Dataset Information

Mitochondrial gene therapy augments mitochondrial physiology in a Parkinson's disease cell model.

ABSTRACT: Neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD) affects mainly dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, where age-related, increasing percentages of cells lose detectable respiratory activity associated with depletion of intact mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Replenishment of mtDNA might improve neuronal bioenergetic function and prevent further cell death. We developed a technology ("ProtoFection") that uses recombinant human mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) engineered with an N-terminal protein transduction domain (PTD) followed by the SOD2 mitochondrial localization signal (MLS) to deliver mtDNA cargo to the mitochondria of living cells. MTD-TFAM (MTD = PTD + MLS = "mitochondrial transduction domain") binds mtDNA and rapidly transports it across plasma membranes to mitochondria. For therapeutic proof-of-principle we tested ProtoFection technology in Parkinson's disease cybrid cells, using mtDNA generated from commercially available human genomic DNA (gDNA; Roche). Nine to 11 weeks after single exposures to MTD-TFAM + mtDNA complex, PD cybrid cells with impaired respiration and reduced mtDNA genes increased their mtDNA gene copy numbers up to 24-fold, mtDNA-derived RNAs up to 35-fold, TFAM and ETC proteins, cell respiration, and mitochondrial movement velocities. Cybrid cells with no or minimal basal mitochondrial impairments showed reduced or no responses to treatment, suggesting the possibility of therapeutic selectivity. Exposure of PD but not control cybrid cells to MTD-TFAM protein alone or MTD-TFAM + mtDNA complex increased expression of PGC-1alpha, suggesting activation of mitochondrial biogenesis. ProtoFection technology for mitochondrial gene therapy holds promise for improving bioenergetic function in impaired PD neurons and needs additional development to define its pharmacodynamics and delineate its molecular mechanisms. It also is unclear whether single-donor gDNA for generating mtDNA would be a preferred therapeutic compared with the pooled gDNA used in this study.

SUBMITTER: Keeney PM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2829286 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Mitochondrial gene therapy augments mitochondrial physiology in a Parkinson's disease cell model.

Keeney Paula M PM Quigley Caitlin K CK Dunham Lisa D LD Papageorge Christina M CM Iyer Shilpa S Thomas Ravindar R RR Schwarz Kathleen M KM Trimmer Patricia A PA Khan Shaharyar M SM Portell Francisco R FR Bergquist Kristen E KE Bennett James P JP

Human gene therapy 20090801 8

Neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD) affects mainly dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, where age-related, increasing percentages of cells lose detectable respiratory activity associated with depletion of intact mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Replenishment of mtDNA might improve neuronal bioenergetic function and prevent further cell death. We developed a technology ("ProtoFection") that uses recombinant human mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) engineered with an N-termin ...[more]

PMID: 19374590

Similar Datasets

Project description:Advances in large-scale proteomics analysis have been very useful in understanding pathogenesis of diseases and elaborating therapeutic strategies. Proteomics has been employed to study Parkinson’s disease (PD), however, sparse studies reported proteome investigation after cell therapy approaches. In this study, we used liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to identify differentially expressed proteins in a mouse model of PD after cell therapy. Proteins were extracted from five nigrostriatal-related brain regions of mice previously lesioned with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) in the substantia nigra (SN). Protein expression was compared in non-grafted brain to 1 and 7 days after intranigral grafting of E12.5 embryonic ventral mesencephalon (VM). We found a total of 277 deregulated proteins after transplantation, which are known to be involved in lipid metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation and PD; thus, confirming that our animal model is similar to human PD and that the presence of grafted cells modulates the expression of these proteins. Notably, 7 proteins were commonly downregulated in all selected brain regions after engraftment, including Acta1, Atp6v1e1, Eci3, Lypla2, Pip4k2a, Sccpdh and Sh3gl2. These are known to be involved in the formation of lipids and recycling of dopamine (DA) vesicle at the synapse. Moreover, intranigral transplantation of VM cells decreased the expression of proteins related to oxidative stress, especially in the nigrostriatal pathway containing the DA grafted neurons. In the same regions, an upregulation of several proteins including alpha-synuclein and tyrosine hydroxylase were observed, whereas expression of tetraspanin 7 was shut down. Overall, these results suggest that intranigral transplantation of VM tissue in an animal model of PD may induce a decrease of oxidative stress in the nigrostriatal pathway and a restoration of the machinery of neurotransmitters, particularly dopamine release to promote DA transmission through a decrease of D2 dopamine receptors endocytosis. Identification of new mechanistic elements involved in the nigrostriatal reconstruction process is a promising approach to enhance the repair of this pathway in PD patients undergoing cell therapy.

Project description:Microarray expression profiling has become a valuable tool in the evaluation of the genetic consequences of metabolic disease. Although 3â??-biased gene expression microarray platforms were the first generation to have widespread availability, newer platforms are gradually emerging that have more up-to-date content and/or higher cost efficiency. Deciphering the relative strengths and weaknesses of these various platforms for metabolic pathway level analyses can be daunting. We sought to determine the practical strengths and weaknesses of four leading commercially-available expression array platforms relative to biologic investigations, as well as assess the feasibility of cross-platform data integration for purposes of biochemical pathway analyses. METHODS: Liver RNA from B6.Alb/cre,Pdss2loxP/loxP mice having primary Coenzyme Q deficiency was extracted either at baseline or following treatment with an antioxidant/antihyperlipidemic agent, probucol. Target RNA samples were prepared and hybridized to Affymetrix 430 2.0, Affymetrix Gene 1.0 ST, Affymetrix Exon 1.0 ST, and Illumina Mouse WG-6 expression arrays. Probes on all platforms were re-mapped to coding sequences in the current version of the mouse genome. Data processing and statistical analysis were performed by R/Bioconductor functions, and pathway analyses were carried out by KEGG Atlas and GSEA. RESULTS: Expression measurements were generally consistent across platforms. However, intensive probe-level comparison suggested that differences in probe locations were a major source of inter-platform variance. In addition, genes expressed at low or intermediate levels had lower inter-platform reproducibility than highly expressed genes. All platforms showed similar patterns of differential expression between sample groups, with â??steroid biosynthesisâ?? consistently identified as the most down-regulated metabolic pathway by probucol treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This work offers a timely guide for metabolic disease investigators to enable informed end-user decisions regarding choice of expression microarray platform best-suited to specific research project goals. Successful cross-platform integration of biochemical pathway expression data is also demonstrated, especially for well-annotated and highly-expressed genes. However, integration of gene-level expression data is limited by individual platform probe design and the expression level of target genes. Cross-platform analyses of biochemical pathway data will require additional data processing and novel computational bioinformatics tools to address unique statistical challenges. 4 samples are analyzed on each of 4 different Mouse Microarray Expression platforms (Affymetrix Mo430 2.0, Affymetrix Gene, Affymetrix Exon 1.0 ST, and Illumina Whole Genome 6).

Project description:Parkinson's disease is the second most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder, typified by the progressive loss of substantia nigra pars compacta dopamine neurons and the consequent decrease in the neurotransmitter dopamine. Patients exhibit a range of clinical symptoms, with the most common affecting motor function and including resting tremor, rigidity, akinesia, bradykinesia and postural instability. Current pharmacological interventions are palliative and largely aimed at increasing dopamine levels through increased production and/or inhibition of metabolism of this key neurotransmitter. The gold standard for treatment of both familial and sporadic Parkinson's disease is the peripheral administration of the dopamine precursor, levodopa. However, many patients gradually develop levodopa-induced dyskinesias and motor fluctuations. In addition, dopamine enhancement therapies are most useful when a portion of the nigrostriatal pathway is intact. Consequently, as the number of substantia nigra dopamine neurons and striatal projections decrease, these treatments become less efficacious. Current translational research is focused on the development of novel disease-modifying therapies, including those utilizing gene therapeutic approaches. Herein we present an overview of current gene therapy clinical trials for Parkinson's disease. Employing either recombinant adeno-associated virus type 2 (rAAV2) or lentivirus vectors, these clinical trials are focused on three overarching approaches: augmentation of dopamine levels via increased neurotransmitter production; modulation of the neuronal phenotype; and neuroprotection. The first two therapies discussed in this article focus on increasing dopamine production via direct delivery of genes involved in neurotransmitter synthesis (amino acid decarboxylase, tyrosine hydroxylase and GTP [guanosine triphosphate] cyclohydrolase 1). In an attempt to bypass the degenerating nigrostriatal pathway, a third clinical trial utilizes rAAV2 to deliver glutamic acid decarboxylase to the subthalamic nucleus, converting a subset of excitatory neurons to GABA-producing cells. In contrast, the final clinical trial is aimed at protecting the degenerating nigrostriatum by striatal delivery of rAAV2 harbouring the neuroprotective gene, neurturin. Based on preclinical studies, this gene therapeutic approach is posited to slow disease progression by enhancing neuronal survival. In addition, we discuss the outcome of each clinical trial and discuss the potential rationale for the marginal yet incremental clinical advancements that have thus far been realized for Parkinson's disease gene therapy.

Dataset Information

Mitochondrial gene therapy augments mitochondrial physiology in a Parkinson's disease cell model.

Publications

Mitochondrial gene therapy augments mitochondrial physiology in a Parkinson's disease cell model.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets