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Kulkarni A, Chen T, Sidransky E, Han TU. Advancements in Viral Gene Therapy for Gaucher Disease. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:364. [PMID: 38540423 PMCID: PMC10970163 DOI: 10.3390/genes15030364] [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: 02/25/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Gaucher disease, an autosomal recessively inherited lysosomal storage disorder, results from biallelic mutations in the GBA1 gene resulting in deficient activity of the enzyme glucocerebrosidase. In Gaucher disease, the reduced levels and activity of glucocerebrosidase lead to a disparity in the rates of formation and breakdown of glucocerebroside and glucosylsphingosine, resulting in the accumulation of these lipid substrates in the lysosome. This gives rise to the development of Gaucher cells, engorged macrophages with a characteristic wrinkled tissue paper appearance. There are both non-neuronopathic (type 1) and neuronopathic (types 2 and 3) forms of Gaucher disease, associated with varying degrees of severity. The visceral and hematologic manifestations of Gaucher disease respond well to both enzyme replacement therapy and substrate reduction therapy. However, these therapies do not improve the neuronopathic manifestations, as they cannot cross the blood-brain barrier. There is now an established precedent for treating lysosomal storage disorders with gene therapy strategies, as many have the potential to cross into the brain. The range of the gene therapies being employed is broad, but this review aimed to discuss the progress, advances, and challenges in developing viral gene therapy as a treatment for Gaucher disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ellen Sidransky
- Section on Molecular Neurogenetics, Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, Building 35A, Room 1E623, 35A Convent Drive, MSC 3708, Bethesda, MD 20892-3708, USA; (A.K.); (T.C.); (T.-U.H.)
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Furderer ML, Berhe B, Chen TC, Wincovitch S, Jiang X, Tayebi N, Sidransky E, Han TU. A Comparative Biochemical and Pathological Evaluation of Brain Samples from Knock-In Murine Models of Gaucher Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1827. [PMID: 38339105 PMCID: PMC10855869 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Gaucher disease (GD) is a lysosomal storage disorder stemming from biallelic mutations in GBA1, characterized by glucocerebrosidase dysfunction and glucocerebroside and glucosylsphingosine accumulation. Since phenotypes of murine models of GD often differ from those in patients, the careful characterization of Gba1 mutant mice is necessary to establish their ability to model GD. We performed side-by-side comparative biochemical and pathologic analyses of four murine Gba1 models with genotypes L444P/L444P (p.L483P/p.L483P), L444P/null, D409H/D409H (p.D448H/p.D448H) and D409H/null, along with matched wildtype mice, all with the same genetic background and cage conditions. All mutant mice exhibited significantly lower glucocerebrosidase activity (p < 0.0001) and higher glucosylsphingosine levels than wildtype, with the lowest glucocerebrosidase and the highest glucosylsphingosine levels in mice carrying a null allele. Although glucocerebrosidase activity in L444P and D409H mice was similar, D409H mice showed more lipid accumulation. No Gaucher or storage-like cells were detected in any of the Gba1 mutant mice. Quantification of neuroinflammation, dopaminergic neuronal loss, alpha-synuclein levels and motor behavior revealed no significant findings, even in aged animals. Thus, while the models may have utility for testing the effect of different therapies on enzymatic activity, they did not recapitulate the pathological phenotype of patients with GD, and better models are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makaila L. Furderer
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (M.L.F.); (B.B.); (T.C.C.); (N.T.)
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
| | - Bahafta Berhe
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (M.L.F.); (B.B.); (T.C.C.); (N.T.)
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
| | - Tiffany C. Chen
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (M.L.F.); (B.B.); (T.C.C.); (N.T.)
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
| | - Stephen Wincovitch
- Advanced Imaging & Analysis Core, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA;
| | - Xuntian Jiang
- Washington University Metabolomics Facility, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA;
| | - Nahid Tayebi
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (M.L.F.); (B.B.); (T.C.C.); (N.T.)
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
| | - Ellen Sidransky
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (M.L.F.); (B.B.); (T.C.C.); (N.T.)
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
| | - Tae-Un Han
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (M.L.F.); (B.B.); (T.C.C.); (N.T.)
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
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