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Aguayo JS, Shelton JM, Tan W, Rakheja D, Cai C, Shalaby A, Lee J, Iannaccone ST, Xu L, Chen K, Burns DK, Zheng Y. Ectopic PLAG1 induces muscular dystrophy in the mouse. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 665:159-168. [PMID: 37163936 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.05.006] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Even though various genetic mutations have been identified in muscular dystrophies (MD), there is still a need to understand the biology of MD in the absence of known mutations. Here we reported a new mouse model of MD driven by ectopic expression of PLAG1. This gene encodes a developmentally regulated transcription factor known to be expressed in developing skeletal muscle, and implicated as an oncogene in certain cancers including rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), an aggressive soft tissue sarcoma composed of myoblast-like cells. By breeding loxP-STOP-loxP-PLAG1 (LSL-PLAG1) mice into the MCK-Cre line, we achieved ectopic PLAG1 expression in cardiac and skeletal muscle. The Cre/PLAG1 mice died before 6 weeks of age with evidence of cardiomyopathy significantly limiting left ventricle fractional shortening. Histology of skeletal muscle revealed dystrophic features, including myofiber necrosis, fiber size variation, frequent centralized nuclei, fatty infiltration, and fibrosis, all of which mimic human MD pathology. QRT-PCR and Western blot revealed modestly decreased Dmd mRNA and dystrophin protein in the dystrophic muscle, and immunofluorescence staining showed decreased dystrophin along the cell membrane. Repression of Dmd by ectopic PLAG1 was confirmed in dystrophic skeletal muscle and various cell culture models. In vitro studies showed that excess IGF2 expression, a transcriptional target of PLAG1, phenocopied PLAG1-mediated down-regulation of dystrophin. In summary, we developed a new mouse model of a lethal MD due to ectopic expression of PLAG1 in heart and skeletal muscle. Our data support the potential contribution of excess IGF2 in this model. Further studying these mice may provide new insights into the pathogenesis of MD and perhaps lead to new treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Shugert Aguayo
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - John M Shelton
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Wei Tan
- Department of Molecular Biology, Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine, Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Dinesh Rakheja
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Chunyu Cai
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ahmed Shalaby
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Jeon Lee
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Susan T Iannaccone
- Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Lin Xu
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Quantitative Biomedical Research Center, Peter O'Donnell Jr. School of Public Health, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Kenneth Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Gill Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's Health Children's Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Dennis K Burns
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Yanbin Zheng
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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Su X, Chen W, Cai Q, Liang P, Chen Y, Cong P, Huang J. Effective generation of maternal genome point mutated porcine embryos by injection of cytosine base editor into germinal vesicle oocytes. Sci China Life Sci 2020; 63:996-1005. [PMID: 31974864 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-019-1611-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Cytosine and adenine base editors are promising new tools for introducing precise genetic modifications that are required to generate disease models and to improve traits in pigs. Base editors can catalyze the conversion of C→T (C>T) or A→G (A>G) in the target site through a single guide RNA. Injection of base editors into the zygote cytoplasm can result in the production of offspring with precise point mutations, but most F0 are mosaic, and breeding of F1 heterozygous pigs is time-intensive. Here, we developed a method called germinal vesicle oocyte base editing (GVBE) to produce point mutant F0 porcine embryos by editing the maternal alleles during the GV to MII transition. Injection of cytosine base editor 3 (BE3) mRNA and X-linked Dmd-specific guide RNAs into GVoocytes efficiently edited maternal Dmd during in vitro maturation and did not affect the maturation potential of the oocytes. The edited MII oocytes developed into blastocysts after parthenogenetic activation (PA) or in vitro fertilization (IVF). However, BE3 may reduce the developmental potential of IVF blastocysts from 31.5%±0.8% to 20.4% ±2.1%. There 40%-78.3% diploid PA blastocysts had no more than two different alleles, including up to 10% embryos that had only C>T mutation alleles. Genotyping of IVF blastocysts indicated that over 70% of the edited embryos had one allele or two different alleles of Dmd. Since the male embryos had only a copy of Dmd allele, all five (5/19) F0 male embryos are homozygous and three of them were Dmd precise C>T mutation. Nine (9/19) female IVF embryos had two different alleles including a WT and a C>T mutation. DNA sequencing showed that some of them might be heterozygous embryos. In conclusion, the GVBE method is a valuable method for generating F0 embryos with maternal point mutated alleles in a single step.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohu Su
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine of Guangdong Province, the First Affiliated Hospital and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Wei Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Qingqing Cai
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Puping Liang
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine of Guangdong Province, the First Affiliated Hospital and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Yaosheng Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Peiqing Cong
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China.
| | - Junjiu Huang
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine of Guangdong Province, the First Affiliated Hospital and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China.
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China.
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine of Guangdong Province, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China.
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Babbs A, Chatzopoulou M, Edwards B, Squire SE, Wilkinson IVL, Wynne GM, Russell AJ, Davies KE. From diagnosis to therapy in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Biochem Soc Trans 2020; 48:813-21. [PMID: 32597486 DOI: 10.1042/BST20190282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Genetic approaches for the diagnosis and treatment of inherited muscle diseases have advanced rapidly in recent years. Many of the advances have occurred in the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a muscle wasting disease where affected boys are typically wheelchair bound by age 12 years and generally die in their twenties from respiratory failure or cardiomyopathy. Dystrophin is a 421 kD protein which links F-actin to the extracellular matrix via the dystrophin-associated protein complex (DAPC) at the muscle membrane. In the absence of dystrophin, the DAPC is lost, making the muscle membrane more susceptible to contraction-induced injury. The identification of the gene causing DMD in 1986 resulted in improved diagnosis of the disease and the identification of hotspots for mutation. There is currently no effective treatment. However, there are several promising genetic therapeutic approaches at the preclinical stage or in clinical trials including read-through of stop codons, exon skipping, delivery of dystrophin minigenes and the modulation of expression of the dystrophin related protein, utrophin. In spite of significant progress, the problem of targeting all muscles, including diaphragm and heart at sufficiently high levels, remains a challenge. Any therapy also needs to consider the immune response and some treatments are mutation specific and therefore limited to a subgroup of patients. This short review provides a summary of the current status of DMD therapy with a particular focus on those genetic strategies that have been taken to the clinic.
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Su X, Chen W, Cai Q, Liang P, Chen Y, Cong P, Huang J. Production of non-mosaic genome edited porcine embryos by injection of CRISPR/Cas9 into germinal vesicle oocytes. J Genet Genomics 2019; 46:335-342. [PMID: 31378649 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2019.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Revised: 06/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Genetically modified pigs represent a great promise for generating models of human diseases and producing new breeds. Generation of genetically edited pigs using somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) or zygote cytoplasmic microinjection is a tedious process due to the low developmental rate or mosaicism of the founder (F0). Herein, we developed a method termed germinal vesicle oocyte gene editing (GVGE) to produce non-mosaic porcine embryos by editing maternal alleles during the GV to MⅡ transition. Injection of Cas9 mRNA and X-linked Dmd gene-specific gRNA into GV oocytes did not affect their developmental potential. The MⅡ oocytes edited during in vitro maturation (IVM) could develop into blastocysts after parthenogenetic activation (PA) or in vitro fertilization (IVF). Genotyping results indicated that the maternal gene X-linked Dmd could be efficiently edited during oocyte maturation. Up to 81.3% of the edited IVF embryos were non-mosaic Dmd gene mutant embryos. In conclusion, GVGE might be a valuable method for the generation of non-mosaic maternal allele edited F0 embryos in a short simple step.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohu Su
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine of Guangdong Province, First Affiliated Hospital and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Wei Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Qingqing Cai
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Puping Liang
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine of Guangdong Province, First Affiliated Hospital and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Yaosheng Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Peiqing Cong
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China.
| | - Junjiu Huang
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine of Guangdong Province, First Affiliated Hospital and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China; Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine of Guangdong Province, Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China.
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Petkova MV, Morales-Gonzales S, Relizani K, Gill E, Seifert F, Radke J, Stenzel W, Garcia L, Amthor H, Schuelke M. Characterization of a Dmd (EGFP) reporter mouse as a tool to investigate dystrophin expression. Skelet Muscle 2016; 6:25. [PMID: 27382459 PMCID: PMC4932663 DOI: 10.1186/s13395-016-0095-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [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: 04/11/2016] [Accepted: 06/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dystrophin is a rod-shaped cytoplasmic protein that provides sarcolemmal stability as a structural link between the cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix via the dystrophin-associated protein complex (DAPC). Mutations in the dystrophin-encoding DMD gene cause X-linked dystrophinopathies with variable phenotypes, the most severe being Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) characterized by progressive muscle wasting and fibrosis. However, dystrophin deficiency does not only impair the function of skeletal and heart muscle but may also affect other organ systems such as the brain, eye, and gastrointestinal tract. The generation of a dystrophin reporter mouse would facilitate research into dystrophin muscular and extramuscular pathophysiology without the need for immunostaining. RESULTS We generated a Dmd (EGFP) reporter mouse through the in-frame insertion of the EGFP coding sequence behind the last Dmd exon 79, which is known to be expressed in all major dystrophin isoforms. We analyzed EGFP and dystrophin expression in various tissues and at the single muscle fiber level. Immunostaining of various members of the DAPC was done to confirm the correct subsarcolemmal location of dystrophin-binding partners. We found strong natural EGFP fluorescence at all expected sites of dystrophin expression in the skeletal and smooth muscle, heart, brain, and retina. EGFP fluorescence exactly colocalized with dystrophin immunostaining. In the skeletal muscle, dystrophin and other proteins of the DAPC were expressed at their correct sarcolemmal/subsarcolemmal localization. Skeletal muscle maintained normal tissue architecture, suggesting the correct function of the dystrophin-EGFP fusion protein. EGFP expression could be easily verified in isolated myofibers as well as in satellite cell-derived myotubes. CONCLUSIONS The novel dystrophin reporter mouse provides a valuable tool for direct visualization of dystrophin expression and will allow the study of dystrophin expression in vivo and in vitro in various tissues by live cell imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina V Petkova
- Department of Neuropediatrics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany ; NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Susanne Morales-Gonzales
- Department of Neuropediatrics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany ; NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Karima Relizani
- Université de Versailles St-Quentin, INSERM U1179 and LIA BAHN Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Montigny-le Bretonneux, France
| | - Esther Gill
- Department of Neuropediatrics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany ; NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Franziska Seifert
- Department of Neuropediatrics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany ; NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Josefine Radke
- Institute of Neuropathology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Werner Stenzel
- Institute of Neuropathology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Luis Garcia
- Université de Versailles St-Quentin, INSERM U1179 and LIA BAHN Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Montigny-le Bretonneux, France
| | - Helge Amthor
- Université de Versailles St-Quentin, INSERM U1179 and LIA BAHN Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Montigny-le Bretonneux, France
| | - Markus Schuelke
- Department of Neuropediatrics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany ; NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Arpke RW, Darabi R, Mader TL, Zhang Y, Toyama A, Lonetree CL, Nash N, Lowe DA, Perlingeiro RCR, Kyba M. A new immuno-, dystrophin-deficient model, the NSG-mdx(4Cv) mouse, provides evidence for functional improvement following allogeneic satellite cell transplantation. Stem Cells 2014; 31:1611-20. [PMID: 23606600 DOI: 10.1002/stem.1402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [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: 11/24/2012] [Accepted: 03/19/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Transplantation of a myogenic cell population into an immunodeficient recipient is an excellent way of assessing the in vivo muscle-generating capacity of that cell population. To facilitate both allogeneic and xenogeneic transplantations of muscle-forming cells in mice, we have developed a novel immunodeficient muscular dystrophy model, the NSG-mdx(4Cv) mouse. The IL2Rg mutation, which is linked to the Dmd gene on the X chromosome, simultaneously depletes NK cells and suppresses thymic lymphomas, issues that limit the utility of the SCID/mdx model. The NSG-mdx(4Cv) mouse presents a muscular dystrophy of similar severity to the conventional mdx mouse. We show that this animal supports robust engraftment of both pig and dog muscle mononuclear cells. The question of whether satellite cells prospectively isolated by flow cytometry can confer a functional benefit upon transplantation has been controversial. Using allogeneic Pax7-ZsGreen donors and NSG-mdx(4Cv) recipients, we demonstrate definitively that as few as 900 FACS-isolated satellite cells can provide functional regeneration in vivo, in the form of an increased mean maximal force-generation capacity in cell-transplanted muscles, compared to a sham-injected control group. These studies highlight the potency of satellite cells to improve muscle function and the utility of the NSG-mdx(4Cv) model for studies on muscle regeneration and Duchenne muscular dystrophy therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert W Arpke
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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