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Zhang T, Yin H, Li Y, Yang H, Ge K, Zhang J, Yuan Q, Dai X, Naeem A, Weng Y, Huang Y, Liang XJ. Optimized lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for organ-selective nucleic acids delivery in vivo. iScience 2024; 27:109804. [PMID: 38770138 PMCID: PMC11103379 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid therapeutics offer tremendous promise for addressing a wide range of common public health conditions. However, the in vivo nucleic acids delivery faces significant biological challenges. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) possess several advantages, such as simple preparation, high stability, efficient cellular uptake, endosome escape capabilities, etc., making them suitable for delivery vectors. However, the extensive hepatic accumulation of LNPs poses a challenge for successful development of LNPs-based nucleic acid therapeutics for extrahepatic diseases. To overcome this hurdle, researchers have been focusing on modifying the surface properties of LNPs to achieve precise delivery. The review aims to provide current insights into strategies for LNPs-based organ-selective nucleic acid delivery. In addition, it delves into the general design principles, targeting mechanisms, and clinical development of organ-selective LNPs. In conclusion, this review provides a comprehensive overview to provide guidance and valuable insights for further research and development of organ-selective nucleic acid delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Zhang
- Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Science, School of Life Science, Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutics Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Han Yin
- Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Science, School of Life Science, Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutics Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Yu Li
- Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Science, School of Life Science, Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutics Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Haiyin Yang
- Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Science, School of Life Science, Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutics Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Kun Ge
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Diagnosis of the Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Hebei Province, College of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Hebei University, Baoding 071002 China
| | - Jinchao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Diagnosis of the Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Hebei Province, College of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Hebei University, Baoding 071002 China
| | - Qing Yuan
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Environment and Life Science, Center of Excellence for Environmental Safety and Biological Effects, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Xuyan Dai
- Apharige Therapeutics Co., Ltd, Beijing 102629, China
| | - Abid Naeem
- Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Science, School of Life Science, Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutics Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Yuhua Weng
- Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Science, School of Life Science, Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutics Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Yuanyu Huang
- Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Science, School of Life Science, Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Biotherapy, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutics Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Xing-Jie Liang
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P.R. China
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2
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Borges B, Varthaliti A, Schwab M, Clarke MT, Pivetti C, Gupta N, Cadwell CR, Guibinga G, Phillips S, Del Rio T, Ozsolak F, Imai-Leonard D, Kong L, Laird DJ, Herzeg A, Sumner CJ, MacKenzie TC. Prenatal AAV9-GFP administration in fetal lambs results in transduction of female germ cells and maternal exposure to virus. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2024; 32:101263. [PMID: 38827250 PMCID: PMC11141462 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2024.101263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Prenatal somatic cell gene therapy (PSCGT) could potentially treat severe, early-onset genetic disorders such as spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) or muscular dystrophy. Given the approval of adeno-associated virus serotype 9 (AAV9) vectors in infants with SMA by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, we tested the safety and biodistribution of AAV9-GFP (clinical-grade and dose) in fetal lambs to understand safety and efficacy after umbilical vein or intracranial injection on embryonic day 75 (E75) . Umbilical vein injection led to widespread biodistribution of vector genomes in all examined lamb tissues and in maternal uteruses at harvest (E96 or E140; term = E150). There was robust GFP expression in brain, spinal cord, dorsal root ganglia (DRGs), without DRG toxicity and excellent transduction of diaphragm and quadriceps muscles. However, we found evidence of systemic toxicity (fetal growth restriction) and maternal exposure to the viral vector (transient elevation of total bilirubin and a trend toward elevation in anti-AAV9 antibodies). There were no antibodies against GFP in ewes or lambs. Analysis of fetal gonads demonstrated GFP expression in female (but not male) germ cells, with low levels of integration-specific reads, without integration in select proto-oncogenes. These results suggest potential therapeutic benefit of AAV9 PSCGT for neuromuscular disorders, but warrant caution for exposure of female germ cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beltran Borges
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- UCSF Center for Maternal-Fetal Precision Medicine, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Antonia Varthaliti
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Marisa Schwab
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Maria T. Clarke
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- UCSF Center for Maternal-Fetal Precision Medicine, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Christopher Pivetti
- Department of Surgery, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95817, USA
| | - Nalin Gupta
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Department of Pediatrics and Benioff Children’s Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Cathryn R. Cadwell
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Weill Neurohub, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Ghiabe Guibinga
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Biologics Center, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Shirley Phillips
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Biologics Center, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Tony Del Rio
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Biologics Center, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Fatih Ozsolak
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Biologics Center, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Denise Imai-Leonard
- Comparative Pathology Laboratory, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Lingling Kong
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Diana J. Laird
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Akos Herzeg
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- UCSF Center for Maternal-Fetal Precision Medicine, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Charlotte J. Sumner
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Tippi C. MacKenzie
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- UCSF Center for Maternal-Fetal Precision Medicine, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Department of Pediatrics and Benioff Children’s Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
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3
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Massaro G, Geard AF, Nelvagal HR, Gore K, Clemo NK, Waddington SN, Rahim AA. Comparison of different promoters to improve AAV vector-mediated gene therapy for neuronopathic Gaucher disease. Hum Mol Genet 2024:ddae081. [PMID: 38757200 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddae081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Gaucher Disease (GD) is an inherited metabolic disorder caused by mutations in the GBA1 gene. It can manifest with severe neurodegeneration and visceral pathology. The most acute neuronopathic form (nGD), for which there are no curative therapeutic options, is characterised by devastating neuropathology and death during infancy. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic benefit of systemically delivered AAV9 vectors expressing the human GBA1 gene at two different doses comparing a neuronal-selective promoter with ubiquitous promoters. Our results highlight the importance of a careful evaluation of the promoter sequence used in gene delivery vectors, suggesting a neuron-targeted therapy leading to high levels of enzymatic activity in the brain but lower GCase expression in the viscera, might be the optimal therapeutic strategy for nGD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Massaro
- UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, 29-38 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AX, United Kingdom
| | - Amy F Geard
- UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, 29-38 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AX, United Kingdom
- Wits/SAMRC Antiviral Gene Therapy Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand Medical, School, 7 York Road, Parktown 2193, South Africa
| | - Hemanth R Nelvagal
- UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, 29-38 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AX, United Kingdom
| | - Katrina Gore
- Apollo Therapeutics, Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, 50-60 Station Road, Cambridge, CB1 2JH, United Kingdom
| | - Nadine K Clemo
- Apollo Therapeutics, Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, 50-60 Station Road, Cambridge, CB1 2JH, United Kingdom
| | - Simon N Waddington
- Wits/SAMRC Antiviral Gene Therapy Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand Medical, School, 7 York Road, Parktown 2193, South Africa
- UCL EGA Institute for Women's Health, University College London, Medical School Building, 74 Huntley Street, London, WC1E 6AU, United Kingdom
| | - Ahad A Rahim
- UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, 29-38 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AX, United Kingdom
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4
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Zhong W, Li D, Fei Y, Hong P. A review of type 3 Gaucher disease: unique neurological manifestations and advances in treatment. Acta Neurol Belg 2024:10.1007/s13760-024-02493-1. [PMID: 38413480 DOI: 10.1007/s13760-024-02493-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Gaucher disease (GD) is a rare lysosomal storage disease that is caused by mutations in the GBA gene. It is classified into three main phenotypes according to the patient's clinical presentation. Of these, chronic neuronopathic GD (GD3) is characterized by progressive neurological damage. Understanding the unique neurological manifestations of GD3 has important diagnostic and therapeutic implications. Our article summarizes the neurological symptoms specific to GD3 and related therapeutic advances, and it highlights the relevance of the gene to clinical symptoms, so as to provide a reference for the diagnosis and treatment of GD3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhong
- Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, 312000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Dan Li
- Department of Hematology, Shaoxing People's Hospital, 568 Zhongxing North Road, Shaoxing, 312000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yue Fei
- Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, 312000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Pan Hong
- Department of Hematology, Shaoxing People's Hospital, 568 Zhongxing North Road, Shaoxing, 312000, Zhejiang, China.
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5
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Wang J, Zhang L, Wu G, Wu J, Zhou X, Chen X, Niu Y, Jiao Y, Liu Q, Liang P, Shi G, Wu X, Huang J. Correction of a CADASIL point mutation using adenine base editors in hiPSCs and blood vessel organoids. J Genet Genomics 2024; 51:197-207. [PMID: 37164272 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2023.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is a monogenic small vessel disease caused by mutations in the NOTCH3 gene. However, the pathogenesis of CADASIL remains unclear, and patients have limited treatment options. Here, we use human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) generated from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a patient with CADASIL carrying a heterozygous NOTCH3 mutation (c.1261C>T, p.R421C) to develop a disease model. The correction efficiency of different adenine base editors (ABEs) is tested using the HEK293T-NOTCH3 reporter cell line. ABEmax is selected based on its higher efficiency and minimization of predicted off-target effects. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) differentiated from CADASIL hiPSCs show NOTCH3 deposition and abnormal actin cytoskeleton structure, and the abnormalities are recovered in corrected hiPSC-derived VSMCs. Furthermore, CADASIL blood vessel organoids generated for in vivo modeling show altered expression of genes related to disease phenotypes, including the downregulation of cell adhesion, extracellular matrix organization, and vessel development. The dual adeno-associated virus (AAV) split-ABEmax system is applied to the genome editing of vascular organoids with an average editing efficiency of 8.82%. Collectively, we present potential genetic therapeutic strategies for patients with CADASIL using blood vessel organoids and the dual AAV split-ABEmax system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwen Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510275, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine of Guangdong Province, The First Affiliated Hospital and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510275, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Center of Reproductive Medicine, Children's Hospital of Shanxi and Women Health Center of Shanxi, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030013, China
| | - Guanglan Wu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510275, China
| | - Jinni Wu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510275, China
| | - Xinyao Zhou
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510275, China
| | - Xiaolin Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510275, China
| | - Yongxia Niu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510275, China
| | - Yiren Jiao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510275, China
| | - Qianyi Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510275, China
| | - Puping Liang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510275, China
| | - Guang Shi
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510275, China
| | - Xueqing Wu
- Center of Reproductive Medicine, Children's Hospital of Shanxi and Women Health Center of Shanxi, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030013, China.
| | - Junjiu Huang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510275, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine of Guangdong Province, The First Affiliated Hospital and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510275, China.
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6
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Waddington SN, Peranteau WH, Rahim AA, Boyle AK, Kurian MA, Gissen P, Chan JKY, David AL. Fetal gene therapy. J Inherit Metab Dis 2024; 47:192-210. [PMID: 37470194 PMCID: PMC10799196 DOI: 10.1002/jimd.12659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Fetal gene therapy was first proposed toward the end of the 1990s when the field of gene therapy was, to quote the Gartner hype cycle, at its "peak of inflated expectations." Gene therapy was still an immature field but over the ensuing decade, it matured and is now a clinical and market reality. The trajectory of treatment for several genetic diseases is toward earlier intervention. The ability, capacity, and the will to diagnose genetic disease early-in utero-improves day by day. A confluence of clinical trials now signposts a trajectory toward fetal gene therapy. In this review, we recount the history of fetal gene therapy in the context of the broader field, discuss advances in fetal surgery and diagnosis, and explore the full ambit of preclinical gene therapy for inherited metabolic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon N Waddington
- EGA Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Wits/SAMRC Antiviral Gene Therapy Research Unit, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - William H Peranteau
- The Center for Fetal Research, Division of General, Thoracic, and Fetal Surgery, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ahad A Rahim
- UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London, London, UK
| | - Ashley K Boyle
- EGA Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Manju A Kurian
- Developmental Neurosciences, Zayed Centre for Research into Rare Disease in Children, GOS-Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Neurology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, UK
| | - Paul Gissen
- Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
- Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- National Institute of Health Research Great Ormond Street Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK
| | - Jerry K Y Chan
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
- Academic Clinical Program in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
- Experimental Fetal Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Anna L David
- EGA Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK
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7
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Atilano ML, Hull A, Romila CA, Adams ML, Wildfire J, Ureña E, Dyson M, Ivan-Castillo-Quan J, Partridge L, Kinghorn KJ. Autophagic dysfunction and gut microbiota dysbiosis cause chronic immune activation in a Drosophila model of Gaucher disease. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1011063. [PMID: 38127816 PMCID: PMC10734978 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the GBA1 gene cause the lysosomal storage disorder Gaucher disease (GD) and are the greatest known genetic risk factors for Parkinson's disease (PD). Communication between the gut and brain and immune dysregulation are increasingly being implicated in neurodegenerative disorders such as PD. Here, we show that flies lacking the Gba1b gene, the main fly orthologue of GBA1, display widespread NF-kB signalling activation, including gut inflammation, and brain glial activation. We also demonstrate intestinal autophagic defects, gut dysfunction, and microbiome dysbiosis. Remarkably, modulating the microbiome of Gba1b knockout flies, by raising them under germ-free conditions, partially ameliorates lifespan, locomotor and immune phenotypes. Moreover, we show that modulation of the immune deficiency (IMD) pathway is detrimental to the survival of Gba1 deficient flies. We also reveal that direct stimulation of autophagy by rapamycin treatment achieves similar benefits to germ-free conditions independent of gut bacterial load. Consistent with this, we show that pharmacologically blocking autophagosomal-lysosomal fusion, mimicking the autophagy defects of Gba1 depleted cells, is sufficient to stimulate intestinal immune activation. Overall, our data elucidate a mechanism whereby an altered microbiome, coupled with defects in autophagy, drive chronic activation of NF-kB signaling in a Gba1 loss-of-function model. It also highlights that elimination of the microbiota or stimulation of autophagy to remove immune mediators, rather than prolonged immunosuppression, may represent effective therapeutic avenues for GBA1-associated disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magda L. Atilano
- UCL Institute of Healthy Ageing, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander Hull
- UCL Institute of Healthy Ageing, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Catalina-Andreea Romila
- UCL Institute of Healthy Ageing, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mirjam L. Adams
- UCL Institute of Healthy Ageing, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jacob Wildfire
- UCL Institute of Healthy Ageing, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Enric Ureña
- UCL Institute of Healthy Ageing, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Miranda Dyson
- UCL Institute of Healthy Ageing, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jorge Ivan-Castillo-Quan
- Section on Islet Cell & Regenerative Biology, Joslin Diabetes Center and Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States of America
| | - Linda Partridge
- UCL Institute of Healthy Ageing, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Kerri J. Kinghorn
- UCL Institute of Healthy Ageing, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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8
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Sun B, Wu W, Narasipura EA, Ma Y, Yu C, Fenton OS, Song H. Engineering nanoparticle toolkits for mRNA delivery. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2023; 200:115042. [PMID: 37536506 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2023.115042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
The concept of using mRNA to produce its own medicine in situ in the body makes it an ideal drug candidate, holding great potential to revolutionize the way we approach medicine. The unique characteristics of mRNA, as well as its customizable biomedical functions, call for the rational design of delivery systems to protect and transport mRNA molecules. In this review, a nanoparticle toolkit is presented for the development of mRNA-based therapeutics from a drug delivery perspective. Nano-delivery systems derived from either natural systems or chemical synthesis, in the nature of organic or inorganic materials, are summarised. Delivery strategies in controlling the tissue targeting and mRNA release, as well as the role of nanoparticles in building and boosting the activity of mRNA drugs, have also been introduced. In the end, our insights into the clinical and translational development of mRNA nano-drugs are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Sun
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, the University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Weixi Wu
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, the University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Eshan A Narasipura
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Yutian Ma
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Chengzhong Yu
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, the University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Owen S Fenton
- Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
| | - Hao Song
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, the University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
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9
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Palanki R, Bose SK, Dave A, White BM, Berkowitz C, Luks V, Yaqoob F, Han E, Swingle KL, Menon P, Hodgson E, Biswas A, Billingsley MM, Li L, Yiping F, Carpenter M, Trokhan A, Yeo J, Johana N, Wan TY, Alameh MG, Bennett FC, Storm PB, Jain R, Chan J, Weissman D, Mitchell MJ, Peranteau WH. Ionizable Lipid Nanoparticles for Therapeutic Base Editing of Congenital Brain Disease. ACS NANO 2023; 17:13594-13610. [PMID: 37458484 PMCID: PMC11025390 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c02268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Delivery of mRNA-based therapeutics to the perinatal brain holds great potential in treating congenital brain diseases. However, nonviral delivery platforms that facilitate nucleic acid delivery in this environment have yet to be rigorously studied. Here, we screen a diverse library of ionizable lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) via intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection in both fetal and neonatal mice and identify an LNP formulation with greater functional mRNA delivery in the perinatal brain than an FDA-approved industry standard LNP. Following in vitro optimization of the top-performing LNP (C3 LNP) for codelivery of an adenine base editing platform, we improve the biochemical phenotype of a lysosomal storage disease in the neonatal mouse brain, exhibit proof-of-principle mRNA brain transfection in vivo in a fetal nonhuman primate model, and demonstrate the translational potential of C3 LNPs ex vivo in human patient-derived brain tissues. These LNPs may provide a clinically translatable platform for in utero and postnatal mRNA therapies including gene editing in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohan Palanki
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Center for Fetal Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sourav K Bose
- Center for Fetal Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Apeksha Dave
- Center for Fetal Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Brandon M. White
- Center for Fetal Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Cara Berkowitz
- Center for Fetal Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Valerie Luks
- Center for Fetal Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Fazeela Yaqoob
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Emily Han
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kelsey L Swingle
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Pallavi Menon
- Center for Fetal Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Emily Hodgson
- Center for Fetal Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Arijit Biswas
- Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore, 169547, SG
| | | | - Li Li
- Cardiovascular Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Fan Yiping
- Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore, 169547, SG
| | - Marco Carpenter
- Center for Fetal Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Alexandra Trokhan
- Center for Fetal Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Julie Yeo
- Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore, 169547, SG
| | | | - Tan Yi Wan
- Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore, 169547, SG
| | - Mohamad-Gabriel Alameh
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Frederick Chris Bennett
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Phillip B. Storm
- Division of Neurosurgery, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Rajan Jain
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Cardiovascular Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jerry Chan
- Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, Singapore, 169547, SG
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Singapore, 229899, SG
| | - Drew Weissman
- Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Michael J. Mitchell
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Institute for Immunology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Cardiovascular Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - William H. Peranteau
- Center for Fetal Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Division of General, Thoracic, and Fetal Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, PA, USA
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10
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Rodriguez M, Trevisan B, Ramamurthy RM, George SK, Diaz J, Alexander J, Meares D, Schwahn DJ, Quilici DR, Figueroa J, Gautreaux M, Farland A, Atala A, Doering CB, Spencer HT, Porada CD, Almeida-Porada G. Transplanting FVIII/ET3-secreting cells in fetal sheep increases FVIII levels long-term without inducing immunity or toxicity. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4206. [PMID: 37452013 PMCID: PMC10349136 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39986-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Hemophilia A is the most common X-linked bleeding disorder affecting more than half-a-million individuals worldwide. Persons with severe hemophilia A have coagulation FVIII levels <1% and experience spontaneous debilitating and life-threatening bleeds. Advances in hemophilia A therapeutics have significantly improved health outcomes, but development of FVIII inhibitory antibodies and breakthrough bleeds during therapy significantly increase patient morbidity and mortality. Here we use sheep fetuses at the human equivalent of 16-18 gestational weeks, and we show that prenatal transplantation of human placental cells (107-108/kg) bioengineered to produce an optimized FVIII protein, results in considerable elevation in plasma FVIII levels that persists for >3 years post-treatment. Cells engraft in major organs, and none of the recipients mount immune responses to either the cells or the FVIII they produce. Thus, these studies attest to the feasibility, immunologic advantage, and safety of treating hemophilia A prior to birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Rodriguez
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Fetal Research and Therapy Program, Wake Forest School of Medicine (WFSOM), Winston Salem, NC, USA
| | - Brady Trevisan
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Fetal Research and Therapy Program, Wake Forest School of Medicine (WFSOM), Winston Salem, NC, USA
| | - Ritu M Ramamurthy
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Fetal Research and Therapy Program, Wake Forest School of Medicine (WFSOM), Winston Salem, NC, USA
| | - Sunil K George
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Fetal Research and Therapy Program, Wake Forest School of Medicine (WFSOM), Winston Salem, NC, USA
| | - Jonathan Diaz
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Fetal Research and Therapy Program, Wake Forest School of Medicine (WFSOM), Winston Salem, NC, USA
| | - Jordan Alexander
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Diane Meares
- Special Hematology Laboratory, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, USA
| | | | - David R Quilici
- The Mick Hitchcock Ph.D. Nevada Proteomics Center, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Jorge Figueroa
- Center for Research in Obstetrics and Gynecology, WFSOM, Winston Salem, NC, USA
| | - Michael Gautreaux
- HLA/Immunogenetics and Immunodiagnostics Laboratories, Winston Salem, NC, USA
| | - Andrew Farland
- Special Hematology Laboratory, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC, USA
| | - Anthony Atala
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Fetal Research and Therapy Program, Wake Forest School of Medicine (WFSOM), Winston Salem, NC, USA
| | - Christopher B Doering
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - H Trent Spencer
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Christopher D Porada
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Fetal Research and Therapy Program, Wake Forest School of Medicine (WFSOM), Winston Salem, NC, USA
| | - Graça Almeida-Porada
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Fetal Research and Therapy Program, Wake Forest School of Medicine (WFSOM), Winston Salem, NC, USA.
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11
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Peng Y, Liou B, Lin Y, Mayhew CN, Fleming SM, Sun Y. iPSC-derived neural precursor cells engineering GBA1 recovers acid β-glucosidase deficiency and diminishes α-synuclein and neuropathology. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2023; 29:185-201. [PMID: 37063480 PMCID: PMC10102010 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2023.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in GBA1, encoding the lysosomal acid β-glucosidase (GCase), cause neuronopathic Gaucher disease (nGD) and promote Parkinson disease (PD). The mutations on GBA1 include deletion and missense mutations that are pathological and lead to GCase deficiency in Gaucher disease. Both nGD and PD lack disease-modifying treatments and are critical unmet medical needs. In this study, we evaluated a cell therapy treatment using mouse iPSC-derived neural precursor cells (NPCs) engineered to overexpress GCase (termed hGBA1-NPCs). The hGBA1-NPCs secreted GCase that was taken up by adjacent mouse Gba -/- neurons and improved GCase activity, reduced GCase substrate accumulation, and improved mitochondrial function. Short-term in vivo effects were evaluated in 9H/PS-NA mice, an nGD mouse model exhibiting neuropathology and α-synuclein aggregation, the typical PD phenotypes. Intravenously administrated hGBA1-NPCs were engrafted throughout the brain and differentiated into neural lineages. GCase activity was increased in various brain regions of treated 9H/PS-NA mice. Compared with vehicle, hGBA1-NPC-transplanted mice showed ∼50% reduction of α-synuclein aggregates in the substantia nigra, significant reduction of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in the regions of NPC migration, and increased expression of neurotrophic factors that support neural cell function. Together, these results support the therapeutic benefit of intravenous delivery of iPSC-derived NPCs overexpressing GCase in mitigating nGD and PD phenotypes and establish the feasibility of combined cell and gene therapy for GBA1-associated PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Peng
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Benjamin Liou
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Yi Lin
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Christopher N. Mayhew
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Center for Stem Cell and Organoid Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Sheila M. Fleming
- College of Pharmacy, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH 44272, USA
| | - Ying Sun
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
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12
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Mattar CNZ, Chan JKY, Choolani M. Gene modification therapies for hereditary diseases in the fetus. Prenat Diagn 2023; 43:674-686. [PMID: 36965009 PMCID: PMC10946994 DOI: 10.1002/pd.6347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/27/2023]
Abstract
Proof-of-principle disease models have demonstrated the feasibility of an intrauterine gene modification therapy (in utero gene therapy (IUGT)) approach to hereditary diseases as diverse as coagulation disorders, haemoglobinopathies, neurogenetic disorders, congenital metabolic, and pulmonary diseases. Gene addition, which requires the delivery of an integrating or episomal transgene to the target cell nucleus to be transcribed, and gene editing, where the mutation is corrected within the gene of origin, have both been used successfully to increase normal protein production in a bid to reverse or arrest pathology in utero. While most experimental models have employed lentiviral, adenoviral, and adeno-associated viral vectors engineered to efficiently enter target cells, newer models have also demonstrated the applicability of non-viral lipid nanoparticles. Amelioration of pathology is dependent primarily on achieving sustained therapeutic transgene expression, silencing of transgene expression, production of neutralising antibodies, the dilutional effect of the recipient's growth on the mass of transduced cells, and the degree of pre-existing cellular damage. Safety assessment of any IUGT strategy will require long-term postnatal surveillance of both the fetal recipient and the maternal bystander for cell and genome toxicity, oncogenic potential, immune-responsiveness, and germline mutation. In this review, we discuss advances in the field and the push toward clinical translation of IUGT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Citra N. Z. Mattar
- Yong Loo Lin School of MedicineNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
- National University Health SystemsSingaporeSingapore
| | - Jerry K. Y. Chan
- KK Women's and Children's HospitalSingaporeSingapore
- Duke‐NUS Medical SchoolSingaporeSingapore
| | - Mahesh Choolani
- Yong Loo Lin School of MedicineNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
- National University Health SystemsSingaporeSingapore
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13
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Moskowitzova K, Whitlock AE, Zurakowski D, Fauza DO. Hematogenous Routing of Exogenous mRNA Delivered Into the Amniotic Fluid. J Surg Res 2023; 289:116-120. [PMID: 37104922 DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2023.03.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Therapies based on exogenous messenger RNA (mRNA) administration have emerged as a powerful novel strategy for the actual or potential treatment of an assortment of diseases, including congenital surgical pathologies. We sought to determine whether the minimally invasive transamniotic route could be an alternative for prenatal mRNA delivery. METHODS Pregnant Sprague-Dawley dams underwent laparotomy followed by volume-matched intra-amniotic injections in all their fetuses (n = 120) of either a suspension of a custom firefly luciferase mRNA encapsulated by a lipid- and synthetic cationic polymer-based composite, or of a suspension of the same encapsulation components without mRNA, on gestational day 17 (E17; term = E21-22). On E18, E19, E20, and E21, samples from 14 fetal anatomical sites and maternal serum were procured for the screening of mRNA incorporation by host cells by measurement of luciferase activity via microplate luminometry. Statistical analysis was by Mann-Whitney U-test, including Bonferroni-adjustment. RESULTS Overall survival was 87.5% (105/120). Controlled by the encapsulating composite without mRNA, luciferase activity was detected in the animals that received encapsulated mRNA in the following fetal annexes: amniotic fluid, amnion, chorion, umbilical cord, and placenta (P = 0.033 to <0.001), as well as in the following fetal sites: liver, stomach, intestines, and lungs (P = 0.043-0.002). CONCLUSIONS Packaged exogenous mRNA can be incorporated by the fetus at least at select anatomical sites after simple intra-amniotic administration in a rodent model. The pattern and chronology of mRNA incorporation are compatible with transplacental hematogenous routing, as well as with fetal swallowing/aspiration. Further study of transamniotic mRNA administration is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamila Moskowitzova
- Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital/ Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ashlyn E Whitlock
- Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital/ Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - David Zurakowski
- Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital/ Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Dario O Fauza
- Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital/ Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
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14
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Menozzi E, Toffoli M, Schapira AHV. Targeting the GBA1 pathway to slow Parkinson disease: Insights into clinical aspects, pathogenic mechanisms and new therapeutic avenues. Pharmacol Ther 2023; 246:108419. [PMID: 37080432 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2023.108419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
The GBA1 gene encodes the lysosomal enzyme glucocerebrosidase (GCase), which is involved in sphingolipid metabolism. Biallelic variants in GBA1 cause Gaucher disease (GD), a lysosomal storage disorder characterised by loss of GCase activity and aberrant intracellular accumulation of GCase substrates. Carriers of GBA1 variants have an increased risk of developing Parkinson disease (PD), with odds ratio ranging from 2.2 to 30 according to variant severity. GBA1 variants which do not cause GD in homozygosis can also increase PD risk. Patients with PD carrying GBA1 variants show a more rapidly progressive phenotype compared to non-carriers, emphasising the need for disease modifying treatments targeting the GBA1 pathway. Several mechanisms secondary to GCase dysfunction are potentially responsible for the pathological changes leading to PD. Misfolded GCase proteins induce endoplasmic reticulum stress and subsequent unfolded protein response and impair the autophagy-lysosomal pathway. This results in α-synuclein accumulation and spread, and promotes neurodegenerative changes. Preclinical evidence also shows that products of GCase activity can promote accumulation of α-synuclein, however there is no convincing evidence of substrate accumulation in GBA1-PD brains. Altered lipid homeostasis secondary to loss of GCase activity could also contribute to PD pathology. Treatments that target the GBA1 pathway could reverse these pathological processes and halt/slow the progression of PD. These range from augmentation of GCase activity via GBA1 gene therapy, restoration of normal intracellular GCase trafficking via molecular chaperones, and substrate reduction therapy. This review discusses the pathways associated with GBA1-PD and related novel GBA1-targeted interventions for PD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Menozzi
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, United States of America
| | - Marco Toffoli
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, United States of America
| | - Anthony H V Schapira
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK; Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, United States of America.
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15
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Peslak SA, Demirci S, Chandra V, Ryu B, Bhardwaj SK, Jiang J, Rupon JW, Throm RE, Uchida N, Leonard A, Essawi K, Bonifacino AC, Krouse AE, Linde NS, Donahue RE, Ferrara F, Wielgosz M, Abdulmalik O, Hamagami N, Germino-Watnick P, Le A, Chu R, Hinds M, Weiss MJ, Tong W, Tisdale JF, Blobel GA. Forced enhancer-promoter rewiring to alter gene expression in animal models. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2023; 31:452-465. [PMID: 36852088 PMCID: PMC9958407 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2023.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Transcriptional enhancers can be in physical proximity of their target genes via chromatin looping. The enhancer at the β-globin locus (locus control region [LCR]) contacts the fetal-type (HBG) and adult-type (HBB) β-globin genes during corresponding developmental stages. We have demonstrated previously that forcing proximity between the LCR and HBG genes in cultured adult-stage erythroid cells can activate HBG transcription. Activation of HBG expression in erythroid cells is of benefit to patients with sickle cell disease. Here, using the β-globin locus as a model, we provide proof of concept at the organismal level that forced enhancer rewiring might present a strategy to alter gene expression for therapeutic purposes. Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) from mice bearing human β-globin genes were transduced with lentiviral vectors expressing a synthetic transcription factor (ZF-Ldb1) that fosters LCR-HBG contacts. When engrafted into host animals, HSPCs gave rise to adult-type erythroid cells with elevated HBG expression. Vectors containing ZF-Ldb1 were optimized for activity in cultured human and rhesus macaque erythroid cells. Upon transplantation into rhesus macaques, erythroid cells from HSPCs expressing ZF-Ldb1 displayed elevated HBG production. These findings in two animal models suggest that forced redirection of gene-regulatory elements may be used to alter gene expression to treat disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott A. Peslak
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Division of Hematology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Selami Demirci
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institutes (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Vemika Chandra
- Division of Hematology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Byoung Ryu
- Department of Hematology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Saurabh K. Bhardwaj
- Division of Hematology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jing Jiang
- Division of Hematology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- CAS Engineering Laboratory for Nanozyme, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jeremy W. Rupon
- Division of Hematology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Robert E. Throm
- Department of Hematology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Naoya Uchida
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institutes (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Division of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Center for Gene and Cell Therapy, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Alexis Leonard
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institutes (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Khaled Essawi
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institutes (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Allen E. Krouse
- Translational Stem Cell Biology Branch, NHLBI, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Nathaniel S. Linde
- Translational Stem Cell Biology Branch, NHLBI, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Robert E. Donahue
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institutes (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Francesca Ferrara
- Department of Hematology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Matthew Wielgosz
- Department of Hematology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Osheiza Abdulmalik
- Division of Hematology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Nicole Hamagami
- Division of Hematology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Paula Germino-Watnick
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institutes (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Anh Le
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institutes (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Rebecca Chu
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institutes (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Malikiya Hinds
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institutes (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Mitchell J. Weiss
- Department of Hematology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Wei Tong
- Division of Hematology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - John F. Tisdale
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institutes (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Gerd A. Blobel
- Division of Hematology, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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16
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Gao K, Li J, Song H, Han H, Wang Y, Yin B, Farmer DL, Murthy N, Wang A. In utero delivery of mRNA to the heart, diaphragm and muscle with lipid nanoparticles. Bioact Mater 2023; 25:387-398. [PMID: 36844366 PMCID: PMC9950423 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioactmat.2023.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems have the potential to revolutionize medicine, but their low vascular permeability and rapid clearance by phagocytic cells have limited their medical impact. Nanoparticles delivered at the in utero stage can overcome these key limitations due to the high rate of angiogenesis and cell division in fetal tissue and the under-developed immune system. However, very little is known about nanoparticle drug delivery at the fetal stage of development. In this report, using Ai9 CRE reporter mice, we demonstrate that lipid nanoparticle (LNP) mRNA complexes can deliver mRNA in utero, and can access and transfect major organs, such as the heart, the liver, kidneys, lungs and the gastrointestinal tract with remarkable efficiency and low toxicity. In addition, at 4 weeks after birth, we demonstrate that 50.99 ± 5.05%, 36.62 ± 3.42% and 23.7 ± 3.21% of myofiber in the diaphragm, heart and skeletal muscle, respectively, were transfected. Finally, we show here that Cas9 mRNA and sgRNA complexed to LNPs were able to edit the fetal organs in utero. These experiments demonstrate the possibility of non-viral delivery of mRNA to organs outside of the liver in utero, which provides a promising strategy for treating a wide variety of devastating diseases before birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kewa Gao
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95817, United States,Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Sacramento, CA, 95817, United States
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94704, United States
| | - Hengyue Song
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95817, United States,Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Sacramento, CA, 95817, United States,Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Hunan, 410013, China
| | - Hesong Han
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94704, United States
| | - Yongheng Wang
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95817, United States,Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Sacramento, CA, 95817, United States,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, United States
| | - Boyan Yin
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95817, United States,Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Sacramento, CA, 95817, United States
| | - Diana L. Farmer
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95817, United States,Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Sacramento, CA, 95817, United States
| | - Niren Murthy
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94704, United States,Corresponding author. Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94704, United States.
| | - Aijun Wang
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95817, United States,Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Sacramento, CA, 95817, United States,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, United States,Corresponding author. Center for Surgical Bioengineering, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95817, United States.
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17
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Berkowitz CL, Luks VL, Puc M, Peranteau WH. Molecular and Cellular In Utero Therapy. Clin Perinatol 2022; 49:811-820. [PMID: 36328600 DOI: 10.1016/j.clp.2022.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Significant advances in maternal-fetal medicine and gene sequencing technology have fostered a new frontier of in utero molecular and cellular therapeutics, including gene editing, enzyme replacement therapy, and stem cell transplantation to treat single-gene disorders with limited postnatal treatment strategies. In utero therapies take advantage of unique developmental properties of the fetus to allow for the correction of monogenic disorders before irreversible disease pathology develops. While early preclinical studies in animal models are encouraging, more studies are needed to further evaluate their safety and efficacy prior to widespread clinical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara L Berkowitz
- Division of Pediatric General, Thoracic and Fetal Surgery, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3401 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Valerie L Luks
- Division of Pediatric General, Thoracic and Fetal Surgery, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3401 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Marcelina Puc
- Division of Pediatric General, Thoracic and Fetal Surgery, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3401 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - William H Peranteau
- Division of Pediatric General, Thoracic and Fetal Surgery, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3401 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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18
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Tan Q, Zhao S, Xu T, Wang Q, Lan M, Yan L, Chen X. Getting drugs to the brain: advances and prospects of organic nanoparticle delivery systems for assisting drugs to cross the blood-brain barrier. J Mater Chem B 2022; 10:9314-9333. [PMID: 36349976 DOI: 10.1039/d2tb01440h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) plays an irreplaceable role in protecting the central nervous system (CNS) from bloodborne pathogens. However, the BBB complicates the treatment of CNS diseases because it prevents almost all therapeutic drugs from getting into the CNS. With the growing understanding of the physiological characteristics of the BBB and the development of nanotechnology, nanomaterial-based drug delivery systems have become promising tools for delivering drugs across the BBB to the CNS. Herein, we systematically summarize the recent progress in organic-nanoparticle delivery systems for treating CNS diseases and evaluate their mechanisms in overcoming the BBB with the aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of the advantages, disadvantages, and challenges of organic nanoparticles in delivering drugs across the BBB. This review may inspire new research ideas and directions for applying nanotechnology to treat CNS diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuxia Tan
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Micro & Nano Materials Interface Science, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.
| | - Shaojing Zhao
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Micro & Nano Materials Interface Science, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.
| | - Ting Xu
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Micro & Nano Materials Interface Science, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.
| | - Qin Wang
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Micro & Nano Materials Interface Science, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.
| | - Minhuan Lan
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Micro & Nano Materials Interface Science, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.
| | - Li Yan
- College of Health Science and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen, 518118, China.
| | - Xianfeng Chen
- School of Engineering, Institute for Bioengineering, University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3JL, UK.
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19
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Tsujimura K, Shiohama T, Takahashi E. microRNA Biology on Brain Development and Neuroimaging Approach. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12101366. [PMID: 36291300 PMCID: PMC9599180 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12101366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Proper brain development requires the precise coordination and orchestration of various molecular and cellular processes and dysregulation of these processes can lead to neurological diseases. In the past decades, post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression has been shown to contribute to various aspects of brain development and function in the central nervous system. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), short non-coding RNAs, are emerging as crucial players in post-transcriptional gene regulation in a variety of tissues, such as the nervous system. In recent years, miRNAs have been implicated in multiple aspects of brain development, including neurogenesis, migration, axon and dendrite formation, and synaptogenesis. Moreover, altered expression and dysregulation of miRNAs have been linked to neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful imaging technology to obtain high-quality, detailed structural and functional information from the brains of human and animal models in a non-invasive manner. Because the spatial expression patterns of miRNAs in the brain, unlike those of DNA and RNA, remain largely unknown, a whole-brain imaging approach using MRI may be useful in revealing biological and pathological information about the brain affected by miRNAs. In this review, we highlight recent advancements in the research of miRNA-mediated modulation of neuronal processes that are important for brain development and their involvement in disease pathogenesis. Also, we overview each MRI technique, and its technological considerations, and discuss the applications of MRI techniques in miRNA research. This review aims to link miRNA biological study with MRI analytical technology and deepen our understanding of how miRNAs impact brain development and pathology of neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keita Tsujimura
- Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
- Group of Brain Function and Development, Nagoya University Neuroscience Institute of the Graduate School of Science, Nagoya 4648602, Japan
- Research Unit for Developmental Disorders, Institute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University, Nagoya 4648602, Japan
- Correspondence: (K.T.); (E.T.)
| | - Tadashi Shiohama
- Department of Pediatrics, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba 2608677, Japan
| | - Emi Takahashi
- Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
- Correspondence: (K.T.); (E.T.)
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20
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Ling JP, Bygrave AM, Santiago CP, Carmen-Orozco RP, Trinh VT, Yu M, Li Y, Liu Y, Bowden KD, Duncan LH, Han J, Taneja K, Dongmo R, Babola TA, Parker P, Jiang L, Leavey PJ, Smith JJ, Vistein R, Gimmen MY, Dubner B, Helmenstine E, Teodorescu P, Karantanos T, Ghiaur G, Kanold PO, Bergles D, Langmead B, Sun S, Nielsen KJ, Peachey N, Singh MS, Dalton WB, Rajaii F, Huganir RL, Blackshaw S. Cell-specific regulation of gene expression using splicing-dependent frameshifting. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5773. [PMID: 36182931 PMCID: PMC9526712 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33523-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Precise and reliable cell-specific gene delivery remains technically challenging. Here we report a splicing-based approach for controlling gene expression whereby separate translational reading frames are coupled to the inclusion or exclusion of mutated, frameshifting cell-specific alternative exons. Candidate exons are identified by analyzing thousands of publicly available RNA sequencing datasets and filtering by cell specificity, conservation, and local intron length. This method, which we denote splicing-linked expression design (SLED), can be combined in a Boolean manner with existing techniques such as minipromoters and viral capsids. SLED can use strong constitutive promoters, without sacrificing precision, by decoupling the tradeoff between promoter strength and selectivity. AAV-packaged SLED vectors can selectively deliver fluorescent reporters and calcium indicators to various neuronal subtypes in vivo. We also demonstrate gene therapy utility by creating SLED vectors that can target PRPH2 and SF3B1 mutations. The flexibility of SLED technology enables creative avenues for basic and translational research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan P Ling
- Departments of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.
| | - Alexei M Bygrave
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Clayton P Santiago
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Rogger P Carmen-Orozco
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Vickie T Trinh
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Minzhong Yu
- Department of Ophthalmic Research, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Yini Li
- Departments of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Ying Liu
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Kyra D Bowden
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Leighton H Duncan
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Jeong Han
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Kamil Taneja
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Rochinelle Dongmo
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Travis A Babola
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Patrick Parker
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Lizhi Jiang
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Patrick J Leavey
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Jennifer J Smith
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Rachel Vistein
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Megan Y Gimmen
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Benjamin Dubner
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Eric Helmenstine
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Patric Teodorescu
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Theodoros Karantanos
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Gabriel Ghiaur
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Patrick O Kanold
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Dwight Bergles
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Ben Langmead
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Shuying Sun
- Departments of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Kristina J Nielsen
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
- Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Neal Peachey
- Department of Ophthalmic Research, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
- Research Service, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Mandeep S Singh
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - W Brian Dalton
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Fatemeh Rajaii
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Richard L Huganir
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Seth Blackshaw
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Zanvyl Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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21
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Herzeg A, Almeida-Porada G, Charo RA, David AL, Gonzalez-Velez J, Gupta N, Lapteva L, Lianoglou B, Peranteau W, Porada C, Sanders SJ, Sparks TN, Stitelman DH, Struble E, Sumner CJ, MacKenzie TC. Prenatal Somatic Cell Gene Therapies: Charting a Path Toward Clinical Applications (Proceedings of the CERSI-FDA Meeting). J Clin Pharmacol 2022; 62 Suppl 1:S36-S52. [PMID: 36106778 PMCID: PMC9547535 DOI: 10.1002/jcph.2127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
We are living in a golden age of medicine in which the availability of prenatal diagnosis, fetal therapy, and gene therapy/editing make it theoretically possible to repair almost any defect in the genetic code. Furthermore, the ability to diagnose genetic disorders before birth and the presence of established surgical techniques enable these therapies to be delivered safely to the fetus. Prenatal therapies are generally used in the second or early third trimester for severe, life-threatening disorders for which there is a clear rationale for intervening before birth. While there has been promising work for prenatal gene therapy in preclinical models, the path to a clinical prenatal gene therapy approach is complex. We recently held a conference with the University of California, San Francisco-Stanford Center of Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation, researchers, patient advocates, regulatory (members of the Food and Drug Administration), and other stakeholders to review the scientific background and rationale for prenatal somatic cell gene therapy for severe monogenic diseases and initiate a dialogue toward a safe regulatory path for phase 1 clinical trials. This review represents a summary of the considerations and discussions from these conversations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akos Herzeg
- UCSF Center for Maternal-Fetal PrecisionMedicine, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Graca Almeida-Porada
- Fetal Research and Therapy Program, Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston Salem, North Carolina, USA
- Wake Forest University, School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - R. Alta Charo
- University of Wisconsin Law School, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Anna L. David
- Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women’s Health, University College London Medical School, London, UK
- National Institute for Health Research University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK
| | - Juan Gonzalez-Velez
- UCSF Center for Maternal-Fetal PrecisionMedicine, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Nalin Gupta
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Brain Tumor Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Pediatrics and Benioff Children’s Hospital, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Larissa Lapteva
- Office of Tissues and Advanced Therapies/Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Billie Lianoglou
- UCSF Center for Maternal-Fetal PrecisionMedicine, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - William Peranteau
- Center for Fetal Research, Division of General, Thoracic, and Fetal Surgery, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Christopher Porada
- Fetal Research and Therapy Program, Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston Salem, North Carolina, USA
- Wake Forest University, School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Stephan J. Sanders
- UCSF Center for Maternal-Fetal PrecisionMedicine, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Teresa N. Sparks
- UCSF Center for Maternal-Fetal PrecisionMedicine, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - David H. Stitelman
- Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Division of Pediatric Surgery, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Evi Struble
- Office of Tissues and Advanced Therapies/Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Charlotte J. Sumner
- Departments of Neurology and Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Tippi C. MacKenzie
- UCSF Center for Maternal-Fetal PrecisionMedicine, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Pediatrics and Benioff Children’s Hospital, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
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22
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Vieira SRL, Schapira AHV. Glucocerebrosidase mutations and Parkinson disease. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2022; 129:1105-1117. [PMID: 35932311 PMCID: PMC9463283 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-022-02531-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The discovery of glucocerebrosidase (GBA1) mutations as the greatest numerical genetic risk factor for the development of Parkinson disease (PD) resulted in a paradigm shift within the research landscape. Efforts to elucidate the mechanisms behind GBA1-associated PD have highlighted shared pathways in idiopathic PD including the loss and gain-of-function hypotheses, endoplasmic reticulum stress, lipid metabolism, neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction and altered autophagy-lysosomal pathway responsible for degradation of aggregated and misfolded a-synuclein. GBA1-associated PD exhibits subtle differences in phenotype and disease progression compared to idiopathic counterparts notably an earlier age of onset, faster motor decline and greater frequency of non-motor symptoms (which also constitute a significant aspect of the prodromal phase of the disease). GBA1-targeted therapies have been developed and are being investigated in clinical trials. The most notable are Ambroxol, a small molecule chaperone, and Venglustat, a blood-brain-barrier-penetrant substrate reduction therapy agent. It is imperative that further studies clarify the aetiology of GBA1-associated PD, enabling the development of a greater abundance of targeted therapies in this new era of precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia R L Vieira
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, University College London Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Rowland Hill St., London, NW3 2PF, UK
| | - Anthony H V Schapira
- Department of Clinical and Movement Neurosciences, University College London Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Rowland Hill St., London, NW3 2PF, UK.
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23
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Guo L, Li Z, Li Y, Qu B, Jiao G, Liang C, Lu Z, Wang XG, Huang C, Du H, Liang J, Zhou Q, Li W. Treatment of glutaric aciduria type I (GA-I) via intracerebroventricular delivery of GCDH. FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fmre.2022.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022] Open
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24
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Size-dependent placental retention effect of liposomes in ICR pregnant mice: Potential superiority in placenta-derived disease therapy. Int J Pharm 2022; 625:122121. [PMID: 35987320 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2022.122121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The great challenge in developing safe medications for placenta-derived diseases is to reduce or eliminate fetal drug exposure while still providing the necessary therapeutic effect. Rapid advances in nanotechnology have brought opportunities for the therapy of placenta-derived disease through accumulating the drug in the placenta while reducing its placental penetration. Among various nanocarriers, liposomes are regarded as an ideal type of carrier for placental drug delivery due to their biosafety and biodegradability. However, their placental retention effect with different particle sizes has not been studied. This research aimed to explore a suitable size of liposomes for placenta drug delivery. Cy 5 dye was chosen as a model molecule for tracing the distribution of three different-sized liposomes (∼80 nm, 200 nm, and 500 nm) in ICR pregnant mice. The stability, cytotoxicity, and cellular uptake study of Cy 5-loaded liposomes were performed. The in vivo fluorescence studies on ICR pregnant mice suggested that the particle size of liposomes was positively correlated with the degree of liposome aggregation in the placenta. The ratio of fluorescence in the placenta and fetus section (P/F value) was proposed to evaluate the placental retention effect of different-sized liposomes. The results showed that the liposomes with 500 nm had the highest P/F value and thus exhibited the strongest placental retention effect and the weakest placental penetration ability. Moreover, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis confirmed the reliability of the fluorescence section analysis in exploring the placental retention effect of nanovehicles. In general, this study introduced a simple and intuitive method to evaluate the placental retention effect of nanoplatforms and defined a suitable size of liposomes for placenta-derived disease drug delivery.
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25
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Kong W, Lu C, Ding Y, Meng Y. Update of treatment for Gaucher disease. Eur J Pharmacol 2022; 926:175023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2022.175023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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26
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Gene Therapy for Mitochondrial Diseases: Current Status and Future Perspective. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14061287. [PMID: 35745859 PMCID: PMC9231068 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14061287] [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: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial diseases (MDs) are a group of severe genetic disorders caused by mutations in the nuclear or mitochondrial genome encoding proteins involved in the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system. MDs have a wide range of symptoms, ranging from organ-specific to multisystemic dysfunctions, with different clinical outcomes. The lack of natural history information, the limits of currently available preclinical models, and the wide range of phenotypic presentations seen in MD patients have all hampered the development of effective therapies. The growing number of pre-clinical and clinical trials over the last decade has shown that gene therapy is a viable precision medicine option for treating MD. However, several obstacles must be overcome, including vector design, targeted tissue tropism and efficient delivery, transgene expression, and immunotoxicity. This manuscript offers a comprehensive overview of the state of the art of gene therapy in MD, addressing the main challenges, the most feasible solutions, and the future perspectives of the field.
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27
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Ahmad A. Safety and Toxicity Implications of Multifunctional Drug Delivery Nanocarriers on Reproductive Systems In Vitro and In Vivo. FRONTIERS IN TOXICOLOGY 2022; 4:895667. [PMID: 35785262 PMCID: PMC9240477 DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2022.895667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In the recent past, nanotechnological advancements in engineered nanomaterials have demonstrated diverse and versatile applications in different arenas, including bio-imaging, drug delivery, bio-sensing, detection and analysis of biological macromolecules, bio-catalysis, nanomedicine, and other biomedical applications. However, public interests and concerns in the context of human exposure to these nanomaterials and their consequential well-being may hamper the wider applicability of these nanomaterial-based platforms. Furthermore, human exposure to these nanosized and engineered particulate materials has also increased drastically in the last 2 decades due to enormous research and development and anthropocentric applications of nanoparticles. Their widespread use in nanomaterial-based industries, viz., nanomedicine, cosmetics, and consumer goods has also raised questions regarding the potential of nanotoxicity in general and reproductive nanotoxicology in particular. In this review, we have summarized diverse aspects of nanoparticle safety and their toxicological outcomes on reproduction and developmental systems. Various research databases, including PubMed and Google Scholar, were searched for the last 20 years up to the date of inception, and nano toxicological aspects of these materials on male and female reproductive systems have been described in detail. Furthermore, a discussion has also been dedicated to the placental interaction of these nanoparticles and how these can cross the blood–placental barrier and precipitate nanotoxicity in the developing offspring. Fetal abnormalities as a consequence of the administration of nanoparticles and pathophysiological deviations and aberrations in the developing fetus have also been touched upon. A section has also been dedicated to the regulatory requirements and guidelines for the testing of nanoparticles for their safety and toxicity in reproductive systems. It is anticipated that this review will incite a considerable interest in the research community functioning in the domains of pharmaceutical formulations and development in nanomedicine-based designing of therapeutic paradigms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anas Ahmad
- Department of Pharmacology, Chandigarh College of Pharmacy, Chandigarh Group of Colleges, Mohali, India
- Julia McFarlane Diabetes Research Centre and Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- *Correspondence: Anas Ahmad,
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28
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Weinreb NJ, Goker-Alpan O, Kishnani PS, Longo N, Burrow TA, Bernat JA, Gupta P, Henderson N, Pedro H, Prada CE, Vats D, Pathak RR, Wright E, Ficicioglu C. The diagnosis and management of Gaucher disease in pediatric patients: Where do we go from here? Mol Genet Metab 2022; 136:4-21. [PMID: 35367141 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymgme.2022.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Gaucher disease (GD) is an autosomal recessive inherited lysosomal storage disease that often presents in early childhood and is associated with damage to multiple organ systems. Many challenges associated with GD diagnosis and management arise from the considerable heterogeneity of disease presentations and natural history. Phenotypic classification has traditionally been based on the absence (in type 1 GD) or presence (in types 2 and 3 GD) of neurological involvement of varying severity. However, patient management and prediction of prognosis may be best served by a dynamic, evolving definition of individual phenotype rather than by a rigid system of classification. Patients may experience considerable delays in diagnosis, which can potentially be reduced by effective screening programs; however, program implementation can involve ethical and practical challenges. Variation in the clinical course of GD and an uncertain prognosis also complicate decisions concerning treatment initiation, with differing stakeholder perspectives around efficacy and acceptable cost/benefit ratio. We review the challenges faced by physicians in the diagnosis and management of GD in pediatric patients. We also consider future directions and goals, including acceleration of accurate diagnosis, improvements in the understanding of disease heterogeneity (natural history, response to treatment, and prognosis), the need for new treatments to address unmet needs for all forms of GD, and refinement of the tools for monitoring disease progression and treatment efficacy, such as specific biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neal J Weinreb
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
| | - Ozlem Goker-Alpan
- Lysosomal and Rare Disorders Research and Treatment Center, Fairfax, VA, USA.
| | - Priya S Kishnani
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - Nicola Longo
- Division of Medical Genetics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
| | - T Andrew Burrow
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock, AR, USA.
| | - John A Bernat
- Division of Medical Genetics and Genomics, Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
| | - Punita Gupta
- St Joseph's University Hospital, Paterson, NJ, USA.
| | - Nadene Henderson
- Division of Genetic and Genomic Medicine, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Helio Pedro
- Center for Genetic and Genomic Medicine, Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ, USA.
| | - Carlos E Prada
- Division of Genetics, Birth Defects & Metabolism, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital and Department of Pediatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Divya Vats
- Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Ravi R Pathak
- Takeda Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc., Lexington, MA, USA.
| | | | - Can Ficicioglu
- Division of Human Genetics and Metabolism, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, PA, USA.
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29
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Lederer CW, Koniali L, Buerki-Thurnherr T, Papasavva PL, La Grutta S, Licari A, Staud F, Bonifazi D, Kleanthous M. Catching Them Early: Framework Parameters and Progress for Prenatal and Childhood Application of Advanced Therapies. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14040793. [PMID: 35456627 PMCID: PMC9031205 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14040793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) are medicines for human use based on genes, cells or tissue engineering. After clear successes in adults, the nascent technology now sees increasing pediatric application. For many still untreatable disorders with pre- or perinatal onset, timely intervention is simply indispensable; thus, prenatal and pediatric applications of ATMPs hold great promise for curative treatments. Moreover, for most inherited disorders, early ATMP application may substantially improve efficiency, economy and accessibility compared with application in adults. Vindicating this notion, initial data for cell-based ATMPs show better cell yields, success rates and corrections of disease parameters for younger patients, in addition to reduced overall cell and vector requirements, illustrating that early application may resolve key obstacles to the widespread application of ATMPs for inherited disorders. Here, we provide a selective review of the latest ATMP developments for prenatal, perinatal and pediatric use, with special emphasis on its comparison with ATMPs for adults. Taken together, we provide a perspective on the enormous potential and key framework parameters of clinical prenatal and pediatric ATMP application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carsten W. Lederer
- The Molecular Genetics Thalassemia Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, Nicosia 2371, Cyprus; (L.K.); (P.L.P.); (M.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +357-22-392764
| | - Lola Koniali
- The Molecular Genetics Thalassemia Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, Nicosia 2371, Cyprus; (L.K.); (P.L.P.); (M.K.)
| | - Tina Buerki-Thurnherr
- Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, 9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland;
| | - Panayiota L. Papasavva
- The Molecular Genetics Thalassemia Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, Nicosia 2371, Cyprus; (L.K.); (P.L.P.); (M.K.)
| | - Stefania La Grutta
- Institute of Translational Pharmacology, IFT National Research Council, 90146 Palermo, Italy;
| | - Amelia Licari
- Pediatric Clinic, Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
| | - Frantisek Staud
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University, 50005 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic;
| | - Donato Bonifazi
- Consorzio per Valutazioni Biologiche e Farmacologiche (CVBF) and European Paediatric Translational Research Infrastructure (EPTRI), 70122 Bari, Italy;
| | - Marina Kleanthous
- The Molecular Genetics Thalassemia Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, Nicosia 2371, Cyprus; (L.K.); (P.L.P.); (M.K.)
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30
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Zheng W, Fan D. Glucocerebrosidase Mutations Cause Mitochondrial and Lysosomal Dysfunction in Parkinson’s Disease: Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Implications. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:851135. [PMID: 35401150 PMCID: PMC8984109 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.851135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease and is characterized by multiple motor and non-motor symptoms. Mutations in the glucocerebrosidase (GBA) gene, which encodes the lysosomal enzyme glucocerebrosidase (GCase), which hydrolyzes glucosylceramide (GlcCer) to glucose and ceramide, are the most important and common genetic PD risk factors discovered to date. Homozygous GBA mutations result in the most common lysosomal storage disorder, Gaucher’s disease (GD), which is classified according to the presence (neuronopathic types, type 2 and 3 GD) or absence (non-neuronopathic type, type 1 GD) of neurological symptoms. The clinical manifestations of PD in patients with GBA mutations are indistinguishable from those of sporadic PD at the individual level. However, accumulating data have indicated that GBA-associated PD patients exhibit a younger age of onset and a greater risk for cognitive impairment and psychiatric symptoms. The mechanisms underlying the increased risk of developing PD in GBA mutant carriers are currently unclear. Contributors to GBA-PD pathogenesis may include mitochondrial dysfunction, autophagy-lysosomal dysfunction, altered lipid homeostasis and enhanced α-synuclein aggregation. Therapeutic strategies for PD and GD targeting mutant GCase mainly include enzyme replacement, substrate reduction, gene and pharmacological small-molecule chaperones. Emerging clinical, genetic and pathogenic studies on GBA mutations and PD are making significant contributions to our understanding of PD-associated pathogenetic pathways, and further elucidating the interactions between GCase activity and neurodegeneration may improve therapeutic approaches for slowing PD progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zheng
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Biomarker and Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Health Commission/Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Dongsheng Fan
- Department of Neurology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Biomarker and Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, National Health Commission/Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Dongsheng Fan,
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31
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Fetal therapies and trials for lysosomal storage diseases: a survey of attitudes of parents and patients. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2022; 17:25. [PMID: 35093147 PMCID: PMC8800365 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-022-02178-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) are inherited metabolic disorders that may lead to severe multi-organ disease. Current ERTs are limited by anti-drug antibodies, the blood–brain barrier, and early disease onset and progression before ERT is started. We have opened a phase I clinical trial of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for fetuses with LSDs (NCT04532047). We evaluated the attitudes of parents and patients with LSDs towards fetal clinical trials and therapies. Methods A multidisciplinary team designed a survey which was distributed by five international patient advocacy groups. We collected patients’ demographic, diagnostic, and treatment information. Associations between respondent characteristics and attitudes towards fetal therapies/trials were analyzed using multivariate ordinal logistic regression. Results The survey was completed by 181 adults from 19 countries. The majority of respondents were mothers from the United States. The most common diseases were MPS1 (26%), MPS3 (19%), and infantile-onset Pompe (14%). Most patients (88%) were diagnosed after birth, at a median of 21 months. Altogether, 65% of participating patients and children of participants had received ERT, 27% a stem cell transplant, and 4% gene therapy. We found that half (49%) of respondents were unlikely to terminate a future affected pregnancy, 55% would enroll in a phase I clinical trial for fetal ERT, and 46% would enroll in a fetal gene therapy trial. Respondents who received postnatal ERT were significantly more likely enroll in a trial for fetal ERT or gene therapy (ERT OR 4.48, 95% CI 2.13–9.44, p < 0.0001; gene therapy OR 3.03, 95% CI 1.43–6.43, p = 0.0038). Respondents who used clinicaltrials.gov as a main source of information were more likely to choose to participate in a fetal trial (ERT OR 2.43, 95% CI 1.18–5.01, p = 0.016; gene therapy OR 2.86, 95% CI 1.27–6.46, p = 0.011). Conclusions Familiarity with postnatal ERT increased respondents’ likelihood of pursuing fetal therapies. Families who use clinicaltrials.gov may be more receptive to innovative fetal treatments. The patient community has a favorable attitude towards fetal therapy; over half of respondents would enroll in a phase I clinical trial to assess the safety and efficacy of fetal ERT.
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32
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Swingle KL, Billingsley MM, Bose SK, White B, Palanki R, Dave A, Patel SK, Gong N, Hamilton AG, Alameh MG, Weissman D, Peranteau WH, Mitchell MJ. Amniotic fluid stabilized lipid nanoparticles for in utero intra-amniotic mRNA delivery. J Control Release 2022; 341:616-633. [PMID: 34742747 PMCID: PMC8776620 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2021.10.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Congenital disorders resulting in pathological protein deficiencies are most often treated postnatally with protein or enzyme replacement therapies. However, treatment of these disorders in utero before irreversible disease onset could significantly minimize disease burden, morbidity, and mortality. One possible strategy for the prenatal treatment of congenital disorders is in utero delivery of messenger RNA (mRNA). mRNA is a nucleic acid therapeutic that has previously been investigated as a platform for protein replacement therapies and gene editing technologies. While viral vectors have been explored to induce intracellular expression of mRNA, they are limited in their clinical application due to risks associated with immunogenicity and genomic integration. As an alternative to viral vectors, safe and efficient in utero mRNA delivery can be achieved using ionizable lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). While LNPs have demonstrated potent in vivo mRNA delivery to the liver following intravenous administration, intra-amniotic delivery has the potential to deliver mRNA to cells and tissues beyond those in the liver, such as in the skin, lung, and digestive tract. However, LNP stability in fetal amniotic fluid and how this stability affects mRNA delivery has not been previously investigated. Here, we engineered a library of LNPs using orthogonal design of experiments (DOE) to evaluate how LNP structure affects their stability in amniotic fluid ex utero and whether a lead candidate identified from these stability measurements enables intra-amniotic mRNA delivery in utero. We used a combination of techniques including dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and chromatography followed by protein content quantification to screen LNP stability in amniotic fluids. These results identified multiple lead LNP formulations that are highly stable in amniotic fluids ranging from small animals to humans, including mouse, sheep, pig, and human amniotic fluid samples. We then demonstrate that stable LNPs from the ex utero screen in mouse amniotic fluid enabled potent mRNA delivery in primary fetal lung fibroblasts and in utero following intra-amniotic injection in a murine model. This exploration of ex utero stability in amniotic fluids demonstrates a means by which to identify novel LNP formulations for prenatal treatment of congenital disorders via in utero mRNA delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey L. Swingle
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | | | - Sourav K. Bose
- The Center for Fetal Research, Division of Pediatric General, Thoracic, and Fetal Surgery, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Brandon White
- The Center for Fetal Research, Division of Pediatric General, Thoracic, and Fetal Surgery, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Rohan Palanki
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,The Center for Fetal Research, Division of Pediatric General, Thoracic, and Fetal Surgery, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Apeksha Dave
- The Center for Fetal Research, Division of Pediatric General, Thoracic, and Fetal Surgery, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Savan K. Patel
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ningqiang Gong
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Alex G. Hamilton
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | | | - Drew Weissman
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - William H. Peranteau
- The Center for Fetal Research, Division of Pediatric General, Thoracic, and Fetal Surgery, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Michael J. Mitchell
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,Institute for Immunology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,Cardiovascular Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.,Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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33
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Glucocerebrosidase dysfunction in neurodegenerative disease. Essays Biochem 2021; 65:873-883. [PMID: 34528667 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20210018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) and related neurodegenerative disorders, termed the synucleinopathies, are characterized pathologically by the accumulation of protein aggregates containing α-synuclein (aSyn), resulting in progressive neuronal loss. There is considerable need for the development of neuroprotective strategies to halt or slow disease progression in these disorders. To this end, evaluation of genetic mutations associated with the synucleinopathies has helped to elucidate crucial mechanisms of disease pathogenesis, revealing key roles for lysosomal and mitochondrial dysfunction. The GBA1 gene, which encodes the lysosomal hydrolase β-glucocerebrosidase (GCase) is the most common genetic risk factor for PD and is also linked to other neurodegenerative disorders including dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Additionally, homozygous mutations in GBA1 are associated with the rare lysosomal storage disorder, Gaucher's disease (GD). In this review, we discuss the current knowledge in the field regarding the diverse roles of GCase in neurons and the multifactorial effects of loss of GCase enzymatic activity. Importantly, GCase has been shown to have a bidirectional relationship with aSyn, resulting in a pathogenic feedback loop that can lead to progressive aSyn accumulation. Alterations in GCase activity have furthermore been linked to multiple distinct pathways involved in neurodegeneration, and therefore GCase has emerged as a promising target for therapeutic drug development for PD and related neurodegenerative disorders, particularly DLB.
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34
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Shanahan MA, Aagaard KM, McCullough LB, Chervenak FA, Shamshirsaz AA. Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Special Statement: Beyond the scalpel: in utero fetal gene therapy and curative medicine. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2021; 225:B9-B18. [PMID: 34537158 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2021.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
With the recent advances in gene editing with systems such as CRISPR-Cas9, precise genome editing in utero is on the horizon. Sickle cell disease is an excellent candidate for in utero fetal gene therapy, because the disease is monogenic, causes irreversible harm, and has life-limiting morbidity. Gene therapy has recently been proven to be effective in an adolescent patient. Several hurdles still impede the progress for fetal gene therapy in humans, including an incomplete understanding of the fetal immune system, unclear maternal immune responses to in utero gene therapy, risks of off-target effects from gene editing, gestational age constraints, and ethical questions surrounding fetal genetic intervention. However, none of these barriers appears insurmountable, and the journey to in utero gene therapy for sickle cell disease and other conditions should be well underway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A Shanahan
- Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, 409 12 St. SW, Washington, DC 20024, USA.
| | - Kjersti M Aagaard
- Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, 409 12 St. SW, Washington, DC 20024, USA.
| | | | - Francis A Chervenak
- Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, 409 12 St. SW, Washington, DC 20024, USA.
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35
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Abstract
Primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs) have become a prime target for gene therapy given the morbidity, mortality, and the single gene etiology. Given that outcomes are better the earlier gene therapy is implemented, it is possible that fetal gene therapy may be an important future direction for the treatment of PIDs. In this chapter, the current treatments available for several PIDs will be reviewed, as well as the history and current status of gene therapy for PIDs. The possibility of in utero gene therapy as a possibility will then be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne H Mardy
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Services, University of California, San Francisco, California
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36
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Abstract
Prenatal gene therapy could provide a cure for many monogenic diseases. Prenatal gene therapy has multiple potential advantages over postnatal therapy, including treating before the onset of disease, the ability to induce tolerance and cross the blood-brain barrier. In this chapter, we will describe in utero gene therapy and its rationale, clinical trials of postnatal gene therapy, preclinical studies of in utero gene therapy, and potential risks to the mother and fetus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa E Schwab
- Center for Maternal-Fetal Precision Medicine
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Tippi C MacKenzie
- Center for Maternal-Fetal Precision Medicine
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
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37
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Coons B, Peranteau WH. Prenatal Gene Therapy for Metabolic Disorders. Clin Obstet Gynecol 2021; 64:904-916. [PMID: 34652302 PMCID: PMC8713251 DOI: 10.1097/grf.0000000000000662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Gene therapy has traditionally involved the delivery of exogenous genetic material to a cell-most commonly to replace defective genes causing monogenic disorders. This allows cells to produce proteins that are otherwise absent in sufficient quantities, ideally for a therapeutic purpose. Since its inception over 40 years ago, the field of gene therapy has significantly expanded and now includes targeted gene editing strategies, including, but not limited to, clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Coons
- Center for Fetal Research, Division of General, Thoracic, and Fetal Surgery, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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38
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Sparks TN. The Current State and Future of Fetal Therapies. Clin Obstet Gynecol 2021; 64:926-932. [PMID: 34560766 PMCID: PMC8530888 DOI: 10.1097/grf.0000000000000651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Through next-generation sequencing, we can now detect a myriad of rare genetic diseases in utero that were previously not diagnosed until after birth. Fetal therapies hold strong promise for transforming prenatal management of genetic diseases, preventing adverse effects from organ damage in utero, and improving the grim perinatal outcomes of numerous genetic diseases. Many novel, in utero therapies are under investigation for genetic diseases using hematopoietic stem cells, cellular pathway inhibitors, viral vectors, and other biotechnologies. This article reviews emerging fetal therapies, as well as existing guidance for their development, considerations for their safety, and ethical and societal implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa N Sparks
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, & Reproductive Sciences
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
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39
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Mattar CNZ, Labude MK, Lee TN, Lai PS. Ethical considerations of preconception and prenatal gene modification in the embryo and fetus. Hum Reprod 2021; 36:3018-3027. [PMID: 34665851 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deab222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The National Academies of Sciences and Medicine 2020 consensus statement advocates the reinstatement of research in preconception heritable human genome editing (HHGE), despite the ethical concerns that have been voiced about interventions in the germline, and outlines criteria for its eventual clinical application to address monogenic disorders. However, the statement does not give adequate consideration to alternative technologies. Importantly, it omits comparison to fetal gene therapy (FGT), which involves gene modification applied prenatally to the developing fetus and which is better researched and less ethically contentious. While both technologies are applicable to the same monogenic diseases causing significant prenatal or early childhood morbidity, the benefits and risks of HHGE are distinct from FGT though there are important overlaps. FGT has the current advantage of a wealth of robust preclinical data, while HHGE is nascent technology and its feasibility for specific diseases still requires scientific proof. The ethical concerns surrounding each are unique and deserving of further discussion, as there are compelling arguments supporting research and eventual clinical translation of both technologies. In this Opinion, we consider HHGE and FGT through technical and ethical lenses, applying common ethical principles to provide a sense of their feasibility and acceptability. Currently, FGT is in a more advanced position for clinical translation and may be less ethically contentious than HHGE, so it deserves to be considered as an alternative therapy in further discussions on HHGE implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Citra Nurfarah Zaini Mattar
- Experimental Fetal Medicine Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Markus Klaus Labude
- Science, Health and Policy-Relevant Ethics in Singapore (SHAPES) Initiative, Centre for Biomedical Ethics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Timothy Nicholas Lee
- Science, Health and Policy-Relevant Ethics in Singapore (SHAPES) Initiative, Centre for Biomedical Ethics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Poh San Lai
- Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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40
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Personalized Medicine to Improve Treatment of Dopa-Responsive Dystonia-A Focus on Tyrosine Hydroxylase Deficiency. J Pers Med 2021; 11:jpm11111186. [PMID: 34834538 PMCID: PMC8625014 DOI: 10.3390/jpm11111186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Dopa-responsive dystonia (DRD) is a rare movement disorder associated with defective dopamine synthesis. This impairment may be due to the fact of a deficiency in GTP cyclohydrolase I (GTPCHI, GCH1 gene), sepiapterin reductase (SR), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), or 6-pyruvoyl tetrahydrobiopterin synthase (PTPS) enzyme functions. Mutations in GCH1 are most frequent, whereas fewer cases have been reported for individual SR-, PTP synthase-, and TH deficiencies. Although termed DRD, a subset of patients responds poorly to L-DOPA. As this is regularly observed in severe cases of TH deficiency (THD), there is an urgent demand for more adequate or personalized treatment options. TH is a key enzyme that catalyzes the rate-limiting step in catecholamine biosynthesis, and THD patients often present with complex and variable phenotypes, which results in frequent misdiagnosis and lack of appropriate treatment. In this expert opinion review, we focus on THD pathophysiology and ongoing efforts to develop novel therapeutics for this rare disorder. We also describe how different modeling approaches can be used to improve genotype to phenotype predictions and to develop in silico testing of treatment strategies. We further discuss the current status of mathematical modeling of catecholamine synthesis and how such models can be used together with biochemical data to improve treatment of DRD patients.
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41
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Sharma A, Sah N, Kannan S, Kannan RM. Targeted drug delivery for maternal and perinatal health: Challenges and opportunities. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2021; 177:113950. [PMID: 34454979 PMCID: PMC8544131 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.113950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Pre-existing conditions at reproductive age, and complications arising during pregnancy can be detrimental to maternal and fetal health. Current therapies to combat obstetric disorders are limited due to the inherent complexity of pregnancy, and can have harmful effects on developing fetus. Emerging research shows intricate signaling between the cells from mother and fetus at maternal-fetal interface, providing unique opportunities for interventions specifically targeted to the mother, fetus, or placenta. Advancements in nanotechnology, stem-cell biology and gene therapy have resulted in target-specific treatments with promising results in pre-clinical maternal and fetal disorder models. Comprehensive understanding of the effect of physicochemical properties of delivery systems on their uptake, retention and accumulation across placenta will help in the better diagnosis and treatment of perinatal disorders. This review describes the factors leading to obstetric complications along with their effect on pregnancy outcomes, and discusses key targeted therapeutic strategies for addressing conditions related to maternal and fetal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjali Sharma
- Center for Nanomedicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Nirnath Sah
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
| | - Sujatha Kannan
- Center for Nanomedicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA; Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA; Hugo W. Moser Research Institute at Kennedy Krieger, Inc., Baltimore MD, 21205, USA
| | - Rangaramanujam M Kannan
- Center for Nanomedicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Wilmer Eye Institute Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA; Hugo W. Moser Research Institute at Kennedy Krieger, Inc., Baltimore MD, 21205, USA; Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD, 21218, USA.
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Lopes FM, Woolf AS, Roberts NA. Envisioning treating genetically-defined urinary tract malformations with viral vector-mediated gene therapy. J Pediatr Urol 2021; 17:610-620. [PMID: 34312114 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpurol.2021.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Human urinary tract malformations can cause dysfunctional voiding, urosepsis and kidney failure. Other affected individuals, with severe phenotypes on fetal ultrasound screening, undergo elective termination. Currently, there exist no specific treatments that target the primary biological disease mechanisms that generate these urinary tract malformations. Historically, the pathogenesis of human urinary tract malformations has been obscure. It is now established that some such individuals have defined monogenic causes for their disease. In health, the implicated genes are expressed in either differentiating urinary tract smooth muscle cells, urothelial cells or peripheral nerve cells supplying the bladder. The phenotypes arising from mutations of these genes include megabladder, congenital functional bladder outflow obstruction, and vesicoureteric reflux. We contend that these genetic and molecular insights can now inform the design of novel therapies involving viral vector-mediated gene transfer. Indeed, this technology is being used to treat individuals with early onset monogenic disease outside the urinary tract, such as spinal muscular atrophy. Moreover, it has been contended that human fetal gene therapy, which may be necessary to ameliorate developmental defects, could become a reality in the coming decades. We suggest that viral vector-mediated gene therapies should first be tested in existing mouse models with similar monogenic and anatomical aberrations as found in people with urinary tract malformations. Indeed, gene transfer protocols have been successfully pioneered in newborn and fetal mice to treat non-urinary tract diseases. If similar strategies were successful in animals with urinary tract malformations, this would pave the way for personalized and potentially curative treatments for people with urinary tract malformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipa M Lopes
- Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, UK
| | - Adrian S Woolf
- Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, UK; Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK.
| | - Neil A Roberts
- Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, UK.
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Privolizzi R, Chu WS, Tijani M, Ng J. Viral gene therapy for paediatric neurological diseases: progress to clinical reality. Dev Med Child Neurol 2021; 63:1019-1029. [PMID: 33834479 DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.14885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
In the era of genomic medicine, diagnoses of rare paediatric neurological diseases are increasing. Many are untreatable and life-limiting, leading to an exceptional increase in gene therapy development. It is estimated that 20 gene therapy products will have received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration by 2025. With viral gene therapy considered a potential single-dose cure for patients with spinal muscular atrophy type 1 as one example, and contemporaneously tragically resulting in the deaths of three male children with X-linked myotubular myopathy receiving high-dose gene therapy in 2020, what is the current state of gene therapy? What is behind the decades of hype around viral gene therapy and is it high impact, but high risk? In this review, we outline principles of viral gene therapy development and summarize the most recent clinical evidence for the therapeutic effect of gene therapy in paediatric neurological diseases. We discuss adeno-associated virus and lentiviral vectors, antisense oligonucleotides, emerging genetic editing approaches, and current limitations that the field still faces. What this paper adds Viral gene therapy development and clinically used transgenes, regulatory elements, capsids, dosage, and delivery routes are summarized. Viral gene therapy for 18 childhood neurological disorders involving over 600 children in 40 clinical trials are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Privolizzi
- Gene Transfer Technology Group, EGA Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Wing Sum Chu
- Pharmacy Department, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Maha Tijani
- Immune Regulation and Tumour Immunotherapy Group, Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Joanne Ng
- Gene Transfer Technology Group, EGA Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK
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44
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Schmitz D, Henn W. The fetus in the age of the genome. Hum Genet 2021; 141:1017-1026. [PMID: 34426855 PMCID: PMC9160108 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-021-02348-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Due to a number of recent achievements, the field of prenatal medicine is now on the verge of a profound transformation into prenatal genomic medicine. This transformation is expected to not only substantially expand the spectrum of prenatal diagnostic and screening possibilities, but finally also to advance fetal care and the prenatal management of certain fetal diseases and malformations. It will come along with new and profound challenges for the normative framework and clinical care pathways in prenatal (and reproductive) medicine. To adequately address the potential ethically challenging aspects without discarding the obvious benefits, several agents are required to engage in different debates. The permissibility of the sequencing of the whole fetal exome or genome will have to be examined from a philosophical and legal point of view, in particular with regard to conflicts with potential rights of future children. A second requirement is a societal debate on the question of priority setting and justice in relation to prenatal genomic testing. Third, a professional-ethical debate and positioning on the goal of prenatal genomic testing and a consequential re-structuring of clinical care pathways seems to be important. In all these efforts, it might be helpful to envisage the unborn rather not as a fetus, not as a separate moral subject and a second "patient", but in its unique physical connection with the pregnant woman, and to accept the moral quandaries implicitly given in this situation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dagmar Schmitz
- Institute for History, Theory and Ethics in Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Wendlingweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
| | - Wolfram Henn
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
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Abstract
ZusammenfassungDas Gendiagnostikgesetz (GenDG) verbietet seit 2010 die pränatale Diagnostik spätmanifestierender Erkrankungen (§ 15(2) GenDG). In seiner Begründung bezog sich der Gesetzgeber in Analogie zu internationalen Empfehlungen für den pädiatrischen Bereich vor allem auf das Recht des heranwachsenden Kindes bzw. des späteren Erwachsenen auf Nichtwissen. Mit diesem gesetzlichen Verbot hat Deutschland einen viel diskutierten Sonderweg in der Regulierung genetischer Pränataldiagnostik eingeschlagen. Seither jedoch hat sich nicht nur die Perspektive auf prädiktive Testungen im Kindesalter verändert. In zunehmendem Maße generieren auf das gesamte Genom abzielende Diagnostikangebote auch andere vorgeburtlich genetische Informationen, die – in ähnlicher Weise wie diejenigen zu spätmanifestierenden Erkrankungen eine potenzielle Gefahr für das Recht auf Nichtwissen der späteren Person darstellen. Es soll daher im Rahmen dieses Beitrages überprüft werden, inwiefern das deutsche Diagnostikverbot und dessen Bezug auf das Recht auf Nichtwissen des späteren Kindes eine tragfähige Basis zur Regulierung gendiagnostischer Untersuchungen in der Pränatalmedizin insgesamt darstellt bzw. zukünftig darstellen kann.Untersucht wird der Argumentationsgang des Diagnostikverbotes im Hinblick auf spätmanifestierende Erkrankungen vor dem Hintergrund der Entwicklungen in der prädiktiven (genomischen) Diagnostik. Eine Analyse des normativen Begründungsrahmens zeigt, dass nach wie vor deutlicher Klärungsbedarf hinsichtlich der philosophisch-ethischen Fundierung wie auch hinsichtlich der Interpretation eines Rechts auf Nichtwissen eines (zukünftigen) Kindes im Kontext von genetischer Diagnostik besteht. Darüber hinaus müssen auch Interessen des (zukünftigen) Kindes an eventuell möglich werdender pränataler Behandlung oder Prävention von Erkrankungen in die Abwägung miteinbezogen werden.Um zukünftigen Herausforderungen genomischer Pränataldiagnostik und -therapie begegnen zu können, müsste dringend geklärt werden, inwiefern Rechte zukünftiger Personen tatsächlich in der speziellen Situation der Schwangerschaft relevant sein können und mit welchen Pflichten diese für den Gesetzgeber, aber insbesondere auch für zukünftige Eltern und Ärzte einhergehen. Der Menschenrechtsdiskurs könnte hierfür eine tragfähige Basis und hilfreiche Strategien liefern.
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Sam R, Ryan E, Daykin E, Sidransky E. Current and emerging pharmacotherapy for Gaucher disease in pediatric populations. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2021; 22:1489-1503. [PMID: 33711910 PMCID: PMC8373623 DOI: 10.1080/14656566.2021.1902989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The past decades have witnessed a remarkable improvement in the health of patients with Gaucher disease, the inherited deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme glucocerebrosidase, resulting from the availability of enzyme replacement and substrate reduction therapies. Especially in pediatric populations, early diagnosis and initiation of treatment is essential to achieving optimal outcomes. AREAS COVERED The authors review the literature pertaining to the effectiveness of currently available therapies and describe new pharmacotherapies under development, especially for young patients. EXPERT OPINION For pediatric patients with non-neuronopathic Gaucher disease, there may be new therapeutic options on the horizon in the form of gene therapy or small molecule glucocerebrosidase chaperones. These have the potential to result in a cure for systemic disease manifestations and/or to reduce the cost and convenience of treatment. For children with neuronopathic Gaucher disease, the challenge of targeting therapy to the central nervous system is being explored through new modalities including brain-targeted gene therapy, in-utero therapy, brain-penetrant small molecule chaperones, and other methods that convey enzyme across the blood-brain barrier. Indeed, these are exciting times for both pediatric patients with Gaucher disease and those with other lysosomal storage disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Sam
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, USA
| | - Emory Ryan
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, USA
| | - Emily Daykin
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, USA
| | - Ellen Sidransky
- Medical Genetics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, USA
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Zhytnik L, Peters M, Tilk K, Simm K, Tõnisson N, Reimand T, Maasalu K, Acharya G, Krjutškov K, Salumets A. From late fatherhood to prenatal screening of monogenic disorders: evidence and ethical concerns. Hum Reprod Update 2021; 27:1056-1085. [PMID: 34329448 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmab023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND With the help of ART, an advanced parental age is not considered to be a serious obstacle for reproduction anymore. However, significant health risks for future offspring hide behind the success of reproductive medicine for the treatment of reduced fertility associated with late parenthood. Although an advanced maternal age is a well-known risk factor for poor reproductive outcomes, understanding the impact of an advanced paternal age on offspring is yet to be elucidated. De novo monogenic disorders (MDs) are highly associated with late fatherhood. MDs are one of the major sources of paediatric morbidity and mortality, causing significant socioeconomic and psychological burdens to society. Although individually rare, the combined prevalence of these disorders is as high as that of chromosomal aneuploidies, indicating the increasing need for prenatal screening. With the help of advanced reproductive technologies, families with late paternity have the option of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for multiple MDs (MD-NIPT), which has a sensitivity and specificity of almost 100%. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE The main aims of the current review were to examine the effect of late paternity on the origin and nature of MDs, to highlight the role of NIPT for the detection of a variety of paternal age-associated MDs, to describe clinical experiences and to reflect on the ethical concerns surrounding the topic of late paternity and MD-NIPT. SEARCH METHODS An extensive search of peer-reviewed publications (1980-2021) in English from the PubMed and Google Scholar databases was based on key words in different combinations: late paternity, paternal age, spermatogenesis, selfish spermatogonial selection, paternal age effect, de novo mutations (DNMs), MDs, NIPT, ethics of late fatherhood, prenatal testing and paternal rights. OUTCOMES An advanced paternal age provokes the accumulation of DNMs, which arise in continuously dividing germline cells. A subset of DNMs, owing to their effect on the rat sarcoma virus protein-mitogen-activated protein kinase signalling pathway, becomes beneficial for spermatogonia, causing selfish spermatogonial selection and outgrowth, and in some rare cases may lead to spermatocytic seminoma later in life. In the offspring, these selfish DNMs cause paternal age effect (PAE) disorders with a severe and even life-threatening phenotype. The increasing tendency for late paternity and the subsequent high risk of PAE disorders indicate an increased need for a safe and reliable detection procedure, such as MD-NIPT. The MD-NIPT approach has the capacity to provide safe screening for pregnancies at risk of PAE disorders and MDs, which constitute up to 20% of all pregnancies. The primary risks include pregnancies with a paternal age over 40 years, a previous history of an affected pregnancy/child, and/or congenital anomalies detected by routine ultrasonography. The implementation of NIPT-based screening would support the early diagnosis and management needed in cases of affected pregnancy. However, the benefits of MD-NIPT need to be balanced with the ethical challenges associated with the introduction of such an approach into routine clinical practice, namely concerns regarding reproductive autonomy, informed consent, potential disability discrimination, paternal rights and PAE-associated issues, equity and justice in accessing services, and counselling. WIDER IMPLICATIONS Considering the increasing parental age and risks of MDs, combined NIPT for chromosomal aneuploidies and microdeletion syndromes as well as tests for MDs might become a part of routine pregnancy management in the near future. Moreover, the ethical challenges associated with the introduction of MD-NIPT into routine clinical practice need to be carefully evaluated. Furthermore, more focus and attention should be directed towards the ethics of late paternity, paternal rights and paternal genetic guilt associated with pregnancies affected with PAE MDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidiia Zhytnik
- Competence Centre on Health Technologies, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Maire Peters
- Competence Centre on Health Technologies, Tartu, Estonia.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kadi Tilk
- Competence Centre on Health Technologies, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kadri Simm
- Institute of Philosophy and Semiotics, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Centre of Ethics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Neeme Tõnisson
- Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Department of Clinical Genetics, United Laboratories, Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia.,Department of Reproductive Medicine, West Tallinn Central Hospital, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Tiia Reimand
- Department of Clinical Genetics, United Laboratories, Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia.,Department of Clinical Genetics, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Katre Maasalu
- Clinic of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia.,Department of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Ganesh Acharya
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kaarel Krjutškov
- Competence Centre on Health Technologies, Tartu, Estonia.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Andres Salumets
- Competence Centre on Health Technologies, Tartu, Estonia.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.,Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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48
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Bates EA, Counsell JR, Alizert S, Baker AT, Suff N, Boyle A, Bradshaw AC, Waddington SN, Nicklin SA, Baker AH, Parker AL. In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of Human Adenovirus Type 49 as a Vector for Therapeutic Applications. Viruses 2021; 13:1483. [PMID: 34452348 PMCID: PMC8402785 DOI: 10.3390/v13081483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The human adenovirus phylogenetic tree is split across seven species (A-G). Species D adenoviruses offer potential advantages for gene therapy applications, with low rates of pre-existing immunity detected across screened populations. However, many aspects of the basic virology of species D-such as their cellular tropism, receptor usage, and in vivo biodistribution profile-remain unknown. Here, we have characterized human adenovirus type 49 (HAdV-D49)-a relatively understudied species D member. We report that HAdV-D49 does not appear to use a single pathway to gain cell entry, but appears able to interact with various surface molecules for entry. As such, HAdV-D49 can transduce a broad range of cell types in vitro, with variable engagement of blood coagulation FX. Interestingly, when comparing in vivo biodistribution to adenovirus type 5, HAdV-D49 vectors show reduced liver targeting, whilst maintaining transduction of lung and spleen. Overall, this presents HAdV-D49 as a robust viral vector platform for ex vivo manipulation of human cells, and for in vivo applications where the therapeutic goal is to target the lung or gain access to immune cells in the spleen, whilst avoiding liver interactions, such as intravascular vaccine applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily A. Bates
- Division of Cancer and Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK; (E.A.B.); (A.T.B.)
| | - John R. Counsell
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH, UK;
- NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Sophie Alizert
- Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, BHF Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK; (S.A.); (A.C.B.); (S.A.N.)
| | - Alexander T. Baker
- Division of Cancer and Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK; (E.A.B.); (A.T.B.)
- Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ 85259, USA
| | - Natalie Suff
- Department of Women and Children’s Health, King’s College London, St Thomas’ Hospital, Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7EH, UK;
| | - Ashley Boyle
- Gene Transfer Technology Group, EGA Institute for Women’s Health, University College London, 86-96 Chenies Mews, London WC1E 6BT, UK; (A.B.); (S.N.W.)
| | - Angela C. Bradshaw
- Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, BHF Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK; (S.A.); (A.C.B.); (S.A.N.)
| | - Simon N. Waddington
- Gene Transfer Technology Group, EGA Institute for Women’s Health, University College London, 86-96 Chenies Mews, London WC1E 6BT, UK; (A.B.); (S.N.W.)
- MRC Antiviral Gene Therapy Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witswatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa
| | - Stuart A. Nicklin
- Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, BHF Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK; (S.A.); (A.C.B.); (S.A.N.)
| | - Andrew H. Baker
- Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, BHF Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK; (S.A.); (A.C.B.); (S.A.N.)
- Queen’s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Alan L. Parker
- Division of Cancer and Genetics, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK; (E.A.B.); (A.T.B.)
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49
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In utero adenine base editing corrects multi-organ pathology in a lethal lysosomal storage disease. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4291. [PMID: 34257302 PMCID: PMC8277817 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24443-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
In utero base editing has the potential to correct disease-causing mutations before the onset of pathology. Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS-IH, Hurler syndrome) is a lysosomal storage disease (LSD) affecting multiple organs, often leading to early postnatal cardiopulmonary demise. We assessed in utero adeno-associated virus serotype 9 (AAV9) delivery of an adenine base editor (ABE) targeting the Idua G→A (W392X) mutation in the MPS-IH mouse, corresponding to the common IDUA G→A (W402X) mutation in MPS-IH patients. Here we show efficient long-term W392X correction in hepatocytes and cardiomyocytes and low-level editing in the brain. In utero editing was associated with improved survival and amelioration of metabolic, musculoskeletal, and cardiac disease. This proof-of-concept study demonstrates the possibility of efficiently performing therapeutic base editing in multiple organs before birth via a clinically relevant delivery mechanism, highlighting the potential of this approach for MPS-IH and other genetic diseases. Lysosomal storage diseases like mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I) cause pathology before birth and result in early morbidity and mortality. Here, the authors show that in utero base editing mediates multi-organ phenotypic and survival benefits in a mouse model recapitulating a common human MPSI mutation.
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50
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Do J, Perez G, Berhe B, Tayebi N, Sidransky E. Behavioral Phenotyping in a Murine Model of GBA1-Associated Parkinson Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22136826. [PMID: 34202076 PMCID: PMC8267726 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22136826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations in GBA1, the gene encoding glucocerebrosidase, are common genetic risk factors for Parkinson disease (PD). While the mechanism underlying this relationship is unclear, patients with GBA1-associated PD often have an earlier onset and faster progression than idiopathic PD. Previously, we modeled GBA1-associated PD by crossing gba haploinsufficient mice with mice overexpressing a human mutant α-synuclein transgene (SNCAA53T), observing an earlier demise, shorter life span and faster symptom progression, although behavioral testing was not performed. To assess whether gba+/−//SNCAA53T mice exhibit a prodromal behavioral phenotype, we studied three cardinal PD features: olfactory discrimination, memory dysfunction, and motor function. The longitudinal performance of gba+/−//SNCAA53T (n = 8), SNCAA53T (n = 9), gba+/− (n = 10) and wildtype (n = 6) mice was evaluated between ages 8 and 23 months using the buried pellet test, novel object recognition test and the beam walk. Fifteen-month-old gba+/−//SNCAA53T mice showed more olfactory and motor deficits than wildtype mice. However, differences between gba+/−//SNCAA53T and SNCAA53T mice generally did not reach statistical significance, possibly due to small sample sizes. Furthermore, while gba haploinsufficiency leads to a more rapid demise, this might not result in an earlier prodromal stage, and other factors, including aging, oxidative stress and epigenetics, may contribute to the more fulminant disease course.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Nahid Tayebi
- Correspondence: (N.T.); (E.S.); Tel.: +1-301-496-0373 (N.T.); +1-301-451-0901 (E.S.)
| | - Ellen Sidransky
- Correspondence: (N.T.); (E.S.); Tel.: +1-301-496-0373 (N.T.); +1-301-451-0901 (E.S.)
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