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Ilahibaks NF, Kluiver TA, de Jong OG, de Jager SCA, Schiffelers RM, Vader P, Peng WC, Lei Z, Sluijter JPG. Extracellular vesicle-mediated delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complex targeting proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (Pcsk9) in primary mouse hepatocytes. J Extracell Vesicles 2024; 13:e12389. [PMID: 38191764 PMCID: PMC10774704 DOI: 10.1002/jev2.12389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The loss-of-function of the proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (Pcsk9) gene has been associated with significant reductions in plasma serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. Both CRISPR/Cas9 and CRISPR-based editor-mediated Pcsk9 inactivation have successfully lowered plasma LDL-C and PCSK9 levels in preclinical models. Despite the promising preclinical results, these studies did not report how vehicle-mediated CRISPR delivery inactivating Pcsk9 affected low-density lipoprotein receptor recycling in vitro or ex vivo. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have shown promise as a biocompatible delivery vehicle, and CRISPR/Cas9 ribonucleoprotein (RNP) has been demonstrated to mediate safe genome editing. Therefore, we investigated EV-mediated RNP targeting of the Pcsk9 gene ex vivo in primary mouse hepatocytes. We engineered EVs with the rapamycin-interacting heterodimer FK506-binding protein (FKBP12) to contain its binding partner, the T82L mutant FKBP12-rapamycin binding (FRB) domain, fused to the Cas9 protein. By integrating the vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein on the EV membrane, the engineered Cas9 EVs were used for intracellular CRISPR/Cas9 RNP delivery, achieving genome editing with an efficacy of ±28.1% in Cas9 stoplight reporter cells. Administration of Cas9 EVs in mouse hepatocytes successfully inactivated the Pcsk9 gene, leading to a reduction in Pcsk9 mRNA and increased uptake of the low-density lipoprotein receptor and LDL-C. These readouts can be used in future experiments to assess the efficacy of vehicle-mediated delivery of genome editing technologies targeting Pcsk9. The ex vivo data could be a step towards reducing animal testing and serve as a precursor to future in vivo studies for EV-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 RNP delivery targeting Pcsk9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nazma F. Ilahibaks
- Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology, Department Heart & LungsUniversity Medical Center UtrechtUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | | | - Olivier G. de Jong
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute of Pharmaceutical SciencesUtrecht UniversityUtrechtThe Netherland
| | - Saskia C. A. de Jager
- Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology, Department Heart & LungsUniversity Medical Center UtrechtUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | | | - Pieter Vader
- Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology, Department Heart & LungsUniversity Medical Center UtrechtUtrechtThe Netherlands
- CDL Research, University Medical Center UtrechtUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - Weng Chuan Peng
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric OncologyUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - Zhiyong Lei
- Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology, Department Heart & LungsUniversity Medical Center UtrechtUtrechtThe Netherlands
- CDL Research, University Medical Center UtrechtUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - Joost P. G. Sluijter
- Laboratory of Experimental Cardiology, Department Heart & LungsUniversity Medical Center UtrechtUtrechtThe Netherlands
- Circulatory Health Laboratory, Regenerative Medicine CenterUniversity Medical Center Utrecht, University UtrechtUtrechtThe Netherlands
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Kuhlman AB, Morville T, Dohlmann TL, Hansen M, Kelly B, Helge JW, Dela F. Coenzyme Q10 does not improve peripheral insulin sensitivity in statin-treated men and women: the LIFESTAT study. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2018; 44:485-492. [PMID: 30273493 DOI: 10.1139/apnm-2018-0488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Simvastatin is a cholesterol-lowering drug that is prescribed to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease following high levels of blood cholesterol. There is a possible risk of new-onset diabetes mellitus with statin treatment but the mechanisms behind are unknown. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) supplementation has been found to improve glucose homeostasis in various patient populations and may increase muscle glucose transporter type 4 content. Our aim was to investigate if 8 weeks of CoQ10 supplementation can improve glucose homeostasis in simvastatin-treated subjects. Thirty-five men and women in treatment with a minimum of 40 mg of simvastatin daily were randomized to receive either 2 × 200 mg/day of CoQ10 supplementation or placebo for 8 weeks. Glucose homeostasis was investigated with fasting blood samples, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and intravenous glucose tolerance test. Insulin sensitivity was assessed with the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp. Different indices were calculated from fasting samples and OGTT as secondary measures of insulin sensitivity. A muscle biopsy was obtained from the vastus lateralis muscle for muscle protein analyzes. There were no changes in body composition, fasting plasma insulin, fasting plasma glucose, or 3-h glucose with intervention, but glycated hemoglobin decreased with time. Glucose homeostasis measured as the area under the curve for glucose, insulin, and C-peptide during OGTT was unchanged after intervention. Insulin secretory capacity was also unaltered after CoQ10 supplementation. Insulin sensitivity was unchanged but hepatic insulin sensitivity increased. No changes in muscle GLUT4 content was observed after intervention. CoQ10 supplementation does not change muscle GLUT4 content, insulin sensitivity, or secretory capacity, but hepatic insulin sensitivity may improve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Birk Kuhlman
- a Xlab, Center for Healthy Aging, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thomas Morville
- a Xlab, Center for Healthy Aging, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tine Lovsø Dohlmann
- a Xlab, Center for Healthy Aging, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Maria Hansen
- a Xlab, Center for Healthy Aging, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Bo Kelly
- a Xlab, Center for Healthy Aging, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jørn Wulff Helge
- a Xlab, Center for Healthy Aging, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Flemming Dela
- a Xlab, Center for Healthy Aging, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.,b Department of Geriatrics, Bispebjerg University Hospital, 2400 Copenhagen, Denmark
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Muthuramu I, Amin R, Postnov A, Mishra M, Aboumsallem JP, Dresselaers T, Himmelreich U, Van Veldhoven PP, Gheysens O, Jacobs F, De Geest B. Cholesterol-Lowering Gene Therapy Counteracts the Development of Non-ischemic Cardiomyopathy in Mice. Mol Ther 2017; 25:2513-2525. [PMID: 28822689 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2017.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Revised: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 07/27/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
A causal role of hypercholesterolemia in non-ischemic heart failure has never been demonstrated. Adeno-associated viral serotype 8 (AAV8)-low-density lipoprotein receptor (AAV8-LDLr) gene transfer was performed in LDLr-deficient mice without and with pressure overload induced by transverse aortic constriction (TAC). AAV8-LDLr gene therapy resulted in an 82.8% (p < 0.0001) reduction of plasma cholesterol compared with controls. Mortality rate was lower (p < 0.05) in AAV8-LDLr TAC mice compared with control TAC mice (hazard ratio for mortality 0.457, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.237-0.882) during 8 weeks of follow-up. AAV8-LDLr gene therapy attenuated cardiac hypertrophy, reduced interstitial and perivascular fibrosis, and decreased lung congestion in TAC mice. Cardiac function, quantified by invasive hemodynamic measurements and magnetic resonance imaging, was significantly improved 8 weeks after sham operation or after TAC in AAV8-LDLr mice compared with respective control groups. Myocardial protein levels of mammalian target of rapamycin and of acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase were strikingly decreased following cholesterol lowering in mice without and with pressure overload. AAV8-LDLr therapy potently reduced cardiac glucose uptake and counteracted metabolic remodeling following pressure overload. Furthermore, oxidative stress and myocardial apoptosis were decreased following AAV8-LDLr therapy in mice with pressure overload. In conclusion, cholesterol-lowering gene therapy potently counteracts structural and metabolic remodeling, and enhances cardiac function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilayaraja Muthuramu
- Centre for Molecular and Vascular Biology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Catholic University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ruhul Amin
- Centre for Molecular and Vascular Biology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Catholic University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Andrey Postnov
- Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging, Department of Imaging & Pathology, Catholic University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mudit Mishra
- Centre for Molecular and Vascular Biology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Catholic University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Joseph Pierre Aboumsallem
- Centre for Molecular and Vascular Biology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Catholic University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tom Dresselaers
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging & Pathology, Catholic University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Uwe Himmelreich
- Biomedical MRI, Department of Imaging & Pathology, Catholic University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Paul P Van Veldhoven
- Laboratory of Lipid Biochemistry and Protein Interactions, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Catholic University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Olivier Gheysens
- Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging, Department of Imaging & Pathology, Catholic University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Frank Jacobs
- Centre for Molecular and Vascular Biology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Catholic University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bart De Geest
- Centre for Molecular and Vascular Biology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Catholic University of Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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