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Surdyka M, Jesion E, Niewiadomska-Cimicka A, Trottier Y, Kalinowska-Pośka Ż, Figiel M. Selective transduction of cerebellar Purkinje and granule neurons using delivery of AAV-PHP.eB and AAVrh10 vectors at axonal terminal locations. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:947490. [PMID: 36176957 PMCID: PMC9513253 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.947490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based brain gene therapies require precision without off-targeting of unaffected neurons to avoid side effects. The cerebellum and its cell populations, including granule and Purkinje cells, are vulnerable to neurodegeneration; hence, conditions to deliver the therapy to specific cell populations selectively remain challenging. We have investigated a system consisting of the AAV serotypes, targeted injections, and transduction modes (direct or retrograde) for targeted delivery of AAV to cerebellar cell populations. We selected the AAV-PHP.eB and AAVrh10 serotypes valued for their retrograde features, and we thoroughly examined their cerebellar transduction pattern when injected into lobules and deep cerebellar nuclei. We found that AAVrh10 is suitable for the transduction of neurons in the mode highly dependent on placing the virus at axonal terminals. The strategy secures selective transduction for granule cells. The AAV-PHP.eB can transduce Purkinje cells and is very selective for the cell type when injected into the DCN at axonal PC terminals. Therefore, both serotypes can be used in a retrograde mode for selective transduction of major neuronal types in the cerebellum. Moreover, our in vivo transduction strategies are suitable for pre-clinical protocol development for gene delivery to granule cells by AAVrh10 and Purkinje cells by AAV-PHPeB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Surdyka
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Ewelina Jesion
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Anna Niewiadomska-Cimicka
- Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology, INSERM U1258, CNRS UMR7104, University of Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
| | - Yvon Trottier
- Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology, INSERM U1258, CNRS UMR7104, University of Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
| | - Żaneta Kalinowska-Pośka
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Maciej Figiel
- Department of Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland
- *Correspondence: Maciej Figiel
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Transfer of SCN1A to the brain of adolescent mouse model of Dravet syndrome improves epileptic, motor, and behavioral manifestations. MOLECULAR THERAPY-NUCLEIC ACIDS 2021; 25:585-602. [PMID: 34589280 PMCID: PMC8463324 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2021.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Dravet syndrome is a genetic encephalopathy characterized by severe epilepsy combined with motor, cognitive, and behavioral abnormalities. Current antiepileptic drugs achieve only partial control of seizures and provide little benefit on the patient’s neurological development. In >80% of cases, the disease is caused by haploinsufficiency of the SCN1A gene, which encodes the alpha subunit of the Nav1.1 voltage-gated sodium channel. Novel therapies aim to restore SCN1A expression in order to address all disease manifestations. We provide evidence that a high-capacity adenoviral vector harboring the 6-kb SCN1A cDNA is feasible and able to express functional Nav1.1 in neurons. In vivo, the best biodistribution was observed after intracerebral injection in basal ganglia, cerebellum, and prefrontal cortex. SCN1A A1783V knockin mice received the vector at 5 weeks of age, when most neurological alterations were present. Animals were protected from sudden death, and the epileptic phenotype was attenuated. Improvement of motor performance and interaction with the environment was observed. In contrast, hyperactivity persisted, and the impact on cognitive tests was variable (success in novel object recognition and failure in Morris water maze tests). These results provide proof of concept for gene supplementation in Dravet syndrome and indicate new directions for improvement.
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Jia F, Zhu X, Lv P, Hu L, Liu Q, Jin S, Xu F. Rapid and Sparse Labeling of Neurons Based on the Mutant Virus-Like Particle of Semliki Forest Virus. Neurosci Bull 2019; 35:378-388. [PMID: 30888608 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-019-00362-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Sparse labeling of neurons contributes to uncovering their morphology, and rapid expression of a fluorescent protein reduces the experiment range. To achieve the goal of rapid and sparse labeling of neurons in vivo, we established a rapid method for depicting the fine structure of neurons at 24 h post-infection based on a mutant virus-like particle of Semliki Forest virus. Approximately 0.014 fluorescent focus-forming units of the mutant virus-like particle transferred enhanced green fluorescent protein into neurons in vivo, and its affinity for neurons in vivo was stronger than for neurons in vitro and BHK21 (baby hamster kidney) cells. Collectively, the mutant virus-like particle provides a robust and convenient way to reveal the fine structure of neurons and is expected to be a helper virus for combining with other tools to determine their connectivity. Our work adds a new tool to the approaches for rapid and sparse labeling of neurons in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.
- Brain Research Center, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Xutao Zhu
- Brain Research Center, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Pei Lv
- Brain Research Center, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Liang Hu
- Brain Research Center, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Qing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
- Brain Research Center, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Sen Jin
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Fuqiang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.
- Brain Research Center, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
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Abstract
Adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated gene therapy has evolved from bench to bedside, and now is the therapy of choice for certain inherited diseases. However, the small packaging capacity of AAV vectors prevents this technique from treating genetic diseases with mutations of large genes. Multiple strategies, including split AAV gene delivery and oversized AAV gene delivery, have been explored to deliver large gene expression cassettes. These strategies have gained some success in animal experiments. In this chapter, we review the progress of AAV-mediated delivery of large expression cassettes. We also review using AAV to deliver multiple transgenes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aman Patel
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Junling Zhao
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Dongsheng Duan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Yi Lai
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
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Dashkoff J, Lerner EP, Truong N, Klickstein JA, Fan Z, Mu D, Maguire CA, Hyman BT, Hudry E. Tailored transgene expression to specific cell types in the central nervous system after peripheral injection with AAV9. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2016; 3:16081. [PMID: 27933308 PMCID: PMC5142512 DOI: 10.1038/mtm.2016.81] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2016] [Revised: 10/22/2016] [Accepted: 10/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The capacity of certain adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors to cross the blood–brain barrier after intravenous delivery offers a unique opportunity for noninvasive brain delivery. However, without a well-tailored system, the use of a peripheral route injection may lead to undesirable transgene expression in nontarget cells or organs. To refine this approach, the present study characterizes the transduction profiles of new self-complementary AAV9 (scAAV9) expressing the green fluorescent protein (GFP) either under an astrocyte (glial fibrillary acidic (GFA) protein) or neuronal (Synapsin (Syn)) promoter, after intravenous injection of adult mice (2 × 1013 vg/kg). ScAAV9-GFA-GFP and scAAV9-Syn-GFP robustly transduce astrocytes (11%) and neurons (17%), respectively, without aberrant expression leakage. Interestingly, while the percentages of GFP-positive astrocytes with scAAV9-GFA-GFP are similar to the performances observed with scAAV9-CBA-GFP (broadly active promoter), significant higher percentages of neurons express GFP with scAAV9-Syn-GFP. GFP-positive excitatory as well as inhibitory neurons are observed, as well as motor neurons in the spinal cord. Additionally, both activated (GFAP-positive) and resting astrocytes (GFAP-negative) express the reporter gene after scAAV9-GFA-GFP injection. These data thoroughly characterize the gene expression specificity of AAVs fitted with neuronal and astrocyte-selective promoters after intravenous delivery, which will prove useful for central nervous system (CNS) gene therapy approaches in which peripheral expression of transgene is a concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Dashkoff
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Eli P Lerner
- MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School , Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nhi Truong
- MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School , Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jacob A Klickstein
- MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School , Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Zhanyun Fan
- MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School , Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Dakai Mu
- Department of Neurology, The Massachusetts General Hospital, and NeuroDiscovery Center, Harvard Medical School , Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Casey A Maguire
- Department of Neurology, The Massachusetts General Hospital, and NeuroDiscovery Center, Harvard Medical School , Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Bradley T Hyman
- MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School , Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Eloise Hudry
- MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School , Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
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Chira S, Jackson CS, Oprea I, Ozturk F, Pepper MS, Diaconu I, Braicu C, Raduly LZ, Calin GA, Berindan-Neagoe I. Progresses towards safe and efficient gene therapy vectors. Oncotarget 2016; 6:30675-703. [PMID: 26362400 PMCID: PMC4741561 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.5169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2015] [Accepted: 08/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of genetic engineering at the beginning of the 1970′s opened the era of biomedical technologies, which aims to improve human health using genetic manipulation techniques in a clinical context. Gene therapy represents an innovating and appealing strategy for treatment of human diseases, which utilizes vehicles or vectors for delivering therapeutic genes into the patients' body. However, a few past unsuccessful events that negatively marked the beginning of gene therapy resulted in the need for further studies regarding the design and biology of gene therapy vectors, so that this innovating treatment approach can successfully move from bench to bedside. In this paper, we review the major gene delivery vectors and recent improvements made in their design meant to overcome the issues that commonly arise with the use of gene therapy vectors. At the end of the manuscript, we summarized the main advantages and disadvantages of common gene therapy vectors and we discuss possible future directions for potential therapeutic vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergiu Chira
- Research Center for Functional Genomics, Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Haţieganu", Cluj Napoca, Romania
| | - Carlo S Jackson
- Department of Immunology and Institute for Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Iulian Oprea
- Department of Oncology and Pathology, Cancer Center Karolinska, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ferhat Ozturk
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Canik Başari University, Samsun, Turkey
| | - Michael S Pepper
- Department of Immunology and Institute for Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | | | - Cornelia Braicu
- Research Center for Functional Genomics, Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Haţieganu", Cluj Napoca, Romania
| | - Lajos-Zsolt Raduly
- Research Center for Functional Genomics, Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Haţieganu", Cluj Napoca, Romania.,Department of Physiopathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Science and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj Napoca, Romania
| | - George A Calin
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.,Center for RNA Interference and Non-Coding RNAs, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ioana Berindan-Neagoe
- Research Center for Functional Genomics, Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Haţieganu", Cluj Napoca, Romania.,Department of Immunology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Haţieganu", Cluj Napoca, Romania.,Department of Functional Genomics and Experimental Pathology, Oncological Institute "Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuţă", Cluj Napoca, Romania.,Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
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Alshammari MA, Alshammari TK, Laezza F. Improved Methods for Fluorescence Microscopy Detection of Macromolecules at the Axon Initial Segment. Front Cell Neurosci 2016; 10:5. [PMID: 26909021 PMCID: PMC4754416 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2016.00005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2015] [Accepted: 01/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The axonal initial segment (AIS) is the subcellular compartment required for initiation of the action potential in neurons. Scaffolding and regulatory proteins at the AIS cluster with ion channels ensuring the integrity of electrical signaling. Interference with the configuration of this protein network can lead to profound effects on neuronal polarity, excitability, cell-to-cell connectivity and brain circuit plasticity. As such, the ability to visualize AIS components with precision provides an invaluable opportunity for parsing out key molecular determinants of neuronal function. Fluorescence-based immunolabeling is a sensitive method for morphological and molecular characterization of fine structures in neurons. Yet, even when combined with confocal microscopy, detection of AIS elements with immunofluorescence has been limited by the loss of antigenicity caused by fixative materials. This technical barrier has posed significant limitations in detecting AIS components alone or in combination with other markers. Here, we designed improved protocols targeted to confocal immunofluorescence detection of the AIS marker fibroblast growth factor 14 (FGF14) in combination with the cytoskeletal-associated protein Ankyrin-G, the scaffolding protein βIV-spectrin, voltage-gated Na+ (Nav) channels (especially the Nav1.6 isoform) and critical cell type-specific neuronal markers such as parvalbumin, calbindin, and NeuN in the mouse brain. Notably, we demonstrate that intracardiac perfusion of animals with a commercially available solution containing 1% formaldehyde and 0.5% methanol, followed by brief fixation with cold acetone is an optimal and sensitive protocol for FGF14 and other AIS marker detection that guarantees excellent tissue integrity. With variations in the procedure, we also significantly improved the detection of Nav1.6, a Nav isoform known for its fixative-sensitivity. Overall, this study provides an ensemble of immunohistochemical recipes that permit excellent staining of otherwise invisible molecules within well-preserved tissue architecture. While improving the specific investigation of AIS physiology and cell biology, our thorough study can also serve as a roadmap for optimizing immunodetection of other fixative-sensitive proteins expanding the repertoire of enabling methods for brain studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Musaad A Alshammari
- Graduate Studies Abroad Program, King Saud UniversityRiyadh, Saudi Arabia; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA
| | - Tahani K Alshammari
- Graduate Studies Abroad Program, King Saud UniversityRiyadh, Saudi Arabia; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA
| | - Fernanda Laezza
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA; Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA; Center for Addiction Research, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA; Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA
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Reversal of Aging-Related Neuronal Ca2+ Dysregulation and Cognitive Impairment by Delivery of a Transgene Encoding FK506-Binding Protein 12.6/1b to the Hippocampus. J Neurosci 2015. [PMID: 26224869 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1248-15.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Brain Ca2+ regulatory processes are altered during aging, disrupting neuronal, and cognitive functions. In hippocampal pyramidal neurons, the Ca2+ -dependent slow afterhyperpolarization (sAHP) exhibits an increase with aging, which correlates with memory impairment. The increased sAHP results from elevated L-type Ca2+ channel activity and ryanodine receptor (RyR)-mediated Ca2+ release, but underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. Previously, we found that expression of the gene encoding FK506-binding protein 12.6/1b (FKBP1b), a small immunophilin that stabilizes RyR-mediated Ca2+ release in cardiomyocytes, declines in hippocampus of aged rats and Alzheimer's disease subjects. Additionally, knockdown/disruption of hippocampal FKBP1b in young rats augments neuronal Ca2+ responses. Here, we test the hypothesis that declining FKBP1b underlies aging-related hippocampal Ca2+ dysregulation. Using microinjection of adeno-associated viral vector bearing a transgene encoding FKBP1b into the hippocampus of aged male rats, we assessed the critical prediction that overexpressing FKBP1b should reverse Ca2+ -mediated manifestations of brain aging. Immunohistochemistry and qRT-PCR confirmed hippocampal FKBP1b overexpression 4-6 weeks after injection. Compared to aged vector controls, aged rats overexpressing FKBP1b showed dramatic enhancement of spatial memory, which correlated with marked reduction of sAHP magnitude. Furthermore, simultaneous electrophysiological recording and Ca2+ imaging in hippocampal neurons revealed that the sAHP reduction was associated with a decrease in parallel RyR-mediated Ca2+ transients. Thus, hippocampal FKBP1b overexpression reversed key aspects of Ca2+ dysregulation and cognitive impairment in aging rats, supporting the novel hypothesis that declining FKBP1b is a molecular mechanism underlying aging-related Ca2+ dysregulation and unhealthy brain aging and pointing to FKBP1b as a potential therapeutic target. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This paper reports critical tests of a novel hypothesis that proposes a molecular mechanism of unhealthy brain aging and possibly, Alzheimer's disease. For more than 30 years, evidence has been accumulating that brain aging is associated with dysregulation of calcium in neurons. Recently, we found that FK506-binding protein 12.6/1b (FKBP1b), a small protein that regulates calcium, declines with aging in the hippocampus, a brain region important for memory. Here we used gene therapy approaches and found that raising FKBP1b reversed calcium dysregulation and memory impairment in aging rats, allowing them to perform a memory task as well as young rats. These studies identify a potential molecular mechanism of brain aging and may also have implications for treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
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Intracellular FGF14 (iFGF14) Is Required for Spontaneous and Evoked Firing in Cerebellar Purkinje Neurons and for Motor Coordination and Balance. J Neurosci 2015; 35:6752-69. [PMID: 25926453 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2663-14.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in FGF14, which encodes intracellular fibroblast growth factor 14 (iFGF14), have been linked to spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA27). In addition, mice lacking Fgf14 (Fgf14(-/-)) exhibit an ataxia phenotype resembling SCA27, accompanied by marked changes in the excitability of cerebellar granule and Purkinje neurons. It is not known, however, whether these phenotypes result from defects in neuronal development or if they reflect a physiological requirement for iFGF14 in the adult cerebellum. Here, we demonstrate that the acute and selective Fgf14-targeted short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated in vivo "knock-down" of iFGF14 in adult Purkinje neurons attenuates spontaneous and evoked action potential firing without measurably affecting the expression or localization of voltage-gated Na(+) (Nav) channels at Purkinje neuron axon initial segments. The selective shRNA-mediated in vivo "knock-down" of iFGF14 in adult Purkinje neurons also impairs motor coordination and balance. Repetitive firing can be restored in Fgf14-targeted shRNA-expressing Purkinje neurons, as well as in Fgf14(-/-) Purkinje neurons, by prior membrane hyperpolarization, suggesting that the iFGF14-mediated regulation of the excitability of mature Purkinje neurons depends on membrane potential. Further experiments revealed that the loss of iFGF14 results in a marked hyperpolarizing shift in the voltage dependence of steady-state inactivation of the Nav currents in adult Purkinje neurons. We also show here that expressing iFGF14 selectively in adult Fgf14(-/-) Purkinje neurons rescues spontaneous firing and improves motor performance. Together, these results demonstrate that iFGF14 is required for spontaneous and evoked action potential firing in adult Purkinje neurons, thereby controlling the output of these cells and the regulation of motor coordination and balance.
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Zhang YH, Wang Y, Yusufali AH, Ashby F, Zhang D, Yin ZF, Aslanidi GV, Srivastava A, Ling CQ, Ling C. Cytotoxic genes from traditional Chinese medicine inhibit tumor growth both in vitro and in vivo. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE-JIM 2015; 12:483-94. [PMID: 25412666 DOI: 10.1016/s2095-4964(14)60057-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Little effort has been made to study the protein-encoding genes isolated from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) drugs, and the delivery of these genes into malignant cells through recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors has not been attempted. METHODS We synthesized the cDNAs of five known cytotoxic proteins isolated from TCM drugs and the FLAG epitope-tagged cDNAs were subcloned into a rAAV plasmid vector. The protein expression was confirmed by Western blot assay. Various cancer cell lines were transfected with the above plasmids and cell growth was monitored both in vitro and in vivo. The best cytotoxic gene was further packaged into rAAV vectors, under the control of a liver cancer-specific promoter. The liver tumor growth was then monitored following intratumor administration of the rAAV vectors. RESULTS The expression plasmids, encoding individual potential cytotoxic genes tagged with FLAG epitope, were successfully generated and sequenced. Among these genes, trichosanthin (TCS) gene yielded the most promising results for the inhibition of cancer cell growth in vitro. The over-expressed TCS functioned as a type I ribosome-inactivating protein, followed by inducing apoptosis that is associated with the Bcl-PARP signaling pathway. Furthermore, intratumor injection of rAAV vectors containing the TCS gene significantly inhibited the growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma tumors in a murine xenograft model. CONCLUSION Our studies suggest that the use of TCM cytotoxic genes is a useful therapeutic strategy for treating human cancers in general, and liver tumors in particular.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan-hui Zhang
- Changhai Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Yuan Wang
- Changhai Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Ali Hussein Yusufali
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Therapy, Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA
| | - Frederick Ashby
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Therapy, Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA
| | - Daniel Zhang
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Therapy, Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA
| | - Zi-fei Yin
- Changhai Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - George V Aslanidi
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Therapy, Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA
| | - Arun Srivastava
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Therapy, Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA
| | - Chang-quan Ling
- Changhai Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China; E-mail:
| | - Chen Ling
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Therapy, Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA; E-mail:
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Holehonnur R, Lella SK, Ho A, Luong JA, Ploski JE. The production of viral vectors designed to express large and difficult to express transgenes within neurons. Mol Brain 2015; 8:12. [PMID: 25887710 PMCID: PMC4359567 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-015-0100-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2014] [Accepted: 02/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Viral vectors are frequently used to deliver and direct expression of transgenes in a spatially and temporally restricted manner within the nervous system of numerous model organisms. Despite the common use of viral vectors to direct ectopic expression of transgenes within the nervous system, creating high titer viral vectors that are capable of expressing very large transgenes or difficult to express transgenes imposes unique challenges. Here we describe the development of adeno-associated viruses (AAV) and lentiviruses designed to express the large and difficult to express GluN2A or GluN2B subunits of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA) receptor, specifically within neurons. RESULTS We created a number of custom designed AAV and lentiviral vectors that were optimized for large transgenes, by minimizing DNA sequences that were not essential, utilizing short promoter sequences of 8 widely used promoters (RSV, EFS, TRE3G, 0.4αCaMKII, 1.3αCaMKII, 0.5Synapsin, 1.1Synapsin and CMV) and utilizing a very short (~75 bps) 3' untranslated sequence. Not surprisingly these promoters differed in their ability to express the GluN2 subunits, however surprisingly we found that the neuron specific synapsin and αCaMKII, promoters were incapable of conferring detectable expression of full length GluN2 subunits and detectable expression could only be achieved from these promoters if the transgene included an intron or if the GluN2 subunit transgenes were truncated to only include the coding regions of the GluN2 transmembrane domains. CONCLUSIONS We determined that viral packaging limit, transgene promoter and the presence of an intron within the transgene were all important factors that contributed to being able to successfully develop viral vectors designed to deliver and express GluN2 transgenes in a neuron specific manner. Because these vectors have been optimized to accommodate large open reading frames and in some cases contain an intron to facilitate expression of difficult to express transgenes, these viral vectors likely could be useful for delivering and expressing many large or difficult to express transgenes in a neuron specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roopashri Holehonnur
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and the Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA.
| | - Srihari K Lella
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and the Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA.
| | - Anthony Ho
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and the Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA.
| | - Jonathan A Luong
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and the Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA.
| | - Jonathan E Ploski
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences and the Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA.
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Renaud-Gabardos E, Hantelys F, Morfoisse F, Chaufour X, Garmy-Susini B, Prats AC. Internal ribosome entry site-based vectors for combined gene therapy. World J Exp Med 2015; 5:11-20. [PMID: 25699230 PMCID: PMC4308528 DOI: 10.5493/wjem.v5.i1.11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2014] [Revised: 11/25/2014] [Accepted: 12/19/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene therapy appears as a promising strategy to treat incurable diseases. In particular, combined gene therapy has shown improved therapeutic efficiency. Internal ribosome entry sites (IRESs), RNA elements naturally present in the 5’ untranslated regions of a few mRNAs, constitute a powerful tool to co-express several genes of interest. IRESs are translational enhancers allowing the translational machinery to start protein synthesis by internal initiation. This feature allowed the design of multi-cistronic vectors expressing several genes from a single mRNA. IRESs exhibit tissue specificity, and drive translation in stress conditions when the global cell translation is blocked, which renders them useful for gene transfer in hypoxic conditions occurring in ischemic diseases and cancer. IRES-based viral and non viral vectors have been used successfully in preclinical and clinical assays of combined gene therapy and resulted in therapeutic benefits for various pathologies including cancers, cardiovascular diseases and degenerative diseases.
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Doerfler PA, Byrne BJ, Clément N. Copackaging of multiple adeno-associated viral vectors in a single production step. Hum Gene Ther Methods 2014; 25:269-76. [PMID: 25143183 PMCID: PMC4346231 DOI: 10.1089/hgtb.2014.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2014] [Accepted: 08/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Limiting factors in large preclinical and clinical studies utilizing adeno-associated virus (AAV) for gene therapy are focused on the restrictive packaging capacity, the overall yields, and the versatility of the production methods for single AAV vector production. Furthermore, applications where multiple vectors are needed to provide long expression cassettes, whether because of long cDNA sequences or the need of different regulatory elements, require that each vector be packaged and characterized separately, directly affecting labor and cost associated with such manufacturing strategies. To overcome these limitations, we propose a novel method of vector production that allows for the packaging of multiple expression cassettes in a single transfection step. Here we combined two expression cassettes in predetermined ratios before transfection and empirically demonstrate that the output vector recapitulates the predicted ratios. Titration by quantitative polymerase chain reaction of AAV vector genome copies using shared or unique genetic elements allowed for delineation of the individual vector contribution to the total preparation that showed the predicted differential packaging outcomes. By copackaging green fluorescent protein (GFP) and mCherry constructs, we demonstrate that both vector genome and infectious titers reiterated the ratios utilized to produce the constructs by transfection. Copackaged therapeutic constructs that only differ in transcriptional elements produced a heterogeneous vector population of both constructs in the predefined ratios. This study shows feasibility and reproducibility of a method that allows for two constructs, differing in either transgene or transcription elements, to be efficiently copackaged and characterized simultaneously, reducing cost of manufacturing and release testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip A Doerfler
- Powell Gene Therapy Center, Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Florida , Gainesville, FL 32610
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