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Iwamoto N, Liu Y, Frank-Kamenetsky M, Maguire A, Tseng WC, Taborn K, Kothari N, Akhtar A, Bowman K, Shelke JD, Lamattina A, Hu XS, Jang HG, Kandasamy P, Liu F, Longo K, Looby R, Meena, Metterville J, Pan Q, Purcell-Estabrook E, Shimizu M, Prakasha PS, Standley S, Upadhyay H, Yang H, Yin Y, Zhao A, Francis C, Byrne M, Dale E, Verdine GL, Vargeese C. Preclinical evaluation of stereopure antisense oligonucleotides for allele-selective lowering of mutant HTT. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2024; 35:102246. [PMID: 39027419 PMCID: PMC11255113 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102246] [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: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant disease caused by the expansion of cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG) repeats in one copy of the HTT gene (mutant HTT, mHTT). The unaffected HTT gene encodes wild-type HTT (wtHTT) protein, which supports processes important for the health and function of the central nervous system. Selective lowering of mHTT for the treatment of HD may provide a benefit over nonselective HTT-lowering approaches, as it aims to preserve the beneficial activities of wtHTT. Targeting a heterozygous single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) where the targeted variant is on the mHTT gene is one strategy for achieving allele-selective activity. Herein, we investigated whether stereopure phosphorothioate (PS)- and phosphoryl guanidine (PN)-containing oligonucleotides can direct allele-selective mHTT lowering by targeting rs362273 (SNP3). We demonstrate that our SNP3-targeting molecules are potent, durable, and selective for mHTT in vitro and in vivo in mouse models. Through comparisons with a surrogate for the nonselective investigational compound tominersen, we also demonstrate that allele-selective molecules display equivalent potency toward mHTT with improved durability while sparing wtHTT. Our preclinical findings support the advancement of WVE-003, an investigational allele-selective compound currently in clinical testing (NCT05032196) for the treatment of patients with HD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Ali Akhtar
- Wave Life Sciences, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Fangjun Liu
- Wave Life Sciences, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Ken Longo
- Wave Life Sciences, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | | | - Meena
- Wave Life Sciences, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | | | - Qianli Pan
- Wave Life Sciences, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Hailin Yang
- Wave Life Sciences, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Yuan Yin
- Wave Life Sciences, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | | | | | - Mike Byrne
- Wave Life Sciences, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Elena Dale
- Wave Life Sciences, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Gregory L. Verdine
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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Keating M, Hagle R, Osorio-Méndez D, Rodriguez-Parks A, Almutawa SI, Kang J. A robust knock-in approach using a minimal promoter and a minicircle. Dev Biol 2024; 505:24-33. [PMID: 37839785 PMCID: PMC10841522 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2023.10.002] [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: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Knock-in reporter (KI) animals are essential tools in biomedical research to study gene expression impacting diverse biological events. While CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing allows for the successful generation of KI animals, several factors should be considered, such as low expression of the target gene, prevention of bacterial DNA integration, and in-frame editing. To circumvent these challenges, we developed a new strategy that utilizes minicircle technology and introduces a minimal promoter. We demonstrated that minicircles serve as an efficient donor DNA in zebrafish, significantly enhancing KI events compared to plasmids containing bacterial backbones. In an attempt to generate a KI reporter for scn8ab, we precisely integrated a fluorescence gene at the start codon. However, the seamlessly integrated reporter was unable to direct expression that recapitulates endogenous scn8ab expression. To overcome this obstacle, we introduced the hsp70 minimal promoter to provide an ectopic transcription initiation site and succeeded in establishing stable KI transgenic reporters for scn8ab. This strategy also created a fgf20b KI reporter line with a high success rate. Furthermore, our data revealed that an unexpectedly edited genome can inappropriately influence the integrated reporter gene expression, highlighting the importance of selecting a proper KI line. Overall, our approach utilizing a minicircle and an ectopic promoter establishes a robust and efficient strategy for KI generation, expanding our capacity to create KI animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Keating
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Ryan Hagle
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Daniel Osorio-Méndez
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Anjelica Rodriguez-Parks
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Sarah I Almutawa
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Junsu Kang
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA; UW Carbone Cancer Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA.
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3
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Keating M, Hagle R, Osorio-Mendez D, Rodriguez-Parks A, Almutawa SI, Kang J. A robust knock-in approach using a minimal promoter and a minicircle. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.15.558008. [PMID: 37745465 PMCID: PMC10516040 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.15.558008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Knock-in reporter (KI) animals are essential tools in biomedical research to study gene expression impacting diverse biological events. While CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing allows for the successful generation of KI animals, several factors should be considered, such as low expression of the target gene, prevention of bacterial DNA integration, and in-frame editing. To circumvent these challenges, we developed a new strategy that utilizes minicircle technology and introduces a minimal promoter. We demonstrated that minicircles serve as an efficient donor DNA in zebrafish, significantly enhancing KI events compared to plasmids containing bacterial backbones. In an attempt to generate a KI reporter for scn8ab, we precisely integrated a fluorescence gene at the start codon. However, the seamlessly integrated reporter was unable to direct expression that recapitulates endogenous scn8ab expression. To overcome this obstacle, we introduced the hsp70 minimal promoter to provide an ectopic transcription initiation site and succeeded in establishing stable KI transgenic reporters for scn8ab. This strategy also created a fgf20b KI reporter line with a high success rate. Furthermore, our data revealed that an unexpectedly edited genome can inappropriately influence the integrated reporter gene expression, highlighting the importance of selecting a proper KI line. Overall, our approach utilizing a minicircle and an ectopic promoter establishes a robust and efficient strategy for KI generation, expanding our capacity to create KI animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret Keating
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Ryan Hagle
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Daniel Osorio-Mendez
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Anjelica Rodriguez-Parks
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Sarah I Almutawa
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Junsu Kang
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
- UW Carbone Cancer Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
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Zhu MM, Niu BW, Liu LL, Yang H, Qin BY, Peng XH, Chen LX, Liu Y, Wang C, Ren XN, Xu CH, Zhou XH, Li F. Development of a humanized HLA-A30 transgenic mouse model. Animal Model Exp Med 2022; 5:350-361. [PMID: 35791899 PMCID: PMC9434587 DOI: 10.1002/ame2.12225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background There are remarkable genetic differences between animal major histocompatibility complex (MHC) systems and the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system. HLA transgenic humanized mouse model systems offer a much better method to study the HLA‐A‐related principal mechanisms for vaccine development and HLA‐A‐restricted responses against infection in human. Methods A recombinant gene encoding the chimeric HLA‐A30 monochain was constructed. This HHD molecule contains the following: α1‐α2 domains of HLA‐A30, α3 and cytoplasmic domains of H‐2Db, linked at its N‐terminus to the C‐terminus of human β2m by a 15‐amino‐acid peptide linker. The recombinant gene encoding the chimeric HLA‐A30 monochain cassette was introduced into bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) CH502‐67J3 containing the HLA‐A01 gene locus by Red‐mediated homologous recombination. Modified BAC CH502‐67J3 was microinjected into the pronuclei of wild‐type mouse oocytes. This humanized mouse model was further used to assess the immune responses against influenza A virus (H1N1) pdm09 clinically isolated from human patients. Immune cell population, cytokine production, and histopathology in the lung were analyzed. Results We describe a novel human β2m‐HLA‐A30 (α1α2)‐H‐2Db (α3 transmembrane cytoplasmic) (HHD) monochain transgenic mouse strain, which contains the intact HLA‐A01 gene locus including 49 kb 5′‐UTR and 74 kb 3′‐UTR of HLA‐A01*01. Five transgenic lines integrated into the large genomic region of HLA‐A gene locus were obtained, and the robust expression of exogenous transgene was detected in various tissues from A30‐18# and A30‐19# lines encompassing the intact flanking sequences. Flow cytometry revealed that the introduction of a large genomic region in HLA‐A gene locus can influence the immune cell constitution in humanized mice. Pdm09 infection caused a similar immune response among HLA‐A30 Tg humanized mice and wild‐type mice, and induced the rapid increase of cytokines, including IFN‐γ, TNF‐α, and IL‐6, in both HLA‐A30 humanized Tg mice and wild‐type mice. The expression of HLA‐A30 transgene was dramatically promoted in tissues from A30‐9# line at 3 days post‐infection (dpi). Conclusions We established a promising preclinical research animal model of HLA‐A30 Tg humanized mouse, which could accelerate the identification of novel HLA‐A30‐restricted epitopes and vaccine development, and support the study of HLA‐A‐restricted responses against infection in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Min Zhu
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Bo-Wen Niu
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling-Ling Liu
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Hua Yang
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Bo-Yin Qin
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiu-Hua Peng
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Li-Xiang Chen
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Chao Wang
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao-Nan Ren
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Chun-Hua Xu
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao-Hui Zhou
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Feng Li
- Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Shanghai, China
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3R measures in facilities for the production of genetically modified rodents. Lab Anim (NY) 2022; 51:162-177. [PMID: 35641635 DOI: 10.1038/s41684-022-00978-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Sociocultural changes in the human-animal relationship have led to increasing demands for animal welfare in biomedical research. The 3R concept is the basis for bringing this demand into practice: Replace animal experiments with alternatives where possible, Reduce the number of animals used to a scientifically justified minimum and Refine the procedure to minimize animal harm. The generation of gene-modified sentient animals such as mice and rats involves many steps that include various forms of manipulation. So far, no coherent analysis of the application of the 3Rs to gene manipulation has been performed. Here we provide guidelines from the Committee on Genetics and Breeding of Laboratory Animals of the German Society for Laboratory Animal Science to implement the 3Rs in every step during the generation of genetically modified animals. We provide recommendations for applying the 3Rs as well as success/intervention parameters for each step of the process, from experiment planning to choice of technology, harm-benefit analysis, husbandry conditions, management of genetically modified lines and actual procedures. We also discuss future challenges for animal welfare in the context of developing technologies. Taken together, we expect that our comprehensive analysis and our recommendations for the appropriate implementation of the 3Rs to technologies for genetic modifications of rodents will benefit scientists from a wide range of disciplines and will help to improve the welfare of a large number of laboratory animals worldwide.
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Smirnov A, Battulin N. Concatenation of Transgenic DNA: Random or Orchestrated? Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12121969. [PMID: 34946918 PMCID: PMC8701086 DOI: 10.3390/genes12121969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Generation of transgenic organisms by pronuclear microinjection has become a routine procedure. However, while the process of DNA integration in the genome is well understood, we still do not know much about the recombination between transgene molecules that happens in the first moments after DNA injection. Most of the time, injected molecules are joined together in head-to-tail tandem repeats-the so-called concatemers. In this review, we focused on the possible concatenation mechanisms and how they could be studied with genetic reporters tracking individual copies in concatemers. We also discuss various features of concatemers, including palindromic junctions and repeat-induced gene silencing (RIGS). Finally, we speculate how cooperation of DNA repair pathways creates a multicopy concatenated insert.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Smirnov
- Laboratory of Developmental Genetics, Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia;
| | - Nariman Battulin
- Laboratory of Developmental Genetics, Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia;
- Institute of Genetic Technologies, Novosibirsk State University, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
- Correspondence:
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Asthma-associated genetic variants induce IL33 differential expression through an enhancer-blocking regulatory region. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6115. [PMID: 34675193 PMCID: PMC8531453 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26347-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have implicated the IL33 locus in asthma, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we identify a 5 kb region within the GWAS-defined segment that acts as an enhancer-blocking element in vivo and in vitro. Chromatin conformation capture showed that this 5 kb region loops to the IL33 promoter, potentially regulating its expression. We show that the asthma-associated single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs1888909, located within the 5 kb region, is associated with IL33 gene expression in human airway epithelial cells and IL-33 protein expression in human plasma, potentially through differential binding of OCT-1 (POU2F1) to the asthma-risk allele. Our data demonstrate that asthma-associated variants at the IL33 locus mediate allele-specific regulatory activity and IL33 expression, providing a mechanism through which a regulatory SNP contributes to genetic risk of asthma. Susceptibility to asthma and severity of symptoms are regulated by a number of different genomic regions. Here the authors characterise a 5kb regulatory region and demonstrate genetic and topological regulation of IL33 and association with disease in different human cohorts.
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Levic DS, Yamaguchi N, Wang S, Knaut H, Bagnat M. Knock-in tagging in zebrafish facilitated by insertion into non-coding regions. Development 2021; 148:dev199994. [PMID: 34495314 PMCID: PMC8513609 DOI: 10.1242/dev.199994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Zebrafish provide an excellent model for in vivo cell biology studies because of their amenability to live imaging. Protein visualization in zebrafish has traditionally relied on overexpression of fluorescently tagged proteins from heterologous promoters, making it difficult to recapitulate endogenous expression patterns and protein function. One way to circumvent this problem is to tag the proteins by modifying their endogenous genomic loci. Such an approach is not widely available to zebrafish researchers because of inefficient homologous recombination and the error-prone nature of targeted integration in zebrafish. Here, we report a simple approach for tagging proteins in zebrafish on their N or C termini with fluorescent proteins by inserting PCR-generated donor amplicons into non-coding regions of the corresponding genes. Using this approach, we generated endogenously tagged alleles for several genes that are crucial for epithelial biology and organ development, including the tight junction components ZO-1 and Cldn15la, the trafficking effector Rab11a, the apical polarity protein aPKC and the ECM receptor Integrin β1b. Our approach facilitates the generation of knock-in lines in zebrafish, opening the way for accurate quantitative imaging studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel S. Levic
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Naoya Yamaguchi
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Siyao Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Holger Knaut
- Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Michel Bagnat
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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Li F, Zhu M, Niu B, Liu L, Peng X, Yang H, Qin B, Wang M, Ren X, Zhou X. Generation and expression analysis of BAC humanized mice carrying HLA-DP401 haplotype. Animal Model Exp Med 2021; 4:116-128. [PMID: 34179719 PMCID: PMC8212823 DOI: 10.1002/ame2.12158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DP is much less studied than other HLA class II antigens, that is, HLA-DR and HLA-DQ, etc. However, the accumulating data have suggested the important roles of DP-restricted responses in the context of cancer, allergy, and infectious disease. Lack of animal models expressing these genes as authentic cis-haplotypes blocks our understanding for the role of HLA-DP haplotypes in immunity. Methods To explore the potential cis-acting control elements involved in the transcriptional regulation of the HLA-DPA1/DPB1 gene, we performed the expression analysis using bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC)-based transgenic humanized mice in the C57BL/6 background, which carried the entire HLA-DP401 gene locus. We further developed a mouse model of Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia in HLA-DP401 humanized transgenic mice, and performed the analysis on the expression pattern of HLA-DP401 and immunological responses in the model. Results In this study, we screened and identified a BAC clone spanning the entire HLA-DP gene locus. DNA from this clone was analyzed for integrity by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and then microinjected into fertilized mouse oocytes to produce transgenic founder animals. Nine sets of PCR primers for regional markers with an average distance of 15 kb between each primer were used to confirm the integrity of the transgene in the five transgenic lines carrying the HLA-DPA1/DPB1 gene. Transgene copy numbers were determined by real-time PCR analysis. HLA-DP401 gene expression was analyzed at the mRNA and protein level. Although infection with S aureus Newman did not alter the percentage of immune cells in the spleen and thymus from the HLA-DP401-H2-Aβ1 humanized mice. Increased expression of HLA-DP401 was observed in the thymus of the humanized mice infected by S aureus. Conclusions We generated several BAC transgenic mice, and analyzed the expression of HLA-DPA1/DPB1 in those mice. A model of Saureus-induced pneumonia in the HLA-DP401-H2-Aβ1-/- humanized mice was further developed, and S aureus infection upregulated the HLA-DP401 expression in thymus of those humanized mice. These findings demonstrate the potential of those HLA-DPA1/DPB1 transgenic humanized mice for developing animal models of infectious diseases and MHC-associated immunological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Li
- Department of Laboratory Animal ScienceShanghai Public Health Clinical CenterFudan UniveristyShanghaiChina
| | - Meng‐min Zhu
- Department of Laboratory Animal ScienceShanghai Public Health Clinical CenterFudan UniveristyShanghaiChina
| | - Bo‐wen Niu
- Department of Laboratory Animal ScienceShanghai Public Health Clinical CenterFudan UniveristyShanghaiChina
| | - Ling‐ling Liu
- Department of Laboratory Animal ScienceShanghai Public Health Clinical CenterFudan UniveristyShanghaiChina
| | - Xiu‐hua Peng
- Department of Laboratory Animal ScienceShanghai Public Health Clinical CenterFudan UniveristyShanghaiChina
| | - Hua Yang
- Department of Laboratory Animal ScienceShanghai Public Health Clinical CenterFudan UniveristyShanghaiChina
| | - Bo‐yin Qin
- Department of Laboratory Animal ScienceShanghai Public Health Clinical CenterFudan UniveristyShanghaiChina
| | - Meixiang Wang
- Department of Scientific ResearchShanghai Public Health Clinical CenterFudan UniveristyShanghaiChina
| | - Xiaonan Ren
- Department of Laboratory Animal ScienceShanghai Public Health Clinical CenterFudan UniveristyShanghaiChina
| | - Xiaohui Zhou
- Department of Laboratory Animal ScienceShanghai Public Health Clinical CenterFudan UniveristyShanghaiChina
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Lim D, Wu KC, Lee A, Saunders TL, Ritchie HH. DSPP dosage affects tooth development and dentin mineralization. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0250429. [PMID: 34038418 PMCID: PMC8153449 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Dentin Sialoprotein (DSP) and phosphophoryn (PP) are two most dominant non-collagenous proteins in dentin, which are the cleavage products of the DSPP (dentin sialophosphoprotein) precursor protein. The absence of the DSPP gene in DSPP knock-out (KO) mice results in characteristics that are consistent with dentinogenesis imperfecta type III in humans. Symptoms include thin dentin, bigger pulp chamber with frequent pulp exposure as well as abnormal epithelial-mesenchymal interactions, and the appearance of chondrocyte-like cells in dental pulp. To better understand how DSPP influences tooth development and dentin formation, we used a bacterial artificial chromosome transgene construct (BAC-DSPP) that contained the complete DSPP gene and promoter to generate BAC-DSPP transgenic mice directly in a mouse DSPP KO background. Two BAC-DSPP transgenic mouse strains were generated and characterized. DSPP mRNA expression in BAC-DSPP Strain A incisors was similar to that from wild-type (wt) mice. DSPP mRNA expression in BAC-DSPP Strain B animals was only 10% that of wt mice. PP protein content in Strain A incisors was 25% of that found in wt mice, which was sufficient to completely rescue the DSPP KO defect in mineral density, since microCT dentin mineral density analysis in 21-day postnatal animal molars showed essentially identical mineral density in both strain A and wt mice. Strain B mouse incisors, with 5% PP expression, only partially rescued the DSPP KO defect in mineral density, as microCT scans of 21-day postnatal animal molars indicated a reduced dentin mineral density compared to wt mice, though the mineral density was still increased over that of DSPP KO. Furthermore, our findings showed that DSPP dosage in Strain A was sufficient to rescue the DSPP KO defect in terms of epithelial-mesenchymal interactions, odontoblast lineage maintenance, along with normal dentin thickness and normal mineral density while DSPP gene dosage in Strain B only partially rescued the aforementioned DSPP KO defect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandrich Lim
- Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences and Endodontics, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Ko-Chien Wu
- Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences and Endodontics, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Arthur Lee
- Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences and Endodontics, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Thomas L. Saunders
- Division of Medical Medicine and Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, Transgenic Animal Model Core, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Helena H. Ritchie
- Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences and Endodontics, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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11
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Lindner L, Cayrou P, Rosahl TW, Zhou HH, Birling MC, Herault Y, Pavlovic G. Droplet digital PCR or quantitative PCR for in-depth genomic and functional validation of genetically altered rodents. Methods 2021; 191:107-119. [PMID: 33838271 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2021.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene targeting and additive (random) transgenesis have proven to be powerful technologies with which to decipher the mammalian genome. With the advent of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, the ability to inactivate or modify the function of a gene has become even more accessible. However, the impact of each generated modification may be different from what was initially desired. Minimal validation of mutant alleles from genetically altered (GA) rodents remains essential to guarantee the interpretation of experimental results. The protocol described here combines design strategies for genomic and functional validation of genetically modified alleles with droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) or quantitative PCR (qPCR) for target DNA or mRNA quantification. In-depth analysis of the results obtained with GA models through the analysis of target DNA and mRNA quantification is also provided, to evaluate which pitfalls can be detected using these two methods, and we propose recommendations for the characterization of different type of mutant allele (knock-out, knock-in, conditional knock-out, FLEx, IKMC model or transgenic). Our results also highlight the possibility that mRNA expression of any mutated allele can be different from what might be expected in theory or according to common assumptions. For example, mRNA analyses on knock-out lines showed that nonsense-mediated mRNA decay is generally not achieved with a critical-exon approach. Likewise, comparison of multiple conditional lines crossed with the same CreERT2 deleter showed that the inactivation outcome was very different for each conditional model. DNA quantification by ddPCR of G0 to G2 generations of transgenic rodents generated by pronuclear injection showed an unexpected variability, demonstrating that G1 generation rodents cannot be considered as established lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loic Lindner
- PHENOMIN-Institut Clinique de la Souris, CELPHEDIA, CNRS, INSERM, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, Strasbourg 67404, France
| | - Pauline Cayrou
- PHENOMIN-Institut Clinique de la Souris, CELPHEDIA, CNRS, INSERM, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, Strasbourg 67404, France
| | - Thomas W Rosahl
- Merck & Co., Inc., 2000 Galloping Hill Rd, Kenilworth, NJ 07033, USA
| | - Heather H Zhou
- Merck & Co., Inc., 2000 Galloping Hill Rd, Kenilworth, NJ 07033, USA
| | - Marie-Christine Birling
- PHENOMIN-Institut Clinique de la Souris, CELPHEDIA, CNRS, INSERM, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, Strasbourg 67404, France
| | - Yann Herault
- PHENOMIN-Institut Clinique de la Souris, CELPHEDIA, CNRS, INSERM, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, Strasbourg 67404, France
| | - Guillaume Pavlovic
- PHENOMIN-Institut Clinique de la Souris, CELPHEDIA, CNRS, INSERM, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, Strasbourg 67404, France.
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12
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Mouillet JF, Goff J, Sadovsky E, Sun H, Parks T, Chu T, Sadovsky Y. Transgenic expression of human C19MC miRNAs impacts placental morphogenesis. Placenta 2020; 101:208-214. [PMID: 33017713 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2020.09.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The chromosome 19 miRNA cluster (C19MC) encodes a large family of microRNAs (miRNAs) that are abundantly expressed in the placenta of higher primates and also in certain cancers. In the placenta, miRNAs from this cluster account for nearly 40% of all miRNAs present in trophoblasts. However, the function of these miRNAs in the placenta remains poorly understood. Recent observations reveal a role for these miRNAs in cell migration, and suggest that they are involved in the development and function of the human placenta. Here, we examine the placenta in transgenic mice expressing the human C19MC miRNAs. METHODS We produced transgenic mice using pronuclear microinjection of a bacterial artificial chromosome plasmid carrying the entire human C19MC locus and derived a homozygous line using crossbreeding. We performed morphological characterization and profiled gene expression changes in the placentas of the transgenic mice. RESULTS C19MC transgenic mice delivered on time with no gross malformations. The placentas of transgenic mice expressed C19MC miRNAs and were larger than wild type placentas. Histologically, we found that the transgenic placenta exhibited projections of spongiotrophoblasts that penetrated deep into the labyrinth. Gene expression analysis revealed alterations in the expression of several genes involved in cell migration, with evidence of enhanced cell proliferation. DISCUSSION Mice that were humanized for transgenically overexpressed C19MC miRNAs exhibit enlarged placentas with aberrant delineation of cell layers. The observed phenotype and the related gene expression changes suggest disrupted migration of placental cell subpopulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Francois Mouillet
- Magee-Womens Research Institute, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Julie Goff
- Magee-Womens Research Institute, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Elena Sadovsky
- Magee-Womens Research Institute, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Huijie Sun
- Magee-Womens Research Institute, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Tony Parks
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tianjiao Chu
- Magee-Womens Research Institute, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Yoel Sadovsky
- Magee-Womens Research Institute, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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13
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Koller BH, Snouwaert JN, Douillet C, Jania LA, El-Masri H, Thomas DJ, Stýblo M. Arsenic Metabolism in Mice Carrying a BORCS7/AS3MT Locus Humanized by Syntenic Replacement. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2020; 128:87003. [PMID: 32779937 PMCID: PMC7418654 DOI: 10.1289/ehp6943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic exposure to inorganic arsenic (iAs) is a significant public health problem. Methylation of iAs by arsenic methyltransferase (AS3MT) controls iAs detoxification and modifies risks of iAs-induced diseases. Mechanisms underlying these diseases have been extensively studied using animal models. However, substantive differences between humans and laboratory animals in efficiency of iAs methylation have hindered the translational potential of the laboratory studies. OBJECTIVES The goal of this study was to determine whether humanization of the As3mt gene confers a human-like pattern of iAs metabolism in mice. METHODS We generated a mouse strain in which the As3mt gene along with the adjacent Borcs7 gene was humanized by syntenic replacement. We compared expression of the mouse As3mt and the human AS3MT and the rate and pattern of iAs metabolism in the wild-type and humanized mice. RESULTS AS3MT expression in mouse tissues closely modeled that of human and differed substantially from expression of As3mt. Detoxification of iAs was much less efficient in the humanized mice than in wild-type mice. Profiles for iAs and its methylated metabolites in tissues and excreta of the humanized mice were consistent with those reported in humans. Notably, the humanized mice expressed both the full-length AS3MT that catalyzes iAs methylation and the human-specific AS3MTd2d3 splicing variant that has been linked to schizophrenia. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that AS3MT is the primary genetic locus responsible for the unique pattern of iAs metabolism in humans. Thus, the humanized mouse strain can be used to study the role of iAs methylation in the pathogenesis of iAs-induced diseases, as well as to evaluate the role of AS3MTd2d3 in schizophrenia. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP6943.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beverly H. Koller
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - John N. Snouwaert
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Christelle Douillet
- Department of Nutrition, UNC Gillings School of Public Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Leigh A. Jania
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Hisham El-Masri
- Chemical Characterization and Exposure Division, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - David J. Thomas
- Chemical Characterization and Exposure Division, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Miroslav Stýblo
- Department of Nutrition, UNC Gillings School of Public Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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14
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Mancini A, Mazzocchetti P, Sciaccaluga M, Megaro A, Bellingacci L, Beccano-Kelly DA, Di Filippo M, Tozzi A, Calabresi P. From Synaptic Dysfunction to Neuroprotective Strategies in Genetic Parkinson's Disease: Lessons From LRRK2. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:158. [PMID: 32848606 PMCID: PMC7399363 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is thought to rely on a complex interaction between the patient’s genetic background and a variety of largely unknown environmental factors. In this scenario, the investigation of the genetic bases underlying familial PD could unveil key molecular pathways to be targeted by new disease-modifying therapies, still currently unavailable. Mutations in the leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) gene are responsible for the majority of inherited familial PD cases and can also be found in sporadic PD, but the pathophysiological functions of LRRK2 have not yet been fully elucidated. Here, we will review the evidence obtained in transgenic LRRK2 experimental models, characterized by altered striatal synaptic transmission, mitochondrial dysfunction, and α-synuclein aggregation. Interestingly, the processes triggered by mutant LRRK2 might represent early pathological phenomena in the pathogenesis of PD, anticipating the typical neurodegenerative features characterizing the late phases of the disease. A comprehensive view of LRRK2 neuronal pathophysiology will support the possible clinical application of pharmacological compounds targeting this protein, with potential therapeutic implications for patients suffering from both familial and sporadic PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Mancini
- Section of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Petra Mazzocchetti
- Section of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Miriam Sciaccaluga
- Section of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Alfredo Megaro
- Section of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Laura Bellingacci
- Section of Physiology and Biochemistry, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Dayne A Beccano-Kelly
- Oxford Parkinson's Disease Centre, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | - Alessandro Tozzi
- Section of Physiology and Biochemistry, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Paolo Calabresi
- Neurologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.,Neuroscience Department, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
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15
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Hara Y, Mizobe Y, Inoue YU, Hashimoto Y, Motohashi N, Masaki Y, Seio K, Takeda S, Nagata T, Wood MJA, Inoue T, Aoki Y. Novel EGFP reporter cell and mouse models for sensitive imaging and quantification of exon skipping. Sci Rep 2020; 10:10110. [PMID: 32572084 PMCID: PMC7308408 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67077-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a fatal X-linked disorder caused by nonsense or frameshift mutations in the DMD gene. Among various treatments available for DMD, antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) mediated exon skipping is a promising therapeutic approach. For successful treatments, however, it is requisite to rigorously optimise oligonucleotide chemistries as well as chemical modifications of ASOs. To achieve this, here, we aim to develop a novel enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP)-based reporter assay system that allows us to perform efficient and high-throughput screenings for ASOs. We design a new expression vector with a CAG promoter to detect the EGFP fluorescence only when skipping of mdx-type exon 23 is induced by ASOs. Then, an accurate screening was successfully conducted in C57BL/6 primary myotubes using phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer or locked nucleic acids (LNA)/2′-OMe mixmers with different extent of LNA inclusion. We accordingly generated a novel transgenic mouse model with this EGFP expression vector (EGFP-mdx23 Tg). Finally, we confirmed that the EGFP-mdx23 Tg provided a highly sensitive platform to check the effectiveness as well as the biodistribution of ASOs for exon skipping therapy. Thus, the assay system provides a simple yet highly sensitive platform to optimise oligonucleotide chemistries as well as chemical modifications of ASOs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuko Hara
- Department of Molecular Therapy, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Mizobe
- Department of Molecular Therapy, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yukiko U Inoue
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology of Neuroscience, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasumasa Hashimoto
- Department of Molecular Therapy, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Norio Motohashi
- Department of Molecular Therapy, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Masaki
- Department of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kohji Seio
- Department of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Shin'ichi Takeda
- Department of Molecular Therapy, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tetsuya Nagata
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Science, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Matthew J A Wood
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Takayoshi Inoue
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology of Neuroscience, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshitsugu Aoki
- Department of Molecular Therapy, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan.
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16
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Muñiz Moreno MDM, Brault V, Birling MC, Pavlovic G, Herault Y. Modeling Down syndrome in animals from the early stage to the 4.0 models and next. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2019; 251:91-143. [PMID: 32057313 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2019.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The genotype-phenotype relationship and the physiopathology of Down Syndrome (DS) have been explored in the last 20 years with more and more relevant mouse models. From the early age of transgenesis to the new CRISPR/CAS9-derived chromosomal engineering and the transchromosomic technologies, mouse models have been key to identify homologous genes or entire regions homologous to the human chromosome 21 that are necessary or sufficient to induce DS features, to investigate the complexity of the genetic interactions that are involved in DS and to explore therapeutic strategies. In this review we report the new developments made, how genomic data and new genetic tools have deeply changed our way of making models, extended our panel of animal models, and increased our understanding of the neurobiology of the disease. But even if we have made an incredible progress which promises to make DS a curable condition, we are facing new research challenges to nurture our knowledge of DS pathophysiology as a neurodevelopmental disorder with many comorbidities during ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Del Mar Muñiz Moreno
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, France
| | - Véronique Brault
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, France
| | - Marie-Christine Birling
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, PHENOMIN Institut Clinique de la Souris, Illkirch, France
| | - Guillaume Pavlovic
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, PHENOMIN Institut Clinique de la Souris, Illkirch, France
| | - Yann Herault
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Illkirch, France; Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, PHENOMIN Institut Clinique de la Souris, Illkirch, France.
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17
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Kosior N, Petkau TL, Connolly C, Lu G, Leavitt BR. Isolating cells from adult murine brain for validation of cell-type specific cre-mediated deletion. J Neurosci Methods 2019; 328:108422. [PMID: 31493416 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2019.108422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Revised: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND TheCre/loxP system allows for the temporal and spatial investigation of the expression of a single gene in the nervous system. Current methods of validating conditional knock-out mouse models rely on heterogeneous brain tissue or primary culture. These methods may assess the extent of genetic knockdown in the brain but do not provide age-appropriate, cell-type specific information. NEW METHOD We isolated specific cell types from adult murine brain using FACS to assess cell type-specific gene expression in conditional mouse models. RESULTS We identified robust but incomplete genetic knockdown in microglia isolated from two separate microglia-specific knockout models. COMPARISONWITH EXISTING METHODS(S) Genetic knockdown in isolated adult microglia differed significantly from cultured primary microglia. CONCLUSIONS Differences observed in primary cultured microglia compared to isolated adult microglia suggest that current methods used to validate microglia-specific gene deletion over-estimate deletion efficiency. Assessment of gene expression in isolated adult microglia provides a more accurate assessment of Cre-mediated gene deletion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Kosior
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia and Children's and Women's Hospital, 980 West 28thAvenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Terri L Petkau
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia and Children's and Women's Hospital, 980 West 28thAvenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Colúm Connolly
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia and Children's and Women's Hospital, 980 West 28thAvenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Ge Lu
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia and Children's and Women's Hospital, 980 West 28thAvenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Blair R Leavitt
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia and Children's and Women's Hospital, 980 West 28thAvenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4H4, Canada; Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia Hospital, S 192-2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2B5, Canada; Brain Research Center, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
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18
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Gawenis LR, Hodges CA, McHugh DR, Valerio DM, Miron A, Cotton CU, Liu J, Walker NM, Strubberg AM, Gillen AE, Mutolo MJ, Kotzamanis G, Bosch J, Harris A, Drumm ML, Clarke LL. A BAC Transgene Expressing Human CFTR under Control of Its Regulatory Elements Rescues Cftr Knockout Mice. Sci Rep 2019; 9:11828. [PMID: 31413336 PMCID: PMC6694137 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48105-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Small-molecule modulators of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) biology show promise in the treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF). A Cftr knockout (Cftr KO) mouse expressing mutants of human CFTR would advance in vivo testing of new modulators. A bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) carrying the complete hCFTR gene including regulatory elements within 40.1 kb of DNA 5' and 25 kb of DNA 3' to the gene was used to generate founder mice expressing hCFTR. Whole genome sequencing indicated a single integration site on mouse chromosome 8 (8qB2) with ~6 gene copies. hCFTR+ offspring were bred to murine Cftr KO mice, producing hCFTR+/mCftr- (H+/m-) mice, which had normal survival, growth and goblet cell function as compared to wild-type (WT) mice. Expression studies showed hCFTR protein and transcripts in tissues typically expressing mCftr. Functionally, nasal potential difference and large intestinal short-circuit (Isc) responses to cAMP stimulation were similar in magnitude to WT mice, whereas small intestinal cAMP ΔIsc responses were reduced. A BAC transgenic mouse with functional hCFTR under control of its regulatory elements has been developed to enable the generation of mouse models of hCFTR mutations by gene editing for in vivo testing of new CF therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara R Gawenis
- Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, 134 Research Park Dr, Columbia, Missouri, 65211-3300, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, E102 Veterinary Medicine Bldg., Columbia, Missouri, 65211, USA
| | - Craig A Hodges
- Departments of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Departments of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Daniel R McHugh
- Departments of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Dana M Valerio
- Departments of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Alexander Miron
- Departments of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Calvin U Cotton
- Departments of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Departments of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Jinghua Liu
- Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, 134 Research Park Dr, Columbia, Missouri, 65211-3300, USA
| | - Nancy M Walker
- Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, 134 Research Park Dr, Columbia, Missouri, 65211-3300, USA
| | - Ashlee M Strubberg
- Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, 134 Research Park Dr, Columbia, Missouri, 65211-3300, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, E102 Veterinary Medicine Bldg., Columbia, Missouri, 65211, USA
| | - Austin E Gillen
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60614, USA
- RNA Bioscience Initiative, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Michael J Mutolo
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60614, USA
| | - George Kotzamanis
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Jürgen Bosch
- Departments of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- InterRayBio, LLC, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ann Harris
- Departments of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Mitchell L Drumm
- Departments of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Departments of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Lane L Clarke
- Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri, 134 Research Park Dr, Columbia, Missouri, 65211-3300, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, E102 Veterinary Medicine Bldg., Columbia, Missouri, 65211, USA.
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19
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Kanayama T, Tomita H, Binh NH, Hatano Y, Aoki H, Okada H, Hirata A, Fujihara Y, Kunisada T, Hara A. Characterization of a BAC transgenic mouse expressing Krt19-driven iCre recombinase in its digestive organs. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0220818. [PMID: 31393940 PMCID: PMC6687107 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytokeratin 19 (KRT19) protein is highly expressed in the epithelium of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, hepatobiliary tissues, and pancreas of humans and mice. In the present study, we used an improved Cre (iCre) gene to enhance the efficiency of Cre expression in mammalian cells. We established a new transgenic Krt19-iCre bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) mouse model using the BAC recombineering strategy. Site-specific iCre expression pattern was examined in embryos, adults, and elderly Krt19-iCre mice crossed with Tomato or LacZ reporter mice. Both iCre and reporter protein expressions in adult Krt19-iCre;Tomatoflox/+(Krt19-iCre Tomato reporter) mice were observed mainly in the epithelial cells of the GI tract, hepatobiliary tissues, and pancreas. However, the expression in the intrahepatic and small pancreatic duct were lower than those in the common bile and large pancreatic duct. In the Krt19-iCre; LacZ reporter embryos, β-galactosidase for the LacZ reporter was expressed in the glandular epithelial cells of the GI tract in 9.5-day embryos, 12-day embryos, and newborn mice. The reporter protein expression in Krt19-iCre-Tomato reporter mice was consistent with the KRT19 expression in human GI tissues. In conclusion, Krt19-iCre BAC transgenic mice can be used to investigate developmental and pathological conditions using the iCre-loxP system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomohiro Kanayama
- Department of Tumor Pathology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Tomita
- Department of Tumor Pathology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Nguyen Huy Binh
- Department of Tumor Pathology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan
- Physiology Department, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Yuichiro Hatano
- Department of Tumor Pathology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan
| | - Hitomi Aoki
- Department of Tissue and Organ Development, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan
| | - Hideshi Okada
- Department of Emergency and Disaster Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan
| | - Akihiro Hirata
- Division of Animal Experiment, Life Science Research Center, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Fujihara
- Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Takahiro Kunisada
- Department of Tissue and Organ Development, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan
| | - Akira Hara
- Department of Tumor Pathology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan
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20
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Abstract
The field of vascular biology has gained enormous insight from the use of Cre and inducible Cre mouse models to temporally and spatially manipulate gene expression within the endothelium. Models are available to constitutively or inducibly modulate gene expression in all or a specified subset of endothelial cells. However, caution should be applied to both the selection of allele and the analysis of resultant phenotype: many similarly named Cre models have divergent activity patterns while ectopic or inconsistent Cre or inducible Cre expression can dramatically affect results. In an effort to disambiguate previous data and to provide a resource to aid appropriate experimental design, here we summarize what is known about Cre recombinase activity in the most widely used endothelial-specific Cre and Cre/ERT2 mouse models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Payne
- From the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Ltd, Nuffield Department of Medicine (S.P., S.D.V.),University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah De Val
- From the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Ltd, Nuffield Department of Medicine (S.P., S.D.V.),University of Oxford, United Kingdom.,Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics (S.D.V., A.N.),University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Alice Neal
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics (S.D.V., A.N.),University of Oxford, United Kingdom
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21
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Breger LS, Fuzzati Armentero MT. Genetically engineered animal models of Parkinson's disease: From worm to rodent. Eur J Neurosci 2018; 49:533-560. [PMID: 30552719 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Revised: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder characterised by aberrant accumulation of insoluble proteins, including alpha-synuclein, and a loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. The extended neurodegeneration leads to a drop of striatal dopamine levels responsible for disabling motor and non-motor impairments. Although the causes of the disease remain unclear, it is well accepted among the scientific community that the disorder may also have a genetic component. For that reason, the number of genetically engineered animal models has greatly increased over the past two decades, ranging from invertebrates to more complex organisms such as mice and rats. This trend is growing as new genetic variants associated with the disease are discovered. The EU Joint Programme - Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND) has promoted the creation of an online database aiming at summarising the different features of experimental models of Parkinson's disease. This review discusses available genetic models of PD and the extent to which they adequately mirror the human pathology and reflects on future development and uses of genetically engineered experimental models for the study of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludivine S Breger
- Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, CNRS UMR 5293, Centre Broca Nouvelle Aquitaine, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux cedex, France
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22
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Thi Thanh Hai N, Thuy LTT, Shiota A, Kadono C, Daikoku A, Hoang DV, Dat NQ, Sato-Matsubara M, Yoshizato K, Kawada N. Selective overexpression of cytoglobin in stellate cells attenuates thioacetamide-induced liver fibrosis in mice. Sci Rep 2018; 8:17860. [PMID: 30552362 PMCID: PMC6294752 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-36215-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cytoglobin (CYGB), discovered in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), is known to possess a radical scavenger function, but its pathophysiological roles remain unclear. Here, for the first time, we generated a new transgenic (TG) mouse line in which both Cygb and mCherry reporter gene expression were under the control of the native Cygb gene promoter. We demonstrated that the expression of Cygb-mCherry was related to endogenous Cygb in adult tissues by tracing mCherry fluorescence together with DNA, mRNA, and protein analyses. Administration of a single dose (50 mg/kg) of thioacetamide (TAA) in Cygb-TG mice resulted in lower levels of alanine transaminase and oxidative stress than those in WT mice. After 10 weeks of TAA administration, Cygb-TG livers exhibited reduced neutrophil accumulation, cytokine expression and fibrosis but high levels of quiescent HSCs. Primary HSCs isolated from Cygb-TG mice (HSCCygb-TG) exhibited significantly decreased mRNA levels of α-smooth muscle actin (αSMA), collagen 1α1, and transforming growth factor β-3 after 4 days in culture relative to WT cells. HSCsCygb-TG were resistant to H2O2-induced αSMA expression. Thus, cell-specific overexpression of Cygb attenuates HSC activation and protects mice against TAA-induced liver fibrosis presumably by maintaining HSC quiescence. Cygb is a potential new target for antifibrotic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nguyen Thi Thanh Hai
- Departments of Hepatology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan
- Department of Biochemistry, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Le Thi Thanh Thuy
- Departments of Hepatology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan
| | | | - Chiho Kadono
- Departments of Hepatology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Atsuko Daikoku
- Departments of Hepatology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Dinh Viet Hoang
- Departments of Hepatology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Ninh Quoc Dat
- Departments of Hepatology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Misako Sato-Matsubara
- Departments of Hepatology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Katsutoshi Yoshizato
- Departments of Hepatology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan
- PhoenixBio Co. Ltd., Hiroshima, Japan
- Endowed Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Norifumi Kawada
- Departments of Hepatology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan.
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23
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Tichy ED, Sidibe DK, Greer CD, Oyster NM, Rompolas P, Rosenthal NA, Blau HM, Mourkioti F. A robust Pax7EGFP mouse that enables the visualization of dynamic behaviors of muscle stem cells. Skelet Muscle 2018; 8:27. [PMID: 30139374 PMCID: PMC6107960 DOI: 10.1186/s13395-018-0169-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Pax7 is a transcription factor involved in the specification and maintenance of muscle stem cells (MuSCs). Upon injury, MuSCs leave their quiescent state, downregulate Pax7 and differentiate, contributing to skeletal muscle regeneration. In the majority of regeneration studies, MuSCs are isolated by fluorescence-activated sorting (FACS), based on cell surface markers. It is known that MuSCs are a heterogeneous population and only a small percentage of isolated cells are true stem cells that are able to self-renew. A strong Pax7 reporter line would be valuable to study the in vivo behavior of Pax7-expressing stem cells. Methods We generated and characterized the muscle properties of a new transgenic Pax7EGFP mouse. Utilizing traditional immunofluorescence assays, we analyzed whole embryos and muscle sections by fluorescence microscopy, in addition to whole skeletal muscles by 2-photon microscopy, to detect the specificity of EGFP expression. Skeletal muscles from Pax7EGFP mice were also evaluated in steady state and under injury conditions. Finally, MuSCs-derived from Pax7EGFP and control mice were sorted and analyzed by FACS and their myogenic activity was comparatively examined. Results Our studies provide a new Pax7 reporter line with robust EGFP expression, detectable by both flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. Pax7EGFP-derived MuSCs have identical properties to that of wild-type MuSCs, both in vitro and in vivo, excluding any positional effect due to the transgene insertion. Furthermore, we demonstrated high specificity of EGFP to label MuSCs in a temporal manner that recapitulates the reported Pax7 expression pattern. Interestingly, immunofluorescence analysis showed that the robust expression of EGFP marks cells in the satellite cell position of adult muscles in fixed and live tissues. Conclusions This mouse could be an invaluable tool for the study of a variety of questions related to MuSC biology, including but not limited to population heterogeneity, polarity, aging, regeneration, and motility, either by itself or in combination with mice harboring additional genetic alterations. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13395-018-0169-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisia D Tichy
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - David K Sidibe
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Christopher D Greer
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nicholas M Oyster
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Panteleimon Rompolas
- Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Dermatology, Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nadia A Rosenthal
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, USA.,Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USA.,The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA.,Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Helen M Blau
- Baxter Laboratory for Stem Cell Biology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Foteini Mourkioti
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. .,Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. .,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Penn Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Musculoskeletal Regeneration Program, Perelman School of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. .,Musculoskeletal Regeneration Program, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Cell and Developmental Biology, Penn Institute of Regenerative Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, 3450 Hamilton Walk, 112A Stemmler Hall, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-6081, USA.
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24
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Sokhi UK, Liber MP, Frye L, Park S, Kang K, Pannellini T, Zhao B, Norinsky R, Ivashkiv LB, Gong S. Dissection and function of autoimmunity-associated TNFAIP3 (A20) gene enhancers in humanized mouse models. Nat Commun 2018; 9:658. [PMID: 29440643 PMCID: PMC5811492 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03081-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Enhancers regulate gene expression and have been linked with disease pathogenesis. Little is known about enhancers that regulate human disease-associated genes in primary cells relevant for pathogenesis. Here we use BAC transgenics and genome editing to dissect, in vivo and in primary immune cells, enhancers that regulate human TNFAIP3, which encodes A20 and is linked with autoimmune diseases. A20 expression is dependent on a topologically associating subdomain (sub-TAD) that harbors four enhancers, while another >20 enhancers in the A20 locus are redundant. This sub-TAD contains cell- and activation-specific enhancers, including an enhancer (termed TT>A) harboring a proposed causal SLE-associated SNV. Deletion of the sub-TAD or the TT>A enhancer results in enhanced inflammatory responses, autoantibody production, and inflammatory arthritis, thus establishing functional importance in vivo and linking enhancers with a specific disease phenotype. These findings provide insights into enhancers that regulate human A20 expression to prevent inflammatory pathology and autoimmunity. The human TNFAIP3 gene, which encodes for A20, is associated with autoimmune diseases. Here, the authors use BAC transgenics combined with CRISPR- and recombineering-mediated genome editing to dissect in vivo and in primary immune cells, the role of enhancers regulating TNFAIP3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Upneet K Sokhi
- Arthritis and Tissue Degeneration Program, David Z. Rosensweig Center for Genomic Research, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - Mark P Liber
- Arthritis and Tissue Degeneration Program, David Z. Rosensweig Center for Genomic Research, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - Laura Frye
- Arthritis and Tissue Degeneration Program, David Z. Rosensweig Center for Genomic Research, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - Sungho Park
- Arthritis and Tissue Degeneration Program, David Z. Rosensweig Center for Genomic Research, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - Kyuho Kang
- Arthritis and Tissue Degeneration Program, David Z. Rosensweig Center for Genomic Research, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - Tania Pannellini
- Research Division and Department of Pathology, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | - Baohong Zhao
- Arthritis and Tissue Degeneration Program, David Z. Rosensweig Center for Genomic Research, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, 10021, USA
| | | | - Lionel B Ivashkiv
- Arthritis and Tissue Degeneration Program, David Z. Rosensweig Center for Genomic Research, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, 10021, USA. .,Graduate Program in Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10065, USA. .,Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
| | - Shiaoching Gong
- Arthritis and Tissue Degeneration Program, David Z. Rosensweig Center for Genomic Research, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, 10021, USA. .,Rockefeller University, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
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25
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Lipid turnover between membrane lipids and neutral lipids via inhibition of diacylglyceryl N,N,N-trimethylhomoserine synthesis in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. ALGAL RES 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2017.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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26
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Expression level of human TLR4 rather than sequence is the key determinant of LPS responsiveness. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0186308. [PMID: 29020088 PMCID: PMC5636155 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2016] [Accepted: 09/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
To address the role of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) recognition, we generated mice that differed only in the sequence of TLR4. We used a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) transgenic approach and TLR4/MD-2 knockout mice to specifically examine the role of human TLR4 variants in recognition of LPS. Using in vitro and in vivo assays we found that the expression level rather than the sequence of TLR4 played a larger role in recognition of LPS, especially hypoacylated LPS.
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27
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Wang M, Sun Z, Yu T, Ding F, Li L, Wang X, Fu M, Wang H, Huang J, Li N, Dai Y. Large-scale production of recombinant human lactoferrin from high-expression, marker-free transgenic cloned cows. Sci Rep 2017; 7:10733. [PMID: 28878310 PMCID: PMC5587717 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-11462-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2017] [Accepted: 08/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Human lactoferrin (hLF) is a valuable protein for pharmaceutical products and functional foods, and worldwide demand for this protein has steadily increased. However, large-scale recombinant human lactoferrin (rhLF) production using current animal bioreactor techniques is limited by the low expression of foreign proteins, the use of antibiotic resistance genes and the down-regulation of endogenous milk proteins. Here, we generated a herd of marker-free, hLF bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) transgenic cloned cows, as confirmed by Polymerase chain reaction, Southern blot and Western blot analyses. These transgenic cloned cows produced rhLF in milk at concentrations of 4.5–13.6 g/L. Moreover, the total protein content of the milk was increased. Over two hundred transgenic cloned cows were propagated by multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET). A total of 400–450 g of rhLF protein, which shows similar enzymatic activity to natural hLF in iron binding and release, can be purified on a large scale from >100 L of milk per day. Our results suggested that transgenic bovine mammary bioreactors have the potential for large-scale protein production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaolin Sun
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Tian Yu
- Kejienuo Biotechnology Company, Wuxi, China
| | - Fangrong Ding
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Ling Li
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xi Wang
- Kejienuo Biotechnology Company, Wuxi, China
| | - Mingbo Fu
- Kejienuo Biotechnology Company, Wuxi, China
| | - Haiping Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jinming Huang
- Dairy cattle Research Center, Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shandong, China
| | - Ning Li
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
| | - Yunping Dai
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
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28
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Bechard ME, Bankaitis ED, Ustione A, Piston DW, Magnuson MA, Wright CV. FUCCI tracking shows cell-cycle-dependent Neurog3 variation in pancreatic progenitors. Genesis 2017; 55:10.1002/dvg.23050. [PMID: 28772022 PMCID: PMC5750046 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.23050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 07/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
During pancreas organogenesis, Neurog3HI endocrine-committing cells are generated from a population of Sox9+ mitotic progenitors with only a low level of Neurog3 transcriptional activity (Neurog3TA.LO ). Low-level Neurog3 protein, in Neurog3TA.LO cells, is required to maintain their mitotic endocrine-lineage-primed status. Herein, we describe a Neurog3-driven FUCCI cell-cycle reporter (Neurog3P2A.FUCCI ) derived from a Neurog3 BAC transgenic reporter that functions as a loxed cassette acceptor (LCA). In cycling Sox9+ Neurog3TA.LO progenitors, the majority of cells in S-G2 -M phases have undetectable levels of Neurog3 with increased expression of endocrine progenitor markers, while those in G1 have low Neurog3 levels with increased expression of endocrine differentiation markers. These findings support a model in which variations in Neurog3 protein levels are coordinated with cell-cycle phase progression in Neurog3TA.LO progenitors with entrance into G1 triggering a concerted effort, beyond increasing Neurog3 levels, to maintain an endocrine-lineage-primed state by initiating expression of the downstream endocrine differentiation program prior to endocrine-commitment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew E. Bechard
- Vanderbilt University Program in Developmental Biology, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt Center for Stem Cell Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
| | - Eric D. Bankaitis
- Vanderbilt University Program in Developmental Biology, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt Center for Stem Cell Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
| | - Alessandro Ustione
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
| | - David W. Piston
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
| | - Mark A. Magnuson
- Vanderbilt University Program in Developmental Biology, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt Center for Stem Cell Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
| | - Christopher V.E. Wright
- Vanderbilt University Program in Developmental Biology, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt Center for Stem Cell Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
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29
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Wiese CB, Deal KK, Ireland SJ, Cantrell VA, Southard-Smith EM. Migration pathways of sacral neural crest during development of lower urogenital tract innervation. Dev Biol 2017; 429:356-369. [PMID: 28449850 PMCID: PMC5572097 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2017.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2016] [Revised: 04/14/2017] [Accepted: 04/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The migration and fate of cranial and vagal neural crest-derived progenitor cells (NCPCs) have been extensively studied; however, much less is known about sacral NCPCs particularly in regard to their distribution in the urogenital system. To construct a spatiotemporal map of NCPC migration pathways into the developing lower urinary tract, we utilized the Sox10-H2BVenus transgene to visualize NCPCs expressing Sox10. Our aim was to define the relationship of Sox10-expressing NCPCs relative to bladder innervation, smooth muscle differentiation, and vascularization through fetal development into adulthood. Sacral NCPC migration is a highly regimented, specifically timed process, with several potential regulatory mileposts. Neuronal differentiation occurs concomitantly with sacral NCPC migration, and neuronal cell bodies are present even before the pelvic ganglia coalesce. Sacral NCPCs reside within the pelvic ganglia anlagen through 13.5 days post coitum (dpc), after which they begin streaming into the bladder body in progressive waves. Smooth muscle differentiation and vascularization of the bladder initiate prior to innervation and appear to be independent processes. In adult bladder, the majority of Sox10+ cells express the glial marker S100β, consistent with Sox10 being a glial marker in other tissues. However, rare Sox10+ NCPCs are seen in close proximity to blood vessels and not all are S100β+, suggesting either glial heterogeneity or a potential nonglial role for Sox10+ cells along vasculature. Taken together, the developmental atlas of Sox10+ NCPC migration and distribution profile of these cells in adult bladder provided here will serve as a roadmap for future investigation in mouse models of lower urinary tract dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie B Wiese
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232-0275, United States
| | - Karen K Deal
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232-0275, United States
| | - Sara J Ireland
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232-0275, United States
| | - V Ashley Cantrell
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232-0275, United States
| | - E Michelle Southard-Smith
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232-0275, United States.
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30
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Chang G, Mouillet JF, Mishima T, Chu T, Sadovsky E, Coyne CB, Parks WT, Surti U, Sadovsky Y. Expression and trafficking of placental microRNAs at the feto-maternal interface. FASEB J 2017; 31:2760-2770. [PMID: 28289056 PMCID: PMC5471515 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201601146r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2016] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
During pregnancy, placental trophoblasts at the feto-maternal interface produce a broad repertoire of microRNA (miRNA) species. These species include miRNA from the primate-specific chromosome 19 miRNA cluster (C19MC), which is expressed nearly exclusively in the placenta. Trafficking of these miRNAs among the maternal, placental, and fetal compartments is unknown. To determine miRNA expression and trafficking patterns during pregnancy, we sequenced miRNAs in triads of human placenta and of maternal and fetal blood and found large subject-to-subject variability, with C19MC exhibiting compartment-specific expression. We therefore created humanized mice that transgenically express the entire 160-kb human C19MC locus or lentivirally express C19MC miRNA members selectively in the placenta. C19MC transgenic mice expressed a low level of C19MC miRNAs in diverse organs. When pregnant, female C19MC mice exhibited a strikingly elevated (>40-fold) expression of C19MC miRNA in the placenta, compared with other organs, that resembled C19MC miRNAs patterns in humans. Our mouse models showed that placental miRNA traffic primarily to the maternal circulation and that maternal miRNA can traffic to the placenta and even into the fetal compartment. These findings define an extraordinary means of nonhormonal, miRNA-based communication between the placenta and feto-maternal compartments.-Chang, G., Mouillet, J.-F., Mishima, T., Chu, T., Sadovsky, E., Coyne, C. B., Parks, W. T., Surti, U., Sadovsky, Y. Expression and trafficking of placental microRNAs at the feto-maternal interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guojing Chang
- Magee-Womens Research Institute
- Tsinghua University School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jean-François Mouillet
- Magee-Womens Research Institute
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences
| | - Takuya Mishima
- Magee-Womens Research Institute
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences
| | - Tianjiao Chu
- Magee-Womens Research Institute
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences
| | - Elena Sadovsky
- Magee-Womens Research Institute
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences
| | - Carolyn B Coyne
- Magee-Womens Research Institute
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
| | - W Tony Parks
- Magee-Womens Research Institute
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences
- Department of Pathology, and
| | - Urvashi Surti
- Magee-Womens Research Institute
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences
- Pittsburgh Cytogenetics Laboratory, Center for Medical Genetics and Genomics, Magee-Womens Hospital of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; and
- Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Public Health
| | - Yoel Sadovsky
- Magee-Womens Research Institute,
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
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31
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Brain enhancer activities at the gene-poor 5p14.1 autism-associated locus. Sci Rep 2016; 6:31227. [PMID: 27503586 PMCID: PMC4977510 DOI: 10.1038/srep31227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to the vast clinical and genetic heterogeneity, identification of causal genetic determinants for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has proven to be complex. Whereas several dozen ‘rare’ genetic variants for ASD susceptibility have been identified, studies are still underpowered to analyse ‘common’ variants for their subtle effects. A recent application of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to ASD indicated significant associations with the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on chromosome 5p14.1, located in a non-coding region between cadherin10 (CDH10) and cadherin9 (CDH9). Here we apply an in vivo bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) based enhancer-trapping strategy in mice to scan the gene desert for spatiotemporal cis-regulatory activities. Our results show that the ASD-associated interval harbors the cortical area, striatum, and cerebellum specific enhancers for a long non-coding RNA, moesin pseudogene1 antisense (MSNP1AS) during the brain developing stages. Mouse moesin protein levels are not affected by exogenously expressed human antisense RNAs in our transgenic brains, demonstrating the difficulty in modeling rather smaller effects of common variants. Our first in vivo evidence for the spatiotemporal transcription of MSNP1AS however provides a further support to connect this intergenic variant with the ASD susceptibility.
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32
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Khateb M, Fourier N, Barnea-Yizhar O, Ram S, Kovalev E, Azriel A, Rand U, Nakayama M, Hauser H, Gepstein L, Levi BZ. The Third Intron of the Interferon Regulatory Factor-8 Is an Initiator of Repressed Chromatin Restricting Its Expression in Non-Immune Cells. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0156812. [PMID: 27257682 PMCID: PMC4892516 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0156812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2016] [Accepted: 05/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Interferon Regulatory Factor-8 (IRF-8) serves as a key factor in the hierarchical differentiation towards monocyte/dendritic cell lineages. While much insight has been accumulated into the mechanisms essential for its hematopoietic specific expression, the mode of restricting IRF-8 expression in non-hematopoietic cells is still unknown. Here we show that the repression of IRF-8 expression in restrictive cells is mediated by its 3rd intron. Removal of this intron alleviates the repression of Bacterial Artificial Chromosome (BAC) IRF-8 reporter gene in these cells. Fine deletion analysis points to conserved regions within this intron mediating its restricted expression. Further, the intron alone selectively initiates gene silencing only in expression-restrictive cells. Characterization of this intron’s properties points to its role as an initiator of sustainable gene silencing inducing chromatin condensation with suppressive histone modifications. This intronic element cannot silence episomal transgene expression underlining a strict chromatin-dependent silencing mechanism. We validated this chromatin-state specificity of IRF-8 intron upon in-vitro differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into cardiomyocytes. Taken together, the IRF-8 3rd intron is sufficient and necessary to initiate gene silencing in non-hematopoietic cells, highlighting its role as a nucleation core for repressed chromatin during differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mamduh Khateb
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Nitsan Fourier
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Ofer Barnea-Yizhar
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Sigal Ram
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Ekaterina Kovalev
- Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Aviva Azriel
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Ulfert Rand
- Department of Gene Regulation and Differentiation, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Manabu Nakayama
- Department of Technology Development, Kazusa DNA Research Institute, Kazusa-Kamatari, Kazusa, Japan
| | - Hansjörg Hauser
- Department of Gene Regulation and Differentiation, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Lior Gepstein
- Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Ben-Zion Levi
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
- * E-mail:
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Calhoun JD, Hawkins NA, Zachwieja NJ, Kearney JA. Cacna1g is a genetic modifier of epilepsy caused by mutation of voltage-gated sodium channel Scn2a. Epilepsia 2016; 57:e103-7. [PMID: 27112236 DOI: 10.1111/epi.13390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
More than 1,200 mutations in neuronal voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) genes have been identified in patients with several epilepsy syndromes. A common feature of genetic epilepsies is variable expressivity among individuals with the same mutation. The Scn2a(Q54) transgenic mouse model has a mutation in Scn2a that results in spontaneous epilepsy. Scn2a(Q54) phenotype severity varies depending on the genetic strain background, making it a useful model for identifying and characterizing epilepsy modifier genes. Scn2a(Q54) mice on the [C57BL/6JxSJL/J]F1 background exhibit earlier seizure onset, elevated spontaneous seizure frequency, and decreased survival compared to Scn2a(Q54) mice congenic on the C57BL/6J strain. Genetic mapping and RNA-Seq analysis identified Cacna1g as a candidate modifier gene at the Moe1 locus, which influences Scn2a(Q54) phenotype severity. In this study, we evaluated the modifier potential of Cacna1g, encoding the Cav3.1 voltage-gated calcium channel, by testing whether transgenic alteration of Cacna1g expression modifies severity of the Scn2a(Q54) seizure phenotype. Scn2a(Q54) mice exhibited increased spontaneous seizure frequency with elevated Cacna1g expression and decreased seizure frequency with decreased Cacna1g expression. These results provide support for Cacna1g as an epilepsy modifier gene and suggest that modulation of Cav3.1 may be an effective therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey D Calhoun
- Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.,Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A
| | - Nicole A Hawkins
- Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.,Neuroscience Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A
| | - Nicole J Zachwieja
- Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A
| | - Jennifer A Kearney
- Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.,Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A
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Cell viability of bovine spermatozoa subjected to DNA electroporation and DNAse I treatment. Theriogenology 2016; 85:1312-22. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2015.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2015] [Revised: 12/19/2015] [Accepted: 12/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Abstract
Unraveling the complex network of neural circuits that form the nervous system demands tools that can manipulate specific circuits. The recent evolution of genetic tools to target neural circuits allows an unprecedented precision in elucidating their function. Here we describe two general approaches for achieving circuit specificity. The first uses the genetic identity of a cell, such as a transcription factor unique to a circuit, to drive expression of a molecule that can manipulate cell function. The second uses the spatial connectivity of a circuit to achieve specificity: one genetic element is introduced at the origin of a circuit and the other at its termination. When the two genetic elements combine within a neuron, they can alter its function. These two general approaches can be combined to allow manipulation of neurons with a specific genetic identity by introducing a regulatory gene into the origin or termination of the circuit. We consider the advantages and disadvantages of both these general approaches with regard to specificity and efficacy of the manipulations. We also review the genetic techniques that allow gain- and loss-of-function within specific neural circuits. These approaches introduce light-sensitive channels (optogenetic) or drug sensitive channels (chemogenetic) into neurons that form specific circuits. We compare these tools with others developed for circuit-specific manipulation and describe the advantages of each. Finally, we discuss how these tools might be applied for identification of the neural circuits that mediate behavior and for repair of neural connections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Geun Park
- Burke Medical Research Institute, White Plains, NY, USA.
| | - Jason B Carmel
- Burke Medical Research Institute, White Plains, NY, USA
- Brain and Mind Research Institute and Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
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Cervenak J, Kurrle R, Kacskovics I. Accelerating antibody discovery using transgenic animals overexpressing the neonatal Fc receptor as a result of augmented humoral immunity. Immunol Rev 2015; 268:269-87. [DOI: 10.1111/imr.12364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Imre Kacskovics
- ImmunoGenes Ltd; Budakeszi Hungary
- Department of Immunology; Eötvös Loránd University; Budapest Hungary
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BAC transgenic mice provide evidence that p53 expression is highly regulated in vivo. Cell Death Dis 2015; 6:e1878. [PMID: 26379189 PMCID: PMC4650433 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2015.224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2015] [Revised: 05/11/2015] [Accepted: 05/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
p53 is an important tumor suppressor and stress response mediator. Proper control of p53 level and activity is tightly associated with its function. Posttranslational modifications and the interactions with Mdm2 and Mdm4 are major mechanisms controlling p53 activity and stability. As p53 protein is short-lived and hardly detectable in unstressed situations, less is known on its basal level expression and the corresponding controlling mechanisms in vivo. In addition, it also remains obscure how p53 expression might contribute to its functional regulation. In this study, we established bacterial artificial chromosome transgenic E.coli β-galactosidase Z gene reporter mice to monitor p53 expression in mouse tissues and identify important regulatory elements critical for the expression in vivo. We revealed preferentially high level of p53 reporter expressions in the proliferating, but not the differentiated compartments of the majority of tissues during development and tissue homeostasis. In addition, tumors as well as regenerating tissues in the p53 reporter mice also expressed high level of β-gal. Furthermore, both the enhancer box sequence (CANNTG) in the p53 promoter and the 3′ terminal untranslated region element were critical in mediating the high-level expression of the reporter. We also provided evidence that cellular myelocytomatosis oncogene was a critical player regulating p53 mRNA expression in proliferating cells and tissues. Finally, we found robust p53 activation preferentially in the proliferating compartment of mouse tissues upon DNA damage and the proliferating cells exhibited an enhanced p53 response as compared with cells in a quiescent state. Together, these results suggested a highly regulated expression pattern of p53 in the proliferating compartment controlled by both transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms, and such regulated p53 expression may impose functional significance upon stress by setting up a precautionary mode in defense of cellular transformation and tumorigenesis.
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Walker WH, Easton E, Moreci RS, Toocheck C, Anamthathmakula P, Jeyasuria P. Restoration of spermatogenesis and male fertility using an androgen receptor transgene. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0120783. [PMID: 25803277 PMCID: PMC4372537 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0120783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2014] [Accepted: 01/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Androgens signal through the androgen receptor (AR) to regulate male secondary sexual characteristics, reproductive tract development, prostate function, sperm production, bone and muscle mass as well as body hair growth among other functions. We developed a transgenic mouse model in which endogenous AR expression was replaced by a functionally modified AR transgene. A bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) was constructed containing all AR exons and introns plus 40 kb each of 5' and 3' regulatory sequence. Insertion of an internal ribosome entry site and the EGFP gene 3’ to AR allowed co-expression of AR and EGFP. Pronuclear injection of the BAC resulted in six founder mice that displayed EGFP production in appropriate AR expressing tissues. The six founder mice were mated into a Sertoli cell specific AR knockout (SCARKO) background in which spermatogenesis is blocked at the meiosis stage of germ cell development. The AR-EGFP transgene was expressed in a cyclical manner similar to that of endogenous AR in Sertoli cells and fertility was restored as offspring were produced in the absence of Sertoli cell AR. Thus, the AR-EGFP transgene under the control of AR regulatory elements is capable of rescuing AR function in a cell selective, AR-null background. These initial studies provide proof of principle that a strategy employing the AR-EGFP transgene can be used to understand AR functions. Transgenic mice expressing selective modifications of the AR-EGFP transgene may provide crucial information needed to elicit the molecular mechanisms by which AR acts in the testis and other androgen responsive tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- William H. Walker
- Center for Research in Reproductive Physiology, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Magee Women’s Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Evan Easton
- Center for Research in Reproductive Physiology, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Magee Women’s Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Rebecca S. Moreci
- Center for Research in Reproductive Physiology, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Magee Women’s Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Corey Toocheck
- Center for Research in Reproductive Physiology, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Magee Women’s Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Prashanth Anamthathmakula
- Center for Research in Reproductive Physiology, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Magee Women’s Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Pancharatnam Jeyasuria
- Center for Research in Reproductive Physiology, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Magee Women’s Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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Generating a transgenic mouse line stably expressing human MHC surface antigen from a HAC carrying multiple genomic BACs. Chromosoma 2014; 124:107-18. [PMID: 25308419 PMCID: PMC4339693 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-014-0488-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2014] [Revised: 09/24/2014] [Accepted: 09/24/2014] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The human artificial chromosome (HAC) vector is a promising tool to improve the problematic suppression and position effects of transgene expression frequently seen in transgenic cells and animals produced by conventional plasmid or viral vectors. We generated transgenic mice maintaining a single HAC vector carrying two genomic bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) from human HLA-DR loci (DRA and DRB1). Both transgenes on the HAC in transgenic mice exhibited tissue-specific expression in kidney, liver, lung, spleen, lymph node, bone marrow, and thymus cells in RT-PCR analysis. Stable functional expression of a cell surface HLA-DR marker from both transgenes, DRA and DRB1 on the HAC, was detected by flow cytometric analysis of splenocytes and maintained through at least eight filial generations. These results indicate that the de novo HAC system can allow us to manipulate multiple BAC transgenes with coordinated expression as a surface antigen through the generation of transgenic animals.
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Han MHJ, Hu Z, Chen CY, Chen Y, Gucek M, Li Z, Markey SP. Dysbindin-associated proteome in the p2 synaptosome fraction of mouse brain. J Proteome Res 2014; 13:4567-80. [PMID: 25198678 PMCID: PMC4227559 DOI: 10.1021/pr500656z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
![]()
The
gene DTNBP1 encodes the protein dysbindin and is among the
most promising and highly investigated schizophrenia-risk genes. Accumulating
evidence suggests that dysbindin plays an important role in the regulation
of neuroplasticity. Dysbindin was reported to be a stable component
of BLOC-1 complex in the cytosol. However, little is known about the
endogenous dysbindin-containing complex in the brain synaptosome.
In this study, we investigated the associated proteome of dysbindin
in the P2 synaptosome fraction of mouse brain. Our data suggest that
dysbindin has three isoforms associating with different complexes
in the P2 fraction of mouse brain. To facilitate immunopurification,
BAC transgenic mice expressing a tagged dysbindin were generated,
and 47 putative dysbindin-associated proteins, including all components
of BLOC-1, were identified by mass spectrometry in the dysbindin-containing
complex purified from P2. The interactions of several selected candidates,
including WDR11, FAM91A1, snapin, muted, pallidin, and two proteasome
subunits, PSMD9 and PSMA4, were verified by coimmunoprecipitation.
The specific proteasomal activity is significantly reduced in the
P2 fraction of the brains of the dysbindin-null mutant (sandy) mice.
Our data suggest that dysbindin is functionally interrelated to the
ubiquitin-proteasome system and offer a molecular repertoire for future
study of dysbindin functional networks in brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Hsuan J Han
- National Institute of Mental Health , Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
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Hu Y, Xie Y, Wang Y, Chen X, Smith DE. Development and characterization of a novel mouse line humanized for the intestinal peptide transporter PEPT1. Mol Pharm 2014; 11:3737-46. [PMID: 25148225 PMCID: PMC4186676 DOI: 10.1021/mp500497p] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
![]()
The
proton-coupled oligopeptide transporter PEPT1 (SLC15A1) is
abundantly expressed in the small intestine, but not colon, of mammals
and found to mediate the uptake of di/tripeptides and peptide-like
drugs from the intestinal lumen. However, species differences have
been observed in both the expression (and localization) of PEPT1 and
its substrate affinity. With this in mind, the objectives of this
study were to develop a humanized PEPT1 mouse model
(huPEPT1) and to characterize hPEPT1 expression and
functional activity in the intestines. Thus, after generating huPEPT1 mice in animals previously nulled for mouse Pept1, phenotypic, PCR, and immunoblot analyses were performed,
along with in situ single-pass intestinal perfusion
and in vivo oral pharmacokinetic studies with a model
dipeptide, glycylsarcosine (GlySar). Overall, the huPEPT1 mice had normal survival rates, fertility, litter size, gender distribution,
and body weight. There was no obvious behavioral or pathological phenotype.
The mRNA and protein profiles indicated that huPEPT1 mice had substantial PEPT1 expression in all regions of the small
intestine (i.e., duodenum, jejunum, and ileum) along with low but
measurable expression in both proximal and distal segments of the
colon. In agreement with PEPT1 expression, the in situ permeability of GlySar in huPEPT1 mice was similar
to but lower than wildtype animals in small intestine, and greater
than wildtype mice in colon. However, a species difference existed
in the in situ transport kinetics of jejunal PEPT1,
in which the maximal flux and Michaelis constant of GlySar were reduced
7-fold and 2- to 4-fold, respectively, in huPEPT1 compared to wildtype mice. Still, the in vivo function
of intestinal PEPT1 appeared fully restored (compared to Pept1 knockout mice) as indicated by the nearly identical pharmacokinetics
and plasma concentration–time profiles following a 5.0 nmol/g
oral dose of GlySar to huPEPT1 and wildtype mice.
This study reports, for the first time, the development and characterization
of mice humanized for PEPT1. This novel transgenic huPEPT1 mouse model should prove useful in examining the
role, relevance, and regulation of PEPT1 in diet and disease, and
in the drug discovery process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjun Hu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
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Golson ML, Maulis MF, Dunn JC, Poffenberger G, Schug J, Kaestner KH, Gannon MA. Activated FoxM1 attenuates streptozotocin-mediated β-cell death. Mol Endocrinol 2014; 28:1435-47. [PMID: 25073103 DOI: 10.1210/me.2014-1024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The forkhead box transcription factor FoxM1, a positive regulator of the cell cycle, is required for β-cell mass expansion postnatally, during pregnancy, and after partial pancreatectomy. Up-regulation of full-length FoxM1, however, is unable to stimulate increases in β-cell mass in unstressed mice or after partial pancreatectomy, probably due to the lack of posttranslational activation. We hypothesized that expression of an activated form of FoxM1 could aid in recovery after β-cell injury. We therefore derived transgenic mice that inducibly express an activated version of FoxM1 in β-cells (RIP-rtTA;TetO-hemagglutinin (HA)-Foxm1(Δ)(NRD) mice). This N-terminally truncated form of FoxM1 bypasses 2 posttranslational controls: exposure of the forkhead DNA binding domain and targeted proteasomal degradation. Transgenic mice were subjected to streptozotocin (STZ)-induced β-cell ablation to test whether activated FoxM1 can promote β-cell regeneration. Mice expressing HA-FoxM1(ΔNRD) displayed decreased ad libitum-fed blood glucose and increased β-cell mass. β-Cell proliferation was actually decreased in RIP-rtTA:TetO-HA-Foxm1(NRD) mice compared with that in RIP-rtTA mice 7 days after STZ treatment. Unexpectedly, β-cell death was decreased 2 days after STZ treatment. RNA sequencing analysis indicated that activated FoxM1 alters the expression of extracellular matrix and immune cell gene profiles, which may protect against STZ-mediated death. These studies highlight a previously underappreciated role for FoxM1 in promoting β-cell survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria L Golson
- Tennessee Valley Healthcare System Department of Veteran Affairs (M.L.G., M.F.M., J.C.D., G.P., M.A.G.), Nashville, Tennessee 37212; Department of Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism (M.L.G., M.F.M., J.C.D., G.P., M.A.G.), and Departments of Cell and Developmental Biology (M.A.G.) and Molecular Physiology and Biophysics (M.A.G.), Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232; and Department of Genetics and Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism (J.S., K.H.K.), University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
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Batista RITP, Luciano MCS, Teixeira DIA, Freitas VJF, Melo LM, Andreeva LE, Serova IA, Serov OL. Methodological strategies for transgene copy number quantification in goats (Capra hircus) using real-time PCR. Biotechnol Prog 2014; 30:1390-400. [PMID: 25044808 DOI: 10.1002/btpr.1946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2014] [Revised: 06/26/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Taking into account the importance of goats as transgenic models, as well as the rarity of copy number (CN) studies in farm animals, the present work aimed to evaluate methodological strategies for accurate and precise transgene CN quantification in goats using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Mouse and goat lines transgenic for human granulocyte-colony stimulating factor were used. After selecting the best genomic DNA extraction method to be applied in mouse and goat samples, intra-assay variations, accuracy and precision of CN quantifications were assessed. The optimized conditions were submitted to mathematical strategies and used to quantify CN in goat lines. The findings were as follows: validation of qPCR conditions is required, and amplification efficiency is the most important. Absolute and relative quantifications are able to produce similar results. For normalized absolute quantification, the same plasmid fragment used to generate goat lines must be mixed with wild-type goat genomic DNA, allowing the choice of an endogenous reference gene for data normalization. For relative quantifications, a resin-based genomic DNA extraction method is strongly recommended when using mouse tail tips as calibrators to avoid tissue-specific inhibitors. Efficient qPCR amplifications (≥95%) allow reliable CN measurements with SYBR technology. TaqMan must be used with caution in goats if the nucleotide sequence of the endogenous reference gene is not yet well understood. Adhering to these general guidelines can result in more exact CN determination in goats. Even when working under nonoptimal circumstances, if assays are performed that respect the minimum qPCR requirements, good estimations of transgene CN can be achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ribrio I T P Batista
- Laboratory of Physiology and Control of Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
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Lin J, Zhang Q, Zhu LQ, Yu QH, Yang Q. The copy number and integration site analysis of IGF-1 transgenic goat. Int J Mol Med 2014; 34:900-10. [PMID: 25018125 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2014.1841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2014] [Accepted: 06/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Transgenic animals have been used previously to study gene function, produce important proteins, and generate models for the study of human diseases. As the number of transgenic species increases, reliable detection and molecular characterization of integration sites and copy number are crucial for confirming transgene expression and genetic stability, as well as for safety evaluation and to meet commercial demands. In this study, we generated four transgenic goats by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). After birth, the cloned goat contained transferred insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-1) gene was initially confirmed using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)‑based method. The four cloned goats were identified as IGF-1 transgenic goats by southern blotting. The number of copies of the IGF-1 gene in each of the transgenic goats was determined. Additionally, four integration sites of the transgene in the transgenic goats with a modified thermal asymmetric interlaced (TAIL)-PCR method were identified. The four different integration sites were located on chromosomes 2, 11, 16 and 18. The present study identified the copy number and integration sites using quantitative PCR (qPCR) and TAIL-PCR, enabling the bio-safety evaluation of the transgenic goats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Lin
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, P.R. China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, P.R. China
| | - Li Q Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, P.R. China
| | - Qing H Yu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, P.R. China
| | - Qian Yang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, P.R. China
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Ratnam S, Engler P, Bozek G, Mao L, Podlutsky A, Austad S, Martin T, Storb U. Identification of Ssm1b, a novel modifier of DNA methylation, and its expression during mouse embryogenesis. Development 2014; 141:2024-34. [PMID: 24803651 DOI: 10.1242/dev.105726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The strain-specific modifier Ssm1 is responsible for the strain-dependent methylation of particular E. coli gpt-containing transgenic sequences. Here, we identify Ssm1 as the KRAB-zinc finger (ZF) gene 2610305D13Rik located on distal chromosome 4. Ssm1b is a member of a gene family with an unusual array of three ZFs. Ssm1 family members in C57BL/6 (B6) and DBA/2 (D2) mice have various amino acid changes in their ZF domain and in the linker between the KRAB and ZF domains. Ssm1b is expressed up to E8.5; its target transgene gains partial methylation by this stage as well. At E9.5, Ssm1b mRNA is no longer expressed but by then its target has become completely methylated. By contrast, in D2 embryos the transgene is essentially unmethylated. Methylation during B6 embryonic development depends on Dnmt3b but not Mecp2. In differentiating B6 embryonic stem cells methylation spreads from gpt to a co-integrated neo gene that has a similarly high CpG content as gpt, but neo alone is not methylated. In adult B6 mice, Ssm1b is expressed in ovaries, but in other organs only other members of the Ssm1 family are expressed. Interestingly, the transgene becomes methylated when crossed into some, but not other, wild mice that were kept outbred in the laboratory. Thus, polymorphisms for the methylation patterns seen among laboratory inbred strains are also found in a free-living population. This may imply that mice that do not have the Ssm1b gene may use another member of the Ssm1 family to control the potentially harmful expression of certain endogenous or exogenous genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarayu Ratnam
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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46
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Zhao L, Ng ET, Koopman P. ApiggyBactransposon- and gateway-enhanced system for efficient BAC transgenesis. Dev Dyn 2014; 243:1086-94. [DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2014] [Revised: 05/20/2014] [Accepted: 06/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Liang Zhao
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience; The University of Queensland; Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Ee Ting Ng
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience; The University of Queensland; Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Peter Koopman
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience; The University of Queensland; Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
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Identification of the genomic insertion site of Pmel-1 TCR α and β transgenes by next-generation sequencing. PLoS One 2014; 9:e96650. [PMID: 24827921 PMCID: PMC4020793 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0096650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2014] [Accepted: 04/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The pmel-1 T cell receptor transgenic mouse has been extensively employed as an ideal model system to study the mechanisms of tumor immunology, CD8+ T cell differentiation, autoimmunity and adoptive immunotherapy. The ‘zygosity’ of the transgene affects the transgene expression levels and may compromise optimal breeding scheme design. However, the integration sites for the pmel-1 mouse have remained uncharacterized. This is also true for many other commonly used transgenic mice created before the modern era of rapid and inexpensive next-generation sequencing. Here, we show that whole genome sequencing can be used to determine the exact pmel-1 genomic integration site, even with relatively ‘shallow’ (8X) coverage. The results were used to develop a validated polymerase chain reaction-based genotyping assay. For the first time, we provide a quick and convenient polymerase chain reaction method to determine the dosage of pmel-1 transgene for this freely and publically available mouse resource. We also demonstrate that next-generation sequencing provides a feasible approach for mapping foreign DNA integration sites, even when information of the original vector sequences is only partially known.
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48
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Wiese CB, Fleming N, Buehler DP, Southard-Smith EM. A Uchl1-Histone2BmCherry:GFP-gpi BAC transgene for imaging neuronal progenitors. Genesis 2013; 51:852-61. [PMID: 24123561 DOI: 10.1002/dvg.22716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2013] [Revised: 08/30/2013] [Accepted: 09/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Uchl1 encodes the protein gene product 9.5 antigen (PGP9.5) that is a widely used to identify migrating neural progenitors in the PNS, mature neurons of the central and peripheral nervous systems, as well as neuroendocrine cells. To facilitate analysis of developing peripheral neurons, we linked regulatory regions of Uchl1 carried within a 160kb bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) to the dual fluorescent reporter H2BmCherry:GFP-gpi. The Uchl1-H2BmCherry:GFP-gpi transgene exhibits robust expression and allows clear discrimination of individual cells and cellular processes in cranial ganglia, sympathetic chain, the enteric nervous system (ENS), and autonomic ganglia of the urogenital system. The transgene also labels subsets of cells in endocrine tissues where earlier in situ hybridization (ISH) studies have previously identified expression of this deubiquinating enzyme. The Uchl1-H2BmCherry:GFP-gpi transgene will be a powerful tool for static and live imaging, as well as isolation of viable neural progenitors to investigate processes of autonomic neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie B Wiese
- Division of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 529 Light Hall, 2215 Garland Avenue, Nashville, Tennessee
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Gillen AE, Lucas CA, Haussecker PL, Kosak ST, Harris A. Characterization of a large human transgene following invasin-mediated delivery in a bacterial artificial chromosome. Chromosoma 2013; 122:351-61. [PMID: 23749207 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-013-0418-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2013] [Revised: 05/17/2013] [Accepted: 05/21/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) are widely used in transgenesis, particularly for the humanization of animal models. Moreover, due to their extensive capacity, BACs provide attractive tools to study distal regulatory elements associated with large gene loci. However, despite their widespread use, little is known about the integration dynamics of these large transgenes in mammalian cells. Here, we investigate the post-integration structure of a ~260 kb BAC carrying the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) locus following delivery by bacterial invasion and compare this to the outcome of a more routine lipid-based delivery method. We find substantial variability in integrated copy number and expression levels of the BAC CFTR transgene after bacterial invasion-mediated delivery. Furthermore, we frequently observed variation in the representation of different regions of the CFTR transgene within individual cell clones, indicative of BAC fragmentation. Finally, using fluorescence in situ hybridization, we observed that the integrated BAC forms extended megabase-scale structures in some clones that are apparently stably maintained at cell division. These data demonstrate that the utility of large BACs to investigate cis-regulatory elements in the genomic context may be limited by recombination events that complicate their use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austin E Gillen
- Human Molecular Genetics Program, Lurie Children's Research Center, Chicago, IL, USA
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Expression of the human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (hGM-CSF) gene under control of the 5'-regulatory sequence of the goat alpha-S1-casein gene with and without a MAR element in transgenic mice. Transgenic Res 2013; 22:949-64. [PMID: 23435752 DOI: 10.1007/s11248-013-9697-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2012] [Accepted: 02/04/2013] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Expression of the human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (hGM-CSF) gene under the control of the 5'-regulatory sequence of the goat alpha-S1-casein gene with and without a matrix attachment region (MAR) element from the Drosophila histone 1 gene was studied in four and eight transgenic mouse lines, respectively. Of the four transgenic lines carrying the transgene without MAR, three had correct tissues-specific expression of the hGM-CSF gene in the mammary gland only and no signs of cell mosaicism. The concentration of hGM-CSF in the milk of transgenic females varied from 1.9 to 14 μg/ml. One line presented hGM-CSF in the blood serum, indicating ectopic expression. The values of secretion of hGM-CSF in milk of 6 transgenic lines carrying the transgene with MAR varied from 0.05 to 0.7 μg/ml, and two of these did not express hGM-CSF. Three of the four examined animals from lines of this group showed ectopic expression of the hGM-CSF gene, as determined by RT-PCR and immunofluorescence analyses, as well as the presence of hGM-CSF in the blood serum. Mosaic expression of the hGM-CSF gene in mammary epithelial cells was specific to all examined transgenic mice carrying the transgene with MAR but was never observed in the transgenic mice without MAR. The mosaic expression was not dependent on transgene copy number. Thus, the expected "protective or enhancer effect" from the MAR element on the hGM-CSF gene expression was not observed.
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