The multifactorial and multistage pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)has fascinated a wide spectrum of scientists for decades.While a number of major risk factors have been identified,their mechanistic roles...The multifactorial and multistage pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)has fascinated a wide spectrum of scientists for decades.While a number of major risk factors have been identified,their mechanistic roles in hepatocarcinogenesis still need to be elucidated.Many tumor suppressor genes(TSGs)have been identified as being involved in HCC.These TSGs can be classified into two groups depending on the situation with respect to allelic mutation/loss in the tumors:the recessive TSGs with two required mutated alleles and the haploinsufficient TSGs with one required mutated allele.Hepatitis B virus(HBV)is one of the most important risk factors associated with HCC.Although mice cannot be infected with HBV due to the narrow host range of HBV and the lack of a proper receptor,one advantage of mouse models for HBV/HCC research is the numerous and powerfulgenetic tools that help investigate the phenotypic effects of viral proteins and allow the dissection of the dose-dependent action of TSGs.Here,we mainly focus on the application of mouse models in relation to HBV-associated HCC and on TSGs that act either in a recessive or in a haploinsufficient manner.Discoveries obtained using mouse models will have a great impact on HCC translational medicine.展开更多
Colorectal cancer(CRC) constitutes a major publichealth problem as the third most commonly diagnosed and third most lethal malignancy worldwide. The prevalence and the physical accessibility to colorectal tumors have ...Colorectal cancer(CRC) constitutes a major publichealth problem as the third most commonly diagnosed and third most lethal malignancy worldwide. The prevalence and the physical accessibility to colorectal tumors have made CRC an ideal model for the study of tumor genetics. Early research efforts using patient derived CRC samples led to the discovery of several highly penetrant mutations(e.g., APC, KRAS, MMR genes) in both hereditary and sporadic CRC tumors. This knowledge has enabled researchers to develop genetically engineered and chemically induced tumor models of CRC, both of which have had a substantial impact on our understanding of the molecular basis of CRC. Despite these advances, the morbidity and mortality of CRC remains a cause for concern and highlight the need to uncover novel genetic drivers of CRC. This review focuses on mouse models of CRC with particular emphasis on a newly developed cancer gene discovery tool, the Sleeping Beauty transposon-based mutagenesis model of CRC.展开更多
Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathies(CMT)constitute a group of common but highly heterogeneous,non-syndromic genetic disorders affecting predominantly the peripheral nervous system.CMT type 1A(CMT1A)is the most frequent t...Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathies(CMT)constitute a group of common but highly heterogeneous,non-syndromic genetic disorders affecting predominantly the peripheral nervous system.CMT type 1A(CMT1A)is the most frequent type and accounts for almost~50%of all diagnosed CMT cases.CMT1A results from the duplication of the peripheral myelin protein 22(PMP22)gene.Overexpression of PMP22 protein overloads the protein folding apparatus in Schwann cells and activates the unfolded protein response.This leads to Schwann cell apoptosis,dys-and de-myelination and secondary axonal degeneration,ultimately causing neurological disabilities.During the last decades,several different gene therapies have been developed to treat CMT1A.Almost all of them remain at the pre-clinical stage using CMT1A animal models overexpressing PMP22.The therapeutic goal is to achieve gene silencing,directly or indirectly,thereby reversing the CMT1A genetic mechanism allowing the recovery of myelination and prevention of axonal loss.As promising treatments are rapidly emerging,treatment-responsive and clinically relevant biomarkers are becoming necessary.These biomarkers and sensitive clinical evaluation tools will facilitate the design and successful completion of future clinical trials for CMT1A.展开更多
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) an intracellular protozoan parasite, infects mammals including human population world-wide. Upon primary infection, the parasite contributes to mild flu like symptoms in immune competent ...Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) an intracellular protozoan parasite, infects mammals including human population world-wide. Upon primary infection, the parasite contributes to mild flu like symptoms in immune competent host, but life threatening complication is seen in immune compromised patients and in pregnant women. Understanding the host-parasite interaction is critical for understanding the pathogenesis and biology parasite reactivation in the host. In this study, we used proteotrasncriptomics analyses by integrating the transcriptomics and proteomics data of T. gondii infected mouse liver to uncover the effector molecules responsible for disease pathogenesis that can be used as candidate markers for diagnosis and drug target. With this aim, we systematically integrated transcriptomicand proteomic data, representing the parasite infected mouse liver. Out of 2758 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 301 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), 159 overlapping genes were identified. Among them, 86 genes were upregulated and 72 were downregulated in their respective mRNA and protein levels in the infected condition. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis revealed that the upregulated genes were mostly associated with immune system processes whereas the downregulated genes were involved in oxidation-reduction process and metabolism of lipid, and fatty acids. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis uncovered an interaction-hub including, Psmb8, Psmb9 and Tap1 for upregulated proteins and Cyp1A2, Cyp4A10 and Cyp3A11 for down-regulated proteins. Further studies are needed to validating these effector molecules. These molecules are likely to play a vital role in disease pathogenesis, as well as can be used as potential diagnostic marker and drug target candidates.展开更多
Generation of mouse models carrying a defined point mutation,especially disease-related point mutations,is of considerable interest for research in biology and medicine.The standard method based on embryonic stem cell...Generation of mouse models carrying a defined point mutation,especially disease-related point mutations,is of considerable interest for research in biology and medicine.The standard method based on embryonic stem cell(ESC)-mediated homologous recombination(HR)is time-and labor-consuming.展开更多
Background: Liver weight is a complex trait, controlled by polygenic factors and differs within populations. Dissecting the genetic architecture underlying these variations will facilitate the search for key role cand...Background: Liver weight is a complex trait, controlled by polygenic factors and differs within populations. Dissecting the genetic architecture underlying these variations will facilitate the search for key role candidate genes involved directly in the hepatomegaly process and indirectly involved in related diseases etiology.Methods: Liver weight of 506 mice generated from 39 different Collaborative Cross(CC) lines with both sexes at age 20 weeks old was determined using an electronic balance. Genomic DNA of the CC lines was genotyped with high-density single nucleotide polymorphic markers.Results: Statistical analysis revealed a significant(P < 0.05) variation of liver weight between the CC lines, with broad sense heritability(H^2) of 0.32 and genetic coefficient of variation(CV_G) of 0.28. Subsequently, quantitative trait locus(QTL) mapping was performed, and results showed a significant QTL only for females on chromosome 8 at genomic interval 88.61-93.38 Mb(4.77 Mb). Three suggestive QTL were mapped at chromosomes 4, 12 and 13. The four QTL were designated as LWL1-LWL4 referring to liver weight loci 1-4 on chromosomes 8, 4, 12 and 13,respectively.Conclusion: To our knowledge, this report presents, for the first time, the utilization of the CC for mapping QTL associated with baseline liver weight in mice. Our findings demonstrate that liver weight is a complex trait controlled by multiple genetic factors that differ significantly between sexes.展开更多
Background Megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy with subcortical cysts(MLC)is a rare neurological degenerative disorder caused by the mutations of MLC1 or GLIALCAM with autosomal recessive or autosomal dominant inherit...Background Megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy with subcortical cysts(MLC)is a rare neurological degenerative disorder caused by the mutations of MLC1 or GLIALCAM with autosomal recessive or autosomal dominant inheritance and a different prognosis,characterized by macrocephaly,delayed motor and cognitive development,and bilateral abnormal signals in cerebral white matter(WM)with or without cysts on magnetic resonance imaging(MRI).This study aimed to reveal the clinical and genetic features of MLC patients with GLIALCAM mutations and to explore the brain pathological characteristics and prognosis of mouse models with different modes of inheritance.Methods Clinical information and peripheral venous blood were collected from six families.Genetic analysis was performed by Sanger sequencing of GLIALCAM.Glialcam^(Arg92Trp/+)and Glialcam^(Lys68Met/Thr132Asn)mouse models were generated based on mutations from patients(c.274C>T(p.Arg92Trp)(c.203A>T(p.Lys68Met),and c.395C>A(p.Thr132Asn))).Brain pathologies of the mouse models at different time points were analyzed.Results Six patients were clinically diagnosed with MLC.Of the six patients,five(Pt1-Pt5)presented with a heterozygous mutation in GLIALCAM(c.274C>T(p.Arg92Trp)or c.275G>C(p.Arg92Pro))and were diagnosed with MLC2B;the remaining patient(Pt6)with two compound heterozygous mutations in GLIALCAM(c.203A>T(p.Lys68Met)and c.395C>A(p.Thr132Asn))was diagnosed with MLC2A.The mutation c.275C>G(p.Arg92Pro)has not been reported before.Clinical manifestations of the patient with MLC2A(Pt6)progressed with regression,whereas the course of the five MLC2B patients remained stable or improved.The Glialcam^(Arg92Trp/+)and Glialcam^(Lys68Met/Thr132Asn)mouse models showed vacuolization in the anterior commissural WM at 1 month of age and vacuolization in the cerebellar WM at 3 and 6 months,respectively.At 9 months,the vacuolization of the GlialcamiLys68Met/Thr132Asn mouse model was heavier than that of the Glialcam^(Arg92Trp/+)mouse model.Decreased expression of Glialcam in Glialcam^(Arg92Trp/+)and Glialcam^(Lys68Met/Thr132Asn)mice may contribute to the vacuolization.Conclusions Clinical and genetic characterization of patients with MLC and GLIALCAM mutations revealed a novel mutation,expanding the spectrum of GLIALCAM mutations.The first Glialcam mouse model with autosomal recessive inheritance and a new Glialcam mouse model with autosomal dominant inheritance were generated.The two mouse models with different modes of inheritance showed different degrees of brain pathological features,which were consistent with the patients'phenotype and further confirmed the pathogenicity of the corresponding mutations.展开更多
Mutations in the leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 gene (LRRK2) are one of the most frequent genetic causes of both familial and sporadic Parkinson’s disease (PD). Mounting evidence has demonstrated pathological similarit...Mutations in the leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 gene (LRRK2) are one of the most frequent genetic causes of both familial and sporadic Parkinson’s disease (PD). Mounting evidence has demonstrated pathological similarities between LRRK2-associated PD (LRRK2-PD) and sporadic PD, suggesting that LRRK2 is a potential disease modulator and a thera-peutic target in PD. LRRK2 mutant knock-in (KI) mouse models display subtle alterations in pathological aspects that mirror early-stage PD, including increased susceptibility of nigrostriatal neurotransmission, development of motor and non-motor symptoms, mitochondrial and autophagy-lysosomal defects and synucleinopathies. This review provides a rationale for the use of LRRK2 KI mice to investigate the LRRK2-mediated pathogenesis of PD and implications from current findings from different LRRK2 KI mouse models, and ultimately discusses the therapeutic potentials against LRRK2-associated pathologies in PD.展开更多
Current therapies for obesity and related complications have been shown to have limited benefits,including unsatisfactory weight loss and poor metabolic improvement.With recent developments in bariatric surgery,promis...Current therapies for obesity and related complications have been shown to have limited benefits,including unsatisfactory weight loss and poor metabolic improvement.With recent developments in bariatric surgery,promising advancements have been made in clinical and scientific research,particularly in the management of obesity and diabetes.Vertical sleeve gastrectomy(VSG)has become increasingly popular due to its safety,simplicity,展开更多
Somatic gene therapy remains technically challenging,especially in the central nervous system(CNS).Efficiency of gene delivery,efficacy in recipient cells,and proportion of cells required for overall benefit are the k...Somatic gene therapy remains technically challenging,especially in the central nervous system(CNS).Efficiency of gene delivery,efficacy in recipient cells,and proportion of cells required for overall benefit are the key points needed to be considered in any therapeutic approach.Recent efforts have demonstrated the efficacy of RNA-guided nucleases such as CRISPR/Cas9 in correcting point mutations or removing dominant mutations.Here we used viral delivered Cas9 plasmid and two guide RNAs to remove a recessive insertional mutation,vibrator(vb),in the mouse brain.The vb mice expressed∼20%of normal levels of phosphatidylinositol transfer protein,α(PITPα)RNA and protein due to an endogenous retrovirus inserted in intron 4,resulting in early-onset tremor,degeneration of brainstem and spinal cord neurons,and juvenile death.The in situ CRISPR/Cas9 viral treatment effectively delayed neurodegeneration,attenuated tremor,and bypassed juvenile death.Our studies demonstrate the potential of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene therapy for insertional mutations in the postnatal brain.展开更多
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease characterized by pro- gressive motor deficits, cognitive decline, and psychiatric symptoms. It is caused by a pathological expa...Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease characterized by pro- gressive motor deficits, cognitive decline, and psychiatric symptoms. It is caused by a pathological expansion of CAG trinucleotide repeats in exon 1 of the HD gene, resulting in the translation of a mutant form of huntingtin protein (mutant Htt) with an expanded polyglutamine domain in the N-terminal region [1 ]. Despite great progress in understanding the pathogenesis of HD using multiple mouse models, the exact mechanisms by which mutant Htt induces neuronal dysfunction and death are still not completely clear, and there is no curative treatment for this disease. An important reason is that the mouse, which is the most widely used animal model in HD research, differs from the human in many aspects, including the physiology, drug metabolism, blood-brain barrier, life span, brain volume, and neuroanatomical organization [2]. Thus, it is necessary to establish HD models with higher species than rodents, such as the dog, pig, and non- human primate, so as to bridge the gap between preclinical mouse models and clinical studies.展开更多
Patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1(MEN1)mutations are predisposed to MEN1 syndrome affecting various endocrine cell lineages.Following its identification in the late 1990s,laboratories around the world,...Patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1(MEN1)mutations are predisposed to MEN1 syndrome affecting various endocrine cell lineages.Following its identification in the late 1990s,laboratories around the world,including our own,used gene-targeting approaches in murine models to study the MEN1 gene and its related diseases.Subsequently,this field of research witnessed an upsurge in the use of Men1 mutant mouse models to dissect MEN1 functions.These studies led to unraveling the natural history of MEN disease,and highlighted cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the development of the disease.In this review,we present the currently available data concerning the generation and characterization of Men1 mutant mouse models in connection with MEN1 syndrome.展开更多
基金Supported by Research grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology(MOST)in Taiwan,No.NSC99-2628-B-010-001-MY3,MOST 103-2321-B-010-003,MOST 103-2633-H-010-001,MOST 103-2633-B-400-002 and MOST104-3011-B-010-001a grant from the Ministry of Education,Aim for the Top University Plan
文摘The multifactorial and multistage pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)has fascinated a wide spectrum of scientists for decades.While a number of major risk factors have been identified,their mechanistic roles in hepatocarcinogenesis still need to be elucidated.Many tumor suppressor genes(TSGs)have been identified as being involved in HCC.These TSGs can be classified into two groups depending on the situation with respect to allelic mutation/loss in the tumors:the recessive TSGs with two required mutated alleles and the haploinsufficient TSGs with one required mutated allele.Hepatitis B virus(HBV)is one of the most important risk factors associated with HCC.Although mice cannot be infected with HBV due to the narrow host range of HBV and the lack of a proper receptor,one advantage of mouse models for HBV/HCC research is the numerous and powerfulgenetic tools that help investigate the phenotypic effects of viral proteins and allow the dissection of the dose-dependent action of TSGs.Here,we mainly focus on the application of mouse models in relation to HBV-associated HCC and on TSGs that act either in a recessive or in a haploinsufficient manner.Discoveries obtained using mouse models will have a great impact on HCC translational medicine.
基金Supported by 3M Science and Technology Fellowship Award(to Clark CR)National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of HealthNo.5R00CA151672-03(to Star TK)
文摘Colorectal cancer(CRC) constitutes a major publichealth problem as the third most commonly diagnosed and third most lethal malignancy worldwide. The prevalence and the physical accessibility to colorectal tumors have made CRC an ideal model for the study of tumor genetics. Early research efforts using patient derived CRC samples led to the discovery of several highly penetrant mutations(e.g., APC, KRAS, MMR genes) in both hereditary and sporadic CRC tumors. This knowledge has enabled researchers to develop genetically engineered and chemically induced tumor models of CRC, both of which have had a substantial impact on our understanding of the molecular basis of CRC. Despite these advances, the morbidity and mortality of CRC remains a cause for concern and highlight the need to uncover novel genetic drivers of CRC. This review focuses on mouse models of CRC with particular emphasis on a newly developed cancer gene discovery tool, the Sleeping Beauty transposon-based mutagenesis model of CRC.
文摘Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathies(CMT)constitute a group of common but highly heterogeneous,non-syndromic genetic disorders affecting predominantly the peripheral nervous system.CMT type 1A(CMT1A)is the most frequent type and accounts for almost~50%of all diagnosed CMT cases.CMT1A results from the duplication of the peripheral myelin protein 22(PMP22)gene.Overexpression of PMP22 protein overloads the protein folding apparatus in Schwann cells and activates the unfolded protein response.This leads to Schwann cell apoptosis,dys-and de-myelination and secondary axonal degeneration,ultimately causing neurological disabilities.During the last decades,several different gene therapies have been developed to treat CMT1A.Almost all of them remain at the pre-clinical stage using CMT1A animal models overexpressing PMP22.The therapeutic goal is to achieve gene silencing,directly or indirectly,thereby reversing the CMT1A genetic mechanism allowing the recovery of myelination and prevention of axonal loss.As promising treatments are rapidly emerging,treatment-responsive and clinically relevant biomarkers are becoming necessary.These biomarkers and sensitive clinical evaluation tools will facilitate the design and successful completion of future clinical trials for CMT1A.
文摘Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) an intracellular protozoan parasite, infects mammals including human population world-wide. Upon primary infection, the parasite contributes to mild flu like symptoms in immune competent host, but life threatening complication is seen in immune compromised patients and in pregnant women. Understanding the host-parasite interaction is critical for understanding the pathogenesis and biology parasite reactivation in the host. In this study, we used proteotrasncriptomics analyses by integrating the transcriptomics and proteomics data of T. gondii infected mouse liver to uncover the effector molecules responsible for disease pathogenesis that can be used as candidate markers for diagnosis and drug target. With this aim, we systematically integrated transcriptomicand proteomic data, representing the parasite infected mouse liver. Out of 2758 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 301 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), 159 overlapping genes were identified. Among them, 86 genes were upregulated and 72 were downregulated in their respective mRNA and protein levels in the infected condition. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis revealed that the upregulated genes were mostly associated with immune system processes whereas the downregulated genes were involved in oxidation-reduction process and metabolism of lipid, and fatty acids. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis uncovered an interaction-hub including, Psmb8, Psmb9 and Tap1 for upregulated proteins and Cyp1A2, Cyp4A10 and Cyp3A11 for down-regulated proteins. Further studies are needed to validating these effector molecules. These molecules are likely to play a vital role in disease pathogenesis, as well as can be used as potential diagnostic marker and drug target candidates.
基金supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (2014CB964803 and 2015AA020307)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 31530048, 31601163 and 81672117)+1 种基金he Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDB19010204 and QYZDJ-SSW-SMC023)the Shanghai Municipal Commission for Science and Technology(16JC1420500, 17JC1400900 and 17140901500)
文摘Generation of mouse models carrying a defined point mutation,especially disease-related point mutations,is of considerable interest for research in biology and medicine.The standard method based on embryonic stem cell(ESC)-mediated homologous recombination(HR)is time-and labor-consuming.
基金Israeli Centers of Research ExcellenceWellcome Trust,Grant/Award Number:085906/Z/08/Z,075491/Z/04,090532/Z/09/Z+1 种基金Edmond J.Safra Center for Bioinformatics at Tel-Aviv UniversityTel-Aviv University
文摘Background: Liver weight is a complex trait, controlled by polygenic factors and differs within populations. Dissecting the genetic architecture underlying these variations will facilitate the search for key role candidate genes involved directly in the hepatomegaly process and indirectly involved in related diseases etiology.Methods: Liver weight of 506 mice generated from 39 different Collaborative Cross(CC) lines with both sexes at age 20 weeks old was determined using an electronic balance. Genomic DNA of the CC lines was genotyped with high-density single nucleotide polymorphic markers.Results: Statistical analysis revealed a significant(P < 0.05) variation of liver weight between the CC lines, with broad sense heritability(H^2) of 0.32 and genetic coefficient of variation(CV_G) of 0.28. Subsequently, quantitative trait locus(QTL) mapping was performed, and results showed a significant QTL only for females on chromosome 8 at genomic interval 88.61-93.38 Mb(4.77 Mb). Three suggestive QTL were mapped at chromosomes 4, 12 and 13. The four QTL were designated as LWL1-LWL4 referring to liver weight loci 1-4 on chromosomes 8, 4, 12 and 13,respectively.Conclusion: To our knowledge, this report presents, for the first time, the utilization of the CC for mapping QTL associated with baseline liver weight in mice. Our findings demonstrate that liver weight is a complex trait controlled by multiple genetic factors that differ significantly between sexes.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Number:81741053,81501123)the Beijing Natural Science Foundation(Grant Number:7151010,7172217)+5 种基金the Bejing Municipal Science&Technology Commission(Grant Number:Z161100000216133,Z161100004916169)the Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders Foundation(Grant Number:BIBDPXM2014_014226_000016)the Beijing Municipal Natural Science Key Project(Grant Number 15G10050)Bejing key laboratory of molecular diagnosis and study on pediatric genetic discases(Grant Number BZ0317)the National Key Rescarch and Development Program of China(Grant Number:2016YFC1306201,2016YFC0901505)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(Grant Number:BMU2017JI002).
文摘Background Megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy with subcortical cysts(MLC)is a rare neurological degenerative disorder caused by the mutations of MLC1 or GLIALCAM with autosomal recessive or autosomal dominant inheritance and a different prognosis,characterized by macrocephaly,delayed motor and cognitive development,and bilateral abnormal signals in cerebral white matter(WM)with or without cysts on magnetic resonance imaging(MRI).This study aimed to reveal the clinical and genetic features of MLC patients with GLIALCAM mutations and to explore the brain pathological characteristics and prognosis of mouse models with different modes of inheritance.Methods Clinical information and peripheral venous blood were collected from six families.Genetic analysis was performed by Sanger sequencing of GLIALCAM.Glialcam^(Arg92Trp/+)and Glialcam^(Lys68Met/Thr132Asn)mouse models were generated based on mutations from patients(c.274C>T(p.Arg92Trp)(c.203A>T(p.Lys68Met),and c.395C>A(p.Thr132Asn))).Brain pathologies of the mouse models at different time points were analyzed.Results Six patients were clinically diagnosed with MLC.Of the six patients,five(Pt1-Pt5)presented with a heterozygous mutation in GLIALCAM(c.274C>T(p.Arg92Trp)or c.275G>C(p.Arg92Pro))and were diagnosed with MLC2B;the remaining patient(Pt6)with two compound heterozygous mutations in GLIALCAM(c.203A>T(p.Lys68Met)and c.395C>A(p.Thr132Asn))was diagnosed with MLC2A.The mutation c.275C>G(p.Arg92Pro)has not been reported before.Clinical manifestations of the patient with MLC2A(Pt6)progressed with regression,whereas the course of the five MLC2B patients remained stable or improved.The Glialcam^(Arg92Trp/+)and Glialcam^(Lys68Met/Thr132Asn)mouse models showed vacuolization in the anterior commissural WM at 1 month of age and vacuolization in the cerebellar WM at 3 and 6 months,respectively.At 9 months,the vacuolization of the GlialcamiLys68Met/Thr132Asn mouse model was heavier than that of the Glialcam^(Arg92Trp/+)mouse model.Decreased expression of Glialcam in Glialcam^(Arg92Trp/+)and Glialcam^(Lys68Met/Thr132Asn)mice may contribute to the vacuolization.Conclusions Clinical and genetic characterization of patients with MLC and GLIALCAM mutations revealed a novel mutation,expanding the spectrum of GLIALCAM mutations.The first Glialcam mouse model with autosomal recessive inheritance and a new Glialcam mouse model with autosomal dominant inheritance were generated.The two mouse models with different modes of inheritance showed different degrees of brain pathological features,which were consistent with the patients'phenotype and further confirmed the pathogenicity of the corresponding mutations.
基金Tai Hung Fai Charitable Foundation-Edwin S H Leong Research Programme for Parkinson’s DiseaseThe Henry G.Leong Endowed Professorship in Neurology+1 种基金The Donation Fund for Neurology ResearchHealth and Medical Research Fund(HMRF),Food and Health Bureau,Hong Kong S.A.R.
文摘Mutations in the leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 gene (LRRK2) are one of the most frequent genetic causes of both familial and sporadic Parkinson’s disease (PD). Mounting evidence has demonstrated pathological similarities between LRRK2-associated PD (LRRK2-PD) and sporadic PD, suggesting that LRRK2 is a potential disease modulator and a thera-peutic target in PD. LRRK2 mutant knock-in (KI) mouse models display subtle alterations in pathological aspects that mirror early-stage PD, including increased susceptibility of nigrostriatal neurotransmission, development of motor and non-motor symptoms, mitochondrial and autophagy-lysosomal defects and synucleinopathies. This review provides a rationale for the use of LRRK2 KI mice to investigate the LRRK2-mediated pathogenesis of PD and implications from current findings from different LRRK2 KI mouse models, and ultimately discusses the therapeutic potentials against LRRK2-associated pathologies in PD.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81370938)Shanghai Municipal Commission of Health and Family Planning(XYQ2011002)+2 种基金Shanghai Science and Technology Committee(11PJ1402000)Shenkang Hospital Development Center(SHDC12012220)the ‘‘Strategic Priority Research Program” of the Chinese Academy of Science(XDB13030500)
文摘Current therapies for obesity and related complications have been shown to have limited benefits,including unsatisfactory weight loss and poor metabolic improvement.With recent developments in bariatric surgery,promising advancements have been made in clinical and scientific research,particularly in the management of obesity and diabetes.Vertical sleeve gastrectomy(VSG)has become increasingly popular due to its safety,simplicity,
基金This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant No.3201101229)Macao Science and Technology Development Fund(grant No.015/2017/AFJ)Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province(grant No.2020A1515010072).
文摘Somatic gene therapy remains technically challenging,especially in the central nervous system(CNS).Efficiency of gene delivery,efficacy in recipient cells,and proportion of cells required for overall benefit are the key points needed to be considered in any therapeutic approach.Recent efforts have demonstrated the efficacy of RNA-guided nucleases such as CRISPR/Cas9 in correcting point mutations or removing dominant mutations.Here we used viral delivered Cas9 plasmid and two guide RNAs to remove a recessive insertional mutation,vibrator(vb),in the mouse brain.The vb mice expressed∼20%of normal levels of phosphatidylinositol transfer protein,α(PITPα)RNA and protein due to an endogenous retrovirus inserted in intron 4,resulting in early-onset tremor,degeneration of brainstem and spinal cord neurons,and juvenile death.The in situ CRISPR/Cas9 viral treatment effectively delayed neurodegeneration,attenuated tremor,and bypassed juvenile death.Our studies demonstrate the potential of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene therapy for insertional mutations in the postnatal brain.
文摘Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease characterized by pro- gressive motor deficits, cognitive decline, and psychiatric symptoms. It is caused by a pathological expansion of CAG trinucleotide repeats in exon 1 of the HD gene, resulting in the translation of a mutant form of huntingtin protein (mutant Htt) with an expanded polyglutamine domain in the N-terminal region [1 ]. Despite great progress in understanding the pathogenesis of HD using multiple mouse models, the exact mechanisms by which mutant Htt induces neuronal dysfunction and death are still not completely clear, and there is no curative treatment for this disease. An important reason is that the mouse, which is the most widely used animal model in HD research, differs from the human in many aspects, including the physiology, drug metabolism, blood-brain barrier, life span, brain volume, and neuroanatomical organization [2]. Thus, it is necessary to establish HD models with higher species than rodents, such as the dog, pig, and non- human primate, so as to bridge the gap between preclinical mouse models and clinical studies.
基金the Fondation de l’Association pour la Recherche contre le Cancer(PJA 20151203335)SCUSI 2017 program from la Région Auvergne Rhône-Alpes and the grant from Ligue contre le Cancer inter-régionale 2018.
文摘Patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1(MEN1)mutations are predisposed to MEN1 syndrome affecting various endocrine cell lineages.Following its identification in the late 1990s,laboratories around the world,including our own,used gene-targeting approaches in murine models to study the MEN1 gene and its related diseases.Subsequently,this field of research witnessed an upsurge in the use of Men1 mutant mouse models to dissect MEN1 functions.These studies led to unraveling the natural history of MEN disease,and highlighted cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the development of the disease.In this review,we present the currently available data concerning the generation and characterization of Men1 mutant mouse models in connection with MEN1 syndrome.