CRISPR/Cas9-induced (CTG⋅CAG)n repeat instability in the myotonic dystrophy type 1 locus: implications for therapeutic genome editing

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is caused by (CTG⋅CAG)n-repeat expansion within the DMPK gene and thought to be mediated by a toxic RNA gain of function. Current attempts to develop therapy for this disease mainly aim at destroying or blocking abnormal properties of mutant DMPK (CUG)n RNA. Here, we explored a DNA-directed strategy and demonstrate that single clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9-cleavage in either its 5′ or 3′ unique flank promotes uncontrollable deletion of large segments from the expanded trinucleotide repeat, rather than formation of short indels usually seen after double-strand break repair. Complete and precise excision of the repeat tract from normal and large expanded DMPK alleles in myoblasts from unaffected individuals, DM1 patients, and a DM1 mouse model could be achieved at high frequency by dual CRISPR/Cas9-cleavage at either side of the (CTG⋅CAG)n sequence. Importantly, removal of the repeat appeared to have no detrimental effects on the expression of genes in the DM1 locus. Moreover, myogenic capacity, nucleocytoplasmic distribution, and abnormal RNP-binding behavior of transcripts from the edited DMPK gene were normalized. Dual sgRNA-guided excision of the (CTG⋅CAG)n tract by CRISPR/Cas9 technology is applicable for developing isogenic cell lines for research and may provide new therapeutic opportunities for patients with DM1

Recovery in the myogenic program of congenital myotonic dystrophy myoblasts after excision of the expanded (CTG)n repeat

The congenital form of myotonic dystrophy type 1 (cDM) is caused by the large-scale expansion of a (CTG•CAG)n repeat in DMPK and DM1-AS. The production of toxic transcripts with long trinucleotide tracts from these genes results in impairment of the myogenic differentiation capacity as cDM’s most prominent morpho-phenotypic hallmark. In the current in vitro study, we compared the early differentiation programs of isogenic cDM myoblasts with and without a (CTG)2600 repeat obtained by gene editing. We found that excision of the repeat restored the ability of cDM myoblasts to engage in myogenic fusion, preventing the ensuing myotubes from remaining immature. Although the cDM-typical epigenetic status of the DM1 locus and the expression of genes therein were not altered upon removal of the repeat, analyses at the transcriptome and proteome level revealed that early abnormalities in the temporal expression of differentiation regulators, myogenic progression markers, and alternative splicing patterns before and immediately after the onset of differentiation became normalized. Our observation that molecular and cellular features of cDM are reversible in vitro and can be corrected by repeat-directed genome editing in muscle progenitors, when already committed and poised for myogenic differentiation, is important information for the future development of gene therapy for different forms of myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1)

The Shear Stress-Induced Transcription Factor KLF2 Affects Dynamics and Angiopoietin-2 Content of Weibel-Palade Bodies

BACKGROUND: The shear-stress induced transcription factor KLF2 has been shown to induce an atheroprotective phenotype in endothelial cells (EC) that are exposed to prolonged laminar shear. In this study we characterized the effect of the shear stress-induced transcription factor KLF2 on regulation and composition of Weibel-Palade bodies (WPBs) using peripheral blood derived ECs. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Lentiviral expression of KLF2 resulted in a 4.5 fold increase in the number of WPBs per cell when compared to mock-transduced endothelial cells. Unexpectedly, the average length of WPBs was significantly reduced: in mock-transduced endothelial cells WPBs had an average length of 1.7 µm versus 1.3 µm in KLF2 expressing cells. Expression of KLF2 abolished the perinuclear clustering of WPBs observed following stimulation with cAMP-raising agonists such as epinephrine. Immunocytochemistry revealed that WPBs of KLF2 expressing ECs were positive for IL-6 and IL-8 (after their upregulation with IL-1β) but lacked angiopoietin-2 (Ang2), a regular component of WPBs. Stimulus-induced secretion of Ang2 in KLF2 expressing ECs was greatly reduced and IL-8 secretion was significantly lower. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: These data suggest that KLF2 expression leads to a change in size and composition of the regulated secretory compartment of endothelial cells and alters its response to physiological stimuli

Effect of laminar shear stress on the distribution of Weibel-Palade bodies in endothelial cells

Background: Vascular endothelial cells (ECs) provide a highly interactive barrier between blood and the underlying tissues. It is well established that ECs exposed to laminar flow align in the direction of flow and also arrange their actin stress fibers in a parallel manner in the direction of flow. Also the organization of the microtubule network is altered in response to flow with repositioning of the microtubule-organizing centre (MTOC) in the direction of flow. Weibel-Palade bodies (WPBs) are endothelial cell specific storage organelles that contain a number of important homeostatic and inflammatory components. Dynamics of WPBs are controlled by microtubules and the actin cytoskeleton. Objectives: Here, we monitored flow-induced changes in distribution of WPBs. Methods: ECs were exposed for five days to laminar shear stress of 10 dyne/cm(2). Subsequently we measured the distance of individual WPBs with respect to the centre of the nucleus using Image Pro Plus. Results: ECs aligned in the direction of flow under these conditions. After 5 days the MTOC was positioned downstream of the nucleus in the direction of the flow. The number of WPBs per cell was slightly reduced as a result of the application of flow. Unexpectedly, only minor differences in the distribution of WPBs in ECs cultured under laminar flow were observed when compared to that of cells grown under static conditions. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that laminar flow does not induce major changes in number and distribution of WPBs in ECs. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserve

The Epac-Rap1 Signaling Pathway Controls cAMP-mediated Exocytosis of Weibel-Palade Bodies in Endothelial Cells

Endothelial cells contain specialized storage organelles called Weibel-Palade bodies (WPBs) that release their content into the vascular lumen in response to specific agonists that raise intracellular Ca2+ or cAMP. We have previously shown that cAMP-mediated WPB release is dependent on protein kinase A (PKA) and involves activation of the small GTPase RalA. Here, we have investigated a possible role for another PKA-independent cAMP-mediated signaling pathway in the regulation of WPB exocytosis, namely the guanine nucleotide exchange factor Epac1 and its substrate, the small GTPase Rap1. Epinephrine stimulation of endothelial cells leads to Rap1 activation in a PKA-independent fashion. siRNA-mediated knockdown of Epac1 abolished epinephrine-induced activation of Rap1 and resulted in decreased epinephrine-induced WPB exocytosis. Down-regulation of Rap1 expression and prevention of Rap1 activation through overexpression of Rap1GAP effectively reduced epinephrine-but not thrombin-induced WPB exocytosis. Taken together, these data uncover a new Epac-Rap1-dependent pathway by which endothelial cells can regulate WPB exocytosis in response to agonists that signal through cAM

IL-6 and IL-8 content of KLF2-transduced BOECs.

<p>(A) Immunofluorescence image showing co-localization of IL-6 (green) and VWF (red) in IL-1β-treated KLF2- and mock-transduced BOECs. Nuclei were visualized with DAPI (blue). Scale bars: 10 µm. (B) Western blot analysis for VWF, KLF2, IL-8 and IL-6 expression in lysates of mock- and KLF2-transduced BOECs; α-tubulin was shown as a loading control. (C) Immunofluorescence image showing co-localization of IL-8 (green) and VWF (red) in IL-1β-treated KLF2- and mock-transduced BOECs. Nuclei were visualized with DAPI (blue). Scale bars: 10 µm. (D) Release of VWF from PMA-stimulated KLF2 (black bars)- and mock (white bars)-transduced cells (IL-1β-treated), measured by determining the concentration of VWF in the conditioned medium by ELISA. **P<0.001; ***P<0.0001 by Students t-test (E-F) Release of IL-6 and IL-8 from PMA-stimulated KLF2 (black bars)- and mock (white bars)-transduced cells (IL-1β-treated), measured by determining the concentration of IL-6 and IL-8 in the conditioned medium by ELISA. The amount of IL-6 released without stimulation was slightly reduced in KLF2 expressing cells when compared to mock-transduced cells. NS: non-significant; *P<0.01; ***P<0.0001 by Students t-test.</p

OPG content of mock- or KLF2-transduced BOECs.

<p>(A) Immunofluorescence image showing co-localization of OPG (green) and VWF (red) in both mock- and KLF2-tranduced BOECs. Nuclei were stained using DAPI (blue). Scale bars: 10 µm.(B) Western blot analysis for VWF, KLF2, IL-8 and IL-6 expression in lysates of mock- and KLF2-transduced BOECs; α-tubulin was shown as a loading control.</p

Angiopoietin-2 content of WPBs in mock- and KLF2-transduced BOECs.

<p>(A) Immunofluorescence image showing the co-localization of Ang2 (green) and P-selectin (red) in WPBs of mock-transduced BOECs. Nuclei were visualized with DAPI (blue). Scale bars: 10 µm. (B) Western blot analysis of VWF, KLF2 and Ang2 expression in lysates of mock- and KLF2-transduced BOECs; α-tubulin is shown as a loading control. (C) Mock- and KLF2-transduced BOECs stained for VWF (red) and Ang2 (green). Nuclei were stained using DAPI (blue). Scale bars: 10 µm. (D-E) Release of Ang2 and VWF from PMA-stimulated KLF2 (black bars)- and mock (white bars)-transduced BOECs measured by determining the concentration of Ang2 in the medium by ELISA. **P<0.001; ***P<0.0001 by Students t-test. (F) Time course of regulated VWF and Ang2 secretion after PMA stimulation of mock- and KLF2-transduced BOECs.</p

Reduced average length of WPBs in KLF2-transduced BOECs.

<p>(A) Confocal microscopy analysis of WPBs in mock- and KLF2-transduced BOECs stained for VWF (red) and DAPI (blue). Scale bars: 10 µm. (B) Average amount of WPBs per cell in unstimulated and stimulated mock-transduced BOECs and KLF2-transduced BOECs. ***P<0.0001 using Student’s t- test (C) The average length of the WPBs in individual mock- or KLF2-transduced BOECs. WPBs from 20 randomly selected cells were analyzed. ***P<0.0005 by Student’s t-test (D) Release of VWF from forskolin/IBMX- and epinephrine/IBMX-stimulated KLF2 (black bars)- and mock (white bars)-transduced BOECs. ***P<0.0001 by Students t-test. Error bars represent SEM.</p

Expression of KLF2 in BOECs.

<p>(A) Immunofluorescent analysis of mock- and KLF2-transduced BOECs. Cells were immunostained for CD31 (red) and KLF2 (green); nuclei were stained using DAPI (blue). Scale bars: 20 µm; (B) Western blot analysis of KLF2 expression in lysates of KLF2-transduced and mock-transduced BOECs; α-tubulin is shown as a loading control.</p