scholarly journals Functional enhancer elements drive subclass-selective expression from mouse to primate neocortex

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
John K. Mich ◽  
Lucas T. Graybuck ◽  
Erik E. Hess ◽  
Joseph T. Mahoney ◽  
Yoshiko Kojima ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Model ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Brain Cell ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Marker Genes ◽  
Cellular Marker ◽  
Cellular Specificity

SummaryViral genetic tools to target specific brain cell types in humans and non-genetic model organisms will transform basic neuroscience and targeted gene therapy. Here we used comparative epigenetics to identify thousands of human neuronal subclass-specific putative enhancers to regulate viral tools, and 34% of these were conserved in mouse. We established an AAV platform to evaluate cellular specificity of functional enhancers by multiplexed fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and single cell RNA sequencing. Initial testing in mouse neocortex yields a functional enhancer discovery success rate of over 30%. We identify enhancers with specificity for excitatory and inhibitory classes and subclasses including PVALB, LAMP5, and VIP/LAMP5 cells, some of which maintain specificity in vivo or ex vivo in monkey and human neocortex. Finally, functional enhancers can be proximal or distal to cellular marker genes, conserved or divergent across species, and could yield brain-wide specificity greater than the most selective marker genes.

scholarly journals Parainfluenza Virus 5 Infection in Neurological Disease and Encephalitis of Cattle

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie M. Hierweger ◽  
Simea Werder ◽  
Torsten Seuberlich
Keyword(s):  
Neurological Disease ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
High Viral Load ◽  
Brain Cell ◽  
Parainfluenza Virus ◽  
Reading Frame ◽  
In Situ Techniques ◽  
Parainfluenza Virus 5

The etiology of viral encephalitis in cattle often remains unresolved, posing a potential risk for animal and human health. In metagenomics studies of cattle with bovine non-suppurative encephalitis, parainfluenza virus 5 (PIV5) was identified in three brain samples. Interestingly, in two of these animals, bovine herpesvirus 6 and bovine astrovirus CH13 were additionally found. We investigated the role of PIV5 in bovine non-suppurative encephalitis and further characterized the three cases. With traditional sequencing methods, we completed the three PIV5 genomes, which were compared to one another. However, in comparison to already described PIV5 strains, unique features were revealed, like an 81 nucleotide longer open reading frame encoding the small hydrophobic (SH) protein. With in situ techniques, we demonstrated PIV5 antigen and RNA in one animal and found a broad cell tropism of PIV5 in the brain. Comparative quantitative analyses revealed a high viral load of PIV5 in the in situ positive animal and therefore, we propose that PIV5 was probably the cause of the disease. With this study, we clearly show that PIV5 is capable of naturally infecting different brain cell types in cattle in vivo and therefore it is a probable cause of encephalitis and neurological disease in cattle.

Cas9 fusions for precision in vivo editing

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan R. Richardson ◽  
Marilyn Steyert ◽  
Jeffrey Inen ◽  
Saovleak Khim ◽  
Andrea J. Romanowski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Clonal Selection ◽  
High Specificity ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
High Yield ◽  
Gene Therapies ◽  
Donor Template

AbstractCurrent Cas9 reagents can target genomic loci with high specificity. However, when used for knockin, on-target outcomes are inherently imprecise, often leading to unintended knockout rather than intended edits. This restricts applications of genome editing to ex vivo approaches, where clonal selection is possible. Here we describe a workflow using iterative high-throughput in vitro and high-yield in vivo assays to evaluate and compare the performance of CRISPR knockin reagents for both editing efficiency and precision. We tested combinations of Cas9 and DNA donor template variants and determined that Cas9-CtIP with in situ linearized donors display fold-increases of editing precision in cell lines and in vivo in the mouse brain. Iterating this process, we generated novel compound fusions, including eRad18-Cas9-CtIP that showed further fold-increases in performance. Continued development of precision editing reagents with this platform holds promise for direct in vivo knockin across model organisms and future targeted gene therapies.

scholarly journals From seeing to believing: labelling strategies for in vivo cell-tracking experiments

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 20130001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fränze Progatzky ◽  
Margaret J. Dallman ◽  
Cristina Lo Celso
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Cell Tracking ◽  
Genetic Manipulation ◽  
Fluorescent Proteins ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Vertebrate Model

Intravital microscopy has become increasingly popular over the past few decades because it provides high-resolution and real-time information about complex biological processes. Technological advances that allow deeper penetration in live tissues, such as the development of confocal and two-photon microscopy, together with the generation of ever-new fluorophores that facilitate bright labelling of cells and tissue components have made imaging of vertebrate model organisms efficient and highly informative. Genetic manipulation leading to expression of fluorescent proteins is undoubtedly the labelling method of choice and has been used to visualize several cell types in vivo . This approach, however, can be technically challenging and time consuming. Over the years, several dyes have been developed to allow rapid, effective and bright ex vivo labelling of cells for subsequent transplantation and imaging. Here, we review and discuss the advantages and limitations of a number of strategies commonly used to label and track cells at high resolution in vivo in mouse and zebrafish, using fluorescence microscopy. While the quest for the perfect label is far from achieved, current reagents are valuable tools enabling the progress of biological discovery, so long as they are selected and used appropriately.

scholarly journals Single-cell mapping of focused ultrasound-transfected brain

Gene Therapy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. S. Mathew ◽  
C. M. Gorick ◽  
R. J. Price
Keyword(s):  
Single Cell ◽  
Focused Ultrasound ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Brain Cell ◽  
Therapeutic Modality ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Stress Genes ◽  
Multiple Cell ◽  
Differential Gene

AbstractGene delivery via focused ultrasound (FUS) mediated blood-brain barrier (BBB) opening is a disruptive therapeutic modality. Unlocking its full potential will require an understanding of how FUS parameters (e.g., peak-negative pressure (PNP)) affect transfected cell populations. Following plasmid (mRuby) delivery across the BBB with 1 MHz FUS, we used single-cell RNA-sequencing to ascertain that distributions of transfected cell types were highly dependent on PNP. Cells of the BBB (i.e., endothelial cells, pericytes, and astrocytes) were enriched at 0.2 MPa PNP, while transfection of cells distal to the BBB (i.e., neurons, oligodendrocytes, and microglia) was augmented at 0.4 MPa PNP. PNP-dependent differential gene expression was observed for multiple cell types. Cell stress genes were upregulated proportional to PNP, independent of cell type. Our results underscore how FUS may be tuned to bias transfection toward specific brain cell types in vivo and predict how those cells will respond to transfection.

scholarly journals In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of Human Adenovirus Type 49 as a Vector for Therapeutic Applications

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1483
Author(s):  
Emily A. Bates ◽  
John R. Counsell ◽  
Sophie Alizert ◽  
Alexander T. Baker ◽  
Natalie Suff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Viral Vector ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Human Adenovirus ◽  
Adenovirus Type ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
In Vivo Evaluation ◽  
In Vivo Biodistribution ◽  
Adenovirus Type 5

The human adenovirus phylogenetic tree is split across seven species (A–G). Species D adenoviruses offer potential advantages for gene therapy applications, with low rates of pre-existing immunity detected across screened populations. However, many aspects of the basic virology of species D—such as their cellular tropism, receptor usage, and in vivo biodistribution profile—remain unknown. Here, we have characterized human adenovirus type 49 (HAdV-D49)—a relatively understudied species D member. We report that HAdV-D49 does not appear to use a single pathway to gain cell entry, but appears able to interact with various surface molecules for entry. As such, HAdV-D49 can transduce a broad range of cell types in vitro, with variable engagement of blood coagulation FX. Interestingly, when comparing in vivo biodistribution to adenovirus type 5, HAdV-D49 vectors show reduced liver targeting, whilst maintaining transduction of lung and spleen. Overall, this presents HAdV-D49 as a robust viral vector platform for ex vivo manipulation of human cells, and for in vivo applications where the therapeutic goal is to target the lung or gain access to immune cells in the spleen, whilst avoiding liver interactions, such as intravascular vaccine applications.

scholarly journals The interplay of osteogenesis and hematopoiesis

2004 ◽  
Vol 167 (6) ◽  
pp. 1113-1122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergei A. Kuznetsov ◽  
Mara Riminucci ◽  
Navid Ziran ◽  
Takeo W. Tsutsui ◽  
Alessandro Corsi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Bone Marrow ◽  
Parathyroid Hormone ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Heterotopic Bone ◽  
Stromal Compartment ◽  
Marrow Space ◽  
Stromal Tissue

The ontogeny of bone marrow and its stromal compartment, which is generated from skeletal stem/progenitor cells, was investigated in vivo and ex vivo in mice expressing constitutively active parathyroid hormone/parathyroid hormone–related peptide receptor (PTH/PTHrP; caPPR) under the control of the 2.3-kb bone-specific mouse Col1A1 promoter/enhancer. The transgene promoted increased bone formation within prospective marrow space, but delayed the transition from bone to bone marrow during growth, the formation of marrow cavities, and the appearance of stromal cell types such as marrow adipocytes and cells supporting hematopoiesis. This phenotype resolved spontaneously over time, leading to the establishment of marrow containing a greatly reduced number of clonogenic stromal cells. Proliferative osteoprogenitors, but not multipotent skeletal stem cells (mesenchymal stem cells), capable of generating a complete heterotopic bone organ upon in vivo transplantation were assayable in the bone marrow of caPPR mice. Thus, PTH/PTHrP signaling is a major regulator of the ontogeny of the bone marrow and its stromal tissue, and of the skeletal stem cell compartment.

In-vitro, ex-vivo, and in-vivo release evaluation of in situ forming buprenorphine implants using mixture of PLGA copolymers and additives

2018 ◽  
Vol 68 (16) ◽  
pp. 965-977 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hossein Kamali ◽  
Elham Khodaverdi ◽  
Farzin Hadizadeh ◽  
Seyed Ahmad Mohajeri ◽  
Younes Kamali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ex Vivo ◽  
In Situ Forming ◽  
In Vivo Release

scholarly journals Non-synaptic Cell-Autonomous Mechanisms Underlie Neuronal Hyperactivity in a Genetic Model of PIK3CA-Driven Intractable Epilepsy

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Achira Roy ◽  
Victor Z. Han ◽  
Angela M. Bard ◽  
Devin T. Wehle ◽  
Stephen E. P. Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neuronal Excitability ◽  
Pyramidal Neurons ◽  
Genetic Model ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Intractable Epilepsy ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Hippocampal Pyramidal Neurons ◽  
Phosphoinositide 3 Kinase

Patients harboring mutations in the PI3K-AKT-MTOR pathway-encoding genes often develop a spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders including epilepsy. A significant proportion remains unresponsive to conventional anti-seizure medications. Understanding mutation-specific pathophysiology is thus critical for molecularly targeted therapies. We previously determined that mouse models expressing a patient-related activating mutation in PIK3CA, encoding the p110α catalytic subunit of phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K), are epileptic and acutely treatable by PI3K inhibition, irrespective of dysmorphology. Here we report the physiological mechanisms underlying this dysregulated neuronal excitability. In vivo, we demonstrate epileptiform events in the Pik3ca mutant hippocampus. By ex vivo analyses, we show that Pik3ca-driven hyperactivation of hippocampal pyramidal neurons is mediated by changes in multiple non-synaptic, cell-intrinsic properties. Finally, we report that acute inhibition of PI3K or AKT, but not MTOR activity, suppresses the intrinsic hyperactivity of the mutant neurons. These acute mechanisms are distinct from those causing neuronal hyperactivity in other AKT-MTOR epileptic models and define parameters to facilitate the development of new molecularly rational therapeutic interventions for intractable epilepsy.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document