Improving adenine and dual base editors through introduction of TadA-8e and Rad51DBD

Base editors, including dual base editors, are innovative techniques for efficient base conversions in genomic DNA. However, the low efficiency of A-to-G base conversion at positions proximal to the protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) and the A/C simultaneous conversion of the dual base editor hinder their broad applications. In this study, through fusion of ABE8e with Rad51 DNA-binding domain, we generate a hyperactive ABE (hyABE) which offers improved A-to-G editing efficiency at the region (A₁₀-A₁₅) proximal to the PAM, with 1.2- to 7-fold improvement compared to ABE8e. Similarly, we develop optimized dual base editors (eA&C-BEmax and hyA&C-BEmax) with markedly improved simultaneous A/C conversion efficiency (1.2-fold and 1.5-fold improvement, respectively) compared to A&C-BEmax in human cells. Moreover, these optimized base editors catalyze efficiently nucleotide conversions in zebrafish embryos to mirror human syndrome or in human cells to potentially treat genetic diseases, indicating their great potential in broad applications for disease modeling and gene therapy.

Iodoacetic Acid, a Water Disinfection Byproduct, Disrupts Hypothalamic, and Pituitary Reproductive Regulatory Factors and Induces Toxicity in the Female Pituitary

Iodoacetic acid (IAA) is a water disinfection byproduct (DBP) formed by reactions between oxidizing disinfectants and iodide. In vitro studies have indicated that IAA is one of the most cyto- and genotoxic DBPs. In humans, DBPs have been epidemiologically associated with reproductive dysfunction. In mouse ovarian culture, IAA exposure significantly inhibits antral follicle growth and reduces estradiol production. Despite this evidence, little is known about the effects of IAA on the other components of the reproductive axis: the hypothalamus and pituitary. We tested the hypothesis that IAA disrupts expression of key neuroendocrine factors and directly induces cell damage in the mouse pituitary. We exposed adult female mice to IAA in drinking water in vivo and found 0.5 and 10 mg/l IAA concentrations lead to significantly increased mRNA levels of kisspeptin (Kiss1) in the arcuate nucleus although not affecting Kiss1 in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus. Both 10 mg/l IAA exposure in vivo and 20 μM IAA in vitro reduced follicle stimulating hormone (FSHβ)-positive cell number and Fshb mRNA expression. IAA did not alter luteinizing hormone (LHβ) expression in vivo although exposure to 20 μM IAA decreased expression of Lhb and glycoprotein hormones, alpha subunit (Cga) mRNA in vitro. IAA also had toxic effects in the pituitary, inducing DNA damage and P21/Cdkn1a expression in vitro (20 μM IAA) and DNA damage and Cdkn1a expression in vivo (500 mg/l). These data implicate IAA as a hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis toxicant and suggest the pituitary is directly affected by IAA exposure.

Exposure to Iodoacetic Acid, a Water Disinfection Byproduct, Leads to Abnormal Expression of Key Reproductive Axis Genes in the Hypothalamus and Pituitary

Iodoacetic acid (IAA) – a water disinfection byproduct (DBP) formed from the reaction between an oxidizing disinfectant, i.e. chlorine, and iodide – is an understudied, yet potentially dangerous environmental toxicant. DBPs have been epidemiologically associated with reproductive dysfunction. In vitro studies have indicated that IAA is one of the most cyto- and genotoxic DBPs. Further, murine ovarian research has shown that IAA exposure significantly inhibits antral follicle growth and reduces estradiol levels. Despite this evidence, little is known about the other components of the reproductive axis: the hypothalamus and pituitary. To address this, we tested the hypothesis that IAA exposure would lead to disrupted expression of key hypothalamic and pituitary genes related to reproductive function. We exposed adult female CD1 mice to 0.5, 10, 100, or 500 mg/L IAA in their drinking water from postnatal day 40 (P40) to their first day in diestrus after P75. From this experiment, we collected whole pituitaries and hypothalamic punches containing the arcuate nucleus (ARC), anteroventral periventricular zone (AVPV), and medial preoptic nucleus (mPOA), and processed them for mRNA analysis. We also exposed pituitary explant cultures to IAA to observe direct effects on gene expression. In vivo, we found that mRNA levels of kisspeptin (Kiss1) are significantly increased in the ARC, the region that controls pulsatile GnRH release, at 0.5 and 10 mg/L IAA concentrations. Kiss1 is unchanged in the AVPV, the neuron population responsible for generating the LH surge. We also measured ARC expression of neurokinin B (Tac2) and dynorphin (Pdyn), neuropeptides secreted by kisspeptin co-expressing neurons to autosynaptically stimulate Kiss1 release. We saw no difference in either. GnRH (Gnrh1) expression was also unchanged. Both in vivo at 10 mg/L IAA and in culture, we found IAA exposure significantly reduced Fshb mRNA. Preliminary immunohistochemistry (IHC) data suggests it also leads to an apparent reduction in FSH-positive cells in vitro (N=2). Lhb and the α-subunit (Cga) were unaltered in vivo, though were significantly reduced with in vitro exposure. In neither context was mRNA expression of the GnRH receptor (Gnrhr) changed. Noting apparent direct effects of IAA on the pituitary, we assessed expression of the cell-cycle inhibitor p21 (Cdkn1a), which has been shown to increase with toxicant exposure. We found Cdkn1a increased in vivo at 500 mg/L IAA, trending at 100 mg/L (p=.070), and in vitro. IHC data in vitro suggests a marked increase in P21-positivity following IAA exposure. These data, together with prior ovarian findings, implicate IAA as a potential reproductive axis disruptor at each major level – through ARC Kiss1 expression, Fshb expression in vivo and in vitro, FSH expression in vitro, and Lhb and Cga in vitro. Further, Cdkn1a/P21 induction indicates IAA toxicity at the level of the pituitary.