Sandra R. Bacman, Jose Domingo Barrera-Paez, Milena Pinto, Derek Van Booven, James B. Stewart, Anthony J. Griswold, Carlos T. Moraes
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Mutations within mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) frequently give rise to severe encephalopathies. Given that a majority of these mtDNA defects exist in a heteroplasmic state, we harnessed the precision of mitochondrial-targeted TALEN (mitoTALEN) to selectively eliminate mutant mtDNA within the central nervous system (CNS) of a murine model harboring a heteroplasmic mutation in the mitochondrial tRNA alanine gene (m.5024C>T). This targeted approach was accomplished by the utilization of AAV-PHP.eB and a neuron-specific synapsin promoter for effective neuronal delivery and expression of mitoTALEN. We found that most CNS regions were effectively transduced and showed a significant reduction in mutant mtDNA. This reduction was accompanied by an increase in mitochondrial tRNA alanine levels, which are drastically reduced by the m.5024C>T mutation. These results showed that mitochondrial-targeted gene editing can be effective in reducing CNS mutant mtDNA in vivo, paving the way for clinical trials in patients with mitochondrial encephalopathies.
期刊介绍:
Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids is an international, open-access journal that publishes high-quality research in nucleic-acid-based therapeutics to treat and correct genetic and acquired diseases. It is the official journal of the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy and is built upon the success of Molecular Therapy. The journal focuses on gene- and oligonucleotide-based therapies and publishes peer-reviewed research, reviews, and commentaries. Its impact factor for 2022 is 8.8. The subject areas covered include the development of therapeutics based on nucleic acids and their derivatives, vector development for RNA-based therapeutics delivery, utilization of gene-modifying agents like Zn finger nucleases and triplex-forming oligonucleotides, pre-clinical target validation, safety and efficacy studies, and clinical trials.