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Jin M, Lin J, Li H, Li Z, Yang D, Wang Y, Yu Y, Shao Z, Chen L, Wang Z, Zhang Y, Zhang X, Wang N, Xu C, Yang H, Chen WJ, Li G. Correction of human nonsense mutation via adenine base editing for Duchenne muscular dystrophy treatment in mouse. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2024; 35:102165. [PMID: 38571746 PMCID: PMC10988125 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most prevalent herediatry disease in men, characterized by dystrophin deficiency, progressive muscle wasting, cardiac insufficiency, and premature mortality, with no effective therapeutic options. Here, we investigated whether adenine base editing can correct pathological nonsense point mutations leading to premature stop codons in the dystrophin gene. We identified 27 causative nonsense mutations in our DMD patient cohort. Treatment with adenine base editor (ABE) could restore dystrophin expression by direct A-to-G editing of pathological nonsense mutations in cardiomyocytes generated from DMD patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells. We also generated two humanized mouse models of DMD expressing mutation-bearing exons 23 or 30 of human dystrophin gene. Intramuscular administration of ABE, driven by ubiquitous or muscle-specific promoters could correct these nonsense mutations in vivo, albeit with higher efficiency in exon 30, restoring dystrophin expression in skeletal fibers of humanized DMD mice. Moreover, a single systemic delivery of ABE with human single guide RNA (sgRNA) could induce body-wide dystrophin expression and improve muscle function in rotarod tests of humanized DMD mice. These findings demonstrate that ABE with human sgRNAs can confer therapeutic alleviation of DMD in mice, providing a basis for development of adenine base editing therapies in monogenic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Jin
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology of First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
| | - Jiajia Lin
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology of First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
| | - Haisen Li
- HuidaGene Therapeutics Co., Ltd, Shanghai 200131, China
- School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Zhifang Li
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Dong Yang
- HuidaGene Therapeutics Co., Ltd, Shanghai 200131, China
| | - Yin Wang
- HuidaGene Therapeutics Co., Ltd, Shanghai 200131, China
| | - Yuyang Yu
- HuidaGene Therapeutics Co., Ltd, Shanghai 200131, China
| | - Zhurui Shao
- HuidaGene Therapeutics Co., Ltd, Shanghai 200131, China
| | - Long Chen
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology of First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
| | - Zhiqiang Wang
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology of First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- HuidaGene Therapeutics Co., Ltd, Shanghai 200131, China
| | - Xiumei Zhang
- HuidaGene Therapeutics Co., Ltd, Shanghai 200131, China
| | - Ning Wang
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology of First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
| | - Chunlong Xu
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai 200031, China
- Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Technology, Shanghai 201602, China
| | - Hui Yang
- HuidaGene Therapeutics Co., Ltd, Shanghai 200131, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
- Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Technology, Shanghai 201602, China
| | - Wan-Jin Chen
- Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology of First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Neuroscience, Fujian Key Laboratory of Molecular Neurology, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China
| | - Guoling Li
- HuidaGene Therapeutics Co., Ltd, Shanghai 200131, China
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2
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Gopalappa R, Lee M, Kim G, Jung ES, Lee H, Hwang HY, Lee JG, Kim SJ, Yoo HJ, Sung YH, Kim D, Baek IJ, Kim HH. In vivo adenine base editing rescues adrenoleukodystrophy in a humanized mouse model. Mol Ther 2024:S1525-0016(24)00329-0. [PMID: 38796705 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.05.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024] Open
Abstract
X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), an inherited neurometabolic disorder caused by mutations in ABCD1, which encodes the peroxisomal ABC transporter, mainly affects the brain, spinal cord, adrenal glands, and testes. In ALD patients, very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) fail to enter the peroxisome and undergo subsequent β-oxidation, resulting in their accumulation in the body. It has not been tested whether in vivo base editing or prime editing can be harnessed to ameliorate ALD. We developed a humanized mouse model of ALD by inserting a human cDNA containing the pathogenic variant into the mouse Abcd1 locus. The humanized ALD model showed increased levels of VLCFAs. To correct the mutation, we tested both base editing and prime editing and found that base editing using ABE8e(V106W) could correct the mutation in patient-derived fibroblasts at an efficiency of 7.4%. Adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated systemic delivery of NG-ABE8e(V106W) enabled robust correction of the pathogenic variant in the mouse brain (correction efficiency: ∼5.5%), spinal cord (∼5.1%), and adrenal gland (∼2%), leading to a significant reduction in the plasma levels of C26:0/C22:0. This established humanized mouse model and the successful correction of the pathogenic variant using a base editor serve as a significant step toward treating human ALD disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramu Gopalappa
- Department of Pharmacology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - MinYoung Lee
- Department of Pharmacology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; Brain Korea 21 Plus Project for Medical Sciences, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Globinna Kim
- ConveRgence mEDIcine research cenTer (CREDIT), ASAN Institute for Life Sciences, ASAN Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea; Department of Cell and Genetic Engineering, ASAN Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea
| | - Eul Sik Jung
- Department of Pharmacology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; JES Clinic, Incheon 21550, Republic of Korea
| | - Hanahrae Lee
- Department of Pharmacology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; Brain Korea 21 Plus Project for Medical Sciences, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye-Yeon Hwang
- Department of Precision Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Geol Lee
- ConveRgence mEDIcine research cenTer (CREDIT), ASAN Institute for Life Sciences, ASAN Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea
| | - Su Jung Kim
- ConveRgence mEDIcine research cenTer (CREDIT), ASAN Institute for Life Sciences, ASAN Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Ju Yoo
- ConveRgence mEDIcine research cenTer (CREDIT), ASAN Institute for Life Sciences, ASAN Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Hoon Sung
- ConveRgence mEDIcine research cenTer (CREDIT), ASAN Institute for Life Sciences, ASAN Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea; Department of Cell and Genetic Engineering, ASAN Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea
| | - Daesik Kim
- Department of Precision Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - In-Jeoung Baek
- ConveRgence mEDIcine research cenTer (CREDIT), ASAN Institute for Life Sciences, ASAN Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea; Department of Cell and Genetic Engineering, ASAN Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hyongbum Henry Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; Brain Korea 21 Plus Project for Medical Sciences, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; Center for Nanomedicine, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; Graduate Program of Nano Biomedical Engineering, Advanced Science Institute, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; Institute for Immunology and Immunological Diseases, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea; Woo Choo Lee Institute for Precision Drug Development, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea.
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3
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Gan C, Yaqoob U, Lu J, Xie M, Anwar A, Jalan-Sakrikar N, Jerez S, Sehrawat TS, Navarro-Corcuera A, Kostallari E, Habash NW, Cao S, Shah VH. Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells contribute to portal hypertension through collagen type IV-driven sinusoidal remodeling. JCI Insight 2024; 9:e174775. [PMID: 38713515 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.174775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Portal hypertension (PHTN) is a severe complication of liver cirrhosis and is associated with intrahepatic sinusoidal remodeling induced by sinusoidal resistance and angiogenesis. Collagen type IV (COL4), a major component of basement membrane, forms in liver sinusoids upon chronic liver injury. However, the role, cellular source, and expression regulation of COL4 in liver diseases are unknown. Here, we examined how COL4 is produced and how it regulates sinusoidal remodeling in fibrosis and PHTN. Human cirrhotic liver sample RNA sequencing showed increased COL4 expression, which was further verified via immunofluorescence staining. Single-cell RNA sequencing identified liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) as the predominant source of COL4 upregulation in mouse fibrotic liver. In addition, COL4 was upregulated in a TNF-α/NF-κB-dependent manner through an epigenetic mechanism in LSECs in vitro. Indeed, by utilizing a CRISPRi-dCas9-KRAB epigenome-editing approach, epigenetic repression of the enhancer-promoter interaction showed silencing of COL4 gene expression. LSEC-specific COL4 gene mutation or repression in vivo abrogated sinusoidal resistance and angiogenesis, which thereby alleviated sinusoidal remodeling and PHTN. Our findings reveal that LSECs promote sinusoidal remodeling and PHTN during liver fibrosis through COL4 deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Can Gan
- Department of Gastroenterology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Usman Yaqoob
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jianwen Lu
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Man Xie
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
- Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Abid Anwar
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Nidhi Jalan-Sakrikar
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Sofia Jerez
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Tejasav S Sehrawat
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | | | - Enis Kostallari
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Nawras W Habash
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Sheng Cao
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Vijay H Shah
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
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4
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Curreri AM, Dunne M, Bibbey MG, Kapate N, Kim J, Mitragotri S. Localization of Intramuscular mRNA Delivery Using Deep Eutectic-Lipid Nanocomposites. Adv Healthc Mater 2024:e2400327. [PMID: 38693774 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202400327] [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: 01/27/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) has long been touted as a next-generation therapeutic modality for infectious disease, cancer, and genetic disorders. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) provide an elegant delivery strategy for mRNA cargo to help realize this potential for vaccination. However, systemic exposure seen with traditional LNP formulations can have significant implications on efficacy and safety. Efforts to mitigate this have largely been focused on laborious lipid or LNP redesign. Here, the use of a deep eutectic-lipid nanocomposite delivery system for the tuning of mRNA expression for intramuscular injections in vivo is reported. One deep eutectic, cholinium malonate, allows for the linear control of percent expression at the muscular injection site based solely on its concentration in the formulation. The same deep eutectic solvent (DES) can increase local muscle expression by 68% and significantly decrease off-target liver expression by 72%. Physico-chemical studies suggest that the DES incorporates into or onto the pre-formed LNPs thus impacting endosomal escape and in situ interactions. These nanocomposites provide new possibilities for previously approved LNP formulations and without the need for lipid redesign to induce localized expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Michael Curreri
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 150 Western Ave, Allston, MA, 02134, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, 3 Blackfan St, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Michael Dunne
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 150 Western Ave, Allston, MA, 02134, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, 3 Blackfan St, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Michael Griffith Bibbey
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 150 Western Ave, Allston, MA, 02134, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, 3 Blackfan St, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Neha Kapate
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 150 Western Ave, Allston, MA, 02134, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, 3 Blackfan St, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Jayoung Kim
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 150 Western Ave, Allston, MA, 02134, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Forth Worth, 3500 Camp Bowie Blvd., Forth Worth, TX, 76107, USA
| | - Samir Mitragotri
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 150 Western Ave, Allston, MA, 02134, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, 3 Blackfan St, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
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5
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Shoji M, Ohashi T, Nagase S, Yuri H, Ichihashi K, Takagishi T, Nagata Y, Nomura Y, Fukunaka A, Kenjou S, Miyake H, Hara T, Yoshigai E, Fujitani Y, Sakurai H, Dos Santos HG, Fukada T, Kuzuhara T. Possible involvement of zinc transporter ZIP13 in myogenic differentiation. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8052. [PMID: 38609428 PMCID: PMC11014994 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56912-7] [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: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Ehlers-Danlos syndrome spondylodysplastic type 3 (EDSSPD3, OMIM 612350) is an inherited recessive connective tissue disorder that is caused by loss of function of SLC39A13/ZIP13, a zinc transporter belonging to the Slc39a/ZIP family. We previously reported that patients with EDSSPD3 harboring a homozygous loss of function mutation (c.221G > A, p.G64D) in ZIP13 exon 2 (ZIP13G64D) suffer from impaired development of bone and connective tissues, and muscular hypotonia. However, whether ZIP13 participates in the early differentiation of these cell types remains unclear. In the present study, we investigated the role of ZIP13 in myogenic differentiation using a murine myoblast cell line (C2C12) as well as patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). We found that ZIP13 gene expression was upregulated by myogenic stimulation in C2C12 cells, and its knockdown disrupted myotubular differentiation. Myocytes differentiated from iPSCs derived from patients with EDSSPD3 (EDSSPD3-iPSCs) also exhibited incomplete myogenic differentiation. Such phenotypic abnormalities of EDSSPD3-iPSC-derived myocytes were corrected by genomic editing of the pathogenic ZIP13G64D mutation. Collectively, our findings suggest the possible involvement of ZIP13 in myogenic differentiation, and that EDSSPD3-iPSCs established herein may be a promising tool to study the molecular basis underlying the clinical features caused by loss of ZIP13 function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaki Shoji
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri University, 180 Nishihamahouji, Yamashirocho, Tokushima-City, Tokushima, 770-8514, Japan.
| | - Takuto Ohashi
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri University, 180 Nishihamahouji, Yamashirocho, Tokushima-City, Tokushima, 770-8514, Japan
| | - Saki Nagase
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri University, 180 Nishihamahouji, Yamashirocho, Tokushima-City, Tokushima, 770-8514, Japan
| | - Haato Yuri
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri University, 180 Nishihamahouji, Yamashirocho, Tokushima-City, Tokushima, 770-8514, Japan
| | - Kenta Ichihashi
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri University, 180 Nishihamahouji, Yamashirocho, Tokushima-City, Tokushima, 770-8514, Japan
| | - Teruhisa Takagishi
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri University, 180 Nishihamahouji, Yamashirocho, Tokushima-City, Tokushima, 770-8514, Japan
| | - Yuji Nagata
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri University, 180 Nishihamahouji, Yamashirocho, Tokushima-City, Tokushima, 770-8514, Japan
| | - Yuki Nomura
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri University, 180 Nishihamahouji, Yamashirocho, Tokushima-City, Tokushima, 770-8514, Japan
| | - Ayako Fukunaka
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology and Metabolism, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi-City, Gunma, Japan
| | - Sae Kenjou
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri University, 180 Nishihamahouji, Yamashirocho, Tokushima-City, Tokushima, 770-8514, Japan
| | - Hatsuna Miyake
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri University, 180 Nishihamahouji, Yamashirocho, Tokushima-City, Tokushima, 770-8514, Japan
| | - Takafumi Hara
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri University, 180 Nishihamahouji, Yamashirocho, Tokushima-City, Tokushima, 770-8514, Japan
| | - Emi Yoshigai
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri University, 180 Nishihamahouji, Yamashirocho, Tokushima-City, Tokushima, 770-8514, Japan
| | - Yoshio Fujitani
- Laboratory of Developmental Biology and Metabolism, Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi-City, Gunma, Japan
| | - Hidetoshi Sakurai
- Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto-City, Kyoto, Japan
| | | | - Toshiyuki Fukada
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri University, 180 Nishihamahouji, Yamashirocho, Tokushima-City, Tokushima, 770-8514, Japan.
| | - Takashi Kuzuhara
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri University, 180 Nishihamahouji, Yamashirocho, Tokushima-City, Tokushima, 770-8514, Japan.
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6
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Wang Q, Capelletti S, Liu J, Janssen JM, Gonçalves MAFV. Selection-free precise gene repair using high-capacity adenovector delivery of advanced prime editing systems rescues dystrophin synthesis in DMD muscle cells. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:2740-2757. [PMID: 38321963 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Prime editors have high potential for disease modelling and regenerative medicine efforts including those directed at the muscle-wasting disorder Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). However, the large size and multicomponent nature of prime editing systems pose substantial production and delivery issues. Here, we report that packaging optimized full-length prime editing constructs in adenovector particles (AdVPs) permits installing precise DMD edits in human myogenic cells, namely, myoblasts and mesenchymal stem cells (up to 80% and 64%, respectively). AdVP transductions identified optimized prime-editing reagents capable of correcting DMD reading frames of ∼14% of patient genotypes and restoring dystrophin synthesis and dystrophin-β-dystroglycan linkages in unselected DMD muscle cell populations. AdVPs were equally suitable for correcting DMD iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes and delivering dual prime editors tailored for DMD repair through targeted exon 51 deletion. Moreover, by exploiting the cell cycle-independent AdVP transduction process, we report that 2- and 3-component prime-editing modalities are both most active in cycling than in post-mitotic cells. Finally, we establish that combining AdVP transduction with seamless prime editing allows for stacking chromosomal edits through successive delivery rounds. In conclusion, AdVPs permit versatile investigation of advanced prime editing systems independently of their size and component numbers, which should facilitate their screening and application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Wang
- Leiden University Medical Centre, Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Sabrina Capelletti
- Leiden University Medical Centre, Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jin Liu
- Leiden University Medical Centre, Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Josephine M Janssen
- Leiden University Medical Centre, Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Manuel A F V Gonçalves
- Leiden University Medical Centre, Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands
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7
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Hubregtse L, Bouman K, Lama C, Lassche S, de Graaf N, Taglietti V, Küsters B, Periou B, Relaix F, van Engelen B, Authier FJ, Voermans NC, Malfatti E. An up-to-date myopathologic characterisation of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy type 1 muscle biopsies shows sarcolemmal complement membrane attack complex deposits and increased skeletal muscle regeneration. Neuromuscul Disord 2024; 36:6-15. [PMID: 38306719 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2024.01.003] [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: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to identify key routinely used myopathologic biomarkers of FSHD1. Needle muscle biopsies were taken in 34 affected muscles (m. quadriceps femoris (QF), n = 20, m. tibialis anterior (TA), n = 13, m. biceps brachii, n = 1) from 22 patients (age, 53.5 (10) years; M = 12, F = 10). Eleven patients had more than one biopsy (2xQF, n = 1; QF+TA, n = 9; 2xQF+TA, n = 1). Histochemistry, immunoperoxidase, and immunofluorescence stainings were performed and compared to age and muscle type matched muscle specimens of 11 healthy controls. Myopathologic features observed in our FSHD1 cohort were internalized nuclei, type 1 fibre hypertrophy and NADH central clearances/cores. We observed a prominent inflammatory response with MAC deposits, MHC I expression, and muscle regeneration that correlated with the inflammatory score. Our up-to-date characterization of FSHD1 points towards MHC I, MAC, and embryonic Myosin Heavy Chain/muscle regeneration as useful myopathologic readouts of FSHD1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisanne Hubregtse
- Université Paris Est Créteil, INSERM, U955, IMRB, Créteil F-94010, France; The Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Karlijn Bouman
- The Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Chéryane Lama
- Université Paris Est Créteil, INSERM, U955, IMRB, Créteil F-94010, France
| | - Saskia Lassche
- The Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Nicolas de Graaf
- The Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Benno Küsters
- Department of Pathology, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Baptiste Periou
- Université Paris Est Créteil, INSERM, U955, IMRB, Créteil F-94010, France
| | - Frédéric Relaix
- Université Paris Est Créteil, INSERM, U955, IMRB, Créteil F-94010, France
| | - Baziel van Engelen
- Department of Pathology, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - François-Jerôme Authier
- Université Paris Est Créteil, INSERM, U955, IMRB, Créteil F-94010, France; Reference Center for Neuromuscular Disorders, APHP Henri Mondor University Hospital, France
| | - Nicol C Voermans
- The Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Edoardo Malfatti
- Université Paris Est Créteil, INSERM, U955, IMRB, Créteil F-94010, France; Reference Center for Neuromuscular Disorders, APHP Henri Mondor University Hospital, France.
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8
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Aslan C, Zolbanin NM, Faraji F, Jafari R. Exosomes for CRISPR-Cas9 Delivery: The Cutting Edge in Genome Editing. Mol Biotechnol 2023:10.1007/s12033-023-00932-7. [PMID: 38012525 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-023-00932-7] [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: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Gene mutation correction was challenging until the discovery of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated protein (Cas). CRISPR is a new era for genome modification, and this technology has bypassed the limitations of previous methods such as zinc-finger nuclease and transcription activator-like effector nuclease. Currently, this method is becoming the method of choice for gene-editing purposes, especially therapeutic gene editing in diseases such as cardiovascular, neurological, renal, genetic, optical, and stem cell, as well as blood disorders and muscular degeneration. However, finding the optimum delivery system capable of carrying this large complex persists as the main challenge of this technology. Therefore, it would be ideal if the delivery vehicle could direct the introduction of editing functions to specific cells in a multicellular organism. Exosomes are membrane-bound vesicles with high biocompatibility and low immunogenicity; they offer the best and most reliable way to fill the CRISPR/Cas9 system delivery gap. This review presents the current evidence on the molecular mechanisms and challenges of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome modification. Also, the role of CRISPR/Cas9 in the development of treatment and diagnosis of numerous disorders, from malignancies to viral infections, has been discussed. Lastly, the focus is on new advances in exosome-delivery technologies that may play a role in CRISPR/Cas9 delivery for future clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Aslan
- Research Center for Integrative Medicine in Aging, Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Naime Majidi Zolbanin
- Experimental and Applied Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Faraji
- Hazrat-e Rasool General Hospital, Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center, Institute of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Floor 3, Building No. 3, Niyayesh St, Sattar Khan St, Tehran, 1445613131, Iran.
| | - Reza Jafari
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Research Institute, Clinical Research Institute, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Shafa St., Ershad Blvd., P.O. Box: 1138, Urmia, 57147, Iran.
- Department of Immunology and Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
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9
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Ninfali C, Siles L, Esteve-Codina A, Postigo A. The mesodermal and myogenic specification of hESCs depend on ZEB1 and are inhibited by ZEB2. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113222. [PMID: 37819755 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113222] [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: 03/12/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) can differentiate into any cell lineage. Here, we report that ZEB1 and ZEB2 promote and inhibit mesodermal-to-myogenic specification of hESCs, respectively. Knockdown and/or overexpression experiments of ZEB1, ZEB2, or PAX7 in hESCs indicate that ZEB1 is required for hESC Nodal/Activin-mediated mesodermal specification and PAX7+ human myogenic progenitor (hMuP) generation, while ZEB2 inhibits these processes. ZEB1 downregulation induces neural markers, while ZEB2 downregulation induces mesodermal/myogenic markers. Mechanistically, ZEB1 binds to and transcriptionally activates the PAX7 promoter, while ZEB2 binds to and activates the promoter of the neural OTX2 marker. Transplanting ZEB1 or ZEB2 knocked down hMuPs into the muscles of a muscular dystrophy mouse model, showing that hMuP engraftment and generation of dystrophin-positive myofibers depend on ZEB1 and are inhibited by ZEB2. The mouse model results suggest that ZEB1 expression and/or downregulating ZEB2 in hESCs may also enhance hESC regenerative capacity for human muscular dystrophy therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Ninfali
- Group of Gene Regulation in Stem Cells, Cell Plasticity, Differentiation, and Cancer, IDIBAPS, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Siles
- Group of Gene Regulation in Stem Cells, Cell Plasticity, Differentiation, and Cancer, IDIBAPS, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Antonio Postigo
- Group of Gene Regulation in Stem Cells, Cell Plasticity, Differentiation, and Cancer, IDIBAPS, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; Molecular Targets Program, J.G. Brown Center, Louisville University Healthcare Campus, Louisville, KY 40202, USA; ICREA, 08010 Barcelona, Spain.
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10
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Zhang YR, Yin TL, Zhou LQ. CRISPR/Cas9 technology: applications in oocytes and early embryos. J Transl Med 2023; 21:746. [PMID: 37875936 PMCID: PMC10594749 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04610-9] [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: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
CRISPR/Cas9, a highly versatile genome-editing tool, has garnered significant attention in recent years. Despite the unique characteristics of oocytes and early embryos compared to other cell types, this technology has been increasing used in mammalian reproduction. In this comprehensive review, we elucidate the fundamental principles of CRISPR/Cas9-related methodologies and explore their wide-ranging applications in deciphering molecular intricacies during oocyte and early embryo development as well as in addressing associated diseases. However, it is imperative to acknowledge the limitations inherent to these technologies, including the potential for off-target effects, as well as the ethical concerns surrounding the manipulation of human embryos. Thus, a judicious and thoughtful approach is warranted. Regardless of these challenges, CRISPR/Cas9 technology undeniably represents a formidable tool for genome and epigenome manipulation within oocytes and early embryos. Continuous refinements in this field are poised to fortify its future prospects and applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ran Zhang
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Tai-Lang Yin
- Reproductive Medical Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University & Hubei Clinic Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Embryonic Development, Wuhan, China.
| | - Li-Quan Zhou
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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11
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Xu R, Li N, Shi B, Li Z, Han J, Sun J, Yallowitz A, Bok S, Xiao S, Wu Z, Chen Y, Xu Y, Qin T, Lin Z, Zheng H, Shen R, Greenblatt M. Schnurri-3 inhibition rescues skeletal fragility and vascular skeletal stem cell niche pathology in a mouse model of osteogenesis imperfecta. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3153957. [PMID: 37546916 PMCID: PMC10402191 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3153957/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a disorder of low bone mass and increased fracture risk due to a range of genetic variants that prominently include mutations in genes encoding type collagen. While it is well known that OI reflects defects in the activity of bone-forming osteoblasts, it is currently unclear whether OI also reflects defects in the many other cell types comprising bone, including defects in skeletal vascular endothelium or the skeletal stem cell populations that give rise to osteoblasts and whether correcting these broader defects could have therapeutic utility. Here, we find that numbers of skeletal stem cells (SSCs) and skeletal arterial endothelial cells (AECs) are augmented in Col1a2oim/oim mice, a well-studied animal model of moderate to severe OI, suggesting that disruption of a vascular SSC niche is a feature of OI pathogenesis. Moreover, crossing Col1a2oim/oim mice to mice lacking a negative regulator of skeletal angiogenesis and bone formation, Schnurri 3 (SHN3), not only corrected the SSC and AEC phenotypes but moreover robustly corrected the bone mass and spontaneous fracture phenotypes. As this finding suggested a strong therapeutic utility of SHN3 inhibition for the treatment of OI, a bone-targeting AAV was used to mediate Shn3 knockdown, rescuing the Col1a2oim/oim phenotype and providing therapeutic proof-of-concept for targeting SHN3 for the treatment of OI. Overall, this work both provides proof-of-concept for inhibition of the SHN3 pathway and more broadly addressing defects in the stem/osteoprogentior niche as is a strategy to treat OI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ren Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen University
| | | | | | - Zan Li
- First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University
| | | | - Jun Sun
- Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University
| | | | - Seoyeon Bok
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Shuang Xiao
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University-ICMRS Collaborating Center for Skeletal Stem Cells, State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen
| | - Zouxing Wu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University-ICMRS Collaborating Center for Skeletal Stem Cells, State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen
| | | | - Yan Xu
- Department of Sports Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410000, China
| | - Tian Qin
- Department of Sports Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410000, China
| | - Zhiming Lin
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University-ICMRS Collaborating Center for Skeletal Stem Cells, State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen
| | - Haiping Zheng
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University-ICMRS Collaborating Center for Skeletal Stem Cells, State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Xiamen
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12
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Chemello F, Olson EN, Bassel-Duby R. CRISPR-Editing Therapy for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Hum Gene Ther 2023; 34:379-387. [PMID: 37060194 PMCID: PMC10210224 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2023.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a debilitating genetic disorder that results in progressive muscle degeneration and premature death. DMD is caused by mutations in the gene encoding dystrophin protein, a membrane-associated protein required for maintenance of muscle structure and function. Although the genetic mutations causing the disease are well known, no curative therapies have been developed to date. The advent of genome-editing technologies provides new opportunities to correct the underlying mutations responsible for DMD. These mutations have been successfully corrected in human cells, mice, and large animal models through different strategies based on CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing. Ideally, CRISPR-editing could offer a one-time treatment for DMD by correcting the genetic mutations and enabling normal expression of the repaired gene. However, numerous challenges remain to be addressed, including optimization of gene editing, delivery of gene-editing components to all the muscles of the body, and the suppression of possible immune responses to the CRISPR-editing therapy. This review provides an overview of the recent advances toward CRISPR-editing therapy for DMD and discusses the opportunities and the remaining challenges in the path to clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eric N. Olson
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
- Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Rhonda Bassel-Duby
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
- Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
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13
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Lillback V, Savarese M, Sandholm N, Hackman P, Udd B. Long-term favorable prognosis in late onset dominant distal titinopathy: Tibial muscular dystrophy. Eur J Neurol 2023; 30:1080-1088. [PMID: 36692225 DOI: 10.1111/ene.15688] [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: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Tibial muscular dystrophy (TMD) is a dominant late onset distal titinopathy. It was first described in Finnish patients 3 decades ago. TMD patients with several other TTN mutations occur in many European populations. In this retrospective study, we were able to obtain longitudinal follow-up data of the disease progression over 15 years in 137 TMD patients. METHODS We retrieved clinical data retrospectively from three examinations spanning a period of 15 years. The data were analyzed in R. Frequencies, percentages, and median values were used to describe data. Probability values were determined with the chi-squared test. RESULTS In the cohort, the first symptoms were walking difficulties (97.8%) and weakness in distal lower limbs (98.5%). The progression of the weakness in distal lower limbs was moderate, and in the proximal lower limbs and proximal upper limbs it was mild. The distal upper limbs were not affected. Magnetic resonance imaging results indicated fatty degeneration preferentially in lower leg anterior muscles, gluteus minimus, and hamstring muscles. Serum creatine kinase values in the cohort were mostly normal (40.7%) or mildly elevated (53.7%). The data suggest that 50% of patients need walking aids by the age of 88 years. CONCLUSIONS Despite individual variability of severity, the overall disability due to walking difficulties and upper limb weakness remained moderate even at very advanced ages, and cardiomyopathy did not develop due to the titin defect alone. The acquired results promote the correct identification of TMD, and the obtained trajectories of disease evolution can be used as natural history data for any therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Lillback
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
- Medicum, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Marco Savarese
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
- Medicum, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Peter Hackman
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
- Medicum, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Bjarne Udd
- Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
- Tampere Neuromuscular Center, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
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14
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Tasca F, Brescia M, Liu J, Janssen JM, Mamchaoui K, Gonçalves MA. High-capacity adenovector delivery of forced CRISPR-Cas9 heterodimers fosters precise chromosomal deletions in human cells. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2023; 31:746-762. [PMID: 36937620 PMCID: PMC10020486 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2023.02.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
Genome editing based on dual CRISPR-Cas9 complexes (multiplexes) permits removing specific genomic sequences in living cells leveraging research on functional genomics and genetic therapies. Delivering the required large and multicomponent reagents in a synchronous and stoichiometric manner remains, however, challenging. Moreover, uncoordinated activity of independently acting CRISPR-Cas9 multiplexes increases the complexity of genome editing outcomes. Here, we investigate the potential of fostering precise multiplexing genome editing using high-capacity adenovector particles (AdVPs) for the delivery of Cas9 ortholog fusion constructs alone (forced Cas9 heterodimers) or together with their cognate guide RNAs (forced CRISPR-Cas9 heterodimers). We demonstrate that the efficiency and accuracy of targeted chromosomal DNA deletions achieved by single AdVPs encoding forced CRISPR-Cas9 heterodimers is superior to that obtained when the various components are delivered separately. Finally, all-in-one AdVP delivery of forced CRISPR-Cas9 heterodimers triggers robust DMD exon 51 splice site excision resulting in reading frame restoration and selection-free detection of dystrophin in muscle cells derived from Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients. In conclusion, AdVPs promote precise multiplexing genome editing through the integrated delivery of forced CRISPR-Cas9 heterodimer components, which, in comparison with split conventional CRISPR-Cas9 multiplexes, engage target sequences in a more coordinated fashion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Tasca
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Marcella Brescia
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Jin Liu
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Josephine M. Janssen
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Kamel Mamchaoui
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Institut de Myologie, Centre de Recherche en Myologie, Paris, France
| | - Manuel A.F.V. Gonçalves
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, the Netherlands
- Corresponding author: Manuel A.F.V. Gonçalves, Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, the Netherlands.
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15
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Padmaswari MH, Agrawal S, Jia MS, Ivy A, Maxenberger DA, Burcham LA, Nelson CE. Delivery challenges for CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. BIOPHYSICS REVIEWS 2023; 4:011307. [PMID: 36864908 PMCID: PMC9969352 DOI: 10.1063/5.0131452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Duchene muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked neuromuscular disorder that affects about one in every 5000 live male births. DMD is caused by mutations in the gene that codes for dystrophin, which is required for muscle membrane stabilization. The loss of functional dystrophin causes muscle degradation that leads to weakness, loss of ambulation, cardiac and respiratory complications, and eventually, premature death. Therapies to treat DMD have advanced in the past decade, with treatments in clinical trials and four exon-skipping drugs receiving conditional Food and Drug Administration approval. However, to date, no treatment has provided long-term correction. Gene editing has emerged as a promising approach to treating DMD. There is a wide range of tools, including meganucleases, zinc finger nucleases, transcription activator-like effector nucleases, and, most notably, RNA-guided enzymes from the bacterial adaptive immune system clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR). Although challenges in using CRISPR for gene therapy in humans still abound, including safety and efficiency of delivery, the future for CRISPR gene editing for DMD is promising. This review will summarize the progress in CRISPR gene editing for DMD including key summaries of current approaches, delivery methodologies, and the challenges that gene editing still faces as well as prospective solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shilpi Agrawal
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, USA
| | - Mary S. Jia
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, USA
| | - Allie Ivy
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, USA
| | - Daniel A. Maxenberger
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, USA
| | - Landon A. Burcham
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, USA
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16
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Gene therapies for RyR1-related myopathies. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2023; 68:102330. [PMID: 36529094 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2022.102330] [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: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Myopathies related to variations in the RYR1 gene are genetic diseases for which the therapeutic options are sparse, in part because of the very large size of the gene and protein, and of the distribution of variations all along the sequence. Taking advantage of the progress made in the gene therapy field, different approaches can be applied to the different genetic variations, either at the mRNA level or directly at the DNA level, specifically with the new gene editing tools. Some of those have already been tested in cellulo and/or in vivo, and for the development of the most innovative gene editing technology, inspiration can be sought in other genetic diseases.
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17
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Chey YCJ, Arudkumar J, Aartsma-Rus A, Adikusuma F, Thomas PQ. CRISPR applications for Duchenne muscular dystrophy: From animal models to potential therapies. WIREs Mech Dis 2023; 15:e1580. [PMID: 35909075 PMCID: PMC10078488 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
CRISPR gene-editing technology creates precise and permanent modifications to DNA. It has significantly advanced our ability to generate animal disease models for use in biomedical research and also has potential to revolutionize the treatment of genetic disorders. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a monogenic muscle-wasting disease that could potentially benefit from the development of CRISPR therapy. It is commonly associated with mutations that disrupt the reading frame of the DMD gene that encodes dystrophin, an essential scaffolding protein that stabilizes striated muscles and protects them from contractile-induced damage. CRISPR enables the rapid generation of various animal models harboring mutations that closely simulates the wide variety of mutations observed in DMD patients. These models provide a platform for the testing of sequence-specific interventions like CRISPR therapy that aim to reframe or skip DMD mutations to restore functional dystrophin expression. This article is categorized under: Congenital Diseases > Genetics/Genomics/Epigenetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu C J Chey
- School of Biomedicine and Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Genome Editing Program, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Jayshen Arudkumar
- School of Biomedicine and Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Genome Editing Program, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Annemieke Aartsma-Rus
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Fatwa Adikusuma
- School of Biomedicine and Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Genome Editing Program, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,CSIRO Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform, Canberra, Australia
| | - Paul Q Thomas
- School of Biomedicine and Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Genome Editing Program, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,South Australian Genome Editing (SAGE), South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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18
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Zhang Y, Bassel-Duby R, Olson EN. CRISPR-Cas9 Correction of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in Mice by a Self-Complementary AAV Delivery System. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2587:411-425. [PMID: 36401041 PMCID: PMC10069557 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2772-3_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a fatal neuromuscular disorder, caused by mutations in the DMD gene coding dystrophin. Applying clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated proteins (CRISPR-Cas) for therapeutic gene editing represents a promising technology to correct this devastating disease through elimination of underlying genetic mutations. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) has been widely used for gene therapy due to its low immunogenicity and high tissue tropism. In particular, CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing components packaged by self-complementary AAV (scAAV) demonstrate robust viral transduction and efficient gene editing, enabling restoration of dystrophin expression throughout skeletal and cardiac muscle in animal models of DMD. Here, we describe protocols for cloning CRISPR single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) into a scAAV plasmid and procedures for systemic delivery of AAVs into a DMD mouse model. We also provide methodologies for quantification of dystrophin restoration after systemic CRISPR-Cas9-mediated correction of DMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Rhonda Bassel-Duby
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Eric N Olson
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
- Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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19
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Milanese JS, Marcotte R, Costain WJ, Kablar B, Drouin S. Roles of Skeletal Muscle in Development: A Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Overview. ADVANCES IN ANATOMY, EMBRYOLOGY, AND CELL BIOLOGY 2023; 236:21-55. [PMID: 37955770 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-38215-4_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
The ability to assess various cellular events consequent to perturbations, such as genetic mutations, disease states and therapies, has been recently revolutionized by technological advances in multiple "omics" fields. The resulting deluge of information has enabled and necessitated the development of tools required to both process and interpret the data. While of tremendous value to basic researchers, the amount and complexity of the data has made it extremely difficult to manually draw inference and identify factors key to the study objectives. The challenges of data reduction and interpretation are being met by the development of increasingly complex tools that integrate disparate knowledge bases and synthesize coherent models based on current biological understanding. This chapter presents an example of how genomics data can be integrated with biological network analyses to gain further insight into the developmental consequences of genetic perturbations. State of the art methods for conducting similar studies are discussed along with modern methods used to analyze and interpret the data.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Richard Marcotte
- Human Health Therapeutics, National Research Council of Canada , Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Willard J Costain
- Human Health Therapeutics, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Boris Kablar
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Anatomy and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Simon Drouin
- Human Health Therapeutics, National Research Council of Canada , Montreal, QC, Canada.
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20
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Caron L, Testa S, Magdinier F. Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for Modeling Physiological and Pathological Striated Muscle Complexity. J Neuromuscul Dis 2023; 10:761-776. [PMID: 37522215 PMCID: PMC10578229 DOI: 10.3233/jnd-230076] [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] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Neuromuscular disorders (NMDs) are a large group of diseases associated with either alterations of skeletal muscle fibers, motor neurons or neuromuscular junctions. Most of these diseases is characterized with muscle weakness or wasting and greatly alter the life of patients. Animal models do not always recapitulate the phenotype of patients. The development of innovative and representative human preclinical models is thus strongly needed for modeling the wide diversity of NMDs, characterization of disease-associated variants, investigation of novel genes function, or the development of therapies. Over the last decade, the use of patient's derived induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) has resulted in tremendous progress in biomedical research, including for NMDs. Skeletal muscle is a complex tissue with multinucleated muscle fibers supported by a dense extracellular matrix and multiple cell types including motor neurons required for the contractile activity. Major challenges need now to be tackled by the scientific community to increase maturation of muscle fibers in vitro, in particular for modeling adult-onset diseases affecting this tissue (neuromuscular disorders, cachexia, sarcopenia) and the evaluation of therapeutic strategies. In the near future, rapidly evolving bioengineering approaches applied to hiPSC will undoubtedly become highly instrumental for investigating muscle pathophysiology and the development of therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie Caron
- Aix-Marseille Univ-INSERM, MMG, Marseille, France
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21
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Findlay AR, Weihl CC. Genetic-Based Treatment Strategies for Muscular Dystrophy and Congenital Myopathies. Continuum (Minneap Minn) 2022; 28:1800-1816. [PMID: 36537981 PMCID: PMC10496150 DOI: 10.1212/con.0000000000001203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This article discusses the foundational concepts of genetic treatment strategies employed in neuromuscular medicine, as well as the importance of genetic testing as a requirement for applying gene-based therapy. RECENT FINDINGS Gene therapies have become a reality for several neuromuscular disorders. Exon-skipping and (in Europe) ribosomal read-through approaches are currently available to a subset of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Microdystrophin gene replacement has shown promise and is nearing the final stages of clinical trials. Numerous gene-based therapies for other muscular dystrophies and congenital myopathies are progressing toward approval as well. SUMMARY Muscular dystrophies and congenital myopathies are a heterogenous group of hereditary muscle disorders. Confirming a diagnosis with genetic testing is not only critical for guiding management, but also an actual prerequisite for current and future gene therapies. Recessive loss-of-function or dominant haploinsufficiency disorders may be treated with gene replacement strategies, whereas dominant negative and toxic gain-of-function disorders are best addressed with a variety of knockdown approaches. It is important to recognize that many therapeutics are mutation specific and will only benefit a subset of individuals with a specific disease.
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22
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Inherited myopathies in the Middle East and North Africa. GENE REPORTS 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.genrep.2022.101674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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23
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Zarate OA, Yang Y, Wang X, Wang JP. BoostMEC: predicting CRISPR-Cas9 cleavage efficiency through boosting models. BMC Bioinformatics 2022; 23:446. [PMID: 36289480 PMCID: PMC9597963 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-022-04998-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: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the CRISPR-Cas9 system, the efficiency of genetic modifications has been found to vary depending on the single guide RNA (sgRNA) used. A variety of sgRNA properties have been found to be predictive of CRISPR cleavage efficiency, including the position-specific sequence composition of sgRNAs, global sgRNA sequence properties, and thermodynamic features. While prevalent existing deep learning-based approaches provide competitive prediction accuracy, a more interpretable model is desirable to help understand how different features may contribute to CRISPR-Cas9 cleavage efficiency. RESULTS We propose a gradient boosting approach, utilizing LightGBM to develop an integrated tool, BoostMEC (Boosting Model for Efficient CRISPR), for the prediction of wild-type CRISPR-Cas9 editing efficiency. We benchmark BoostMEC against 10 popular models on 13 external datasets and show its competitive performance. CONCLUSIONS BoostMEC can provide state-of-the-art predictions of CRISPR-Cas9 cleavage efficiency for sgRNA design and selection. Relying on direct and derived sequence features of sgRNA sequences and based on conventional machine learning, BoostMEC maintains an advantage over other state-of-the-art CRISPR efficiency prediction models that are based on deep learning through its ability to produce more interpretable feature insights and predictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar A. Zarate
- grid.16753.360000 0001 2299 3507Department of Statistics and Data Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL USA
| | - Yiben Yang
- grid.16753.360000 0001 2299 3507Department of Statistics and Data Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL USA
| | - Xiaozhong Wang
- grid.16753.360000 0001 2299 3507Department of Molecular BioSciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL USA
| | - Ji-Ping Wang
- grid.16753.360000 0001 2299 3507Department of Statistics and Data Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL USA
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24
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Lin BL, Shin JY, Jeffreys WP, Wang N, Lukban CA, Moorer MC, Velarde E, Hanselman OA, Kwon S, Kannan S, Riddle RC, Ward CW, Pullen SS, Filareto A, Kass DA. Pharmacological TRPC6 inhibition improves survival and muscle function in mice with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. JCI Insight 2022; 7:e158906. [PMID: 36099033 PMCID: PMC9675567 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.158906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene mutations causing loss of dystrophin result in the severe muscle disease known as Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Despite efforts at genetic repair, DMD therapy remains largely palliative. Loss of dystrophin destabilizes the sarcolemmal membrane, inducing mechanosensitive cation channels to increase calcium entry and promote cell damage and, eventually, muscle dysfunction. One putative channel is transient receptor potential canonical 6 (TRPC6); we have shown that TRPC6 contributed to abnormal force and calcium stress-responses in cardiomyocytes from mice lacking dystrophin that were haplodeficient for utrophin (mdx/utrn+/- [HET] mice). Here, we show in both the HET mouse and the far more severe homozygous mdx/utrn-/- mouse that TRPC6 gene deletion or its selective pharmacologic inhibition (by BI 749327) prolonged survival 2- to 3-fold, improving skeletal and cardiac muscle and bone defects. Gene pathways reduced by BI 749327 treatment most prominently regulated fat metabolism and TGF-β1 signaling. These results support the testing of TRPC6 inhibitors in human trials for other diseases as a novel DMD therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Esteban Velarde
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Antonio Filareto
- Research Beyond Borders, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Ridgefield, Connecticut, USA
| | - David A. Kass
- Department of Cardiology
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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25
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CRISPR-Based Therapeutic Gene Editing for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: Advances, Challenges and Perspectives. Cells 2022; 11:cells11192964. [PMID: 36230926 PMCID: PMC9564082 DOI: 10.3390/cells11192964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe neuromuscular disease arising from loss-of-function mutations in the dystrophin gene and characterized by progressive muscle degeneration, respiratory insufficiency, cardiac failure, and premature death by the age of thirty. Albeit DMD is one of the most common types of fatal genetic diseases, there is no curative treatment for this devastating disorder. In recent years, gene editing via the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) system has paved a new path toward correcting pathological mutations at the genetic source, thus enabling the permanent restoration of dystrophin expression and function throughout the musculature. To date, the therapeutic benefits of CRISPR genome-editing systems have been successfully demonstrated in human cells, rodents, canines, and piglets with diverse DMD mutations. Nevertheless, there remain some nonignorable challenges to be solved before the clinical application of CRISPR-based gene therapy. Herein, we provide an overview of therapeutic CRISPR genome-editing systems, summarize recent advancements in their applications in DMD contexts, and discuss several potential obstacles lying ahead of clinical translation.
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26
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A humanized knockin mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and its correction by CRISPR-Cas9 therapeutic gene editing. MOLECULAR THERAPY - NUCLEIC ACIDS 2022; 29:525-537. [PMID: 36035749 PMCID: PMC9398917 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2022.07.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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27
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Tasca F, Brescia M, Wang Q, Liu J, Janssen JM, Szuhai K, Gonçalves MAFV. Large-scale genome editing based on high-capacity adenovectors and CRISPR-Cas9 nucleases rescues full-length dystrophin synthesis in DMD muscle cells. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:7761-7782. [PMID: 35776127 PMCID: PMC9303392 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeted chromosomal insertion of large genetic payloads in human cells leverages and broadens synthetic biology and genetic therapy efforts. Yet, obtaining large-scale gene knock-ins remains particularly challenging especially in hard-to-transfect stem and progenitor cells. Here, fully viral gene-deleted adenovector particles (AdVPs) are investigated as sources of optimized high-specificity CRISPR-Cas9 nucleases and donor DNA constructs tailored for targeted insertion of full-length dystrophin expression units (up to 14.8-kb) through homologous recombination (HR) or homology-mediated end joining (HMEJ). In muscle progenitor cells, donors prone to HMEJ yielded higher CRISPR-Cas9-dependent genome editing frequencies than HR donors, with values ranging between 6% and 34%. In contrast, AdVP transduction of HR and HMEJ substrates in induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) resulted in similar CRISPR-Cas9-dependent genome editing levels. Notably, when compared to regular iPSCs, in p53 knockdown iPSCs, CRISPR-Cas9-dependent genome editing frequencies increased up to 6.7-fold specifically when transducing HMEJ donor constructs. Finally, single DNA molecule analysis by molecular combing confirmed that AdVP-based genome editing achieves long-term complementation of DMD-causing mutations through the site-specific insertion of full-length dystrophin expression units. In conclusion, AdVPs are a robust and flexible platform for installing large genomic edits in human cells and p53 inhibition fosters HMEJ-based genome editing in iPSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Tasca
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marcella Brescia
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Qian Wang
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jin Liu
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Josephine M Janssen
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Karoly Szuhai
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Manuel A F V Gonçalves
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2333 ZC, Leiden, The Netherlands
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28
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Zheng J, Lou J, Li Y, Qian P, He W, Hao Y, Xue T, Li Y, Song YH. Satellite cell-specific deletion of Cipc alleviates myopathy in mdx mice. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110939. [PMID: 35705041 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110939] [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: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Skeletal muscle regeneration relies on satellite cells that can proliferate, differentiate, and form new myofibers upon injury. Emerging evidence suggests that misregulation of satellite cell fate and function influences the severity of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The transcription factor Pax7 determines the myogenic identity and maintenance of the pool of satellite cells. The circadian clock regulates satellite cell proliferation and self-renewal. Here, we show that the CLOCK-interacting protein Circadian (CIPC) a negative-feedback regulator of the circadian clock, is up-regulated during myoblast differentiation. Specific deletion of Cipc in satellite cells alleviates myopathy, improves muscle function, and reduces fibrosis in mdx mice. Cipc deficiency leads to activation of the ERK1/2 and JNK1/2 signaling pathways, which activates the transcription factor SP1 to trigger the transcription of Pax7 and MyoD. Therefore, CIPC is a negative regulator of satellite cell function, and loss of Cipc in satellite cells promotes muscle regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiqing Zheng
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, 199 Ren Ai Road, Suzhou 215123, P.R. China; National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, P.R. China; State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, P.R. China
| | - Jing Lou
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, 199 Ren Ai Road, Suzhou 215123, P.R. China; National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, P.R. China; State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, P.R. China
| | - Yanfang Li
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, 199 Ren Ai Road, Suzhou 215123, P.R. China; National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, P.R. China; State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, P.R. China
| | - Panting Qian
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, 199 Ren Ai Road, Suzhou 215123, P.R. China; National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, P.R. China; State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, P.R. China
| | - Wei He
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, 199 Ren Ai Road, Suzhou 215123, P.R. China; National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, P.R. China; State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, P.R. China
| | - Yingxue Hao
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, 199 Ren Ai Road, Suzhou 215123, P.R. China; National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, P.R. China; State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, P.R. China
| | - Ting Xue
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, 199 Ren Ai Road, Suzhou 215123, P.R. China; National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, P.R. China; State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, P.R. China
| | - Yangxin Li
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery and Institute of Cardiovascular Science, First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, P.R. China.
| | - Yao-Hua Song
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, 199 Ren Ai Road, Suzhou 215123, P.R. China; National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, P.R. China; State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, P.R. China.
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29
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Abstract
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the developed world. In recent decades, extraordinary effort has been devoted to defining the molecular and pathophysiological characteristics of the diseased heart and vasculature. Mouse models have been especially powerful in illuminating the complex signaling pathways, genetic and epigenetic regulatory circuits, and multicellular interactions that underlie cardiovascular disease. The advent of CRISPR genome editing has ushered in a new era of cardiovascular research and possibilities for genetic correction of disease. Next-generation sequencing technologies have greatly accelerated the identification of disease-causing mutations, and advances in gene editing have enabled the rapid modeling of these mutations in mice and patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells. The ability to correct the genetic drivers of cardiovascular disease through delivery of gene editing components in vivo, while still facing challenges, represents an exciting therapeutic frontier. In this review, we provide an overview of cardiovascular disease mechanisms and the potential applications of CRISPR genome editing for disease modeling and correction. We also discuss the extent to which mice can faithfully model cardiovascular disease and the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Liu
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
| | - Eric N Olson
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
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30
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Bengtsson NE, Crudele JM, Klaiman JM, Halbert CL, Hauschka SD, Chamberlain JS. Comparison of dystrophin expression following gene editing and gene replacement in an aged preclinical DMD animal model. Mol Ther 2022; 30:2176-2185. [PMID: 35143959 PMCID: PMC9171147 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene editing has shown promise for correcting or bypassing dystrophin mutations in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). However, preclinical studies have focused on young animals with limited muscle fibrosis and wasting, thereby favoring muscle transduction, myonuclear editing, and prevention of disease progression. Here, we explore muscle-specific dystrophin gene editing following intramuscular delivery of AAV6:CK8e-CRISPR/SaCas9 in 3- and 8-year-old dystrophic CXMD dogs and provide a qualitative comparison to AAV6:CK8e-micro-dystrophin gene replacement at 6 weeks post-treatment. Gene editing restored the dystrophin reading frame in ∼1.3% of genomes and in up to 4.0% of dystrophin transcripts following excision of a 105-kb mutation containing region spanning exons 6-8. However, resulting dystrophin expression levels and effects on muscle pathology were greater with the use of micro-dystrophin gene transfer. This study demonstrates that our muscle-specific multi-exon deletion strategy can correct a frequently mutated region of the dystrophin gene in an aged large animal DMD model, but underscores that further enhancements are required to reach efficiencies comparable to AAV micro-dystrophin. Our observations also indicate that treatment efficacy and state of muscle pathology at the time of intervention are linked, suggesting the need for additional methodological optimizations related to age and disease progression to achieve relevant clinical translation of CRISPR-based therapies to all DMD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niclas E Bengtsson
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109-8055, USA; Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109-8055, USA.
| | - Julie M Crudele
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109-8055, USA; Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109-8055, USA
| | - Jordan M Klaiman
- Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109-8055, USA; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109-8055, USA
| | - Christine L Halbert
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109-8055, USA; Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109-8055, USA
| | - Stephen D Hauschka
- Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109-8055, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109-8055, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Chamberlain
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109-8055, USA; Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109-8055, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109-8055, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109-8055, USA
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31
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Karri DR, Zhang Y, Chemello F, Min YL, Huang J, Kim J, Mammen PP, Xu L, Liu N, Bassel-Duby R, Olson EN. Long-term maintenance of dystrophin expression and resistance to injury of skeletal muscle in gene edited DMD mice. MOLECULAR THERAPY - NUCLEIC ACIDS 2022; 28:154-167. [PMID: 35402069 PMCID: PMC8956962 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2022.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Long-Term Protective Effect of Human Dystrophin Expressing Chimeric (DEC) Cell Therapy on Amelioration of Function of Cardiac, Respiratory and Skeletal Muscles in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2022; 18:2872-2892. [PMID: 35590083 PMCID: PMC9622520 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-022-10384-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a lethal disease caused by mutations in dystrophin encoding gene, causing progressive degeneration of cardiac, respiratory, and skeletal muscles leading to premature death due to cardiac and respiratory failure. Currently, there is no cure for DMD. Therefore, novel therapeutic approaches are needed for DMD patients. We have previously reported functional improvements which correlated with increased dystrophin expression following administration of dystrophin expressing chimeric (DEC) cells of myoblast origin to the mdx mouse models of DMD. In the current study, we confirmed dose-dependent protective effect of human DEC therapy created from myoblasts of normal and DMD-affected donors, on restoration of dystrophin expression and amelioration of cardiac, respiratory, and skeletal muscle function at 180 days after systemic-intraosseous DEC administration to mdx/scid mouse model of DMD. Functional improvements included maintenance of ejection fraction and fractional shortening levels on echocardiography, reduced enhanced pause and expiration time on plethysmography and improved grip strength and maximum stretch induced contraction of skeletal muscles. Improved function was associated with amelioration of mdx muscle pathology revealed by reduced muscle fibrosis, reduced inflammation and improved muscle morphology confirmed by reduced number of centrally nucleated fibers and normalization of muscle fiber diameters. Our findings confirm the long-term systemic effect of DEC therapy in the most severely affected by DMD organs including heart, diaphragm, and long skeletal muscles. These encouraging preclinical data introduces human DEC as a novel therapeutic modality of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product (ATMP) with the potential to improve or halt the progression of DMD and enhance quality of life of DMD patients.
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Wasala NB, Million ED, Watkins TB, Wasala LP, Han J, Yue Y, Lu B, Chen SJ, Hakim CH, Duan D. The gRNA Vector Level Determines the Outcome of Systemic AAV CRISPR Therapy for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Hum Gene Ther 2022; 33:518-528. [PMID: 35350865 PMCID: PMC9142771 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2021.130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) editing holds promise to restore missing dystrophin in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Intramuscular coinjection of CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) and guide RNA (gRNA) vectors resulted in robust dystrophin restoration in short-term studies in the mdx mouse model of DMD. Intriguingly, this strategy failed to yield efficient dystrophin rescue in muscle in a long-term (18-month) systemic injection study. In-depth analyses revealed a selective loss of the gRNA vector after long-term systemic, but not short-term local injection. To determine whether preferential gRNA vector depletion is due to the mode of delivery (local vs. systemic) or the duration of the study (short term vs. long term), we conducted a short-term systemic injection study. The gRNA (4e12 vg/mouse in the 1:1 group or 1.2e13 vg/mouse in the 3:1 group) and Cas9 (4e12 vg/mouse) vectors were coinjected intravenously into 4-week-old mdx mice. The ratio of the gRNA to Cas9 vector genome copy dropped from 1:1 and 3:1 at injection to 0.4:1 and 1:1 at harvest 3 months later, suggesting that the route of administration, rather than the experimental duration, determines preferential gRNA vector loss. Consistent with our long-term systemic injection study, the vector ratio did not influence Cas9 expression. However, the 3:1 group showed significantly higher dystrophin expression and genome editing, better myofiber size distribution, and a more pronounced improvement in muscle function and electrocardiography. Our data suggest that the gRNA vector dose determines the outcome of systemic AAV CRISPR therapy for DMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nalinda B. Wasala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Emily D. Million
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Thais B. Watkins
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Lakmini P. Wasala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Jin Han
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Yongping Yue
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Baisong Lu
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Shi-jie Chen
- Department of Physics
- Department of Biochemistry, and
- Institute for Data Science and Informatics, The University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Chady H. Hakim
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Dongsheng Duan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
- Departments of Neurology, School of Medicine, The University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
- Department of Biomedical, Biological and Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
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López-Márquez A, Morín M, Fernández-Peñalver S, Badosa C, Hernández-Delgado A, Natera-de Benito D, Ortez C, Nascimento A, Grinberg D, Balcells S, Roldán M, Moreno-Pelayo MÁ, Jiménez-Mallebrera C. CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Allele-Specific Disruption of a Dominant COL6A1 Pathogenic Variant Improves Collagen VI Network in Patient Fibroblasts. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23084410. [PMID: 35457228 PMCID: PMC9025481 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23084410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Collagen VI-related disorders are the second most common congenital muscular dystrophies for which no treatments are presently available. They are mostly caused by dominant-negative pathogenic variants in the genes encoding α chains of collagen VI, a heteromeric network forming collagen; for example, the c.877G>A; p.Gly293Arg COL6A1 variant, which alters the proper association of the tetramers to form microfibrils. We tested the potential of CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing to silence or correct (using a donor template) a mutant allele in the dermal fibroblasts of four individuals bearing the c.877G>A pathogenic variant. Evaluation of gene-edited cells by next-generation sequencing revealed that correction of the mutant allele by homologous-directed repair occurred at a frequency lower than 1%. However, the presence of frameshift variants and others that provoked the silencing of the mutant allele were found in >40% of reads, with no effects on the wild-type allele. This was confirmed by droplet digital PCR with allele-specific probes, which revealed a reduction in the expression of the mutant allele. Finally, immunofluorescence analyses revealed a recovery in the collagen VI extracellular matrix. In summary, we demonstrate that CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edition can specifically reverse the pathogenic effects of a dominant negative variant in COL6A1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arístides López-Márquez
- Laboratorio de Investigación Aplicada en Enfermedades Neuromusculares, Unidad de Patología Neuromuscular, Servicio de Neuropediatría, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Santa Rosa 39-57, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain; (C.B.); (A.H.-D.); (D.N.-d.B.); (C.O.); (A.N.); (C.J.-M.)
- Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Av. Monforte de Lemos 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (M.M.); (D.G.); (S.B.); (M.Á.M.-P.)
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Santa Rosa 39-57, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain;
- Correspondence:
| | - Matías Morín
- Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Av. Monforte de Lemos 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (M.M.); (D.G.); (S.B.); (M.Á.M.-P.)
- Servicio de Genética, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria, Ctra. de Colmenar Viejo Km. 9.100, 28034 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Sergio Fernández-Peñalver
- Servicio de Genética, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria, Ctra. de Colmenar Viejo Km. 9.100, 28034 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Carmen Badosa
- Laboratorio de Investigación Aplicada en Enfermedades Neuromusculares, Unidad de Patología Neuromuscular, Servicio de Neuropediatría, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Santa Rosa 39-57, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain; (C.B.); (A.H.-D.); (D.N.-d.B.); (C.O.); (A.N.); (C.J.-M.)
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Santa Rosa 39-57, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain;
| | - Alejandro Hernández-Delgado
- Laboratorio de Investigación Aplicada en Enfermedades Neuromusculares, Unidad de Patología Neuromuscular, Servicio de Neuropediatría, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Santa Rosa 39-57, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain; (C.B.); (A.H.-D.); (D.N.-d.B.); (C.O.); (A.N.); (C.J.-M.)
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Santa Rosa 39-57, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain;
| | - Daniel Natera-de Benito
- Laboratorio de Investigación Aplicada en Enfermedades Neuromusculares, Unidad de Patología Neuromuscular, Servicio de Neuropediatría, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Santa Rosa 39-57, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain; (C.B.); (A.H.-D.); (D.N.-d.B.); (C.O.); (A.N.); (C.J.-M.)
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Santa Rosa 39-57, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain;
| | - Carlos Ortez
- Laboratorio de Investigación Aplicada en Enfermedades Neuromusculares, Unidad de Patología Neuromuscular, Servicio de Neuropediatría, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Santa Rosa 39-57, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain; (C.B.); (A.H.-D.); (D.N.-d.B.); (C.O.); (A.N.); (C.J.-M.)
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Santa Rosa 39-57, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain;
| | - Andrés Nascimento
- Laboratorio de Investigación Aplicada en Enfermedades Neuromusculares, Unidad de Patología Neuromuscular, Servicio de Neuropediatría, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Santa Rosa 39-57, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain; (C.B.); (A.H.-D.); (D.N.-d.B.); (C.O.); (A.N.); (C.J.-M.)
- Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Av. Monforte de Lemos 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (M.M.); (D.G.); (S.B.); (M.Á.M.-P.)
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Santa Rosa 39-57, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain;
| | - Daniel Grinberg
- Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Av. Monforte de Lemos 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (M.M.); (D.G.); (S.B.); (M.Á.M.-P.)
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Santa Rosa 39-57, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain;
- Departamento de Genética, Microbiología y Estadística, Facultad de Biología, Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona (IBUB), Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Susanna Balcells
- Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Av. Monforte de Lemos 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (M.M.); (D.G.); (S.B.); (M.Á.M.-P.)
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Santa Rosa 39-57, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain;
- Departamento de Genética, Microbiología y Estadística, Facultad de Biología, Institut de Biomedicina de la Universitat de Barcelona (IBUB), Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mónica Roldán
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Santa Rosa 39-57, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain;
- Unidad de Microscopia Confocal e Imagen Celular, Servicio de Medicina Genética y Molecular, Institut Pediàtric de Malalties Rares (IPER), Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Passeig Sant Joan de Deu, 2, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Miguel Ángel Moreno-Pelayo
- Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Av. Monforte de Lemos 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (M.M.); (D.G.); (S.B.); (M.Á.M.-P.)
- Servicio de Genética, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria, Ctra. de Colmenar Viejo Km. 9.100, 28034 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Cecilia Jiménez-Mallebrera
- Laboratorio de Investigación Aplicada en Enfermedades Neuromusculares, Unidad de Patología Neuromuscular, Servicio de Neuropediatría, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Santa Rosa 39-57, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain; (C.B.); (A.H.-D.); (D.N.-d.B.); (C.O.); (A.N.); (C.J.-M.)
- Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Av. Monforte de Lemos 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (M.M.); (D.G.); (S.B.); (M.Á.M.-P.)
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Santa Rosa 39-57, 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain;
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Chung Liang L, Sulaiman N, Yazid MD. A Decade of Progress in Gene Targeted Therapeutic Strategies in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: A Systematic Review. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:833833. [PMID: 35402409 PMCID: PMC8984139 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.833833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
As one of the most severe forms of muscle dystrophy, Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) results in progressive muscle wasting, ultimately resulting in premature death due to cardiomyopathy. In the many years of research, the solution to DMD remains palliative. Although numerous studies including clinical trials have provided promising results, approved drugs, even, the therapeutic window is still minimal with many shortcomings to be addressed. Logically, to combat DMD that arose from a single genetic mutation with gene therapy made sense. However, gene-based strategies as a treatment option are no stranger to drawbacks and limitations such as the size of the dystrophin gene and possibilities of vectors to elicit immune responses. In this systematic review, we aim to provide a comprehensive compilation on gene-based therapeutic strategies and critically evaluate the approaches relative to its efficacy and feasibility while addressing their current limitations. With the keywords “DMD AND Gene OR Genetic AND Therapy OR Treatment,” we reviewed papers published in Science Direct, PubMed, and ProQuest over the past decade (2012–2021).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lam Chung Liang
- Centre for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Nadiah Sulaiman
- Centre for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Muhammad Dain Yazid
- Centre for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Schoser B. [Principles of translational gene therapy for neuromuscular diseases]. DER NERVENARZT 2022; 93:537-548. [PMID: 35384490 DOI: 10.1007/s00115-022-01287-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In recent years the theoretical hope has become reality and the first hereditary neuromuscular diseases have become causally treatable. Neuromuscular diseases have thus become the pacemaker of this form of therapy for the whole of neurology. AIMS This article describes the principles of precision gene therapy for neurogenetic diseases using examples of neuromuscular diseases. DISCUSSION Various strategies of gene therapy have become established and are being tested in preclinical and clinical trials and evaluated as approved forms for long-term efficacy. The aim of every gene therapy is the modification or introduction of the target gene with initiation of a degradation of dysfunctional proteins. Various techniques, such as gene transfer, gene substitution or gene editing in vivo and ex vivo are now usable. For example, a modification of the pre-mRNA using antisense oligonucleotides or RNA interference (siRNA) can be used for exon skipping. An initiation of gene expression to produce the target protein can be based on a modification of the DNA by means of gene replacement, cell-based therapy (iPS cells), regulation by compensatory proteins or pharmacological treatment with so-called small molecules. Each method has advantages and complex disadvantages that must be individually evaluated. Phenotypic peculiarities of a rare disease often only become apparent through specific translational therapy. It is already becoming obvious that a very early point in timing of gene therapy is probably the most effective. Newborn screening is therefore gaining additional importance as early diagnosis can achieve the best possible success of therapies, possibly even preventively.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Schoser
- Friedrich-Baur-Institut neurologische Klinik, LMU Klinikum, Ziemssenstr. 1, 80336, München, Deutschland.
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Erkut E, Yokota T. CRISPR Therapeutics for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031832. [PMID: 35163754 PMCID: PMC8836469 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked recessive neuromuscular disorder with a prevalence of approximately 1 in 3500–5000 males. DMD manifests as childhood-onset muscle degeneration, followed by loss of ambulation, cardiomyopathy, and death in early adulthood due to a lack of functional dystrophin protein. Out-of-frame mutations in the dystrophin gene are the most common underlying cause of DMD. Gene editing via the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) system is a promising therapeutic for DMD, as it can permanently correct DMD mutations and thus restore the reading frame, allowing for the production of functional dystrophin. The specific mechanism of gene editing can vary based on a variety of factors such as the number of cuts generated by CRISPR, the presence of an exogenous DNA template, or the current cell cycle stage. CRISPR-mediated gene editing for DMD has been tested both in vitro and in vivo, with many of these studies discussed herein. Additionally, novel modifications to the CRISPR system such as base or prime editors allow for more precise gene editing. Despite recent advances, limitations remain including delivery efficiency, off-target mutagenesis, and long-term maintenance of dystrophin. Further studies focusing on safety and accuracy of the CRISPR system are necessary prior to clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esra Erkut
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, 8613-114 Street, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada;
| | - Toshifumi Yokota
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, 8613-114 Street, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada;
- The Friends of Garrett Cumming Research & Muscular Dystrophy Canada HM Toupin Neurological Science Research Chair, 8613-114 Street, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1(780)-492-1102
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Research Priorities for Kidney-Related Research-An Agenda to Advance Kidney Care: A Position Statement From the National Kidney Foundation. Am J Kidney Dis 2022; 79:141-152. [PMID: 34627932 DOI: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2021.08.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Despite the high prevalence and economic burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the United States, federal funding for kidney-related research, prevention, and education activities under the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) remains substantially lower compared to other chronic diseases. More federal support is needed to promote critical research that will expand knowledge of kidney health and disease, develop new and effective therapies, and reduce health disparities. In 2021, the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) convened 2 Research Roundtables (preclinical and clinical research), comprising nephrology leaders from prominent US academic institutions and the pharmaceutical industry, key bodies with expertise in research, and including individuals with CKD and their caregivers and kidney donors. The goal of these roundtables was to identify priorities for preclinical and clinical kidney-related research. The research priorities identified by the Research Roundtables and presented in this position statement outline attainable opportunities for groundbreaking and critically needed innovations that will benefit patients with kidney disease in the next 5-10 years. Research priorities fall within 4 preclinical science themes (expand data science capability, define kidney disease mechanisms and utilize genetic tools to identify new therapeutic targets, develop better models of human disease, and test cell-specific drug delivery systems and utilize gene editing) and 3 clinical science themes (expand number and inclusivity of clinical trials, develop and test interventions to reduce health disparities, and support implementation science). These priorities in kidney-related research, if supported by additional funding by federal agencies, will increase our understanding of the development and progression of kidney disease among diverse populations, attract additional industry investment, and lead to new and more personalized treatments.
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Single AAV-mediated CRISPR-Nme2Cas9 efficiently reduces mutant hTTR expression in a transgenic mouse model of transthyretin amyloidosis. Mol Ther 2022; 30:164-174. [PMID: 33992807 PMCID: PMC8753293 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2021.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Transthyretin (TTR) amyloidosis is a hereditary life-threatening disease characterized by deposition of amyloid fibrils. The main causes of TTR amyloidosis are mutations in the TTR gene that lead to the production of misfolded TTR protein. Reducing the production of toxic protein in the liver is a validated strategy to treat TTR amyloidosis. In this study, we established a humanized mouse model that expresses mutant human TTR (hTTR; V30M) protein in the liver to model TTR amyloidosis. Then, we compared the efficiency of reducing the expression of mutant hTTR by dual adeno-associated virus 8 (AAV8)-mediated split SpCas9 with that by single AAV8-mediated Nme2Cas9 in this model. With two gRNAs targeting different exons, dual AAV-mediated split SpCas9 system achieved efficiencies of 37% and 34% reduction of hTTR mRNA and reporter GFP expression, respectively, in the liver. Surprisingly, single AAV-mediated Nme2Cas9 treatment resulted in 65% and 71% reduction of hTTR mRNA and reporter GFP, respectively. No significant editing was identified in predicted off-target sites in the mouse and human genomes after Nme2Cas9 targeting. Thus, we provide proof of principle for using single AAV-mediated CRISPR-Nme2Cas9 to effectively reduce mutant hTTR expression in vivo, which may translate into gene therapy for TTR amyloidosis.
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Morris CE, Wheeler JJ, Joos B. The Donnan-dominated resting state of skeletal muscle fibers contributes to resilience and longevity in dystrophic fibers. J Gen Physiol 2022; 154:212743. [PMID: 34731883 PMCID: PMC8570295 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202112914] [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: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked dystrophin-minus muscle-wasting disease. Ion homeostasis in skeletal muscle fibers underperforms as DMD progresses. But though DMD renders these excitable cells intolerant of exertion, sodium overloaded, depolarized, and spontaneously contractile, they can survive for several decades. We show computationally that underpinning this longevity is a strikingly frugal, robust Pump-Leak/Donnan (P-L/D) ion homeostatic process. Unlike neurons, which operate with a costly “Pump-Leak–dominated” ion homeostatic steady state, skeletal muscle fibers operate with a low-cost “Donnan-dominated” ion homeostatic steady state that combines a large chloride permeability with an exceptionally small sodium permeability. Simultaneously, this combination keeps fiber excitability low and minimizes pump expenditures. As mechanically active, long-lived multinucleate cells, skeletal muscle fibers have evolved to handle overexertion, sarcolemmal tears, ischemic bouts, etc.; the frugality of their Donnan dominated steady state lets them maintain the outsized pump reserves that make them resilient during these inevitable transient emergencies. Here, P-L/D model variants challenged with DMD-type insult/injury (low pump-strength, overstimulation, leaky Nav and cation channels) show how chronic “nonosmotic” sodium overload (observed in DMD patients) develops. Profoundly severe DMD ion homeostatic insult/injury causes spontaneous firing (and, consequently, unwanted excitation–contraction coupling) that elicits cytotoxic swelling. Therefore, boosting operational pump-strength and/or diminishing sodium and cation channel leaks should help extend DMD fiber longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine E Morris
- Neuroscience, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada.,Center for Neural Dynamics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | | | - Béla Joos
- Center for Neural Dynamics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.,Department of Physics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
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Johnston JR, McNally EM. Genetic correction strategies for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and their impact on the heart. PROGRESS IN PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY 2021; 63. [PMID: 34898968 DOI: 10.1016/j.ppedcard.2021.101460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Background Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked recessive disorder with early childhood onset characterized by profound loss of muscle strength and associated cardiomyopathy. DMD affects is most often caused by deletions involving single or multiple exons that disrupt the open reading frame of the DMD gene. Mutations causing loss or premature truncation of dystrophin result in dystrophin protein deficiency, which renders the plasma membrane of skeletal myofibers and cardiomyocytes weakened. Aim of Review Genetic correction is in use to treat DMD, since several drugs have been already approved which partially restore dystrophin production through the use of antisense oligonucleotides. There are multiple ongoing clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of treating DMD with micro-dystrophins delivered by adeno-associated viruses. Future approaches entail gene editing to target the single copy of the DMD gene on the X-chromosome. The primary, near-term goal is restoration of skeletal muscle dystrophin, and for some of these treatments, the efficacy in the heart is not fully known. Here, we discuss the anticipated cardiac outcomes of dystrophin-targeted therapies, and how this information informs genomic medicine for cardiomyopathies, especially in childhood. Key Scientific Concepts of Review Many genetic treatment strategies are being implemented to treat DMD. Since most preclinical testing has focused on skeletal muscle, there is a gap in knowledge about the expected effects of these approaches on cardiac genetic correction and cardiomyopathy progression in DMD. Additional study is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie R Johnston
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Elizabeth M McNally
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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Abstract
The number of therapies for heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction has nearly doubled in the past decade. In addition, new therapies for HF caused by hypertrophic and infiltrative disease are emerging rapidly. Indeed, we are on the verge of a new era in HF in which insights into the biology of myocardial disease can be matched to an understanding of the genetic predisposition in an individual patient to inform precision approaches to therapy. In this Review, we summarize the biology of HF, emphasizing the causal relationships between genetic contributors and traditional structure-based remodelling outcomes, and highlight the mechanisms of action of traditional and novel therapeutics. We discuss the latest advances in our understanding of both the Mendelian genetics of cardiomyopathy and the complex genetics of the clinical syndrome presenting as HF. In the phenotypic domain, we discuss applications of machine learning for the subcategorization of HF in ways that might inform rational prescribing of medications. We aim to bridge the gap between the biology of the failing heart, its diverse clinical presentations and the range of medications that we can now use to treat it. We present a roadmap for the future of precision medicine in HF.
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Kirschner J. Postnatal gene therapy for neuromuscular diseases - opportunities and limitations. J Perinat Med 2021; 49:1011-1015. [PMID: 34499826 DOI: 10.1515/jpm-2021-0435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
During the last decade a number of innovative treatments including gene therapies have been approved for the treatment of monogenic inherited diseases. For some neuromuscular diseases these approaches have dramatically changed the course of the disease. For others relevant challenges still remain and require disease specific approaches to overcome difficulties related to the immune response and the efficient transduction of target cells. This review provides an overview of the current development status of mutation specific treatments for neuromuscular diseases and concludes with on outlook on future developments and perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janbernd Kirschner
- Department of Neuropediatrics, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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44
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Control of satellite cell function in muscle regeneration and its disruption in ageing. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2021; 23:204-226. [PMID: 34663964 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-021-00421-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Skeletal muscle contains a designated population of adult stem cells, called satellite cells, which are generally quiescent. In homeostasis, satellite cells proliferate only sporadically and usually by asymmetric cell division to replace myofibres damaged by daily activity and maintain the stem cell pool. However, satellite cells can also be robustly activated upon tissue injury, after which they undergo symmetric divisions to generate new stem cells and numerous proliferating myoblasts that later differentiate to muscle cells (myocytes) to rebuild the muscle fibre, thereby supporting skeletal muscle regeneration. Recent discoveries show that satellite cells have a great degree of population heterogeneity, and that their cell fate choices during the regeneration process are dictated by both intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms. Extrinsic cues come largely from communication with the numerous distinct stromal cell types in their niche, creating a dynamically interactive microenvironment. This Review discusses the role and regulation of satellite cells in skeletal muscle homeostasis and regeneration. In particular, we highlight the cell-intrinsic control of quiescence versus activation, the importance of satellite cell-niche communication, and deregulation of these mechanisms associated with ageing. The increasing understanding of how satellite cells are regulated will help to advance muscle regeneration and rejuvenation therapies.
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Triana-Fonseca P, Parada-Márquez JF, Silva-Aldana CT, Zambrano-Arenas D, Arias-Gomez LL, Morales-Fonseca N, Medina-Méndez E, Restrepo CM, Silgado-Guzmán DF, Fonseca-Mendoza DJ. Genetic Profile of the Dystrophin Gene Reveals New Mutations in Colombian Patients Affected with Muscular Dystrophinopathy. APPLICATION OF CLINICAL GENETICS 2021; 14:399-408. [PMID: 34629887 PMCID: PMC8493106 DOI: 10.2147/tacg.s317721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Background Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies (DMD/BMD) are the most common human dystrophinopathies with recessive X-linked inheritance. Dystrophin gene deletions and duplications are the most common mutations, followed by point mutations. The aim of this study is to characterize the mutational profile of the dystrophin gene in Colombian patients with DMD/BMD. Material and Methods Mutational profiling was determined in 69 affected patients using Sanger sequencing, next-generation sequencing (NGS) and/or multiplex ligation dependent-probes amplification (MLPA). Genetic variants were classified according to molecular consequence and new variants were determined through database and literature analysis. Results Mutational profile in affected patients revealed that large deletions/duplications analyzed by MLPA accounted for 72.5% of all genetic variations. By using Sanger sequencing or NGS, we identified point mutations in 15.9% and small deletions in 11.6% of the patients. New mutations were found, most of them were point mutations or small deletions (10.1%). Conclusion Our results described the genetic profile of the dystrophin gene in Colombian patients with DMD and contribute to efforts to identify molecular variants in Latin American populations. For our population, 18.8% of cases could be treated with FDA or MDA approved molecular therapies based on specific mutations. These data contribute to the establishment of appropriate genetic counseling and potential treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Claudia T Silva-Aldana
- Department of Molecular Diagnosis, Genética Molecular de Colombia SAS, Bogotá, DC, Colombia
| | | | | | | | - Esteban Medina-Méndez
- Department of Molecular Diagnosis, Genética Molecular de Colombia SAS, Bogotá, DC, Colombia
| | - Carlos M Restrepo
- Center for Research in Genetics and Genomics - CIGGUR, GENIUROS Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad Del Rosario, Bogotá, DC, Colombia
| | | | - Dora Janeth Fonseca-Mendoza
- Center for Research in Genetics and Genomics - CIGGUR, GENIUROS Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad Del Rosario, Bogotá, DC, Colombia
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46
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Zhang Y, Nishiyama T, Li H, Huang J, Atmanli A, Sanchez-Ortiz E, Wang Z, Mireault AA, Mammen PPA, Bassel-Duby R, Olson EN. A consolidated AAV system for single-cut CRISPR correction of a common Duchenne muscular dystrophy mutation. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2021; 22:122-132. [PMID: 34485599 PMCID: PMC8397837 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2021.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), caused by mutations in the X-linked dystrophin gene, is a lethal neuromuscular disease. Correction of DMD mutations in animal models has been achieved by CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing using Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9) delivered by adeno-associated virus (AAV). However, due to the limited viral packaging capacity of AAV, two AAV vectors are required to deliver the SpCas9 nuclease and its single guide RNA (sgRNA), impeding its therapeutic application. We devised an efficient single-cut gene-editing method using a compact Staphylococcus aureus Cas9 (SaCas9) to restore the open reading frame of exon 51, the most commonly affected out-of-frame exon in DMD. Editing of exon 51 in cardiomyocytes derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells revealed a strong preference for exon reframing via a two-nucleotide deletion. We adapted this system to express SaCas9 and sgRNA from a single AAV9 vector. Systemic delivery of this All-In-One AAV9 system restored dystrophin expression and improved muscle contractility in a mouse model of DMD with exon 50 deletion. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of CRISPR/SaCas9 delivered by a consolidated AAV delivery system in the correction of DMD in vivo, representing a promising therapeutic approach to correct the genetic causes of DMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.,Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Takahiko Nishiyama
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.,Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.,Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Jian Huang
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Ayhan Atmanli
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.,Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Efrain Sanchez-Ortiz
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.,Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Zhaoning Wang
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.,Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Alex A Mireault
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.,Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Pradeep P A Mammen
- Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Rhonda Bassel-Duby
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.,Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Eric N Olson
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.,Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
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47
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Beaufils M, Travard L, Rendu J, Marty I. Therapies for RYR1-Related Myopathies: Where We Stand and the Perspectives. Curr Pharm Des 2021; 28:15-25. [PMID: 34514983 DOI: 10.2174/1389201022666210910102516] [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: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
RyR1-related myopathies are a family of genetic neuromuscular diseases due to mutations in the RYR1 gene. No treatment exists for any of these myopathies today, which could change in the coming years with the growing number of studies dedicated to the pre-clinical assessment of various approaches, from pharmacological to gene therapy strategies, using the numerous models developed up to now. In addition, the first clinical trials for these rare diseases have just been completed or are being launched. We review the most recent results obtained for the treatment of RyR1-related myopathies, and, in view of the progress in therapeutic development for other myopathies, we discuss the possible future therapeutic perspectives for RyR1-related myopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde Beaufils
- University Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, U1216, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, Grenoble. France
| | - Lauriane Travard
- University Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, U1216, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, Grenoble. France
| | - John Rendu
- University Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, U1216, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, Grenoble. France
| | - Isabelle Marty
- University Grenoble Alpes, INSERM, U1216, CHU Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, Grenoble. France
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48
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Demonbreun AR, Fallon KS, Oosterbaan CC, Vaught LA, Reiser NL, Bogdanovic E, Velez MP, Salamone IM, Page PGT, Hadhazy M, Quattrocelli M, Barefield DY, Wood LD, Gonzalez JP, Morris C, McNally EM. Anti-latent TGFβ binding protein 4 antibody improves muscle function and reduces muscle fibrosis in muscular dystrophy. Sci Transl Med 2021; 13:eabf0376. [PMID: 34516828 PMCID: PMC9559620 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abf0376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy, like other muscular dystrophies, is a progressive disorder hallmarked by muscle degeneration, inflammation, and fibrosis. Latent transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) binding protein 4 (LTBP4) is an extracellular matrix protein found in muscle. LTBP4 sequesters and inhibits a precursor form of TGFβ. LTBP4 was originally identified from a genome-wide search for genetic modifiers of muscular dystrophy in mice, where there are two different alleles. The protective form of LTBP4, which contains an insertion of 12 amino acids in the protein’s hinge region, was linked to increased sequestration of latent TGFβ, enhanced muscle membrane stability, and reduced muscle fibrosis. The deleterious form of LTBP4 protein, lacking 12 amino acids, was more susceptible to proteolysis and promoted release of latent TGF-β, and together, these data underscored the functional role of LTBP4’s hinge. Here, we generated a monoclonal human anti-LTBP4 antibody directed toward LTBP4’s hinge region. In vitro, anti-LTBP4 bound LTBP4 protein and reduced LTBP4 proteolytic cleavage. In isolated myofibers, the LTBP4 antibody stabilized the sarcolemma from injury. In vivo, anti-LTBP4 treatment of dystrophic mice protected muscle against force loss induced by eccentric contraction. Anti-LTBP4 treatment also reduced muscle fibrosis and enhanced muscle force production, including in the diaphragm muscle, where respiratory function was improved. Moreover, the anti-LTBP4 in combination with prednisone, a standard of care for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, further enhanced muscle function and protected against injury in mdx mice. These data demonstrate the potential of anti-LTBP4 antibodies to treat muscular dystrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis R Demonbreun
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Katherine S Fallon
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Claire C Oosterbaan
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Lauren A Vaught
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Nina L Reiser
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Elena Bogdanovic
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Matthew P Velez
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Isabella M Salamone
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Patrick G T Page
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Michele Hadhazy
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Mattia Quattrocelli
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - David Y Barefield
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | | | | | | | - Elizabeth M McNally
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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49
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Perspectives on hiPSC-Derived Muscle Cells as Drug Discovery Models for Muscular Dystrophies. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22179630. [PMID: 34502539 PMCID: PMC8431796 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22179630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2021] [Revised: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Muscular dystrophies are a heterogeneous group of inherited diseases characterized by the progressive degeneration and weakness of skeletal muscles, leading to disability and, often, premature death. To date, no effective therapies are available to halt or reverse the pathogenic process, and meaningful treatments are urgently needed. From this perspective, it is particularly important to establish reliable in vitro models of human muscle that allow the recapitulation of disease features as well as the screening of genetic and pharmacological therapies. We herein review and discuss advances in the development of in vitro muscle models obtained from human induced pluripotent stem cells, which appear to be capable of reproducing the lack of myofiber proteins as well as other specific pathological hallmarks, such as inflammation, fibrosis, and reduced muscle regenerative potential. In addition, these platforms have been used to assess genetic correction strategies such as gene silencing, gene transfer and genome editing with clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9), as well as to evaluate novel small molecules aimed at ameliorating muscle degeneration. Furthermore, we discuss the challenges related to in vitro drug testing and provide a critical view of potential therapeutic developments to foster the future clinical translation of preclinical muscular dystrophy studies.
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50
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Gerull B, Brodehl A. Insights Into Genetics and Pathophysiology of Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy. Curr Heart Fail Rep 2021; 18:378-390. [PMID: 34478111 PMCID: PMC8616880 DOI: 10.1007/s11897-021-00532-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Purpose of Review Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is a genetic disease characterized by life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death (SCD) in apparently healthy young adults. Mutations in genes encoding for cellular junctions can be found in about half of the patients. However, disease onset and severity, risk of arrhythmias, and outcome are highly variable and drug-targeted treatment is currently unavailable. Recent Findings This review focuses on advances in clinical risk stratification, genetic etiology, and pathophysiological concepts. The desmosome is the central part of the disease, but other intercalated disc and associated structural proteins not only broaden the genetic spectrum but also provide novel molecular and cellular insights into the pathogenesis of ACM. Signaling pathways and the role of inflammation will be discussed and targets for novel therapeutic approaches outlined. Summary Genetic discoveries and experimental-driven preclinical research contributed significantly to the understanding of ACM towards mutation- and pathway-specific personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda Gerull
- Comprehensive Heart Failure Center (CHFC), Department of Medicine I, University Clinic Würzburg, Am Schwarzenberg 15, 97078, Würzburg, Germany.
| | - Andreas Brodehl
- Heart and Diabetes Center NRW, Erich and Hanna Klessmann Institute, University Hospital of the Ruhr-University Bochum, Georgstrasse 11, 32545, Bad Oeynhausen, Germany
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