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Hunter JE, Molony CM, Bagel JH, O’Donnell PA, Kaler SG, Wolfe JH. Transduction characteristics of alternative adeno-associated virus serotypes in the cat brain by intracisternal delivery. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2022; 26:384-393. [PMID: 36034772 PMCID: PMC9391516 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2022.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Multiple studies have examined the transduction characteristics of different AAV serotypes in the mouse brain, where they can exhibit significantly different patterns of transduction. The pattern of transduction also varies with the route of administration. Much less information exists for the transduction characteristics in large-brained animals. Large animal models have brains that are closer in size and organization to the human brain, such as being gyrencephalic compared to the lissencephalic rodent brains, pathway organization, and certain electrophysiologic properties. Large animal models are used as translational intermediates to develop gene therapies to treat human diseases. Various AAV serotypes and routes of delivery have been used to study the correction of pathology in the brain in lysosomal storage diseases. In this study, we evaluated the ability of selected AAV serotypes to transduce cells in the cat brain when delivered into the cerebrospinal fluid via the cisterna magna. We previously showed that AAV1 transduced significantly greater numbers of cells than AAV9 in the cat brain by this route. In the present study, we evaluated serotypes closely related to AAVs 1 and 9 (AAVs 6, AS, hu32) that may mediate more extensive transduction, as well as AAVs 4 and 5, which primarily transduce choroid plexus epithelial (CPE) and ependymal lining cells in the rodent brain. The related serotypes tended to have similar patterns of transduction but were divergent in some specific brain structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline E. Hunter
- Research Institute of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 502-G Abramson Research Center, 3615 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Caitlyn M. Molony
- W.F. Goodman Center for Comparative Medical Genetics, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jessica H. Bagel
- W.F. Goodman Center for Comparative Medical Genetics, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Patricia A. O’Donnell
- W.F. Goodman Center for Comparative Medical Genetics, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Stephen G. Kaler
- Section on Translational Neuroscience, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - John H. Wolfe
- Research Institute of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 502-G Abramson Research Center, 3615 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA,W.F. Goodman Center for Comparative Medical Genetics, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA,Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA,Corresponding author John H. Wolfe, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, 502-G Abramson Research Center, 3615 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104-4399, USA.
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2
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Bradbury AM, Bagel JH, Nguyen D, Lykken EA, Pesayco Salvador J, Jiang X, Swain GP, Assenmacher CA, Hendricks IJ, Miyadera K, Hess RS, Ostrager A, ODonnell P, Sands MS, Ory DS, Shelton GD, Bongarzone ER, Gray SJ, Vite CH. Krabbe disease successfully treated via monotherapy of intrathecal gene therapy. J Clin Invest 2021; 130:4906-4920. [PMID: 32773406 DOI: 10.1172/jci133953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Globoid cell leukodystrophy (GLD; Krabbe disease) is a progressive, incurable neurodegenerative disease caused by deficient activity of the hydrolytic enzyme galactosylceramidase (GALC). The ensuing cytotoxic accumulation of psychosine results in diffuse central and peripheral nervous system (CNS, PNS) demyelination. Presymptomatic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the only treatment for infantile-onset GLD; however, clinical outcomes of HSCT recipients often remain poor, and procedure-related morbidity is high. There are no effective therapies for symptomatic patients. Herein, we demonstrate in the naturally occurring canine model of GLD that presymptomatic monotherapy with intrathecal AAV9 encoding canine GALC administered into the cisterna magna increased GALC enzyme activity, normalized psychosine concentration, improved myelination, and attenuated inflammation in both the CNS and PNS. Moreover, AAV-mediated therapy successfully prevented clinical neurological dysfunction, allowing treated dogs to live beyond 2.5 years of age, more than 7 times longer than untreated dogs. Furthermore, we found that a 5-fold lower dose resulted in an attenuated form of disease, indicating that sufficient dosing is critical. Finally, postsymptomatic therapy with high-dose AAV9 also significantly extended lifespan, signifying a treatment option for patients for whom HSCT is not applicable. If translatable to patients, these findings would improve the outcomes of patients treated either pre- or postsymptomatically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison M Bradbury
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jessica H Bagel
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Duc Nguyen
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Erik A Lykken
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Jill Pesayco Salvador
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Xuntian Jiang
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Gary P Swain
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Charles A Assenmacher
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ian J Hendricks
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Keiko Miyadera
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Rebecka S Hess
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Arielle Ostrager
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Patricia ODonnell
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Mark S Sands
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Daniel S Ory
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - G Diane Shelton
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Ernesto R Bongarzone
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Steven J Gray
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Charles H Vite
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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3
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Yoon SY, Hunter JE, Chawla S, Clarke DL, Molony C, O'Donnell PA, Bagel JH, Kumar M, Poptani H, Vite CH, Wolfe JH. Global CNS correction in a large brain model of human alpha-mannosidosis by intravascular gene therapy. Brain 2020; 143:2058-2072. [PMID: 32671406 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awaa161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Intravascular injection of certain adeno-associated virus vector serotypes can cross the blood-brain barrier to deliver a gene into the CNS. However, gene distribution has been much more limited within the brains of large animals compared to rodents, rendering this approach suboptimal for treatment of the global brain lesions present in most human neurogenetic diseases. The most commonly used serotype in animal and human studies is 9, which also has the property of being transported via axonal pathways to distal neurons. A small number of other serotypes share this property, three of which were tested intravenously in mice compared to 9. Serotype hu.11 transduced fewer cells in the brain than 9, rh8 was similar to 9, but hu.32 mediated substantially greater transduction than the others throughout the mouse brain. To evaluate the potential for therapeutic application of the hu.32 serotype in a gyrencephalic brain of larger mammals, a hu.32 vector expressing the green fluorescent protein reporter gene was evaluated in the cat. Transduction was widely distributed in the cat brain, including in the cerebral cortex, an important target since mental retardation is an important component of many of the human neurogenetic diseases. The therapeutic potential of a hu.32 serotype vector was evaluated in the cat homologue of the human lysosomal storage disease alpha-mannosidosis, which has globally distributed lysosomal storage lesions in the brain. Treated alpha-mannosidosis cats had reduced severity of neurological signs and extended life spans compared to untreated cats. The extent of therapy was dose dependent and intra-arterial injection was more effective than intravenous delivery. Pre-mortem, non-invasive magnetic resonance spectroscopy and diffusion tensor imaging detected differences between the low and high doses, and showed normalization of grey and white matter imaging parameters at the higher dose. The imaging analysis was corroborated by post-mortem histological analysis, which showed reversal of histopathology throughout the brain with the high dose, intra-arterial treatment. The hu.32 serotype would appear to provide a significant advantage for effective treatment of the gyrencephalic brain by systemic adeno-associated virus delivery in human neurological diseases with widespread brain lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sea Young Yoon
- Research Institute of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Jacqueline E Hunter
- Research Institute of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Sanjeev Chawla
- Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Dana L Clarke
- W.F. Goodman Center for Comparative Medical Genetics, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Caitlyn Molony
- W.F. Goodman Center for Comparative Medical Genetics, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Patricia A O'Donnell
- W.F. Goodman Center for Comparative Medical Genetics, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Jessica H Bagel
- W.F. Goodman Center for Comparative Medical Genetics, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Manoj Kumar
- Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Harish Poptani
- Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Charles H Vite
- W.F. Goodman Center for Comparative Medical Genetics, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - John H Wolfe
- Research Institute of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, USA.,W.F. Goodman Center for Comparative Medical Genetics, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
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4
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Kao ML, Stellar S, Solon E, Lordi A, Kasica N, Swain G, Bagel JH, Gurda BL, Vite CH. Pharmacokinetics and distribution of 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin following a single intrathecal dose to cats. J Inherit Metab Dis 2020; 43:618-634. [PMID: 31707730 PMCID: PMC7317750 DOI: 10.1002/jimd.12189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
2-Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) is an experimental therapy for Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC) that reduced neuronal cholesterol and ganglioside storage, reduced Purkinje cell death, and increased lifespan in npc1-/- mice and NPC1 cats. In this study, tissue distribution was investigated in normal cats that received a single 120-mg dose of [14 C]-HP-β-CD (approximately 200 μCi/cat) via the cerebellomedullary cistern (CBMC) and lumbar cistern. One cat was euthanized at each of various time points up to 24 hours postdose for subsequent processing and quantitative whole-body autoradiographic analysis. HP-β-CD-derived radioactivity absorbed from the CBMC was widely distributed to cat tissues; most tissues were observed to have reached their highest concentration at 1 hour postdose. HP-β-CD-derived radioactivity penetrated into the deeper parts of the central nervous system with the highest concentration at 4 hours (403 μg Eq/g or 0.28 mM) and remained high (49.7 μg Eq/g or 0.03 mM) at 24 hours. The relatively long half-life (11-30 hours) in cerebral ventricles and the subarachnoid space surrounding the brain and spinal cord might contribute to the efficacy of HP-β-CD in NPC1 cats. Other tissues with high concentrations of radioactivity were nasal turbinates, pituitary gland, and urinary bladder, while relatively low concentrations were observed in blood and bile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark L. Kao
- Janssen Research & DevelopmentLLCRaritanNew Jersey
| | | | - Eric Solon
- Madrigal PharmaceuticalsWest ConshohockenPennsylvania
| | - Alfred Lordi
- XenoBiotic Laboratories, IncPlainsboroNew Jersey
| | - Nicole Kasica
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvania
| | - Gary Swain
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvania
| | - Jessica H. Bagel
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvania
| | - Brittney L. Gurda
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvania
| | - Charles H. Vite
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvania
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5
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Corado CR, Pinkstaff J, Jiang X, Galban EM, Fisher SJ, Scholler O, Russell C, Bagel JH, ODonnell PA, Ory DS, Vite CH, Bradbury AM. Cerebrospinal fluid and serum glycosphingolipid biomarkers in canine globoid cell leukodystrophy (Krabbe Disease). Mol Cell Neurosci 2019; 102:103451. [PMID: 31794880 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2019.103451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2019] [Revised: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Globoid cell leukodystrophy (GLD, Krabbe disease, Krabbe's disease) is caused by genetic mutations in the gene encoding, galactosylceramidase (GALC). Deficiency of this enzyme results in central and peripheral nervous system pathology, and is characterized by loss of myelin and an infiltration of globoid cells. The canine model of GLD provides a translational model which faithfully recapitulates much of the human disease pathology. Targeted lipidomic analysis was conducted in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) over the lifetime of GLD affected and normal canines, and in brain tissue at humane endpoint to better understand disease progression and identify potential biomarkers of disease. Psychosine, a substrate of GALC and primary contributor to the pathology in GLD, was observed to be significantly elevated in the serum and CSF by 2 or 4 weeks of age, respectively, and steadily increased over the lifetime of affected animals. Importantly, psychosine concentration strongly correlated with disease severity. Galactosylceramide, glucosylceramide, and lactosylceramide were also found to be elevated in the CSF of affected animals and increased with age. Psychosine and galactosylceramide were found to be significantly increased in brain tissue at humane endpoint. This study identified several biomarkers which may be useful in the development of therapeutics for GLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carley R Corado
- BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Inc., 105 Digital Drive, Novato, CA 94949, United States of America
| | - Jason Pinkstaff
- AnaptysBio, Inc., 10421 Pacific Center Court, San Diego, CA 92121, United States of America
| | - Xuntian Jiang
- Washington University, 1 Brookings Drive, St Louis, MO 63130, United States of America
| | - Evelyn M Galban
- University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, 3800 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States of America
| | - Samantha J Fisher
- University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, 3800 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States of America
| | - Oriane Scholler
- BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Inc., 105 Digital Drive, Novato, CA 94949, United States of America
| | - Chris Russell
- BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Inc., 105 Digital Drive, Novato, CA 94949, United States of America
| | - Jessica H Bagel
- University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, 3800 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States of America
| | - Patricia A ODonnell
- University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, 3800 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States of America
| | - Daniel S Ory
- Washington University, 1 Brookings Drive, St Louis, MO 63130, United States of America
| | - Charles H Vite
- University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, 3800 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States of America
| | - Allison M Bradbury
- University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, 3800 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States of America.
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6
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Gurda BL, Bagel JH, Fisher SJ, Schultz ML, Lieberman AP, Hand P, Vite CH, Swain GP. LC3 Immunostaining in the Inferior Olivary Nuclei of Cats With Niemann-Pick Disease Type C1 Is Associated With Patterned Purkinje Cell Loss. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 2019; 77:229-245. [PMID: 29346563 DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlx119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The feline model of Niemann-Pick disease, type C1 (NPC1) recapitulates the clinical, neuropathological, and biochemical abnormalities present in children with NPC1. The hallmarks of disease are the lysosomal storage of unesterified cholesterol and multiple sphingolipids in neurons, and the spatial and temporal distribution of Purkinje cell death. In feline NPC1 brain, microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) accumulations, indicating autophagosomes, were found within axons and presynaptic terminals. High densities of accumulated LC3 were seen in subdivisions of the inferior olive, which project to cerebellar regions that show the most Purkinje cell loss, suggesting that autophagic abnormalities in specific climbing fibers may contribute to the spatial pattern of Purkinje cell loss seen. Biweekly intrathecal administration of 2-hydroxypropyl-beta cyclodextrin (HPβCD) ameliorated neurological dysfunction, reduced cholesterol and sphingolipid accumulation, and increased lifespan in NPC1 cats. LC3 pathology was reduced in treated animals suggesting that HPβCD administration also ameliorates autophagic abnormalities. This study is the first to (i) identify specific brain regions exhibiting autophagic abnormalities in any species with NPC1, (ii) provide evidence of differential vulnerability among discrete brain nuclei and pathways, and (iii) show the amelioration of these abnormalities in NPC1 cats treated with HPβCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittney L Gurda
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Jessica H Bagel
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Samantha J Fisher
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Mark L Schultz
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Andrew P Lieberman
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Peter Hand
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Charles H Vite
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Gary P Swain
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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7
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Bradbury AM, Rafi MA, Bagel JH, Brisson BK, Marshall MS, Pesayco Salvador J, Jiang X, Swain GP, Prociuk ML, ODonnell PA, Fitzgerald C, Ory DS, Bongarzone ER, Shelton GD, Wenger DA, Vite CH. AAVrh10 Gene Therapy Ameliorates Central and Peripheral Nervous System Disease in Canine Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy (Krabbe Disease). Hum Gene Ther 2018; 29:785-801. [PMID: 29316812 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2017.151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Globoid cell leukodystrophy (GLD), or Krabbe disease, is an inherited, neurologic disorder that results from deficiency of a lysosomal enzyme, galactosylceramidase. Most commonly, deficits of galactosylceramidase result in widespread central and peripheral nervous system demyelination and death in affected infants typically by 2 years of age. Hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation is the current standard of care in children diagnosed prior to symptom onset. However, disease correction is incomplete. Herein, the first adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy experiments are presented in a naturally occurring canine model of GLD that closely recapitulates the clinical disease progression, neuropathological alterations, and biochemical abnormalities observed in human patients. Adapted from studies in twitcher mice, GLD dogs were treated by combination intravenous and intracerebroventricular injections of AAVrh10 to target both the peripheral and central nervous systems. Combination of intravenous and intracerebroventricular AAV gene therapy had a clear dose response and resulted in delayed onset of clinical signs, extended life-span, correction of biochemical defects, and attenuation of neuropathology. For the first time, therapeutic effect has been established in the canine model of GLD by targeting both peripheral and central nervous system impairments with potential clinical implications for GLD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison M Bradbury
- 1 Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Mohammed A Rafi
- 2 Department of Neurology, Sidney Kimmel College of Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Jessica H Bagel
- 1 Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Becky K Brisson
- 1 Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Michael S Marshall
- 3 Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois , Chicago, Illinois
| | - Jill Pesayco Salvador
- 4 Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Comparative Neuromuscular Laboratory, University of California , San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Xuntain Jiang
- 5 Diabetic Cardiovascular Disease Center, Washington University School of Medicine , St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Gary P Swain
- 1 Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Maria L Prociuk
- 1 Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Patricia A ODonnell
- 1 Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Caitlin Fitzgerald
- 1 Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Daniel S Ory
- 5 Diabetic Cardiovascular Disease Center, Washington University School of Medicine , St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Ernesto R Bongarzone
- 3 Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois , Chicago, Illinois.,6 Departamento de Química Biologica, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires , Argentina
| | - G Diane Shelton
- 4 Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Comparative Neuromuscular Laboratory, University of California , San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - David A Wenger
- 2 Department of Neurology, Sidney Kimmel College of Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Charles H Vite
- 1 Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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8
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Bradbury AM, Bagel JH, Jiang X, Swain GP, Prociuk ML, Fitzgerald CA, O'Donnell PA, Braund KG, Ory DS, Vite CH. Clinical, electrophysiological, and biochemical markers of peripheral and central nervous system disease in canine globoid cell leukodystrophy (Krabbe's disease). J Neurosci Res 2017; 94:1007-17. [PMID: 27638585 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2016] [Revised: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 06/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Globoid cell leukodystrophy (GLD), or Krabbe's disease, is a debilitating and always fatal pediatric neurodegenerative disease caused by a mutation in the gene encoding the hydrolytic enzyme galactosylceramidase (GALC). In the absence of GALC, progressive loss of myelin and accumulation of a neurotoxic substrate lead to incapacitating loss of motor and cognitive function and death, typically by 2 years of age. Currently, there is no cure. Recent convincing evidence of the therapeutic potential of combining gene and cell therapies in the murine model of GLD has accelerated the requirement for validated markers of disease to evaluate therapeutic efficacy. Here we demonstrate clinically relevant and quantifiable measures of central (CNS) and peripheral (PNS) nervous system disease progression in the naturally occurring canine model of GLD. As measured by brainstem auditory-evoked response testing, GLD dogs demonstrated a significant increase in I-V interpeak latency and hearing threshold at all time points. Motor nerve conduction velocities (NCVs) in GLD dogs were significantly lower than normal by 12-16 weeks of age, and sensory NCV was significantly lower than normal by 8-12 weeks of age, serving as a sensitive indicator of peripheral nerve dysfunction. Post-mortem histological evaluations confirmed neuroimaging and electrodiagnostic assessments and detailed loss of myelin and accumulation of storage product in the CNS and the PNS. Additionally, cerebrospinal fluid psychosine concentrations were significantly elevated in GLD dogs, demonstrating potential as a biochemical marker of disease. These data demonstrate that CNS and PNS disease progression can be quantified over time in the canine model of GLD with tools identical to those used to assess human patients. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison M Bradbury
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
| | - Jessica H Bagel
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Xuntian Jiang
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Gary P Swain
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Maria L Prociuk
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Caitlin A Fitzgerald
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Patricia A O'Donnell
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Kyle G Braund
- Veterinary Neurological Consulting Services, Dadeville, Alabama
| | - Daniel S Ory
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Charles H Vite
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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9
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Gurda BL, Swain G, Bagel JH, Prociuk M, Gray SJ, Fitzgerald C, O'Donnell P, Vite CH. 611. Promoter Evaluation of AAV Gene Therapy in the Central Nervous System for Feline Niemann-Pick Type C Disease. Mol Ther 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/s1525-0016(16)33419-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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10
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Vite CH, Bagel JH, Swain GP, Prociuk M, Sikora TU, Stein VM, O'Donnell P, Ruane T, Ward S, Crooks A, Li S, Mauldin E, Stellar S, De Meulder M, Kao ML, Ory DS, Davidson C, Vanier MT, Walkley SU. Intracisternal cyclodextrin prevents cerebellar dysfunction and Purkinje cell death in feline Niemann-Pick type C1 disease. Sci Transl Med 2015; 7:276ra26. [PMID: 25717099 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3010101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 151] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Niemann-Pick type C1 (NPC) disease is a lysosomal storage disease caused by mutations in the NPC1 gene, leading to an increase in unesterified cholesterol and several sphingolipids, and resulting in hepatic disease and progressive neurological disease. We show that subcutaneous administration of the pharmaceutical excipient 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) to cats with NPC disease ameliorated hepatic disease, but doses sufficient to reduce neurological disease resulted in pulmonary toxicity. However, direct administration of HPβCD into the cisterna magna of presymptomatic cats with NPC disease prevented the onset of cerebellar dysfunction for greater than a year and resulted in a reduction in Purkinje cell loss and near-normal concentrations of cholesterol and sphingolipids. Moreover, administration of intracisternal HPβCD to NPC cats with ongoing cerebellar dysfunction slowed disease progression, increased survival time, and decreased the accumulation of brain gangliosides. An increase in hearing threshold was identified as a potential adverse effect. These studies in a feline animal model have provided critical data on efficacy and safety of drug administration directly into the central nervous system that will be important for advancing HPβCD into clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles H Vite
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Jessica H Bagel
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Gary P Swain
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Maria Prociuk
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Tracey U Sikora
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Veronika M Stein
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Patricia O'Donnell
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Therese Ruane
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sarah Ward
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Alexandra Crooks
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Su Li
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Elizabeth Mauldin
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Susan Stellar
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson and Johnson, Titusville, NJ 08560, USA
| | - Marc De Meulder
- Janssen Research & Development, a division of Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson and Johnson, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Mark L Kao
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson and Johnson, Titusville, NJ 08560, USA
| | - Daniel S Ory
- Diabetic Cardiovascular Disease Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Cristin Davidson
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Rose F. Kennedy Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Marie T Vanier
- INSERM U820; EA4611, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Steven U Walkley
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Rose F. Kennedy Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
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11
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Yoon SY, Bagel JH, O'Donnell PA, Vite CH, Wolfe JH. Clinical Improvement of Alpha-mannosidosis Cat Following a Single Cisterna Magna Infusion of AAV1. Mol Ther 2015; 24:26-33. [PMID: 26354342 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2015.168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2015] [Accepted: 09/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) are debilitating neurometabolic disorders for most of which long-term effective therapies have not been developed. Gene therapy is a potential treatment but a critical barrier to treating the brain is the need for global correction. We tested the efficacy of cisterna magna infusion of adeno-associated virus type 1 (AAV1) expressing feline alpha-mannosidase gene in the postsymptomatic alpha-mannosidosis (AMD) cat, a homologue of the human disease. Lysosomal alpha-mannosidase (MANB) activity in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum were increased above the control values in untreated AMD cats. Clinical neurological signs were delayed in onset and reduced in severity. The lifespan of the treated cats was significantly extended. Postmortem histopathology showed resolution of lysosomal storage lesions throughout the brain. MANB activity in brain tissue was significantly above the levels of untreated tissues. The results demonstrate that a single cisterna magna injection of AAV1 into the CSF can mediate widespread neuronal transduction of the brain and meaningful clinical improvement. Thus, cisterna magna gene delivery by AAV1 appears to be a viable strategy for treatment of the whole brain in AMD and should be applicable to many of the neurotropic LSDs as well as other neurogenetic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sea Young Yoon
- Research Institute of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jessica H Bagel
- W.F. Goodman Center for Comparative Medical Genetics, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Patricia A O'Donnell
- W.F. Goodman Center for Comparative Medical Genetics, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Charles H Vite
- W.F. Goodman Center for Comparative Medical Genetics, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - John H Wolfe
- Research Institute of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.,W.F. Goodman Center for Comparative Medical Genetics, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Young Yoon S, Bagel JH, Kumar M, O'Donnell PA, Poptani H, Vite CH, Wolfe JH. 13. Post-Symptomatic Intrathecal Infusion of AAV1 Results in Reversal of Storage Lesions Throughout the Brain in the Cat Model of Alpha-Mannnosidosis Leading To Clinical Improvement. Mol Ther 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/s1525-0016(16)33617-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
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13
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Tortelli B, Fujiwara H, Bagel JH, Zhang J, Sidhu R, Jiang X, Yanjanin NM, Shankar RK, Carillo-Carasco N, Heiss J, Ottinger E, Porter FD, Schaffer JE, Vite CH, Ory DS. Cholesterol homeostatic responses provide biomarkers for monitoring treatment for the neurodegenerative disease Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1). Hum Mol Genet 2014; 23:6022-33. [PMID: 24964810 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddu331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1) disease is a rare, neurodegenerative lysosomal cholesterol storage disorder, typified by progressive cognitive and motor function impairment. Affected individuals usually succumb to the disease in adolescence. 2-Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) has emerged as a promising intervention that reduces lipid storage and prolongs survival in NPC1 disease animal models. A barrier to the development of HP-β-CD and other treatments for NPC disease has been the lack of validated biochemical measures to evaluate efficacy. Here we explored whether cholesterol homeostatic responses resulting from HP-β-CD-mediated redistribution of sequestered lysosomal cholesterol could provide biomarkers to monitor treatment. Upon direct CNS delivery of HP-β-CD, we found increases in plasma 24(S)-HC in two independent NPC1 disease animal models, findings that were confirmed in human NPC1 subjects receiving HP-β-CD. Since circulating 24(S)-HC is almost exclusively CNS-derived, the increase in plasma 24(S)-HC provides a peripheral, non-invasive measure of the CNS effect of HP-β-CD. Our findings suggest that plasma 24(S)-HC, along with the other cholesterol-derived markers examined in this study, can serve as biomarkers that will accelerate development of therapeutics for NPC1 disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett Tortelli
- Diabetic Cardiovascular Disease Center and Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Hideji Fujiwara
- Diabetic Cardiovascular Disease Center and Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Jessica H Bagel
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jessie Zhang
- Diabetic Cardiovascular Disease Center and Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Rohini Sidhu
- Diabetic Cardiovascular Disease Center and Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Xuntian Jiang
- Diabetic Cardiovascular Disease Center and Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Nicole M Yanjanin
- Department of Health and Human Services, Program in Developmental Endocrinology and Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
| | - Roopa Kanakatti Shankar
- Department of Health and Human Services, Program in Developmental Endocrinology and Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
| | - Nuria Carillo-Carasco
- Department of Health and Human Services, Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA and
| | - John Heiss
- Department of Health and Human Services, Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA and
| | - Elizabeth Ottinger
- Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases (TRND) Program, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Forbes D Porter
- Department of Health and Human Services, Program in Developmental Endocrinology and Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
| | - Jean E Schaffer
- Diabetic Cardiovascular Disease Center and Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Charles H Vite
- Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Daniel S Ory
- Diabetic Cardiovascular Disease Center and Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA,
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14
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Fan M, Sidhu R, Fujiwara H, Tortelli B, Zhang J, Davidson C, Walkley SU, Bagel JH, Vite C, Yanjanin NM, Porter FD, Schaffer JE, Ory DS. Identification of Niemann-Pick C1 disease biomarkers through sphingolipid profiling. J Lipid Res 2013; 54:2800-14. [PMID: 23881911 DOI: 10.1194/jlr.m040618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Niemann-Pick type C (NPC)1 is a rare neurodegenerative disease for which treatment options are limited. A major barrier to development of effective treatments has been the lack of validated biomarkers to monitor disease progression or serve as outcome measures in clinical trials. Using targeted metabolomics to exploit the complex lipid storage phenotype that is the hallmark of NPC1 disease, we broadly surveyed Npc1(-/-) mouse tissues and identified elevated species across multiple sphingolipid classes that increased with disease progression. There was a striking accumulation of sphingoid bases, monohexosylceramides (MCs), and GM2 gangliosides in liver, and sphingoid bases and GM2 and GM3 gangliosides in brain. These lipids were modestly decreased following miglustat treatment, but markedly decreased in response to treatment with 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD), two drugs that have shown efficacy in NPC1 animal models. Extending these studies to human subjects led to identification of sphingolipid classes that were significantly altered in the plasma of NPC1 patients. Plasma MCs and ceramides were elevated, whereas sphingoid bases were reduced in NPC1 subjects. Intervention with miglustat in NPC1 patients was accompanied by striking alterations in plasma (reductions in GM1 and GM3 gangliosides) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (increased MCs) sphingolipids. Similar alterations were observed in the CSF from the NPC1 feline model following HP-β-CD treatment. Our findings suggest that these lipid biomarkers may prove useful as outcome measures for monitoring efficacy of therapy in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Fan
- Diabetic Cardiovascular Disease Center and Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
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15
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Jensen JA, Brice AK, Bagel JH, Mexas AM, Yoon SY, Wolfe JH. Hypervitaminosis D in guinea pigs with α-mannosidosis. Comp Med 2013; 63:156-162. [PMID: 23582422 PMCID: PMC3625056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2012] [Revised: 10/23/2012] [Accepted: 10/31/2012] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
A colony of guinea pigs (n = 9) with α-mannosidosis was fed a pelleted commercial laboratory guinea pig diet. Over 2 mo, all 9 guinea pigs unexpectedly showed anorexia and weight loss (11.7% to 30.0% of baseline weight), and 3 animals demonstrated transient polyuria and polydipsia. Blood chemistry panels in these 3 guinea pigs revealed high-normal total calcium, high-normal phosphate, and high ALP. Urine specific gravity was dilute (1.003, 1.009, 1.013) in the 3 animals tested. Postmortem examination of 7 animals that were euthanized after failing to respond to supportive care revealed renal interstitial fibrosis with tubular mineralization, soft tissue mineralization in multiple organs, hepatic lipidosis, and pneumonia. Analysis of the pelleted diet revealed that it had been formulated with a vitamin D3 content of more than 150 times the normal concentration. Ionized calcium and 25-hydroxyvitamin D values were both high in serum saved from 2 euthanized animals, confirming the diagnosis of hypervitaminosis D. This report discusses the clinical signs, blood chemistry results, and gross and histologic findings of hypervitaminosis D in a colony of guinea pigs. When unexpected signs occur colony-wide, dietary differentials should be investigated at an early time point.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janlee A Jensen
- University Laboratory Animal Resources, Office of the Vice Provost for Research, University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, USA.
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