1
|
CRISPR/Cas9, a promising approach for the treatment of β-thalassemia: a systematic review. Mol Genet Genomics 2023; 298:1-11. [PMID: 36403178 DOI: 10.1007/s00438-022-01978-z] [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: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The CRISPR/Cas9 technique is easily programmable, fast, more powerful, and efficient at generating a mutation compared to previous gene therapy methods. β-thalassemia is the most common autosomal recessive disorder worldwide. Appropriate genomic changes in the β gene can be modified to alleviate the symptoms of the disease using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and SID databases were searched in Persian and English from February 2000 to September 2022. Finally, 39 articles had inclusion criteria which were reviewed by two separate individuals. Among the reviewed articles, articles were divided into three categories. In the first group, studies attemped to increase the expression of γ-globin and production of hemoglobin F. The strategy of second group of studies were the reduction of the α-globin chain to prevent hemolysis of RBCs by accumulation of excessive α-globins. The third group corrected the mutations causing β-thalassemia. Studies have shown that the genome of β-thalassemia patients can be modified using the CRISPR/Cas9 technique, and this approach might be promising for the treatment of β-thalassemia.
Collapse
|
2
|
Generation of TRIM28 Knockout K562 Cells by CRISPR/Cas9 Genome Editing and Characterization of TRIM28-Regulated Gene Expression in Cell Proliferation and Hemoglobin Beta Subunits. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23126839. [PMID: 35743282 PMCID: PMC9224613 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
TRIM28 is a scaffold protein that interacts with DNA-binding proteins and recruits corepressor complexes to cause gene silencing. TRIM28 contributes to physiological functions such as cell growth and differentiation. In the chronic myeloid leukemia cell line K562, we edited TRIM28 using CRISPR/Cas9 technology, and the complete and partial knockout (KO) cell clones were obtained and confirmed using quantitative droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) technology. The amplicon sequencing demonstrated no off-target effects in our gene editing experiments. The TRIM28 KO cells grew slowly and appeared red, seeming to have a tendency towards erythroid differentiation. To understand how TRIM28 controls K562 cell proliferation and differentiation, transcriptome profiling analysis was performed in wild-type and KO cells to identify TRIM28-regulated genes. Some of the RNAs that encode the proteins regulating the cell cycle were increased (such as p21) or decreased (such as cyclin D2) in TRIM28 KO cell clones; a tumor marker, the MAGE (melanoma antigen) family, which is involved in cell proliferation was reduced. Moreover, we found that knockout of TRIM28 can induce miR-874 expression to downregulate MAGEC2 mRNA via post-transcriptional regulation. The embryonic epsilon-globin gene was significantly increased in TRIM28 KO cell clones through the downregulation of transcription repressor SOX6. Taken together, we provide evidence to demonstrate the regulatory network of TRIM28-mediated cell growth and erythroid differentiation in K562 leukemia cells.
Collapse
|
3
|
Yang F, Ruan H, Li S, Hou W, Qiu Y, Deng L, Su S, Chen P, Pang L, Lai K. Analysis of circRNAs and circRNA-associated competing endogenous RNA networks in β-thalassemia. Sci Rep 2022; 12:8071. [PMID: 35577924 PMCID: PMC9110710 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12002-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The involvement of circRNAs in β-thalassemia and their actions on fetal hemoglobin (HbF) is unclear. Here, the circRNAs in β-thalassemia carriers with high HbF levels were comprehensively analyzed and compared with those of healthy individuals. Differential expression of 2183 circRNAs was observed and their correlations with hematological parameters were investigated. Down-regulated hsa-circRNA-100466 had a strong negative correlation with HbF and HbA2. Bioinformatics was employed to construct a hsa-circRNA-100466‑associated competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network to identify hub genes and associated miRNAs. The hsa-circRNA-100466▁miR-19b-3p▁SOX6 pathway was identified using both present and previously published data. The ceRNA network was verified by qRT-PCR analysis of β-thalassemia samples, RNA immunoprecipitation of K562 cell lysates, and dual-luciferase reporter analysis. qRT-PCR confirmed that hsa-circRNA-100466 and SOX6 were significantly down-regulated, while miR-19b-3p was up-regulated. Hsa-circRNA-100466, miR-19b-3p, and SOX6 were co-immunoprecipitated by anti-argonaute antibodies, indicating involvement with HbF induction. A further dual-luciferase reporter assay verified that miR-19b-3p interacted directly with hsa-circRNA-100466 and SOX6. Furthermore, spearman correlation coefficients revealed their significant correlations with HbF. In conclusion, a novel hsa-circRNA-100466▁miR-19b-3p▁SOX6 pathway was identified, providing insight into HbF induction and suggesting targets β-thalassemia treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fang Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Heyun Ruan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Minzu Hospital of Guangxi, Zhuang Autonomous Region, Affiliated Minzu Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Shuquan Li
- NHC Key Laboratory of Thalassemia Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.,Key Laboratory of Thalassemia Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.,Guangxi Key Laboratory of Thalassemia Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Wei Hou
- NHC Key Laboratory of Thalassemia Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.,Key Laboratory of Thalassemia Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.,Guangxi Key Laboratory of Thalassemia Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Yuling Qiu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Thalassemia Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.,Key Laboratory of Thalassemia Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.,Guangxi Key Laboratory of Thalassemia Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Lingjie Deng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Sha Su
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Ping Chen
- NHC Key Laboratory of Thalassemia Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China. .,Key Laboratory of Thalassemia Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China. .,Guangxi Key Laboratory of Thalassemia Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
| | - Lihong Pang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
| | - Ketong Lai
- NHC Key Laboratory of Thalassemia Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China. .,Key Laboratory of Thalassemia Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China. .,Guangxi Key Laboratory of Thalassemia Research, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Deng L, Lu Y, Yang D, Yang F, Ruan H, Wei C, Lai K, Pang L. Placental transcriptome sequencing combined with bioinformatics predicts potential genes and circular RNAs associated with hemoglobin Bart's hydrops fetalis syndrome. J Obstet Gynaecol Res 2021; 48:313-327. [PMID: 34935248 DOI: 10.1111/jog.15126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
AIM Hemoglobin Bart's hydrops fetalis syndrome (BHFS) is the most severe form of α-thalassemia. Histological alternations can be observed in placenta, but placental transcriptome profile and circular RNAs have not been studied in this disease. The aim of this study was to define the placental transcriptional changes and find relevant circular RNAs in BHFS. METHODS We performed high-throughput RNA sequencing to detect placental samples from fetuses affected by BHFS (n = 5) and normal fetuses (NF, n = 5), quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and Sanger sequencing to validate the differentially expressed circRNAs and their potentially related miRNAs (BHFS, n = 22; NF, n = 11). Bioinformatics methods were performed for further analysis. RESULTS Our results showed 152 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 112 circRNAs, and 45 microRNAs that were differentially expressed. DEGs were found to be involved in Gene Ontology terms related to gas transport, cell adhesion, oxidative stress, organ development, hemopoiesis, and others. RT-qPCR results showed that hsa_circ_0003961 and hsa_circ_0006687 were upregulated (p < 0.05). The competing endogenous RNA and co-expression networks showed that hsa_circ_0003961 and hsa_circ_0006687 were connected with 3 miRNAs and some DEGs, including cell adhesion genes (e.g., CLDN19), hemoglobin related genes (e.g., SOX6 and HBZ) and angiogenesis related genes (e.g., EPHB2). Downregulations of hsa-miR-1299 and hsa-miR-625-5p in ceRNA network were also validated by RT-qPCR. Gene set enrichment analysis results for the two circRNAs showed that some gene sets associated with cell adhesion, hematopoietic system and apoptosis were significantly enriched. CONCLUSIONS Our study characterized the placental transcriptome of BHFS. The circRNAs hsa_circ_0003961 and hsa_circ_0006687 in placenta may be relevant to BHFS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lingjie Deng
- Department of Prenatal Diagnosis and Genetic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Yebin Lu
- Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.,Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High Frequency Tumor (Gaungxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Nanning, China
| | - Dongmei Yang
- Department of Prenatal Diagnosis and Genetic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Fang Yang
- Department of Prenatal Diagnosis and Genetic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Heyun Ruan
- Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | | | - Ketong Lai
- Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| | - Lihong Pang
- Department of Prenatal Diagnosis and Genetic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Kaewsakulthong W, Pongpaksupasin P, Nualkaew T, Hongeng S, Fucharoen S, Jearawiriyapaisarn N, Sripichai O. Lysine-specific histone demethylase 1 inhibition enhances robust fetal hemoglobin induction in human β 0-thalassemia/hemoglobin E erythroid cells. Hematol Rep 2021; 13:9215. [PMID: 35003571 PMCID: PMC8672213 DOI: 10.4081/hr.2021.9215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Induction of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) ameliorates the clinical severity of β-thalassemias. Histone methyltransferase LSD1 enzyme removes methyl groups from the activating chromatin mark histone 3 lysine 4 at silenced genes, including the γ-globin genes. LSD1 inhibitor RN-1 induces HbF levels in cultured human erythroid cells. Here, the HbF-inducing activity of RN-1 was investigated in erythroid progenitor cells derived from β0-thalassemia/ hemoglobin E (HbE) patients. The significant and reproducible increases in γ-globin transcript and HbF expression upon RN-1 treatment were demonstrated in erythroid cells with divergent HbF baseline levels, the average of HbF induction was 17.7±0.8%. RN-1 at low concentration did not affect viability and proliferation of erythroid cells, but decreases in cell number were observed in cells treated with RN-1 at high concentration. Delayed terminal erythroid differentiation was revealed in β0-thalassemia/HbE erythroid cells treated with RN-1 as similar to other compounds that target LSD1 activity. Downregulation of repressors of γ- globin expression; NCOR1 and SOX6, was observed in RN-1 treatment. These findings provide proof of the concept that LSD1 epigenetic enzyme is a potential therapeutic target for β0-thalassemia/HbE patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Woratree Kaewsakulthong
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok
| | - Phitchapa Pongpaksupasin
- Thalassemia Research Center, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Nakhonpathom
| | - Tiwaporn Nualkaew
- Thalassemia Research Center, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Nakhonpathom
| | - Suradej Hongeng
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok
| | - Suthat Fucharoen
- Thalassemia Research Center, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Nakhonpathom
| | - Natee Jearawiriyapaisarn
- Thalassemia Research Center, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Nakhonpathom
| | - Orapan Sripichai
- Thalassemia Research Center, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Nakhonpathom.,National Institute of Health, Department of Medical Sciences, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi, Thailand
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Li X, Chen M, Liu B, Lu P, Lv X, Zhao X, Cui S, Xu P, Nakamura Y, Kurita R, Chen B, Huang DCS, Liu DP, Liu M, Zhao Q. Transcriptional silencing of fetal hemoglobin expression by NonO. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:9711-9723. [PMID: 34379783 PMCID: PMC8464040 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Human fetal globin (γ-globin) genes are developmentally silenced after birth, and reactivation of γ-globin expression in adulthood ameliorates symptoms of hemoglobin disorders, such as sickle cell disease (SCD) and β-thalassemia. However, the mechanisms by which γ-globin expression is precisely regulated are still incompletely understood. Here, we found that NonO (non-POU domain-containing octamer-binding protein) interacted directly with SOX6, and repressed the expression of γ-globin gene in human erythroid cells. We showed that NonO bound to the octamer binding motif, ATGCAAAT, of the γ-globin proximal promoter, resulting in inhibition of γ-globin transcription. Depletion of NonO resulted in significant activation of γ-globin expression in K562, HUDEP-2, and primary human erythroid progenitor cells. To confirm the role of NonO in vivo, we further generated a conditional knockout of NonO by using IFN-inducible Mx1-Cre transgenic mice. We found that induced NonO deletion reactivated murine embryonic globin and human γ-globin gene expression in adult β-YAC mice, suggesting a conserved role for NonO during mammalian evolution. Thus, our data indicate that NonO acts as a novel transcriptional repressor of γ-globin gene expression through direct promoter binding, and is essential for γ-globin gene silencing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Li
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Hematology and Urology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, China-Australia Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Mengxia Chen
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Hematology and Urology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, China-Australia Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Biru Liu
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Hematology and Urology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, China-Australia Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Peifen Lu
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Hematology and Urology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, China-Australia Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiang Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xiang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Shuaiying Cui
- Section of Hematology-Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Peipei Xu
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Hematology and Urology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, China-Australia Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yukio Nakamura
- Cell Engineering Division, RIKEN BioResource Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0074, Japan
| | - Ryo Kurita
- Department of Research and Development, Central Blood Institute, Japanese Red Cross Society, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Bing Chen
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Hematology and Urology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, China-Australia Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - David C S Huang
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - De-Pei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Ming Liu
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Hematology and Urology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, China-Australia Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Quan Zhao
- The State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Hematology and Urology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, China-Australia Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Zakaria NA, Islam MA, Abdullah WZ, Bahar R, Mohamed Yusoff AA, Abdul Wahab R, Shamsuddin S, Johan MF. Epigenetic Insights and Potential Modifiers as Therapeutic Targets in β-Thalassemia. Biomolecules 2021; 11:755. [PMID: 34070036 PMCID: PMC8158146 DOI: 10.3390/biom11050755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 05/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Thalassemia, an inherited quantitative globin disorder, consists of two types, α- and β-thalassemia. β-thalassemia is a heterogeneous disease that can be asymptomatic, mild, or even severe. Considerable research has focused on investigating its underlying etiology. These studies found that DNA hypomethylation in the β-globin gene cluster is significantly related to fetal hemoglobin (HbF) elevation. Histone modification reactivates γ-globin gene expression in adults and increases β-globin expression. Down-regulation of γ-globin suppressor genes, i.e., BCL11A, KLF1, HBG-XMN1, HBS1L-MYB, and SOX6, elevates the HbF level. β-thalassemia severity is predictable through FLT1, ARG2, NOS2A, and MAP3K5 gene expression. NOS2A and MAP3K5 may predict the β-thalassemia patient's response to hydroxyurea, a HbF-inducing drug. The transcription factors NRF2 and BACH1 work with antioxidant enzymes, i.e., PRDX1, PRDX2, TRX1, and SOD1, to protect erythrocytes from oxidative damage, thus increasing their lifespan. A single β-thalassemia-causing mutation can result in different phenotypes, and these are predictable by IGSF4 and LARP2 methylation as well as long non-coding RNA expression levels. Finally, the coinheritance of β-thalassemia with α-thalassemia ameliorates the β-thalassemia clinical presentation. In conclusion, the management of β-thalassemia is currently limited to genetic and epigenetic approaches, and numerous factors should be further explored in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nur Atikah Zakaria
- Department of Haematology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Malaysia; (N.A.Z.); (W.Z.A.); (R.B.)
| | - Md Asiful Islam
- Department of Haematology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Malaysia; (N.A.Z.); (W.Z.A.); (R.B.)
| | - Wan Zaidah Abdullah
- Department of Haematology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Malaysia; (N.A.Z.); (W.Z.A.); (R.B.)
| | - Rosnah Bahar
- Department of Haematology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Malaysia; (N.A.Z.); (W.Z.A.); (R.B.)
| | - Abdul Aziz Mohamed Yusoff
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, University Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Malaysia;
| | - Ridhwan Abdul Wahab
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Kulliyyah of Allied Health Sciences, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan 25200, Malaysia;
| | - Shaharum Shamsuddin
- School of Health Sciences, University Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Malaysia;
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), University Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Malaysia
- USM-RIKEN Interdisciplinary Collaboration for Advanced Sciences (URICAS), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang 11800, Malaysia
| | - Muhammad Farid Johan
- Department of Haematology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Malaysia; (N.A.Z.); (W.Z.A.); (R.B.)
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Brusson M, Miccio A. Genome editing approaches to β-hemoglobinopathies. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2021; 182:153-183. [PMID: 34175041 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2021.01.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
β-hemoglobinopathies are the most common monogenic disorders worldwide and are caused by mutations in the β-globin locus altering the production of adult hemoglobin (HbA). Transplantation of autologous hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) corrected by lentiviral vector-mediated addition of a functional β-like globin raised new hopes to treat sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia patients; however, the low expression of the therapeutic gene per vector copy is often not sufficient to fully correct the patients with a severe clinical phenotype. Recent advances in the genome editing field brought new possibilities to cure β-hemoglobinopathies by allowing the direct modification of specific endogenous loci. Double-strand breaks (DSBs)-inducing nucleases (i.e., ZFNs, TALENs and CRISPR-Cas9) or DSB-free tools (i.e., base and prime editing) have been used to directly correct the disease-causing mutations, restoring HbA expression, or to reactivate the expression of the fetal hemoglobin (HbF), which is known to alleviate clinical symptoms of β-hemoglobinopathy patients. Here, we describe the different genome editing tools, their application to develop therapeutic approaches to β-hemoglobinopathies and ongoing clinical trials using genome editing strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mégane Brusson
- Université de Paris, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Regulation During Development, INSERM UMR 1163, Paris, France.
| | - Annarita Miccio
- Université de Paris, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Regulation During Development, INSERM UMR 1163, Paris, France.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Zittersteijn HA, Harteveld CL, Klaver-Flores S, Lankester AC, Hoeben RC, Staal FJT, Gonçalves MAFV. A Small Key for a Heavy Door: Genetic Therapies for the Treatment of Hemoglobinopathies. Front Genome Ed 2021; 2:617780. [PMID: 34713239 PMCID: PMC8525365 DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2020.617780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Throughout the past decades, the search for a treatment for severe hemoglobinopathies has gained increased interest within the scientific community. The discovery that ɤ-globin expression from intact HBG alleles complements defective HBB alleles underlying β-thalassemia and sickle cell disease, has provided a promising opening for research directed at relieving ɤ-globin repression mechanisms and, thereby, improve clinical outcomes for patients. Various gene editing strategies aim to reverse the fetal-to-adult hemoglobin switch to up-regulate ɤ-globin expression through disabling either HBG repressor genes or repressor binding sites in the HBG promoter regions. In addition to these HBB mutation-independent strategies involving fetal hemoglobin (HbF) synthesis de-repression, the expanding genome editing toolkit is providing increased accuracy to HBB mutation-specific strategies encompassing adult hemoglobin (HbA) restoration for a personalized treatment of hemoglobinopathies. Moreover, besides genome editing, more conventional gene addition strategies continue under investigation to restore HbA expression. Together, this research makes hemoglobinopathies a fertile ground for testing various innovative genetic therapies with high translational potential. Indeed, the progressive understanding of the molecular clockwork underlying the hemoglobin switch together with the ongoing optimization of genome editing tools heightens the prospect for the development of effective and safe treatments for hemoglobinopathies. In this context, clinical genetics plays an equally crucial role by shedding light on the complexity of the disease and the role of ameliorating genetic modifiers. Here, we cover the most recent insights on the molecular mechanisms underlying hemoglobin biology and hemoglobinopathies while providing an overview of state-of-the-art gene editing platforms. Additionally, current genetic therapies under development, are equally discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hidde A. Zittersteijn
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Cornelis L. Harteveld
- Department of Human and Clinical Genetics, The Hemoglobinopathies Laboratory, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | | | - Arjan C. Lankester
- Department of Pediatrics, Stem Cell Transplantation Program, Willem-Alexander Children's Hospital, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Rob C. Hoeben
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Frank J. T. Staal
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Mohammadi Z, Mohammadi R, Haghpanah S, Moghadam M, Pazhoomand R, Karimi M. Association of Exon 14 of the SOX6 Gene Sequence Variations with Response to Hydroxyurea Therapy in Patients Carrying Non Transfusion-Dependent Thalassemia. Hemoglobin 2020; 44:406-410. [PMID: 33164584 DOI: 10.1080/03630269.2020.1845722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Hydroxyurea (HU) activates the γ-globin gene, resulting in increased Hb F synthesis. The SOX6 gene is a member of the Sox (Sry-type HMG box) family of transcription factors, characterized by minor groove binding domain. The DNA binding domain of this gene is encoded by exon 14. We assessed the relationship between response to HU and exon 14 of the SOX6 gene sequence variations in patients with non transfusion-dependent thalassemia (NTDT). One hundred NTDT patients from southern Iran underwent HU therapy randomly participated in this cross-sectional study between February 2013 and October 2014. Based on response to HU therapy, the patients were divided into two groups: good and poor responder. Sequence variations of exon 14 of the SOX6 gene was assayed by the Sanger sequencing technique. From all evaluated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as above, we found no significant association between sequence variations of exon 14 of the SOX6 gene and response to HU therapy (p > 0.05). It seems that no SNPs in exon 14 of the SOX6 gene is associated with response to HU in NTDT patients, but more studies are needed for further evaluation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Mohammadi
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Hematology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Reza Mohammadi
- Department of Medical Genetics, Shiraz Infertility Treatment, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Sezaneh Haghpanah
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Hematology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mohamad Moghadam
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Hematology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Reza Pazhoomand
- Department of Medical Genetics, Shiraz Infertility Treatment, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mehran Karimi
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Hematology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| |
Collapse
|