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Shi Y, Tan Q, Yang C, Li S, Li Y, He B, Xie H, Duan X, Chen L. Establishment of a Cleavage-Based Single-Plasmid Dual-Luciferase Surrogate Reporter for the Cleavage Efficiency Evaluation of CRISPR-Cas12a Systems and Its Primary Application. CRISPR J 2024; 7:156-167. [PMID: 38922054 DOI: 10.1089/crispr.2024.0038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas technology is a widely utilized gene-editing tool that involves gRNA-guided sequence recognition and Cas nuclease-mediated cleavage. The design and evaluation of gRNA are essential for enhancing CRISPR/Cas editing efficiency. Various assays such as single-strand annealing, in vitro cleavage, and T7 endonuclease I (T7EI) are commonly used to assess gRNA-mediated Cas protein cleavage activity. In this study, a firefly luciferase and Renilla luciferase co-expressed and a cleavage-based single-plasmid dual-luciferase surrogate reporter was built to evaluate the gRNA-mediated Cas12a cleavage efficiency. The cleavage activities of CRISPR-Cas12a can be quantitatively determined by the recovery degree of firefly luciferase activity. The cleavage efficiency of CRISPR-Cas12a can be quantitatively measured by the recovery of firefly luciferase activity. By using this system, the cleavage efficiency of CRISPR-Cas12a on hepatitis B virus (HBV)/D expression plasmid was evaluated, revealing a negative correlation between gRNA cleavage efficiency and HBV gene expression measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. This simple, efficient, and quantifiable system only requires the dual-luciferase vector and CRISPR-Cas12a vector, making it a valuable tool for selecting effective gRNAs for gene editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaoqiang Shi
- Provincial Key Laboratory for Transfusion-Transmitted Infectious Diseases, Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Qi Tan
- Provincial Key Laboratory for Transfusion-Transmitted Infectious Diseases, Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Chunhui Yang
- Provincial Key Laboratory for Transfusion-Transmitted Infectious Diseases, Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Shilin Li
- Provincial Key Laboratory for Transfusion-Transmitted Infectious Diseases, Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Yujia Li
- Provincial Key Laboratory for Transfusion-Transmitted Infectious Diseases, Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Baoren He
- The Joint Laboratory on Transfusion-Transmitted Diseases (TTDs) Between Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Nanning Blood Center, Nanning Blood Center, Nanning, China
| | - He Xie
- The Hospital of Xidian Group, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaoqiong Duan
- Provincial Key Laboratory for Transfusion-Transmitted Infectious Diseases, Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Limin Chen
- Provincial Key Laboratory for Transfusion-Transmitted Infectious Diseases, Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Chengdu, China
- The Joint Laboratory on Transfusion-Transmitted Diseases (TTDs) Between Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Nanning Blood Center, Nanning Blood Center, Nanning, China
- The Hospital of Xidian Group, Xi'an, China
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Nykänen AI, Keshavjee S, Liu M. Creating superior lungs for transplantation with next-generation gene therapy during ex vivo lung perfusion. J Heart Lung Transplant 2024; 43:838-848. [PMID: 38310996 DOI: 10.1016/j.healun.2024.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Engineering donor organs to better tolerate the harmful non-immunological and immunological responses inherently related to solid organ transplantation would improve transplant outcomes. Our enhanced knowledge of ischemia-reperfusion injury, alloimmune responses and pathological fibroproliferation after organ transplantation, and the advanced toolkit available for gene therapies, have brought this goal closer to clinical reality. Ex vivo organ perfusion has evolved rapidly especially in the field of lung transplantation, where clinicians routinely use ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) to confirm the quality of marginal donor lungs before transplantation, enabling safe transplantation of organs originally considered unusable. EVLP would also be an attractive platform to deliver gene therapies, as treatments could be administered to an isolated organ before transplantation, thereby providing a window for sophisticated organ engineering while minimizing off-target effects to the recipient. Here, we review the status of lung transplant first-generation gene therapies that focus on inducing transgene expression in the target cells. We also highlight recent advances in next-generation gene therapies, that enable gene editing and epigenetic engineering, that could be used to permanently change the donor organ genome and to induce widespread transcriptional gene expression modulation in the donor lung. In a future vision, dedicated organ repair and engineering centers will use gene editing and epigenetic engineering, to not only increase the donor organ pool, but to create superior organs that will function better and longer in the recipient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antti I Nykänen
- Latner Thoracic Research Laboratories, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Shaf Keshavjee
- Latner Thoracic Research Laboratories, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mingyao Liu
- Latner Thoracic Research Laboratories, Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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Terrones M, Deben C, Rodrigues-Fortes F, Schepers A, de Beeck KO, Van Camp G, Vandeweyer G. CRISPR/Cas9-edited ROS1 + non-small cell lung cancer cell lines highlight differential drug sensitivity in 2D vs 3D cultures while reflecting established resistance profiles. J Transl Med 2024; 22:234. [PMID: 38433235 PMCID: PMC10910754 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-04988-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The study of resistance-causing mutations in oncogene-driven tumors is fundamental to guide clinical decisions. Several point mutations affecting the ROS1 kinase domain have been identified in the clinical setting, but their impact requires further exploration, particularly in improved pre-clinical models. Given the scarcity of solid pre-clinical models to approach rare cancer subtypes like ROS1 + NSCLC, CRISPR/Cas9 technology allows the introduction of mutations in patient-derived cell lines for which resistant variants are difficult to obtain due to the low prevalence of cases within the clinical setting. METHODS In the SLC34A2-ROS1 rearranged NSCLC cell line HCC78, we knocked-in through CRISPR/Cas9 technology three ROS1 drug resistance-causing mutations: G2032R, L2026M and S1986Y. Such variants are located in different functional regions of the ROS1 kinase domain, thus conferring TKI resistance through distinct mechanisms. We then performed pharmacological assays in 2D and 3D to assess the cellular response of the mutant lines to crizotinib, entrectinib, lorlatinib, repotrectinib and ceritinib. In addition, immunoblotting assays were performed in 2D-treated cell lines to determine ROS1 phosphorylation and MAP kinase pathway activity. The area over the curve (AOC) defined by the normalized growth rate (NGR_fit) dose-response curves was the variable used to quantify the cellular response towards TKIs. RESULTS Spheroids derived from ROS1G2032R cells were significantly more resistant to repotrectinib (AOC fold change = - 7.33), lorlatinib (AOC fold change = - 6.17), ceritinib (AOC fold change = - 2.8) and entrectinib (AOC fold change = - 2.02) than wild type cells. The same cells cultured as a monolayer reflected the inefficacy of crizotinib (AOC fold change = - 2.35), entrectinib (AOC fold change = - 2.44) and ceritinib (AOC fold change = - 2.12) in targeting the ROS1 G2032R mutation. ROS1L2026M cells showed also remarkable resistance both in monolayer and spheroid culture compared to wild type cells, particularly against repotrectinib (spheroid AOC fold change = - 2.19) and entrectinib (spheroid AOC fold change = - 1.98). ROS1S1986Y cells were resistant only towards crizotinib in 2D (AOC fold change = - 1.86). Overall, spheroids showed an increased TKI sensitivity compared to 2D cultures, where the impact of each mutation that confers TKI resistance could be clearly distinguished. Western blotting assays qualitatively reflected the patterns of response towards TKI observed in 2D culture through the levels of phosphorylated-ROS1. However, we observed a dose-response increase of phosphorylated-Erk1/2, suggesting the involvement of the MAPK pathway in the mediation of apoptosis in HCC78 cells. CONCLUSION In this study we knock-in for the first time in a ROS1 + patient-derived cell line, three different known resistance-causing mutations using CRISPR/Cas9 in the endogenous translocated ROS1 alleles. Pharmacological assays performed in 2D and 3D cell culture revealed that spheroids are more sensitive to TKIs than cells cultured as a monolayer. This direct comparison between two culture systems could be done thanks to the implementation of normalized growth rates (NGR) to uniformly quantify drug response between 2D and 3D cell culture. Overall, this study presents the added value of using spheroids and positions lorlatinib and repotrectinib as the most effective TKIs against the studied ROS1 resistance point mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Terrones
- Center of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp and Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium
- Center for Oncological Research, University of Antwerp and Antwerp University Hospital, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Christophe Deben
- Center for Oncological Research, University of Antwerp and Antwerp University Hospital, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Felicia Rodrigues-Fortes
- Center for Oncological Research, University of Antwerp and Antwerp University Hospital, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Anne Schepers
- Center of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp and Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium
- Center for Oncological Research, University of Antwerp and Antwerp University Hospital, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Ken Op de Beeck
- Center of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp and Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium
- Center for Oncological Research, University of Antwerp and Antwerp University Hospital, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Guy Van Camp
- Center of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp and Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium
- Center for Oncological Research, University of Antwerp and Antwerp University Hospital, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Geert Vandeweyer
- Center of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp and Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium.
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Sansbury BM, Hewes AM, Tharp OM, Masciarelli SB, Kaouser S, Kmiec EB. Homology directed correction, a new pathway model for point mutation repair catalyzed by CRISPR-Cas. Sci Rep 2022; 12:8132. [PMID: 35581233 PMCID: PMC9114366 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11808-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene correction is often referred to as the gold standard for precise gene editing and while CRISPR-Cas systems continue to expand the toolbox for clinically relevant genetic repair, mechanistic hurdles still hinder widespread implementation. One of the most prominent challenges to precise CRISPR-directed point mutation repair centers on the prevalence of on-site mutagenesis, wherein insertions and deletions appear at the targeted site following correction. Here, we introduce a pathway model for Homology Directed Correction, specifically point mutation repair, which enables a foundational analysis of genetic tools and factors influencing precise gene editing. To do this, we modified an in vitro gene editing system which utilizes a cell-free extract, CRISPR-Cas RNP and donor DNA template to catalyze point mutation repair. We successfully direct correction of four unique point mutations which include two unique nucleotide mutations at two separate targeted sites and visualize the repair profiles resulting from these reactions. This extension of the cell-free gene editing system to model point mutation repair may provide insight for understanding the factors influencing precise point mutation correction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett M Sansbury
- Gene Editing Institute, ChristianaCare Health System, 550 S College Ave, Suite 100A, 2nd Floor, Newark, DE, 19713, USA
| | - Amanda M Hewes
- Gene Editing Institute, ChristianaCare Health System, 550 S College Ave, Suite 100A, 2nd Floor, Newark, DE, 19713, USA
| | - Olivia M Tharp
- Gene Editing Institute, ChristianaCare Health System, 550 S College Ave, Suite 100A, 2nd Floor, Newark, DE, 19713, USA.,Department of Medical and Molecular Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Sophia B Masciarelli
- Gene Editing Institute, ChristianaCare Health System, 550 S College Ave, Suite 100A, 2nd Floor, Newark, DE, 19713, USA.,Department of Medical and Molecular Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Salma Kaouser
- Gene Editing Institute, ChristianaCare Health System, 550 S College Ave, Suite 100A, 2nd Floor, Newark, DE, 19713, USA
| | - Eric B Kmiec
- Gene Editing Institute, ChristianaCare Health System, 550 S College Ave, Suite 100A, 2nd Floor, Newark, DE, 19713, USA.
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Banas K, Modarai S, Rivera-Torres N, Yoo BC, Bialk PA, Barrett C, Batish M, Kmiec EB. Exon skipping induced by CRISPR-directed gene editing regulates the response to chemotherapy in non-small cell lung carcinoma cells. Gene Ther 2022; 29:357-367. [PMID: 35314779 PMCID: PMC9203268 DOI: 10.1038/s41434-022-00324-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
We have been developing CRISPR-directed gene editing as an augmentative therapy for the treatment of non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) by genetic disruption of Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2-Related Factor 2 (NRF2). NRF2 promotes tumor cell survival in response to therapeutic intervention and thus its disablement should restore or enhance effective drug action. Here, we report how NRF2 disruption leads to collateral damage in the form of CRISPR-mediated exon skipping. Heterogeneous populations of transcripts and truncated proteins produce a variable response to chemotherapy, dependent on which functional domain is missing. We identify and characterize predicted and unpredicted transcript populations and discover that several types of transcripts arise through exon skipping; wherein one or two NRF2 exons are missing. In one specific case, the presence or absence of a single nucleotide determines whether an exon is skipped or not by reorganizing Exonic Splicing Enhancers (ESEs). We isolate and characterize the diversity of clones induced by CRISPR activity in a NSCLC tumor cell population, a critical and often overlooked genetic byproduct of this exciting technology. Finally, gRNAs must be designed with care to avoid altering gene expression patterns that can account for variable responses to solid tumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Banas
- Gene Editing Institute, ChristianaCare, Newark, DE, USA
| | | | | | | | - Pawel A Bialk
- Gene Editing Institute, ChristianaCare, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Connor Barrett
- Department of Medical and Molecular Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Mona Batish
- Department of Medical and Molecular Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Eric B Kmiec
- Gene Editing Institute, ChristianaCare, Newark, DE, USA.
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Akella S, Ma X, Bacova R, Harmer ZP, Kolackova M, Wen X, Wright DA, Spalding MH, Weeks DP, Cerutti H. Co-targeting strategy for precise, scarless gene editing with CRISPR/Cas9 and donor ssODNs in Chlamydomonas. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 187:2637-2655. [PMID: 34618092 PMCID: PMC8644747 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiab418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Programmable site-specific nucleases, such as the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/ CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) ribonucleoproteins (RNPs), have allowed creation of valuable knockout mutations and targeted gene modifications in Chlamydomonas (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii). However, in walled strains, present methods for editing genes lacking a selectable phenotype involve co-transfection of RNPs and exogenous double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) encoding a selectable marker gene. Repair of the dsDNA breaks induced by the RNPs is usually accompanied by genomic insertion of exogenous dsDNA fragments, hindering the recovery of precise, scarless mutations in target genes of interest. Here, we tested whether co-targeting two genes by electroporation of pairs of CRISPR/Cas9 RNPs and single-stranded oligodeoxynucleotides (ssODNs) would facilitate the recovery of precise edits in a gene of interest (lacking a selectable phenotype) by selection for precise editing of another gene (creating a selectable marker)-in a process completely lacking exogenous dsDNA. We used PPX1 (encoding protoporphyrinogen IX oxidase) as the generated selectable marker, conferring resistance to oxyfluorfen, and identified precise edits in the homolog of bacterial ftsY or the WD and TetratriCopeptide repeats protein 1 genes in ∼1% of the oxyfluorfen resistant colonies. Analysis of the target site sequences in edited mutants suggested that ssODNs were used as templates for DNA synthesis during homology directed repair, a process prone to replicative errors. The Chlamydomonas acetolactate synthase gene could also be efficiently edited to serve as an alternative selectable marker. This transgene-free strategy may allow creation of individual strains containing precise mutations in multiple target genes, to study complex cellular processes, pathways, or structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soujanya Akella
- School of Biological Sciences and Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA
| | - Xinrong Ma
- School of Biological Sciences and Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA
| | - Romana Bacova
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, CZ-613 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Zachary P Harmer
- School of Biological Sciences and Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA
| | - Martina Kolackova
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, CZ-613 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Xiaoxue Wen
- School of Biological Sciences and Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA
| | - David A Wright
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, USA
| | - Martin H Spalding
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, USA
| | - Donald P Weeks
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA
| | - Heriberto Cerutti
- School of Biological Sciences and Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, USA
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Vicente MM, Chaves-Ferreira M, Jorge JMP, Proença JT, Barreto VM. The Off-Targets of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats Gene Editing. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:718466. [PMID: 34604217 PMCID: PMC8484971 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.718466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The repurposing of the CRISPR/Cas bacterial defense system against bacteriophages as simple and flexible molecular tools has revolutionized the field of gene editing. These tools are now widely used in basic research and clinical trials involving human somatic cells. However, a global moratorium on all clinical uses of human germline editing has been proposed because the technology still lacks the required efficacy and safety. Here we focus on the approaches developed since 2013 to decrease the frequency of unwanted mutations (the off-targets) during CRISPR-based gene editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel M Vicente
- DNA Breaks Group, NOVA Medical School (NMS), Centro de Estudos de Doenças Crónicas (CEDOC), NOVA University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Miguel Chaves-Ferreira
- DNA Breaks Group, NOVA Medical School (NMS), Centro de Estudos de Doenças Crónicas (CEDOC), NOVA University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - João M P Jorge
- DNA Breaks Group, NOVA Medical School (NMS), Centro de Estudos de Doenças Crónicas (CEDOC), NOVA University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - João T Proença
- DNA Breaks Group, NOVA Medical School (NMS), Centro de Estudos de Doenças Crónicas (CEDOC), NOVA University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Vasco M Barreto
- DNA Breaks Group, NOVA Medical School (NMS), Centro de Estudos de Doenças Crónicas (CEDOC), NOVA University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
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Aggarwal V, Sak K, Aggarwal D, Parashar G, Parashar NC, Sood S, Tuorkey MJ, Kaur J, Buttar HS, Tuli HS. Designing Personalized and Innovative Novel Drug Therapies for Cancer Treatment. DRUG TARGETS IN CELLULAR PROCESSES OF CANCER: FROM NONCLINICAL TO PRECLINICAL MODELS 2020:213-228. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-15-7586-0_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/26/2024]
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