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Cell Systems Dec 2022To elucidate principles operating in native biological systems and to develop novel biotechnologies, synthetic biology aims to build and integrate synthetic gene... (Review)
Review
To elucidate principles operating in native biological systems and to develop novel biotechnologies, synthetic biology aims to build and integrate synthetic gene circuits within native transcriptional networks. The utility of synthetic gene circuits for cell engineering relies on the ability to control the expression of all constituent transgene components. Transgene silencing, defined as the loss of expression over time, persists as an obstacle for engineering primary cells and stem cells with transgenic cargos. In this review, we highlight the challenge that transgene silencing poses to the robust engineering of mammalian cells, outline potential molecular mechanisms of silencing, and present approaches for preventing transgene silencing. We conclude with a perspective identifying future research directions for improving the performance of synthetic gene circuits.
Topics: Animals; Transgenes; Genetic Engineering; Gene Regulatory Networks; Cell Communication; Mammals
PubMed: 36549273
DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2022.11.005 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2022Gene transfer using adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors has made tremendous progress in the last decade and has achieved cures of debilitating diseases such as... (Review)
Review
Gene transfer using adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors has made tremendous progress in the last decade and has achieved cures of debilitating diseases such as hemophilia A and B. Nevertheless, progress is still being hampered by immune responses against the AAV capsid antigens or the transgene products. Immunosuppression designed to blunt T cell responses has shown success in some patients but failed in others especially if they received very high AAV vectors doses. Although it was initially thought that AAV vectors induce only marginal innate responses below the threshold of systemic symptoms recent trials have shown that complement activation can results in serious adverse events. Dorsal root ganglia toxicity has also been identified as a complication of high vector doses as has severe hepatotoxicity. Most of the critical complications occur in patients who are treated with very high vector doses indicating that the use of more efficient AAV vectors to allow for dose sparing or giving smaller doses repeatedly, the latter in conjunction with antibody or B cell depleting measures, should be explored.
Topics: Capsid Proteins; Dependovirus; Genetic Therapy; Genetic Vectors; Humans; Transgenes
PubMed: 36032092
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.975803 -
Nature Sep 2023Abundant high-molecular-mass hyaluronic acid (HMM-HA) contributes to cancer resistance and possibly to the longevity of the longest-lived rodent-the naked mole-rat. To...
Abundant high-molecular-mass hyaluronic acid (HMM-HA) contributes to cancer resistance and possibly to the longevity of the longest-lived rodent-the naked mole-rat. To study whether the benefits of HMM-HA could be transferred to other animal species, we generated a transgenic mouse overexpressing naked mole-rat hyaluronic acid synthase 2 gene (nmrHas2). nmrHas2 mice showed an increase in hyaluronan levels in several tissues, and a lower incidence of spontaneous and induced cancer, extended lifespan and improved healthspan. The transcriptome signature of nmrHas2 mice shifted towards that of longer-lived species. The most notable change observed in nmrHas2 mice was attenuated inflammation across multiple tissues. HMM-HA reduced inflammation through several pathways, including a direct immunoregulatory effect on immune cells, protection from oxidative stress and improved gut barrier function during ageing. These beneficial effects were conferred by HMM-HA and were not specific to the nmrHas2 gene. These findings demonstrate that the longevity mechanism that evolved in the naked mole-rat can be exported to other species, and open new paths for using HMM-HA to improve lifespan and healthspan.
Topics: Animals; Mice; Hyaluronic Acid; Inflammation; Mice, Transgenic; Mole Rats; Longevity; Hyaluronan Synthases; Healthy Aging; Transgenes; Transcriptome; Neoplasms; Oxidative Stress; Geroscience; Rejuvenation
PubMed: 37612507
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06463-0 -
Cell Aug 2022Here, we report inducible mosaic animal for perturbation (iMAP), a transgenic platform enabling in situ CRISPR targeting of at least 100 genes in parallel throughout the...
Here, we report inducible mosaic animal for perturbation (iMAP), a transgenic platform enabling in situ CRISPR targeting of at least 100 genes in parallel throughout the mouse body. iMAP combines Cre-loxP and CRISPR-Cas9 technologies and utilizes a germline-transmitted transgene carrying a large array of individually floxed, tandemly linked gRNA-coding units. Cre-mediated recombination triggers expression of all the gRNAs in the array but only one of them per cell, converting the mice to mosaic organisms suitable for phenotypic characterization and also for high-throughput derivation of conventional single-gene perturbation lines via breeding. Using gRNA representation as a readout, we mapped a miniature Perturb-Atlas cataloging the perturbations of 90 genes across 39 tissues, which yields rich insights into context-dependent gene functions and provides a glimpse of the potential of iMAP in genome decoding.
Topics: Animals; CRISPR-Cas Systems; Gene Editing; Genome; Mice; RNA, Guide, CRISPR-Cas Systems; Transgenes
PubMed: 35870449
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.06.039 -
Nature Reviews. Genetics Jul 2021Genetically engineered T cell immunotherapies have provided remarkable clinical success to treat B cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia by harnessing a patient's own T... (Review)
Review
Genetically engineered T cell immunotherapies have provided remarkable clinical success to treat B cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia by harnessing a patient's own T cells to kill cancer, and these approaches have the potential to provide therapeutic benefit for numerous other cancers, infectious diseases and autoimmunity. By introduction of either a transgenic T cell receptor or a chimeric antigen receptor, T cells can be programmed to target cancer cells. However, initial studies have made it clear that the field will need to implement more complex levels of genetic regulation of engineered T cells to ensure both safety and efficacy. Here, we review the principles by which our knowledge of genetics and genome engineering will drive the next generation of adoptive T cell therapies.
Topics: Animals; Genetic Engineering; Humans; Immunotherapy; T-Lymphocytes; Transgenes
PubMed: 33603158
DOI: 10.1038/s41576-021-00329-9 -
Nature Oct 2023Recent human decedent model studies and compassionate xenograft use have explored the promise of porcine organs for human transplantation. To proceed to human studies, a...
Recent human decedent model studies and compassionate xenograft use have explored the promise of porcine organs for human transplantation. To proceed to human studies, a clinically ready porcine donor must be engineered and its xenograft successfully tested in nonhuman primates. Here we describe the design, creation and long-term life-supporting function of kidney grafts from a genetically engineered porcine donor transplanted into a cynomolgus monkey model. The porcine donor was engineered to carry 69 genomic edits, eliminating glycan antigens, overexpressing human transgenes and inactivating porcine endogenous retroviruses. In vitro functional analyses showed that the edited kidney endothelial cells modulated inflammation to an extent that was indistinguishable from that of human endothelial cells, suggesting that these edited cells acquired a high level of human immune compatibility. When transplanted into cynomolgus monkeys, the kidneys with three glycan antigen knockouts alone experienced poor graft survival, whereas those with glycan antigen knockouts and human transgene expression demonstrated significantly longer survival time, suggesting the benefit of human transgene expression in vivo. These results show that preclinical studies of renal xenotransplantation could be successfully conducted in nonhuman primates and bring us closer to clinical trials of genetically engineered porcine renal grafts.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Animals, Genetically Modified; Endothelial Cells; Graft Rejection; Kidney Transplantation; Macaca fascicularis; Polysaccharides; Swine; Transplantation, Heterologous; Transgenes
PubMed: 37821590
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06594-4 -
Proceedings of the National Academy of... Jun 2019Mononegaviruses are promising tools as oncolytic vectors and transgene delivery vectors for gene therapy and regenerative medicine. By using the Magnet proteins, which...
Mononegaviruses are promising tools as oncolytic vectors and transgene delivery vectors for gene therapy and regenerative medicine. By using the Magnet proteins, which reversibly heterodimerize upon blue light illumination, photocontrollable mononegaviruses (measles and rabies viruses) were generated. The Magnet proteins were inserted into the flexible domain of viral polymerase, and viruses showed strong replication and oncolytic activities only when the viral polymerases were activated by blue light illumination.
Topics: Animals; Cell Line, Tumor; DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases; Genetic Therapy; Genetic Vectors; Humans; Light; Measles virus; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Nude; Oncolytic Virotherapy; Oncolytic Viruses; Rabies virus; Transgenes; Virus Replication
PubMed: 31138700
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1906531116 -
Molecular Therapy : the Journal of the... Aug 2022On August 18, 2021, the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT) hosted a virtual roundtable on adeno-associated virus (AAV) integration, featuring leading... (Review)
Review
On August 18, 2021, the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT) hosted a virtual roundtable on adeno-associated virus (AAV) integration, featuring leading experts in preclinical and clinical AAV gene therapy, to further contextualize and understand this phenomenon. Recombinant AAV (rAAV) vectors are used to develop therapies for many conditions given their ability to transduce multiple cell types, resulting in long-term expression of transgenes. Although most rAAV DNA typically remains episomal, some rAAV DNA becomes integrated into genomic DNA at a low frequency, and rAAV insertional mutagenesis has been shown to lead to tumorigenesis in neonatal mice. Currently, the risk of rAAV-mediated oncogenesis in humans is theoretical because no confirmed genotoxic events have been reported to date. However, because insertional mutagenesis has been reported in a small number of murine studies, there is a need to characterize this genotoxicity to inform research, regulatory needs, and patient care. The purpose of this white paper is to review the evidence of rAAV-related host genome integration in animal models and possible risks of insertional mutagenesis in patients. In addition, technical considerations, regulatory guidance, and bioethics are discussed.
Topics: Animals; Dependovirus; Genetic Vectors; Humans; Mice; Mutagenesis, Insertional; Plasmids; Transgenes; Virus Integration
PubMed: 35690906
DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.06.004 -
Nature Biotechnology Jul 2023Generation of stable gene-edited plant lines using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) requires a...
Generation of stable gene-edited plant lines using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) requires a lengthy process of outcrossing to eliminate CRISPR-Cas9-associated sequences and produce transgene-free lines. We have addressed this issue by designing fusions of Cas9 and guide RNA transcripts to tRNA-like sequence motifs that move RNAs from transgenic rootstocks to grafted wild-type shoots (scions) and achieve heritable gene editing, as demonstrated in wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana and Brassica rapa. The graft-mobile gene editing system enables the production of transgene-free offspring in one generation without the need for transgene elimination, culture recovery and selection, or use of viral editing vectors. We anticipate that using graft-mobile editing systems for transgene-free plant production may be applied to a wide range of breeding programs and crop plants.
Topics: Gene Editing; CRISPR-Cas Systems; Plant Breeding; Plants, Genetically Modified; Transgenes
PubMed: 36593415
DOI: 10.1038/s41587-022-01585-8 -
Plant Biotechnology Journal Aug 2022Plant genetic transformation is a crucial step for applying biotechnology such as genome editing to basic and applied plant science research. Its success primarily...
Plant genetic transformation is a crucial step for applying biotechnology such as genome editing to basic and applied plant science research. Its success primarily relies on the efficiency of gene delivery into plant cells and the ability to regenerate transgenic plants. In this study, we have examined the effect of several developmental regulators (DRs), including PLETHORA (PLT5), WOUND INDUCED DEDIFFERENTIATION 1 (WIND1), ENHANCED SHOOT REGENERATION (ESR1), WUSHEL (WUS) and a fusion of WUS and BABY-BOOM (WUS-P2A-BBM), on in planta transformation through injection of Agrobacterium tumefaciens in snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus). The results showed that PLT5, WIND1 and WUS promoted in planta transformation of snapdragons. An additional test of these three DRs on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) further demonstrated that the highest in planta transformation efficiency was observed from PLT5. PLT5 promoted calli formation and regeneration of transformed shoots at the wound positions of aerial stems, and the transgene was stably inherited to the next generation in snapdragons. Additionally, PLT5 significantly improved the shoot regeneration and transformation in two Brassica cabbage varieties (Brassica rapa) and promoted the formation of transgenic calli and somatic embryos in sweet pepper (Capsicum annum) through in vitro tissue culture. Despite some morphological alternations, viable seeds were produced from the transgenic Bok choy and snapdragons. Our results have demonstrated that manipulation of PLT5 could be an effective approach for improving in planta and in vitro transformation efficiency, and such a transformation system could be used to facilitate the application of genome editing or other plant biotechnology application in modern agriculture.
Topics: Agrobacterium tumefaciens; Brassica; Capsicum; Solanum lycopersicum; Plants, Genetically Modified; Transformation, Genetic; Transgenes
PubMed: 35524453
DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13837