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Cells Mar 2023Despite scientific discoveries in the field of gene and cell therapy, some diseases still have no effective treatment. Advances in genetic engineering methods have... (Review)
Review
Despite scientific discoveries in the field of gene and cell therapy, some diseases still have no effective treatment. Advances in genetic engineering methods have enabled the development of effective gene therapy methods for various diseases based on adeno-associated viruses (AAVs). Today, many AAV-based gene therapy medications are being investigated in preclinical and clinical trials, and new ones are appearing on the market. In this article, we present a review of AAV discovery, properties, different serotypes, and tropism, and a following detailed explanation of their uses in gene therapy for disease of different organs and systems.
Topics: Serogroup; Genetic Vectors; Genetic Therapy; Genetic Engineering; Tropism; Dependovirus
PubMed: 36899921
DOI: 10.3390/cells12050785 -
International Journal of Molecular... Aug 2020Many genetic diseases and undesirable traits are due to base-pair alterations in genomic DNA. Base-editing, the newest evolution of clustered regularly interspaced short... (Review)
Review
Many genetic diseases and undesirable traits are due to base-pair alterations in genomic DNA. Base-editing, the newest evolution of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas-based technologies, can directly install point-mutations in cellular DNA without inducing a double-strand DNA break (DSB). Two classes of DNA base-editors have been described thus far, cytosine base-editors (CBEs) and adenine base-editors (ABEs). Recently, prime-editing (PE) has further expanded the CRISPR-base-edit toolkit to all twelve possible transition and transversion mutations, as well as small insertion or deletion mutations. Safe and efficient delivery of editing systems to target cells is one of the most paramount and challenging components for the therapeutic success of BEs. Due to its broad tropism, well-studied serotypes, and reduced immunogenicity, adeno-associated vector (AAV) has emerged as the leading platform for viral delivery of genome editing agents, including DNA-base-editors. In this review, we describe the development of various base-editors, assess their technical advantages and limitations, and discuss their therapeutic potential to treat debilitating human diseases.
Topics: CRISPR-Cas Systems; Dependovirus; Gene Editing; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Humans; Point Mutation; RNA, Guide, CRISPR-Cas Systems; Tropism
PubMed: 32872311
DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176240 -
Viruses Oct 2022The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with a variety of human malignancies, including Burkitt's lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, nasopharyngeal carcinoma and gastric... (Review)
Review
The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with a variety of human malignancies, including Burkitt's lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, nasopharyngeal carcinoma and gastric cancers. EBV infection is crucial for the oncogenesis of its host cells. The prerequisite for the establishment of infection is the virus entry. Interactions of viral membrane glycoproteins and host membrane receptors play important roles in the process of virus entry into host cells. Current studies have shown that the main tropism for EBV are B cells and epithelial cells and that EBV is also found in the tumor cells derived from NK/T cells and leiomyosarcoma. However, the process of EBV infecting B cells and epithelial cells significantly differs, relying on heterogenous glycoprotein-receptor interactions. This review focuses on the tropism and molecular mechanism of EBV infection. We systematically summarize the key molecular events that mediate EBV cell tropism and its entry into target cells and provide a comprehensive overview.
Topics: Humans; Herpesvirus 4, Human; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections; B-Lymphocytes; Hodgkin Disease; Glycoproteins; Tropism
PubMed: 36366470
DOI: 10.3390/v14112372 -
Nature Communications Aug 2023The delivery of genetic cargo remains one of the largest obstacles to the successful translation of experimental therapies, in large part due to the absence of...
The delivery of genetic cargo remains one of the largest obstacles to the successful translation of experimental therapies, in large part due to the absence of targetable delivery vectors. Enveloped delivery modalities use viral envelope proteins, which determine tropism and induce membrane fusion. Here we develop DIRECTED (Delivery to Intended REcipient Cells Through Envelope Design), a modular platform that consists of separate fusion and targeting components. To achieve high modularity and programmable cell type specificity, we develop multiple strategies to recruit or immobilize antibodies on the viral envelope, including a chimeric antibody binding protein and a SNAP-tag enabling the use of antibodies or other proteins as targeting molecules. Moreover, we show that fusogens from multiple viral families are compatible with DIRECTED and that DIRECTED components can target multiple delivery chassis (e.g., lentivirus and MMLV gag) to specific cell types, including primary human T cells in PBMCs and whole blood.
Topics: Humans; Antibodies; Lentivirus; Membrane Fusion; Tropism; Viral Envelope Proteins
PubMed: 37612276
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40788-8 -
Viruses Mar 2023An influenza pandemic happens when a novel influenza A virus is able to infect and transmit efficiently to a new, distinct host species. Although the exact timing of... (Review)
Review
An influenza pandemic happens when a novel influenza A virus is able to infect and transmit efficiently to a new, distinct host species. Although the exact timing of pandemics is uncertain, it is known that both viral and host factors play a role in their emergence. Species-specific interactions between the virus and the host cell determine the virus tropism, including binding and entering cells, replicating the viral RNA genome within the host cell nucleus, assembling, maturing and releasing the virus to neighboring cells, tissues or organs before transmitting it between individuals. The influenza A virus has a vast and antigenically varied reservoir. In wild aquatic birds, the infection is typically asymptomatic. Avian influenza virus (AIV) can cross into new species, and occasionally it can acquire the ability to transmit from human to human. A pandemic might occur if a new influenza virus acquires enough adaptive mutations to maintain transmission between people. This review highlights the key determinants AIV must achieve to initiate a human pandemic and describes how AIV mutates to establish tropism and stable human adaptation. Understanding the tropism of AIV may be crucial in preventing virus transmission in humans and may help the design of vaccines, antivirals and therapeutic agents against the virus.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Influenza in Birds; Influenza A virus; Influenza, Human; Birds; Tropism
PubMed: 37112812
DOI: 10.3390/v15040833 -
MBio Apr 2022In the 21st century, several human and swine coronaviruses (CoVs) have emerged suddenly and caused great damage to people's lives and property. The porcine epidemic...
In the 21st century, several human and swine coronaviruses (CoVs) have emerged suddenly and caused great damage to people's lives and property. The porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), leading to enormous economic losses to the pork industry and remains a large challenge. PEDV showed extensive cell tropism, and we cannot ignore the potential risk of cross-species transmission. However, the mechanism of adaptation and cell tropism of PEDV remains largely unknown and isolation of PEDV remains a huge challenge, which seriously impedes the development of vaccines. In this study, we confirmed that the spike (S) protein determines the adaptability of PEDV to monkey Vero cells and LLC-PK1 porcine cells, and isolated exchange of S1 and S2 subunits of adaptive strains did not make PEDV adapt to cells. Further, we found that the cellular adaptability of rCH/SX/2016-S depends on S1 and the first half of S2 (S3), and the 803L and 976H of the S2 subunit are critical for rCH/SX/2016-S1+S3 adaptation to Vero cells. These findings highlight the decisive role of PEDV S protein in cell tropism and the potential role of coronaviruses S protein in cross-species transmissibility. Besides, our work also provides some different insight into finding PEDV receptors and developing PEDV and other coronaviruses vaccines. CoVs can spill from an animal reservoir into a naive host to cause diseases in humans or domestic animals. PEDV results in high mortality in piglets, which has caused immense economic losses in the pork industry. Virus isolation is the first step in studying viral pathogenesis and developing effective vaccines. However, the molecular mechanism of PEDV cell tropism is largely unknown, and isolation of endemic PEDV strains remains a major challenge. This study confirmed that the S gene is the decisive gene of PEDV adaptability to monkey Vero cells and porcine LLC-PK1 cells by the PEDV reverse genetics system. Isolated exchange of S1 and S2 of adaptive strains did not make PEDV adapt to cells, and the 803L and 976H of S2 subunit are critical for rCH/SX/2016-S1+S3 adaptation to Vero cells. These results illustrate the decisive role of PEDV S protein in cell tropism and highlight the potential role of coronaviruses S protein in cross-species transmissibility. Besides, our finding also provides some unique insight into identifying PEDV functional receptors and has guiding significance for developing PEDV and other coronavirus vaccines.
Topics: Animals; Chlorocebus aethiops; Coronavirus Infections; Humans; Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus; Swine; Swine Diseases; Tropism; Vero Cells
PubMed: 35285698
DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03739-21 -
Cell Jul 2022Stem cell research endeavors to generate specific subtypes of classically defined "cell types." Here, we generate >90% pure human artery or vein endothelial cells from...
Stem cell research endeavors to generate specific subtypes of classically defined "cell types." Here, we generate >90% pure human artery or vein endothelial cells from pluripotent stem cells within 3-4 days. We specified artery cells by inhibiting vein-specifying signals and vice versa. These cells modeled viral infection of human vasculature by Nipah and Hendra viruses, which are extraordinarily deadly (∼57%-59% fatality rate) and require biosafety-level-4 containment. Generating pure populations of artery and vein cells highlighted that Nipah and Hendra viruses preferentially infected arteries; arteries expressed higher levels of their viral-entry receptor. Virally infected artery cells fused into syncytia containing up to 23 nuclei, which rapidly died. Despite infecting arteries and occupying ∼6%-17% of their transcriptome, Nipah and Hendra largely eluded innate immune detection, minimally eliciting interferon signaling. We thus efficiently generate artery and vein cells, introduce stem-cell-based toolkits for biosafety-level-4 virology, and explore the arterial tropism and cellular effects of Nipah and Hendra viruses.
Topics: Arteries; Endothelial Cells; Hendra Virus; Humans; Nipah Virus; Pluripotent Stem Cells; Tropism
PubMed: 35738284
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.05.024 -
Nature Communications Jun 2023Delivering genes to and across the brain vasculature efficiently and specifically across species remains a critical challenge for addressing neurological diseases. We...
Delivering genes to and across the brain vasculature efficiently and specifically across species remains a critical challenge for addressing neurological diseases. We have evolved adeno-associated virus (AAV9) capsids into vectors that transduce brain endothelial cells specifically and efficiently following systemic administration in wild-type mice with diverse genetic backgrounds, and in rats. These AAVs also exhibit superior transduction of the CNS across non-human primates (marmosets and rhesus macaques), and in ex vivo human brain slices, although the endothelial tropism is not conserved across species. The capsid modifications translate from AAV9 to other serotypes such as AAV1 and AAV-DJ, enabling serotype switching for sequential AAV administration in mice. We demonstrate that the endothelial-specific mouse capsids can be used to genetically engineer the blood-brain barrier by transforming the mouse brain vasculature into a functional biofactory. We apply this approach to Hevin knockout mice, where AAV-X1-mediated ectopic expression of the synaptogenic protein Sparcl1/Hevin in brain endothelial cells rescued synaptic deficits.
Topics: Mice; Rats; Animals; Endothelial Cells; Rodentia; Macaca mulatta; Brain; Tropism; Mice, Knockout; Dependovirus; Genetic Vectors; Transduction, Genetic; Calcium-Binding Proteins; Extracellular Matrix Proteins
PubMed: 37291094
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38582-7 -
Infection and Immunity May 2023Brucella spp. are facultatively intracellular bacteria that can infect, survive, and multiply in various host cell types and/or . The genus Brucella has markedly... (Review)
Review
Brucella spp. are facultatively intracellular bacteria that can infect, survive, and multiply in various host cell types and/or . The genus Brucella has markedly expanded in recent years with the identification of novel species and hosts, which has revealed additional information about the cell and tissue tropism of these pathogens. Classically, Brucella spp. are considered to have tropism for organs that contain large populations of phagocytes such as lymph nodes, spleen, and liver, as well as for organs of the genital system, including the uterus, epididymis, testis, and placenta. However, experimental infections of several different cultured cell types indicate that Brucella may actually have a broader cell tropism than previously thought. Indeed, recent studies indicate that certain Brucella species in particular hosts may display a pantropic distribution . This review discusses the available knowledge on cell and tissue tropism of Brucella spp. in natural infections of various host species, as well as in experimental animal models and cultured cells.
Topics: Animals; Male; Female; Brucella; Phagocytes; Cell Line; Cells, Cultured; Tropism; Brucellosis
PubMed: 37129522
DOI: 10.1128/iai.00062-23 -
Journal of Medicinal Food Jan 2018Several pharmaceutical products have been formulated over the past decades for the treatment of male and female alopecia, and pattern baldness, but relatively few... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Several pharmaceutical products have been formulated over the past decades for the treatment of male and female alopecia, and pattern baldness, but relatively few metadata on their efficacy have been published. For these reasons, the pharmaceutical and medical attention has recently focused on the discovery of new and safer remedies. Particularly, great interest has been attracted by oligomeric procyanidin bioactivity, able to promote hair epithelial cell growth as well as to induce the anagen phase. Specifically, the procyanidin B2, a dimeric derivative extracted from apples, has demonstrated to be one of the most effective and safest natural compounds in promoting hair growth, both in vitro and in humans by topical applications. By evaluating the polyphenolic content of different apple varieties, we have recently found in the apple fruits of cv Annurca (AFA), native to Southern Italy, one of the highest contents of oligomeric procyanidins, and, specifically, of procyanidin B2. Thus, in the present work we explored the in vitro bioactivity of AFA polyphenolic extract as a nutraceutical formulation, named AppleMets (AMS), highlighting its effects on the cellular keratin expression in a human experimental model of adult skin. Successively, testing the effects of AMS on hair growth and tropism in healthy subjects, we observed significant results in terms of increased hair growth, density, and keratin content, already after 2 months. This study proves for the first time the impact of apple procyanidin B2 on keratin biosynthesis in vitro, and highlights its effect as a nutraceutical on human hair growth and tropism.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alopecia; Dietary Supplements; Drug Compounding; Female; Hair; Humans; Italy; Keratinocytes; Keratins; Male; Malus; Middle Aged; Plant Extracts; Proanthocyanidins; Skin; Tropism
PubMed: 28956697
DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2017.0016