund, Sweden
| | - Luis Quintino
- Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, CNS Gene Therapy Unit, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, BMC A11, 221 84, Lund, Sweden
| | - Cecilia Lundberg
- Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, CNS Gene Therapy Unit, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Lund University, BMC A11, 221 84, Lund, Sweden.
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21
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Wang F, Okawa H, Kamano Y, Niibe K, Kayashima H, Osathanon T, Pavasant P, Saeki M, Yatani H, Egusa H. Controlled Osteogenic Differentiation of Mouse Mesenchymal Stem Cells by Tetracycline-Controlled Transcriptional Activation of Amelogenin. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0145677. [PMID: 26709694 PMCID: PMC4692545 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0145677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2015] [Accepted: 12/07/2015] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Regenerative dental therapies for bone tissues rely on efficient targeting of endogenous and transplanted mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to guide bone formation. Amelogenin is the primary component of Emdogain, which is used to regenerate periodontal defects; however, the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects on alveolar bone remain unclear. The tetracycline (Tet)-dependent transcriptional regulatory system is a good candidate to investigate distinct roles of genes of interest during stem cell differentiation. Here, we investigated amelogenin-dependent regulation of osteogenesis in MSCs by establishing a Tet-controlled transcriptional activation system. Clonal mouse bone marrow-derived MSCs were lentivirally transduced with the Tet repressor (TetR) expression vector followed by drug selection to obtain MSCs constitutively expressing TetR (MSCs-TetR). Expression vectors that contained the Tet operator and amelogenin-coding (Amelx) cDNA fragments were constructed using the Gateway system and lentivirally introduced into MSCs-TetR to generate a Tet regulation system in MSCs (MSCs-TetR/Amelx). MSCs-TetR/Amelx significantly overexpressed the Amelx gene and protein in the presence of the tetracycline derivative doxycycline. Concomitant expression of osterix, bone sialoprotein (BSP), osteopontin, and osteocalcin was modulated by addition or removal of doxycycline under osteogenic guidance. During osteogenic induction, MSCs-TetR/Amelx treated with doxycycline showed significantly increased gene expression of osterix, type I collagen, BSP, and osteocalcin in addition to increased alkaline phosphatase activity and mineralized nodule formation. Enhanced extracellular matrix calcification was observed when forced Amelx expression commenced at the early stage but not at the intermediate or late stages of osteogenesis. These results suggest that a Tet-controlled Amelx gene regulation system for mouse MSCs was successfully established, in which transcriptional activation of Amelx was associated with enhanced osteogenic differentiation, especially in the early stage of biomineralization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangfang Wang
- Department of Fixed Prosthodontics, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hiroko Okawa
- Department of Fixed Prosthodontics, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Division of Molecular and Regenerative Prosthodontics, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Yuya Kamano
- Division of Molecular and Regenerative Prosthodontics, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Kunimichi Niibe
- Division of Molecular and Regenerative Prosthodontics, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Hiroki Kayashima
- Department of Fixed Prosthodontics, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Thanaphum Osathanon
- Research Unit of Mineralized Tissue, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Prasit Pavasant
- Research Unit of Mineralized Tissue, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Makio Saeki
- Division of Dental Pharmacology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Yatani
- Department of Fixed Prosthodontics, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Egusa
- Department of Fixed Prosthodontics, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Division of Molecular and Regenerative Prosthodontics, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
- * E-mail:
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Walthers CM, Seidlits SK. Gene delivery strategies to promote spinal cord repair. Biomark Insights 2015; 10:11-29. [PMID: 25922572 PMCID: PMC4395076 DOI: 10.4137/bmi.s20063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2015] [Revised: 03/02/2015] [Accepted: 03/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene therapies hold great promise for the treatment of many neurodegenerative disorders and traumatic injuries in the central nervous system. However, development of effective methods to deliver such therapies in a controlled manner to the spinal cord is a necessity for their translation to the clinic. Although essential progress has been made to improve efficiency of transgene delivery and reduce the immunogenicity of genetic vectors, there is still much work to be done to achieve clinical strategies capable of reversing neurodegeneration and mediating tissue regeneration. In particular, strategies to achieve localized, robust expression of therapeutic transgenes by target cell types, at controlled levels over defined time periods, will be necessary to fully regenerate functional spinal cord tissues. This review summarizes the progress over the last decade toward the development of effective gene therapies in the spinal cord, including identification of appropriate target genes, improvements to design of genetic vectors, advances in delivery methods, and strategies for delivery of multiple transgenes with synergistic actions. The potential of biomaterials to mediate gene delivery while simultaneously providing inductive scaffolding to facilitate tissue regeneration is also discussed.
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Adeno-associated Virus-mediated, Mifepristone-regulated Transgene Expression in the Brain. MOLECULAR THERAPY-NUCLEIC ACIDS 2013; 2:e106. [PMID: 23860550 PMCID: PMC3731885 DOI: 10.1038/mtna.2013.35] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2012] [Accepted: 05/20/2013] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Gene therapy, in its current configuration, is irreversible and does not allow control over transgene expression in case of side effects. Only few regulated vector systems are available, and none of these has reached clinical applicability yet. The mifepristone (Mfp)-regulated Gene Switch (GS) system is characterized by promising features such as being composed of mainly human components and an approved small-molecule drug as an inducer. However, it has not yet been evaluated in adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors, neither has it been tested for applicability in viral vectors in the central nervous system (CNS). Here, we demonstrate that the GS system can be used successfully in AAV vectors in the brain, and that short-term induced glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) expression prevented neurodegeneration in a rodent model of Parkinson's disease (PD). We also demonstrate repeated responsiveness to the inducer Mfp and absence of immunological tissue reactions in the rat brain. Human equivalent dosages of Mfp used in this study were lower than those used safely for treatment of psychiatric threats, indicating that the inducer could be safely applied in patients. Our results suggest that the GS system in AAV vectors is well suited for further development towards clinical applicability.Molecular Therapy-Nucleic Acids (2013) 2, e106; doi:10.1038/mtna.2013.35; published online 16 July 2013.
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