| Literature DB >> 34617687 |
Zhiqin Huang1,2, Dan Zhang2, Shang-Chih Chen2, Luke Jennings2, Livia S Carvalho1,2, Sue Fletcher3,4, Fred K Chen1,2,5,6, Samuel McLenachan1,2.
Abstract
Biallelic mutations in the RCBTB1 gene cause retinal dystrophy. Here, we characterized the effects of RCBTB1 gene deficiency in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells derived from a patient with RCBTB1-associated retinopathy and restored RCBTB1 expression in these cells using adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors. Induced pluripotent stem cells derived from a patient with compound heterozygous RCBTB1 mutations (c.170delG and c.707delA) and healthy control subjects were differentiated into RPE cells. RPE cells were treated with AAV vectors carrying a RCBTB1 transgene. Patient-derived RPE cells showed reduced expression of RCBTB1. Expression of NFE2L2 showed a non-significant reduction in patient RPE cells compared with controls, while expression of its target genes (RXRA, IDH1 and SLC25A25) was significantly reduced. Trans-epithelial electrical resistance, surface microvillus densities and primary cilium lengths were reduced in patient-derived RPE cells, compared with controls. Treatment of patient RPE with AAV vectors significantly increased RCBTB1, NFE2L2 and RXRA expression and cilium lengths. Our study provides the first report examining the phenotype of RPE cells derived from a patient with RCBTB1-associated retinopathy. Furthermore, treatment of patient-derived RPE with AAV-RCBTB1 vectors corrected deficits in gene expression and RPE ultrastructure, supporting the use of gene replacement therapy for treating this inherited retinal disease.Entities:
Keywords: RCBTB1; adeno-associated virus; gene therapy; induced pluripotent stem cells; inherited retinal disease; retinal pigment epithelium
Mesh:
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Year: 2021 PMID: 34617687 PMCID: PMC8572767 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.16911
Source DB: PubMed Journal: J Cell Mol Med ISSN: 1582-1838 Impact factor: 5.310
FIGURE 1(A) Gene expression was measured by qRT‐PCR in RPE monolayers derived from three iPSC lines derived from the patient and three control lines derived from two healthy individuals, 6 weeks after seeding. Bars indicate mean RCBTB1, RXRA, IDH1 and SCLC25A25 gene expression values normalized to GAPDH and expressed as fold change compared with control levels. Error bars show standard deviation. Statistical significance was determined by the t test (*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01). (B) TEER was measured in RPE monolayers derived from control (n = 3) and patient‐derived (n = 3) iPSC lines at 2 weeks and 6 weeks after seeding. The bar graph shows TEER values obtained for each line, as well as the overall mean values for the control and patient RPE. Error bars indicate standard deviation. (C) Primary cilium lengths were measured in RPE cells derived from control (n = 3) or patient‐derived (n = 3) iPSC lines 6 weeks after seeding. The bar graph shows mean cilium lengths for each line, as well as the overall mean values for the control and patient RPE cells. Error bars indicate standard error of the mean. (D) RPE cells were categorized into eight groups according to primary cilium length and plotted as a frequency distribution. Each data point represents the mean frequency of RPE cells within each group, calculated from the 3 independent control or patient iPSC lines shown in C. Error bars indicate standard deviation (chi‐squared test, p < 0.0001). (E) SEM analysis of cultured RPE cells showing morphology in patient‐derived and control RPE cells and surface microvillus densities in patient‐derived and control RPE
FIGURE 2(A) Micrographs show morphology and pigmentation of mature patient‐derived RPE monolayers, six months after plating. No changes in RPE morphology were evident two weeks after treatment with AAV2 or AAV8 vectors. (B) RCBTB1 expression was measured in patient‐derived RPE by qRT‐PCR, two weeks after treatment. Data were normalized to GAPDH expression and expressed as mean fold change compared with untreated controls (*p < 0.05). (C) Gene expression was measured by qRT‐PCR in AAV‐RCBTB1–treated and untreated patient‐derived RPE monolayers, 2 weeks after transduction. Bars indicate mean expression values normalized to control levels. Error bars show standard deviation. Statistical significance was determined by the t test (*p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01). (D) Mean cilium lengths in AAV2‐RCBTB1– and AAV8‐RCBTB1–treated RPE cells, compared with untreated controls. Error bars indicate standard error of the mean. Statistical significance was determined by the t test (**p < 0.01 and ***p < 0.001) (E) RPE cells were cultured, fixed and immunostained for ARL13B and pericentrin, two weeks after treatment with AAV2‐ or AAV8‐RCBTB1 gene therapy vectors. Primary cilium length distributions in AAV2‐RCBTB1– and AAV8‐RCBTB1–treated RPE are compared with untreated patient RPE (chi‐squared test, p < 0.0001)